Planning applications for student and leaseholder housing

At its meeting on 16 May the Forum heard from architects in the Stanton Williams and Bell Phillips practices and the Argent project managers about the detailed plans for:

• T5 (the student housing for the Aga Khan University).
• R5 (the block completing the housing cluster started with Saxon Court on York Way).
• Gasholder 8 (the open gasholder frame).

All of them have emphases on sculptural forms and facings (as exemplified above, for Building T5), but they draw very different conclusions.

Two of the plans had already been submitted as planning applications (2013/2481/P for Building T5 and 2013/1573/P for Building R5). The Forum opted not to respond to them, but its members might make their own responses. The minutes of the meeting describe the buildings as seen from the outside and include some pictures.

The minutes of the meeting also summarise the discussions of the establishment of tenants and residents associations and a meeting of the Construction Impact Group. That meeting covered:

• The pollution and noise experienced by occupants.
• The numbers of lorry movements.
• Spoil removal from ground preparation works.
• Waste disposal from buildings when occupied.

There will be a further meeting, on Thursday 13 June, to look at other expected planning applications.