New school part of Marsh Wall Skylines plan

The scheme has been designed by Terry Farrell and Partners, and would be carried out in phases if approved.

Skylines features 60 two to three storey units designed for industrial and small business use in the 1980s. The highest point of the proposed development is 163 metres. It could form part of a cluster of taller buildings including Harbour Exchange and the planned 43-storey, 265-unit residential design planned for the Angel House site across the road.

Senior account executive Jared Ingham of PPS Group - who is handling the consultation - said: "The site has been identified in the London Plan as an area that is suitable for high density development.

"The thinking behind the plan is to provide a transition between the more commercial developments to the north and the residential area."

ZBV - which is part of the Zog Group - sped up the submission of its plan to Tower Hamlets Council in late-January so that it could arrive before the Angel Group application was heard. The company said it did this to allow councillors to view the "cumulative impact" of all proposals for the area, but the Angel Group plan was withdrawn before the Strategic Development Committee meeting on February 2.

Both schemes feature hotels, although the 123-bed hotel at Skylines will be more than double the size of the 56-bed provision at Angel House.

Skylines would feature six blocks ranging from two to 50 storeys, shaped in a right angle formation rising to a peak in the northern corner. The 1.44 hectare site currently accommodates around 280 jobs through tenants such as EDF Energy, biometrics firm IDScan and Educo-Gym. ZBV estimates that the new scheme would provide a total of 535 jobs.

Mr Ingham said: "We've been in discussion with tenants, and on the whole most of them are on board and understand where we are. There's potential for them to be incorporated into the new business space. That's certainly the intention. The plan is that not all of them will be moved out at the same time to minimise disruption, but it's very early days."

The development would also feature a creche, a sports hall which would be available to the community out of school hours and the school itself, which would accommodate 584 pupils aged three to 13 and provide means-tested scholarships to local children.

Units themselves would range from studios to five bedrooms. Of the 806 available, 171 would be affordable and 138 would feature three bedrooms or more. The buildings to the east would be constructed using aluminium and glass, while the western blocks would also include green walls, roof gardens and terracotta cladding.

The plan also incorporates around 0.8 hectares of open landscaped space featuring "biodiversity areas" and a community garden. This would be open to the public, and the scheme is set up to improve pedestrian access across the site. There would be 220 underground car parking spaces, and 970 bicycle spaces.

Residents and businesses were invited to an exhibition of the plans at Unit 41 in the business park last Friday and Saturday, and can ask further questions via the Community Information Line on 0800 019 2056.

Block A (23 storeys)
Affordable apartments on upper levels. School on lower levels up to sixth floor

Block E (2 stories)
Community space and entrance into main school sports hall