Controversial tower block plans scrapped as 'eyesore' Thameside House set for conversion
Controversial plans to knock down Thameside House in Staines, currently owned by the borough council, and replace it with high-rise tower blocks have been shelved.
Instead, the riverside office block could be sold to a developer who wants to convert the existing building into flats rather than demolish it- a move welcomed by residents who feared a huge high-rise dominating the riverfront.
The recommendation was made by Spelthorne Borough Council’s Business, Infrastructure and Growth Committee on September 11.
The full council still has to sign the decision off later this month.
Reports reveal the sale price will not cover the cost of buying the property or the council’s earlier development plans.
But officers say the money will help pay down debt and cut the £2.5m a year it costs to keep the building empty.
“We’ve inherited a bit of a kerfuffle with this building,” said Cllr Howard Williams.
He labelled Thameside House “an absolute eyesore” and said it was costing the council a fortune each year.
While admitting the deal felt like a bit of a ‘win-win’.
He added: “We should just do it and move on and take on the next challenging site that we’ve got to deal with.”
The preferred bidder hopes to transform Thameside House into around 50 apartments.
They have also promised to deliver ‘social initiatives’ which could include apprenticeships, a play area and/or a donation to charity – although no affordable housing.
This prompted frustrations from Cllr Sean Beatty that the building would be exclusively for market rent.
He said: “It is disappointing that the developer can’t see a way to provide even a small amount of social housing.
“It would go a little bit to address the issues that we have in the borough of just about 1,500 people in desperate need.”
The deal would still need approval from the Environment Agency because the building sits in a flood risk zone.
The Riverside Residents Staines Coalition, which has campaigned against the high-rise development on the riverfront, said the news was a big relief.
A spokesperson said: “Repurposing the building rather than redeveloping the site is very welcome news both for those who live nearby but also not least in relation to its impact on the appearance and amenity of the town’s riverfront.”
The group added that concerns about flooding and the look of the riverside were clearly on councillors’ minds when making their decision.
Council leader Joanne Sexton recently promised in a public meeting her administration would do everything it could to make sure no new development increases flood risk for homes and public spaces in the borough.
If given the green light, the developer will use permitted development rights to switch the building from offices to flats.
This means the work has to stay within the existing structure and envelope of the building- a simpler process than a full planning application, but one that still carries conditions.
Financially, the council says the sale will help bring down its heavy borrowing and save around £2.5m a year in running costs on the empty site.
If the deal is rubber-stamped, the developer will still need planning approval to switch the use from offices to flats, but that is a much simpler process than a full redevelopment.