Policy information sourced from the Tower Hamlets Local Plan

D.H3 Housing standards and quality

1) Development is required to demonstrate that, as a minimum, it meets with the most up-to-date London Plan space and accessibility standards, in particular:

  • it provides a minimum of 2.5 metres floor-to-ceiling heights, and
  • at least 10% of dwellings are built to the ‘wheelchair user dwellings’ accessible housing standard M4 (3) and the remainder of dwellings are built to the ‘accessible and adaptable dwellings’ accessible housing standard M4 (2) both contained within part M (volume 1) of the building regulations
    • Where units which meet the wheelchair user dwellings standards M4 (3) (2) (b) are to be delivered above the ground floor, access to a second lift must be provided
    • In exceptional circumstances, where units which meet the wheelchair user dwellings standards M4 (3) (2) (b) cannot be accommodated on site, contributions in-lieu will be accepted.

2) Affordable housing should not be externally distinguishable in quality from private housing.

3) Developments must use hard wearing, durable materials for the affordable housing elements of the development.

4) Development is required to protect or re-provide existing amenity space (private, communal and child play space). Net loss of existing amenity space will be resisted.

5) Development will need to demonstrate how it will meet the following minimum amenity space (private, communal and child play space) standards on site:

  • a minimum of five square metres of private outdoor space should be provided for 1-2 person dwellings and an extra one square metre should be provided for each additional occupant
  • balconies and other private external spaces should have a minimum width and depth of 1500 mm
  • for developments with 10 or more residential units, the minimum communal amenity space (excluding circulation areas, access routes and waste or bike storage) should be 50 square metres for the first 10 units plus a further one square metre for every additional unit thereafter
  • major developments should provide a minimum of 10 square metres of high quality play space for each child
  • the child yield calculator should be used to determine child numbers in a development.

For more information please see the Local Plan