High Rise Towers over Watford’s Park to an Urban Landscape

Is Cassiobury Park ruined by High Rise, no more can you escape the urban city?

In the UK there has been a big rise in the number of residential towers; 78% of high-rise buildings in the UK pipeline (having started construction in 2021 or under consideration) are residential-led.

By contrast, the percentage of high-rise buildings now being built for commercial office use is declining. It was previously estimated that 23% of existing high-rise buildings have been designed for office use, but across the UK, only 15% of high-rise completions between 2016 and 2020 were offices, a figure that falls to 11% for buildings in the pipeline. High-rise commercial office buildings are largely concentrated in city centres.

Simon Jenkins article in the Guardian writes “London is not alone in England. Manchester is facing a 40-storey slab, which will loom over the Victorian streets like something from outer space, while acres of inner suburb lie derelict. In Bristol, a single 26-storey tower is being allowed next to Castle Park, in a city where nine storeys is supposedly the limit. Most astonishing of all, a 25-storey tower is proposed for the heart of ancient Norwich. These cities should be struck off the tourist itinerary.”

Grenfell Demolition

As first reported by The Guardian, ministers are expected to formally announce the demolition of the tower later this month after the recent release of a report on the state of fire-ravaged structure prepared by government-enlisted engineering consultancy Atkins. The structural engineers authored a report that advises that what remains of the tower should be “carefully taken down” as soon as possible due to safety concerns impacting the community around the site, including a nearby secondary school.

Grenfell United, a group of survivors and bereaved families formed in the immediate wake of the tragedy, released a statement acknowledging that it was “shocked” to learn of the forthcoming demolition announcement “given the promise by the government that no decision would be made on the future of the tower without full consultation with the bereaved and survivors.”