{"id":779807,"date":"2025-03-21T11:38:57","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T11:38:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=779807"},"modified":"2025-03-24T09:04:36","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T09:04:36","slug":"couple-sue-developer-of-plp-designed-office-block-over-right-to-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/couple-sue-developer-of-plp-designed-office-block-over-right-to-light","title":{"rendered":"Couple sue developer of PLP-designed office block over right to light"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0 allegedly offending structure is the 19-storey Arbor Tower,<\/a> a \u00a334.9 million office block built for developer Native Land,<\/a> which opened in 2023.<\/p>\n

Stephen and Jennifer Powell, who live in th CZWG-designed Bankside Lofts (1999), a neighbouring building by the River Thames, are seeking a court order to demolish Arbor Tower<\/a> on the grounds that it blocks out their light, The Times reports.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The couple claim that the height of the building blocks out so much natural light that it \u2018stops them reading in bed\u2019, according to the newspaper.<\/p>\n

The 28,000m\u00b2 \u2018next generation\u2019 workspace forms part of a wider PLP-designed development between Blackfriars Bridge and Tate Modern.<\/p>\n

When complete, the \u00a31 billion Bankside Yards<\/a> will consist of eight towers, including \u2018Opus\u2019, a 50-storey residential skyscraper set to open in spring 2025.<\/p>\n

\"bankside

Bankside Yards<\/p>\n\t

Source:PLP Architecture \/ WireCollective<\/p><\/div>\n

But the Powells, along with their upstairs neighbour, Kevin Cooper, are seeking legal action on the grounds that Arbor Tower obstructs their right to light.<\/p>\n

The claimants are asking High Court judge Mr Justice Fancourt to order that Native Land<\/a> alters plans for the unbuilt sections of Bankside Yards to make up for the loss of light cause by Arbor Tower and have told the court that, as a last resort, they will ask for the tower itself to be demolished.<\/p>\n

If their bid is successful, a court injunction could force the developer to remove the \u2018offending\u2019 obstruction to the view of the sky \u2013 in other words, to demolish Arbor Tower.<\/p>\n

If the injunction bid fails, the trio has claimed damages which \u2018could run to millions of pounds\u2019, according to The Times<\/em>. Compensation can be paid to an \u2018injured\u2019 party in right to light cases as an alternative to an injunction for the loss they have suffered as a result of the obstruction.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tim Calland, a barrister acting on behalf of the residents, told the judge that his three claimants maintain that the \u2018exceptional natural light\u2019 in Arbor Tower \u2018will have been achieved \u2014 wrongfully \u2013 at the expense of their light\u2019.<\/p>\n

But lawyers for the developers have insisted that demolishing Arbor Tower would constitute a \u2018gross waste of money and resources\u2019 \u2013 and suggested to the High Court that neighbouring residents could use an electric light to read in bed.<\/p>\n

John McGhee KC, representing the developers, insisted that the loss of light caused by Arbor does not \u2018substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of the [Bankside Lofts] flats and as such is not an actionable nuisance\u2019.<\/p>\n

McGhee told the court that the developers had \u2018engaged extensively\u2019 with all other neighbouring property-owners whose light might be impacted, and that \u2018almost all\u2019 of them had agreed to drop any claims in exchange for \u2018modest sums\u2019 of compensation.<\/p>\n

The AJ has approached Native Land for comment. PLP declined to comment.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Bankside Lofts by CZWG before the PLP tower was built<\/p>\n\t

Source:Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0 allegedly offending structure is the 19-storey Arbor Tower, a \u00a334.9 million office block built for developer Native Land, which opened in 2023. Stephen and Jennifer Powell, who live in th CZWG-designed Bankside Lofts (1999), a neighbouring building by the River Thames, are seeking a court order to demolish Arbor Tower on the grounds that …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":138919,"featured_media":779867,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[681],"tags":[3553,1636,2616],"yoast_head":"\nCouple sue developer of PLP-designed office block over right to light<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A couple are suing the developer of a PLP-designed office tower on London\u2019s South Bank, claiming that the building is blocking their right to light\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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