Development Insanity

A couple of weekends ago I went up the Wandle River from where it meets the Thames to Colliers Wood. On the way the Wandle passes the site which used to be the Young Brewery, and noted it was up for re-development, wondering what could be proposed for the site.

Well now I know, for have just received the public consultation newsletter for what they want to do - namely put two towers, one 32 stories the other 42!!

Are they insane?

That would make them by far the tallest buildings outside central London. Wandsworth and Putney are by nature suburban areas with typically family housing in 3ish floor terraces with the odd 10ish apartment block (guilty as charged).

Maybe I'm just getting more conservative in my tastes with age but can't help but think these towers would be totally out of place. And I don't mean trim three stories and assume we won't notice 29 and 39 stories looming over us.

I'm all in favour of tall buildings in central London, clusters of towers are rather magnificent. But placing is important - not just plumping them down in the middle of a struggling conservation area.