High-rise holds the key to London’s housing crisis

While I broadly agree that London needs buildings crafted to respond to their particular location, I do have some fundamental differences with his viewpoints.

He says development should be “street-based” rather than high-rise; but just because the 1950s and 1960s produced examples of cheap housing in tower blocks which were poorly managed and maintained, that doesn’t mean towers cannot be magnificent places in which to live. They can also become a valuable part of the city where the context allows, such as Canary Wharf and sections of the South Bank. In these circumstances the key issue is the provision of amenity space, and developing a sustainable community of residents and businesses.

If we accept that density in cities is crucial to accommodate a growing population and avoid carpeting the countryside, the delivery of medium-rise solutions as opposed to towers is an issue of footprint.

Over large areas of the city, significant density can be achieved in relatively low-rise accommodation — as is demonstrated by Mayfair, which is extremely dense. The problem for architects in trying to achieve this kind of low-rise density is that the proximity of buildings in historic cities is now considered unacceptable in terms of overlooking, sunlight and daylight criteria. The arbitrary planning mantra that suggests a minimum of 18m between buildings has led to finger blocks lined up and down the Thames with a relentless 18m dimension between them. This has prevented the richness of narrow spaces and wider streets implicit in many historic city layouts.

Dittmar questions whether tall buildings meet the real need for homes or are just investment vehicles. With the exception of super-prime buildings like One Hyde Park, new residential developments are almost entirely occupied. This is largely on a rental basis but nobody complains that 90% of the offices in London are occupied by tenants rather than owners.

A strong residential rental market is a positive alternative for Londoners to the ever-increasing capital demands of home ownership — investment in London is the life-blood keeping the city moving forward.

Michael Squire,
Squire & Partners,
London WC1