Policy information sourced from Hackney Local Plan 2033

LP27 Protecting and Promoting Office Floorspace in the Borough

New Office Floorspace

A: New development involving the provision of new office (B1a) floorspace must comprise well designed, high quality buildings and floorspace that is flexible / adaptable to accommodate a range of unit sizes and types with good natural light, suitable for sub-division and configuration for new uses and activities, including for occupation by small or independent commercial enterprises.

B: All applications incorporating new office floorspace should include a marketing strategy which demonstrates the design and layout of the proposed floorspace is of a high quality, is flexible and meets the needs of likely end users.

Priority Office Areas (POAs)

C: New development within designated POAs will be permitted where it is employment-led and where B1 use class is the primary use in line with the below thresholds, subject to viability.

  1. Within the Future Shoreditch AAP (Shoreditch POA and part of the Wenlock POA) - at least 60% of the floorspace across the area as a whole is B1 employment floorspace.
  2. In the Dalston POA and remainder of the Wenlock POA – at least 60% of the overall new floorspace on a site is B1 use class
  3. In remaining POAs - at least 50% of the overall new floorspace on a site is B1 use class.

D: Retail, hotel, community, leisure, residential development in POAs will be permitted where all of the following criteria are met:

  1. The development forms part of an employment-led, mixed-use scheme including conversion schemes meeting the thresholds identified in C1. and 2. above.
  2. Proposals must be appropriate to the characteristics and functioning of the site and will not compromise the on-going operations of businesses in the POA.
  3. Proposals must satisfy the requirements of Policies including; other employment policies, Policy LP8 (Social and Community Infrastructure), Policy LP25 (Visitor Accommodation) Policy LP32 (Town Centres), and Policy LP38 (Evening and Night Time Economy).
  4. Residential uses are not provided at ground floor level.

E: The change of use of ground floor commercial uses to residential use will not be permitted.

F: Proposals solely for residential use will not be permitted in POAs.

G: Existing industrial uses and low cost employment floorspace in POAs must be re-provided in line with Policy LP29 Affordable workspace and Low Cost Employment Floorspace.

Retention of Office Floorspace

H: Development involving the net loss of B1a office floorspace in the POAs will not be permitted.

I: Development involving the net loss of B1 office floorspace outside of POAs will only be permitted where all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Robust marketing evidence (refer to Appendix 1) is submitted which demonstrates that there has been no demand for the existing or vacant land and floorspace for its current or former use, and the possibility of retaining, reusing or redeveloping it for similar or alternative smaller or more flexible units for employment generating use, or other alternative employment generating use has been fully explored;
  2. Any new employment use provides a range of higher quality, more flexible floorspace and preferably a higher density employment than the previous; and
  3. It is demonstrated that the new commercial floorspace being provided has a strong likelihood of being occupied through the submission of a detailed marketing strategy (refer to Appendix 1).

For more information please see the Hackney Local Plan 2033