RCS CoLPAI - alternative plans

[GLE Website Comms Team]

Is it possible to achieve the same amount of school and housing accommodation on the RCS site in a low to medium rise format that matches the surrounding housing?

The RSC CoLPAI GLERA sub-committee have looked at possible plans in more detail and it turns out that not only is it possible; you could achieve 15% more social housing on the site. The key is to combine the school and housing in one building which saves space. This layout would:

• Be planning policy compliant
• Be cheaper to build. (The tower is £3m over budget, partly because it is high-rise)
• Achieve more and better quality Social Housing (76 flats instead of 66)
• Provide the same area for the school with an integrated School Hall
• Provide public open space  Avoid the fire safety compromises of a single-staircase tower

These plans are not meant to be fully worked up proposals for the site, but realistic schematic layouts. We call on the City of London to withdraw the highly damaging and misguided proposals for the CoLPAI tower and look urgently at a low-rise scheme along these lines.