Until now the campus has developed in a largely ad-hoc way, and it was our aim to ensure that future development is considered in a more comprehensive manner in order to enhance the quality of the estate. In order to do this, the Masterplan objectives include strengthening community, protecting and enhancing heritage assets, improving public realm and ecology, strategic and coherent growth, improved permeability and sustainable transport infrastructure. These strands are embedded within suggestions for core development opportunities, and in the key design principles that should be considered in proposals for individual sites.

The opportunities are focused within five different zones of the campus, each with its own set of unique circumstances. Case studies explore the most significant sites for opportunities, but do not detract from the potential for future development in the remaining areas. As well as setting out the key design principles that should be followed, a case study option is provided for each development site indicating how the principles could be applied. Opportunities for the retrofit of existing buildings are also considered. The SPD supports the Tower Hamlets Local Plan and provides further detail on how planning policies should be implemented within the SPD area. The document will provide material weight in planning decisions; and will therefore help the council to evaluate individual planning applications on the campus to assess whether they are in line with the coherent growth strategy set out within.