Policy information sourced from Thurrock Core Strategy and Policies for Management of Development

PMD3 – TALL BUILDINGS

The Council defines tall buildings as:

  • Buildings of more than six storeys or a height of two storeys above the prevalent form of development, whichever is the lesser, within an established primarily residential area; or
  • Buildings of more than six storeys in other locations including recently developed, predominantly residential neighbourhoods.

Thurrock will assess applications for tall buildings against the Criteria for Evaluation set out in Section 4 of the CABE/English Heritage publication ‘Guidance on Tall Buildings’ (2007). The Council will only support those applications, which respond positively to all the relevant criteria. The relevant criteria in Thurrock are:

  • The relationship to context
  • The effect on historic assets
  • The relationship to transport infrastructure
  • The architectural quality of the proposal
  • The sustainable design and construction of the proposal
  • The credibility of the design, both technically and financially
  • The contribution to public space and facilities
  • The effect on the local environment
  • The contribution made to permeability
  • The provision of a well designed environment

Applicants must demonstrate that they have considered this guidance in detail and have used it as a basis to develop their scheme design.

Applicants must demonstrate that their proposals are also in accordance with other policies in this plan, including PMD2 - Design and Layout, and the Design and Sustainability SPD, when published.

Applications will only be granted in locations identified in the Adopted Site Specific Allocations and Policies DPD and identified on the Proposals Map.

Proposals for tall buildings in Thurrock will only be considered acceptable, outside of the locations (included in the Adopted Site Specific Allocations and Policies DPD and shown on the Proposals Map), in exceptional circumstances. Such exceptional circumstances will arise only when an applicant can demonstrate that a tall building will act as a catalyst for long term regeneration, with significant social, economic and environmental benefits for the local community, while also meeting the requirements of the criteria above and other relevant policies.

Applications for outline permission for tall buildings should not be submitted; detailed applications will be required.

Tall structures that cannot be occupied (such as silos, telecommunication masts, wind turbines, and chimneys) are not considered tall buildings by the Council and will be dealt with on their own merits, taking into account other relevant policies in the plan and as many of the CABE/English Heritage Criteria for Evaluation (above) that are relevant.

Key Diagram and Maps

Sites will be included in the Adopted Sites Specific Allocations and Policies DPD and identified on the Proposals Map.

For more information please see the Core Strategy and Policies for Management of Development