Plans for the controversial Bishopsgate Goodsyard scheme have changed again after a public consultation.

East London Advertiser: What the Bishopsgate Goodsyard development will look like. Pic: Hammerson and BallymoreWhat the Bishopsgate Goodsyard development will look like. Pic: Hammerson and Ballymore (Image: Archant)

Developers Ballymore and Hammerson are now proposing 450 homes, up from the 250 they had settled on in November but far fewer than the 1,350 in the original designs.

As it stands 35 per cent (158) of the 450 homes would be “affordable”, though discussions about what kind of “affordable” that means are still taking place.

The extra 200 homes will be created by replacing proposed commercial buildings along a new pedestrian street with residential blocks that have shops underneath.

A planned hotel would also now be a mixed building also containing flats.

And the park proposed in the consultation has also changed in size and will be bigger.

When plans were first announced in 2015, they sparked a major backlash because the homes would be in two towers of 38 and 48 storeys. Director of the Victorian Society Christopher Costelloe likened the blocks to something better suited to Chinese megacity Shenzhen and then-mayor of Hackney Jules Pipe criticised the lack of affordable homes.

London mayor at the time, Boris Johnson, called in the plans for an executive decision but left office before one was made. His replacement Sadiq Khan then handed the decision back to Hackney and Tower Hamlets. As a result, plans were altered to include one tower at 19- to 29-storeys, and the focus shifted to workspace and public spaces.

But after analysing feedback from the consultation, they have changed yet again.

A spokesperson on behalf of The Goodsyard said: “We have been carefully reviewing feedback and have been engaged in positive and constructive discussions with the Greater London Authority and Hackney and Tower Hamlets councils, as well as other stakeholders.

“We have reviewed our proposals with the aim of further optimising the residential provision, increasing the number of new homes to 450, while maintaining a balanced mix of uses, including new public realm and 1.4m sq ft workspace aimed at enhancing Shoreditch’s reputation as a hub for tech and entrepreneurs.”