This proposals fundamentally fail to respect the site’s unique woodland setting and the established character of the surrounding area.  It exhibits a lack of visual sensitivity, and an inadequate response to context in the massing and materiality of the proposed designs.

1. Unsympathetic Architecture

The design is a missed opportunity to create a development in harmony with its surroundings. There is little to no tradition of building in the immediate or extended area with this kind of mixed brick and the lack of facade texture and contrast sets it at odds with the surrounding neighbourhoods and its natural setting.  It closely resembles other Berkeley sites and is wholly out of keeping with the local vernacular. Crucially, it shows little regard for the existing materiality of the site and its natural woodland setting.

2. Visually Intrusive, Insensitive Form

Unlike the existing gas holders – whose skeletal, transparent form blends into the landscape – the proposed high-rise towers are dense, monolithic, and visually overpowering.  This stark change in character and massing is unjustified and disrupts the area’s visual balance.  The design disregards both the site’s ecological sensitivity and its visual impact on nearby residents.

3. Harmful Precedent

Approving a scheme so disconnected from its context risks long-term damage to the area’s character and visual identity.  It would set a troubling precedent, inviting further developments that erode local distinctiveness and ignore environmental and visual considerations.

Relevant Planning Policies

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF 2024):

• Paragraph 135 (b): The proposal fails to ensure that the development is visually attractive as a result of good architecture.
• Paragraph 135 (c): The design is not sympathetic to local character and history, nor does it take account of the surrounding built environment or landscape setting.

London Plan (2021):

• Long-range views: Attention should be paid to the top of the buildings, making a positive contribution to the emerging skyline
• Mid-range views: Attention should be paid to the form and proportions of the buildings. They should have a direct relationship with the site, giving visual coherence and legibility.