LaSalle Investment Management (“LaSalle”) and Trilogy Real Estate (“Trilogy”) have won their planning appeal to secure planning consent for a 940,000 sq ft second phase of Republic, their first-of-its-kind innovation campus at London’s East India Dock. This consent provides the opportunity to bring the total accommodation at Republic to more than 1.28 million sq ft.
The planning application was taken to appeal after Tower Hamlets Council’s planning committee refused permission in October 2022, against the guidance of its own planning officers. In their report on the appeal decision, the planning inspector concluded that the design of the proposed buildings and landscaping are of a high quality and would have a positive effect on the character and appearance of the area.
Robert Wolstenholme, Founder and CEO of Trilogy Real Estate, said:
“Over the past eight years, Trilogy has created a campus for education and innovation at Republic that defines this new alternative asset class. In the process, we’ve transformed an unloved office estate into a coherent and sustainable development with a real sense of place and connection to the community – one that anticipated the challenge of the new world of work and sought to have a significant positive social impact in Tower Hamlets. The work we’ve done with universities and other education providers to deliver space for training, education and skills alongside workspace has created an engine for the future economy of East London.
“The next phase of Republic builds upon the strengths of the development and our location. Bringing a community of students and residents onto our campus will reinforce Republic’s mission to be a place that serves the full spectrum of needs of colleges and universities and integrates with the local community. We’re also adding capacity at one of the UK’s most in-demand hubs for data centres, providing vital infrastructure that will support future jobs.”
Tim Frost, Fund Manager, LaSalle Investment Management, said,
“Securing this planning consent provides an exceptional opportunity to continue the transformation of Republic into a vibrant place for existing occupiers and the local community. The mix of education, living and a data centre will offer a dynamic space for the existing campus, whilst helping support the growth of local businesses and educational opportunities. We are delighted by the decision to support the delivery of this market-leading scheme in Tower Hamlets.”
Nick Owen, Partner, SimpsonHaugh, said:
“We are delighted at the appeal decision to give consent to the Republic scheme, and the inspector’s conclusion that the high quality design of the proposed buildings and landscaping would have a positive impact on the character, heritage and appearance of the area. The vision that informed our proposals is to continue the transformation of the Republic Estate to create a sustainable future for the site through the development of an exemplary mixed-use neighbourhood, integrating education and innovation spaces, shared communal amenities, and high quality living accommodation. We look forward to the next stages of this exciting project.”
Phase 2 of Republic is set to create a “full-service” innovation campus. 716 high-quality student rooms in a 36-storey building of 270,000 sq ft will serve the community of university students that has grown up around the seven higher education institutions that have located their London campuses at Republic.
When fully built out, Republic will provide more than 1.28 million sq ft of mixed-use space centred on a unique education-led campus that provides opportunities for learning, leisure and living alongside work.
This decision gives detailed planning consent for 150 private rental residences in a 30-storey building of 225,000 sq ft, and outline planning consent for a 376,000 sq ft data centre and a 64,000 sq ft studio workspace building containing up to an additional 7,000 sq ft of space for community use.
The masterplan, both residential buildings and the exterior of the data centre have been designed by SimpsonHaugh Architects. Nicholas Webb Architects is the architect for the internal configuration of the data centre. The studio workspace and public realm are designed by Studio RHE, the architects behind the award-winning first phase of Republic.
SimpsonHaugh’s masterplan creates new pedestrian routes across the site through a landscape design that increases biodiversity by creating new water gardens and planting trees. New public spaces include the west water gardens; a “walled garden” between the residential buildings; and the tunnel gardens, a linear pocket park that will provide a water garden play space for local children. New openings have been permitted in the grade II listed East India Dock Wall to better connect the new residential buildings to the Tunnel Gardens and the wider Blackwall neighbourhood beyond.
37.7% of the homes at Republic will be offered at affordable rents (measured by habitable room). Of these, 66% will be socially-rented homes, in line with Tower Hamlets’ policy. 30% of the flats will be one-bedroom, 40% two-bedroom, 25% three-bedroom and 5% (six units) will be four-bedroom homes. The residential and student residential buildings will be fossil fuel-free, using centralised air source heat pumps (ASHPs) with electric top-up and heat exchangers to provide heating, cooling and domestic hot water. The new-build PBSA, Data Centre, and workspace buildings on the development will all target BREEAM Excellent or higher.
7,000 sq ft of space for community use will be provided within the new studios building, building on the positive relationships Republic has built with local community groups and education providers.
A 376,000 sq ft data centre will add new capacity at one of the UK’s most strategically important sites for data centres, using proximity to transatlantic cables and the business hubs of Canary Wharf and the City to create the low-latency connections prized by operators in the sector.
LaSalle and Trilogy submitted plans to Tower Hamlets in September 2021 following extensive consultation with the local community to establish their priorities for future development in the area. The submitted proposal significantly diversifies the mix of uses on site at Republic, introducing homes for private rent, affordable and socially-rented homes, student accommodation and a data centre alongside a new building of studios for start-ups, SMEs and local businesses looking for flexible workspace.
