High-rise tower blocks are seen as quite normal, however
high and however they dominate their immediate surroundings. Nobody thinks
twice about all the skyscrapers in New York or London.
But should they be seen as normal or as something a bit
unnatural, something that should be challenged rather than accepted?
Mick Jagger and a bunch of other celebs have won their
battle to prevent a 29-storey high-rise near Battersea Bridge in London. After
fighting the proposal for two years, it has been rejected by a government planning
inspector.
The inspector ruled that the tower block would be
detrimental to the appearance of the area, being taller and bulkier than other
existing buildings.
I’ve always taken tower blocks for granted myself, but on
reflection there are several things wrong with them. They block views from nearby
buildings, children have no yard or garden to play in, they need lifts which
often break down, and they need elaborate fire control measures to prevent
another towering inferno like Grenfell Tower, London, in 2017.
Of course the main reason why developers build tower blocks
is because they’re highly profitable. They’re not scenic, they’re not interesting
architecture, if truth be told they’re actually rather ugly.
PS: I've said before that I wouldn't live anywhere higher than a third floor. Any higher than that and I'd always be worried about a possible disaster and not being able to get out of the building.
If any normal person had tried to block that being built other than a celebrity or a rich person, it would still be being built. They are pretty normal a thing to be seen around here.
ReplyDeleteMary: True, local residents who object to a development tend to be overruled, even if there are hundreds of objections.
DeleteI guess they also cast long shadows and block out the sun?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't like to live in one, although the views can be spectacular.
Sx
Ms Scarlet: Yes, the views can be spectacular, but at the expense of those at ground level whose views may be completely wiped out.
DeleteThe Australian people blocked, by protest, a monstrosity with Trump's name attached. Whatever the reason the one in London was stopped it's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteSandra: The plan for an Australian Trump Tower collapsed because of an ongoing dispute between the Trump Organisation and the Altus Property Group, which planned the tower. The high-rise block in London was ruled detrimental to the appearance of the area.
DeleteI am in favour of the mid-rise developments.
ReplyDeleteThey offer the possibility of having more people per unit in dense and expensive cities to live in, like London, without the burdensome costs associated with service charges.
We have a housing crisis in the UK and rent is extortionate. My generation pays huge percentage of salary towards housing/rent that my parents never did. That coupled with mass migration and near collapse of new home for young people and it's unsustainable. I think that's probably one of the reasons the birth rate is going down, people can't get homes to raise/start families.
Hey-ho.
Liam: The current housing crisis is a nightmare for anyone wanting either to buy or to rent. I think you're right that it's one reason the birth rate is falling. That and low salaries and the rising cost of living. Flat owners do pay service charges. Some flat-owners are being hit with massive service charges they simply cant pay.
DeleteWe live in a fourth floor apartment. That's all the taller they build around here because that's how high the fire truck ladders reach. We picked this apartment because of the view of the nature preserve across the street. Plus it was the smallest apartment available and we don't need even this much space.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Linda: Not building anything higher than four storeys is very sensible. How do you get out of an upper-floor flat if there's a fire down below you?
DeleteThese apartments are also nearly fireproof with concrete floors at each level. We did have a small fire two floors below us. Our alarm went off so Dave checked it out and saw smoke rolling out the windows two floors down. The rules here are to stay in your apartment with the door closed unless there is smoke in your apartment. We've had a couple more small fires (one across the hall and down two doors) but we haven't have to evacuate yet.
DeleteLinda
Linda: If there's a fire in a British tower block the same instruction applies, shelter in place/stay put, but that was disastrous at Grenfell Tower as lots of residents were simply consumed by the fire. As you say, luckily you haven't had to evacuate yet.
DeleteWe currently live in a 5-story former mill building which doesn't look like a high-rise as the first two levels are below the main level (3rd floor). I would not want to live in a higher building even though the views might be better.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: The views may be good from the high-rise, but the views at ground level will probably have been wiped out.
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