Committees: Dates: Corporate Projects Board Projects Sub

01 February 2017 17 February 2017

Subject: 22 Bishopsgate Public Realm

Gateway 1&2 Project Proposal Regular

Public

Report of: Director of the Built Environment

For Decision

Report Author: Fiona Walker Recommendations It is recommended that members:

• Agree the allocation of £100,000 from the S106 agreement to progress the project to the next gateway as set in section 2 below.

1. Approval track and next Gateway

Approval track: 2. Regular Next Gateway: Gateway 3/4 - Options Appraisal (Regular)

2. Resource requirements to reach next Gateway

Item Reason Funds/

Source of Funding

Cost (£)

Staff Costs Project management roles, including coordinating consultant appointments, stakeholder engagement and reporting

S106 June 2016 £50,000

Fees Consultant appointments which may include street user surveys, traffic consultants and landscape architects

S106 June 2016 £50,000

3. Next steps 3.1 Confirm core project team and establish wider project

governance structure 3.2 Identify key stakeholders

3.3 Establish project Working Party in line with expected governance arrangements

3.4 Commission initial surveys and other consultant

appointments 3.5 Preparation of a refined full project scope at the next

Gateway 3.6 Agree project briefs 3.7 Develop initial options through preliminary design

preparation and evaluation

Project Summary

4. Context 4.1 This report relates to the implementation of new aspects of the public realm and security measures in the surrounding area of the proposed new tower development at 22 Bishopsgate (formerly known as ‘The Pinnacle’).

4.2 There have been numerous amendments to the initial scheme that was granted planning permission 15/00764/FULEIA (see appendix A). However the approved building was to comprise of a total of 61 floors including dedicated ‘incubator’ space, a public viewing gallery and a mix of office and retail space.

4.3 A Section 106 agreement, attached to this planning permission (15/00764/FULEIA), between the developer and the City of London was signed on 16 June 2016 and it is these funds that will be used to deliver the new public realm. The developer is also required to enter into an agreement under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980 to meet the cost of new highway works that are necessary to accommodate the development.

4.4 On 28th November 2016 the Planning and Transportation Committee resolved to grant planning permission for an application under S73 of the Town and Country Planning Act app.no. 16/00849/FULEIA (see appendix B) for minor material amendments to the initial planning permission. The proposed changes relate to the lower levels of the tower including the ground floor layout and this application is subject to a S106 agreement. However a decision is yet to be issued.

4.5 In November 2016 a new planning application was submitted (app:16/01150/FULEIA) for a slightly lower tower (58 storeys). The changes proposed in this application do not affect the lower storeys as such should not implicate this

project, however the application is currently under consideration and will be subject to a separate S106 agreement if approved.

4.6 The development sits within the Eastern City Cluster of tall buildings, identified as an area for intensification for office floor space provision as part of the City’s Local Plan. The new public realm proposals will need to ensure that the existing streets can sustain the impact of the increase in footfall caused by the development, whilst at the same time create an exceptional arrival point to the building.

4.7 The site lies in the immediate vicinity of prominent (existing and proposed) buildings including 30 St Mary Axe, 122 Leadenhall Street, 1 Undershaft, Tower 42 and the proposed development at 6-8 Bishopsgate. Bishopsgate defines the western boundary with Great St Helen’s to the north, with Undershaft and the existing building at 1 Great St Helen’s to the east. The site includes Crosby Square, an area of public highway accessed from Great St Helen’s and by the steps from Undershaft.

4.8 The area comprises of a number of significant listed

buildings, most notably the grade 1 listed St Helen’s Church. There are significant archaeological remains associated with the former Benedictine nunnery surrounding the church. The settings of these designated heritage assets are an important consideration in developing the scheme. Furthermore a small part of the Northern edge lies within St Helens Place Conversation Area whilst the Bank Conservation Area lies immediately to the west.

5. Brief description of project

5.1 The 22 Bishopgates public realm project will involve the design, development and implementation of new public realm options around the new building and the wider vicinity of the site. Security measures will also be considered for the site itself and as part of the emerging wider Eastern City Cluster security project.

5.2 It is clear that these works are likely to affect Bishopsgate,

Undershaft, Great St Helen’s and St Mary Axe and it is also acknowledged that the development will create increased pedestrian, service vehicles and cyclists levels, and the consequences of this will spread beyond the immediate vicinity of the site. Consequently, these issues alongside climate change resilience measures and Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS), will be considered within the detailed project scope. This should ensure mitigation measures are designed into the new public realm designs.

5.3 Potential options may include, but are not limited to: • Widening footways and / or measures to increase

pedestrian priority, to provide enhanced access (including improved passing space) for all users;

• New or improved / relocated pedestrian crossings to make the area safer for pedestrians;

• Restricted access to vehicles in some locations, including the potential for timed closures and consolidated servicing to reduce pollution, traffic and provide a safer area for all users;

• Improved lighting to improve personal security, safety, and make signs and potential hazards more visible;

• Improved public spaces including trees, other planting and the introduction of public art to make the area more attractive;

• Improvements to access and movement throughout the site.

5.4 Consolidation servicing measures will be included to reduce the number of large delivery/servicing vehicles entering the area at busy times of the day. Measures that will be investigated include; restricting deliveries at key times of the day and /or having a facility outside the City, where goods can be consolidated and dispatched in smaller vehicles etc. The detail of this will be drawn up later stages of the project.

5.5 The project will also incorporate security measures where necessary. These measures will be developed in the context of a wider security system for the ECC which is being progressed as a separate project.

6. Consequences if project not approved

6.1 Were the project not approved, it is likely that the streets and spaces in the surrounding area of the development would be inadequate to cope with the number of additional pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles coming into the area, due to the new development.

6.2 Furthermore, the public realm in the immediate vicinity of

the site is not adequate, as is, to meet the standard befitting a major landmark development such as 22 Bishopsgate, and would remain insufficient after the construction of the building, should the project not be approved.

7. SMART Objectives

• Put people first – encouraging pedestrian priority, with mechanisms that reduce the impact of vehicular traffic and make the area more pedestrian friendly by increasing safety and accessibility.

• Enhance and maximise the historic character and value of the City – protecting the valuable historic characteristics of the streets and spaces by building on these qualities with consistent design principles and the use of high quality materials and encouraging suitable use.

• Ensure continuous and active management and maintenance – to ensure the public realm is sustainable and cost-effective to maintain – by agreeing the terms of maintenance arrangements early in the design process.

• Protecting the public realm of the City – ensure that any maintenance or other works within the area are coordinated and the same materials are used consistently.

8. Success criteria 8.1. The project specific success criteria will be determined in

collaboration with stakeholders once the project commences, however overarching non project specific requirements of “defined goals and methods” will help toward the successful delivery of the project. The list below sets out a more specific list that will be built on at later stages: • Collaborative approach to delivery – ensuring that all

COL standards are adhered to and all activity and decisions are transparent and have “buy in” from all stakeholders through leadership, ownership and regular communication with all stakeholders.

• Project meets the project scope / user requirements – ensure that clear project goals are defined and all tasks and activities are set out to achieve these goals. Recognising the main goal is to create a high quality public realm area adjacent to the new development which helps mitigate the additional footfall and makes the area accessible for all street users.

• Project delivered within budget - ensure a clear budget is set from project inception and is monitored regularly to ensure it is not exceeded.

• Flexible, Safer and maintainable public realm design - Ensure that the new public realm designs supports the needs of all users and make the area more attractive, useable, safer and flexible. In addition to meeting all the City of London quality and maintenance standards.

• Safer pedestrian movement - Ensure that the new public realm designs create a safer environment for pedestrians by improving accessibility and connectivity and giving pedestrian priority where possible

• Improve the setting of the Church and the new building - Ensure that the new public realm designs place Great St Helens church and the proposed landmark building, in a better setting and adds aesthetic value to the wider vicinity of the area.

• Maintain existing access points where necessary -Ensure that the new public realm designs improve, where possible, all service vehicle, pedestrian and cycle access points on site and the wider vicinity.

9. Key Benefits 9.1 A new high quality, area of public realm adjacent to the new development that includes new greenery and other amenities which are consistent with the City’s wider public realm standards.

9.2 New and improved public realm designs that create

additional user capacity, adding to the attractiveness of the City of London as a place to work, live and play.

A new public realm design that minimises the need for servicing movements, reduces emissions, the impact on local streets and assimilates into a well-functioning street network. These benefits will be achieved through a series of interventions that will be detailed at the next stage of the project but may include:

• Widening and resurfacing footways using York stone paving, to increase priority and movement for pedestrians and cyclists throughout the area.

• Fitting new and improved pedestrian crossings and restricting access to vehicles in key locations, to make the area more accessible.

• Installing lighting around the new building and public areas, to improve personal safety, and make the area more visible.

• Creating a new public space with high quality materials and street furniture; trees, planting and public art to make the area more attractive.

10. Notable exclusions

Although there will be interfaces with publicly-accessible private land, the City will not be designing or delivering those elements.

11. Governance arrangements

Spending Committee: Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee Senior Responsible Officer: Simon Glynn Project Board: Yes

Prioritisation

12. Link to Strategic Aims

1. To support and promote The City as the world leader in international finance and business services

13. Links to existing strategies, programmes and projects

13.1 The Transportation & Public Realm Division is currently progressing related work that will directly impact the project.

13.2 A review of the Eastern City Cluster Enhancement

Strategy has recently commenced, which will propose options for the enhancement of the public realm in the surrounding areas of the site and beyond.

13.3 An area-wide security review is being developed which will

consider what security measures may be necessary to secure the wider area from hostile threats.

13.4 An area review of Service Vehicles Movements is

proposed together with a Freight Strategy for the City.

13.5 It is likely that all of these work streams will be overseen by a high level governing body, to ensure coordination and efficiency between them.

14. Project category

7a. Asset enhancement/improvement (capital)

15. Project priority B. Advisable

Options Appraisal

16. Overview of options

At this stage options are being considered and will be presented in detail at the next Gateway. Broad options are set out in section 5.3 of this report.

Project Planning

17. Programme and key dates

Estimated programme and key dates: To be updated once the initial programme is received from the developer.

• Gateway 1&2 - Initiation: March 2017 • Gateway 3 - Design: July 2017 • Gateway 4 - Detailed designs: January 2018 • Gateway 5 - Delegated authority to start works: March

2018 • Gateway 6 – Project Update; November 2018 • Gateway 7 – Member approval for project closure: April

2019 Other works dates to coordinate: TBC

18. Risk implications

Overall project risk: Green 1. Unforeseen utility relocation/other utility issues impacting works budget and programmes Conducting utilities surveys before beginning works and avoiding requirement for utilities to be relocated by adjusting the scope of works if necessary.

2. Enhancement and highway works proposed will not deliver the improvement needed for the area Officers will carry out a thorough analysis of the needs and issues facing the area, and integrate designs with other nearby enhancement and highway schemes to maximise the impact of a fixed budget. 3. Site access constrained Ensure coordination between affected stakeholders at an early stage and factor any risks into the design process from the outset. 4.Scheme does not meet user requirements Working with all stakeholders to ensure expectations and needs are understood and met. 5. Scheme is not completed in time. Working closely with the developer to ensure that we are working to an agreed programme with co-ordinated milestones.

19. Stakeholders and consultees

• Ward Members • Developer and representatives • Key affected local occupiers • St Helen’s Church • Transport for London • Access Group • Taxi Drivers

Resource Implications

20. Total estimated cost

Likely cost range: Figures at: Current Prices (Longer Term Projects) 2. £250k to £5m

21. Funding strategy

Choose 1: All funding fully guaranteed

Choose 1: External - Funded wholly by contributions from external third parties

Funds/Sources of Funding Cost (£)

S106 22 Bishopsgate (‘Initial Highways Works Contribution’)

£100k

S278 Cost to be confirmed

Total £100k (with further costs TBC)

Under the terms of the Section 106 agreement, a contribution of £100,000 has been allocated for the purpose of enabling the preparatory work relating to the public highway works (including Crosby Square). Further costs will be funded through a Section 278 agreement which will be agreed with the developer in due course.

22. On-going revenue implications

Any requirements would be confirmed at options appraisal, with the intention that COL will not be responsible for revenue requirements

23. Investment appraisal

N/A

24. Procurement strategy/Route to Market

Early engagement with City Procurement will be factored into the detailed programme and the project will follow the standard City of London procurement process, with competitive tenders issued where required. It is likely that the enhancement works will be delivered via the term contract.

25. Legal implications

The City is required to enter into a Section 278 agreement under the terms of the existing Section 106 agreement. This will be agreed with the developer and set out more fully at the next Gateway.

26. Corporate property implications

N/A

27. Traffic implications

Due to the increase in footfall caused by the new landmark development, there are likely to be changes required to streets surrounding the development as part of the project (as identified in 5.2). Bishopsgate runs immediately to the west of the site and is part of the Transport for London Route Network, which is wholly managed by TfL, and so TfL will be closely involved in any proposals for this street. The implications for traffic will be set out in more detail at the next Gateway, but at present options include (but are not limited to) the reconfiguration and relocation of pedestrian crossings, footway widening and the potential restricted access (traffic order) / timed closures to vehicles on certain streets.

28. Sustainability and energy implications

The project will seek to implement changes that benefit the environment wherever possible. The potential for a SuDS will be explored, as will options for the introduction of new street trees and other greenery.

29. IS implications N/A

30. Equality Impact Assessment

An equality impact assessment will be undertaken

Appendices Appendix 1 Site Plan 1 – Planning Application No: 15/00764/FULEIA

subject to the 106 Agreement funding this scheme Appendix 2 Site Plan 2 – November 28th 2016

Planning Application No: 16/00849/FULEIA Contact Report Author Fiona Walker Email Address fiona.walker@cityoflondon.gov.uk Telephone Number

020 7332 1134

Appendix A Site Plan 1 – Initial Planning Application - No: 15/00764/FULEIA – The S106 agreement signed in June 2016 that is funding this scheme came from this application.

Appendix B Site Plan 2 – November 28th 2016 Planning Application No: 16/00849/FULEIA the latest scheme that is being considered (shorter building no changes to the public realm). These amendments have not yet been approved.