Stephen and Jennifer Powell, residents of an apartment on the sixth floor of the Bankside Lofts tower, assert that the recently constructed 18-story "Arbor" tower has severely limited the amount of natural light entering their home.
Ludgate House, the real estate development company responsible for the project, disputes these claims. "Mr. Cooper, who selected his apartment for its exceptional natural light, places significant value on the daylight that enters his residence, not only for basic illumination but also for the well-being of its occupants," wrote the resident’s attorney, Tim Calland, in a submission to the High Court, as reported by The Times.
"Mr. Powell, who has lived at Bankside Lofts for over 20 years, chose his apartment over others with better views specifically because it was flooded with natural light. The only means of ensuring justice and preserving this access to light is through a demolition order," Calland continued, emphasizing that, "Should an injunction be denied, the claimants will be deprived of their legal right to light, while the defendant will have gained something without just cause."
Demolition of the Arbor Tower Remains a Possibility
The Arbor tower, which opened in 2023, is the first of eight towers planned for completion as part of the £2 billion Bankside Yards development. The distinctive yellow Bankside Lofts complex was constructed adjacent to the Bankside power station, which was repurposed as the Tate Modern art gallery in 1998.
The Powells, along with Kevin Cooper, a resident of the seventh floor, are seeking an injunction requiring the developer to revise the plans for the remaining towers within the Arbor development, to provide compensation, or, as a final recourse, to demolish the building.
"The legal remedy the claimants seek is an order preventing the retention of the Arbor tower in its current form, if it continues to cause undue disturbance," Calland stated, underscoring that his clients’ primary objective is not the demolition of the building, provided that such an outcome can be avoided.
