The south bank of the Thames from Battersea to Vauxhall is one vast construction site. At the northern end alone, branded as 'Nine Elms on the South Bank', some 16,000 new homes are planned — more than five times the number in the former London 2012 Athlete's Village in Stratford.
Many of these new homes are up in the sky. Come 2020, Nine Elms will have a skyline to rival Canary Wharf's. Nine developments in particular look set to dominate the views from Westminster Bridge. All are taller than the nearby Millbank Tower, or Centre Point, and some contain more than one tower.
This article looks at these nine developments, most of which have planning permission, some of which are under construction, and one of which is almost complete. Many other buildings, including slightly smaller towers such as 30-60 South Lambeth Road, are planned, but we've set an arbitrary limit of 120 metres here (partly, if we're being honest, to allow the 'nine towers of Nine Elms' editorial conceit!).
Note: there's plenty to be said about the social implications of developing to such a high density, the allocation of 'affordable housing', the radical changes to the skyline, pressures on transport and other infrastructure and the continued rise of luxury apartments that few Londoners can afford. We regularly cover such issues elsewhere in our Housing section, and this article is intended only to provide a bit of background to the various schemes.
Vauxhall Square: A mixed-use series of buildings over three sites, dominated by twin towers rising to 168 metres. Developed by CLS Holdings. It replaces mostly old office buildings. A row of six Georgian terraced houses will be retained. 520 homes, 21% affordable housing. The scheme is approved and work is expected to begin in early 2015, with completion some time after 2020. The site will include a multi-screen cinema, public square, 359 student rooms, 401 hotel rooms, and a purpose-built homeless hostel.Nine Elms Point: the main tower is 125 metres with smaller towers of 90 and 63 metres. It's designed by Rolfe Judd. The new Nine Elms tube station (Northern Line extension) will also be located close to the site as well as a new Sainsbury's and other shops. Developed by Sainsbury's, Barratt London and L&Q. It replaces the old Sainsbury's and petrol station, which are currently being demolished. 737 homes, 51 'affordable' (7%).One Nine Elms: Designed by KPF. At 200 metres, the bigger of two towers is set to be the tallest residential building in western Europe. At 160 metres, the smaller tower is no slouch. Developed by Chinese property giant Dalian Wanda. It replaces Market Towers, the beige and brown tower block that's dominated the area since the 1970s. 487 homes, 51 of which are deemed affordable (10.5%), with contributions paid to build social housing off-site.. Preparatory work for demolition has begun, with full demolition later this year. Work on the towers will begin in 2015, with planned completion by 2018. Sky Gardens Nine Elms: A 120 metre tower containing two communal gardens for residents, developed by Fraser Properties. It replaces a derelict warehouse. 178 homes, 41 'deemed 'affordable' (after considerable negotiation). Preparatory work is under way.The Tower, One St George Wharf. The first big tower in the area is now almost complete and fully sold. It hit the headlines in 2012 when a helicopter collided with a construction crane, killing two. It stands 181 metres tall, making it the loftiest residential tower in London. It contains 274 homes, and was developed by St George.New Bondway. A 168 metre tall residential tower designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by McLaren and Citygrove. The unusual h-shaped building will contain 450 new homes, 90 of which will be 'affordable'. Planning permission has yet to be granted. If it is, the developers hope to begin work in 2015, completing in 2018.
