PLP Architecture has submitted revised plans for a taller residential tower at Bankside Yards, increasing height to 170 metres and boosting affordable housing as part of London’s ambitious South Bank regeneration project.
PLP Architecture has submitted revised plans for a residential tower within Native Land’s Bankside Yards masterplan, located near the Tate Modern on London’s South Bank. The updated proposal for plot BY6 involves adding two storeys to the previously approved 32-storey building, increasing its height to 170 metres. This adjustment accommodates new building safety regulations that came into effect in April last year, requiring residential buildings over 18 metres tall to have two stair cores to enhance fire safety. To fit the larger stair core, the tower’s footprint will be widened by three metres, and the podium will gain an additional storey as floor-to-ceiling heights are marginally reduced from 3.2 to 3.1 metres.
The Bankside Yards masterplan itself is a major £2.5 billion mixed-use development comprising eight buildings, with heights reaching up to 50 storeys. The tower in question forms part of an emerging cluster of high-rises that complement Simpson Haugh’s One Blackfriars building and forthcoming towers designed by Foster & Partners for US developer Hines. PLP has argued in their submission that the revised tower will have a near-identical appearance on the skyline compared to the original design, preserving the character and heritage of the townscape. They also highlighted the positive transformation of the visual environment around the site.
The redesign has a notable effect on housing provision within the tower, increasing the number of market units from 165 to 173. Additionally, the social housing mix improves with the number of social rented units rising from 15 shared ownership units to 26 social rented ones, reflecting a strengthened commitment to affordable housing within the scheme.
This tower is part of a wider transformative vision for Bankside Yards, which is set to include Opus, the first residential building launching sales, a towering 50-storey structure designed by PLP Architecture. Opus is planned to be the tallest residential building in prime central London when completed, offering 249 apartments with expansive city views and contributing to the UK’s first major fossil fuel-free mixed-use development powered by an innovative energy-sharing network. Construction is progressing well, with the topping out of Opus recently celebrated, marking a significant milestone in the neighbourhood’s all-electric, fossil-fuel-free ethos.
Further cementing the development’s status as a landmark regeneration project, plans include other significant components such as a 50-storey Building 2 and the upcoming Mandarin Oriental Bankside, a luxury hotel and branded residences scheduled to open in 2028, which also aligns with the fossil fuel-free agenda of Bankside Yards.
Overall, PLP’s amendments to plot BY6 reflect both regulatory compliance and a strategic enhancement of housing capacity while maintaining the masterplan’s architectural and environmental ambitions for this rapidly evolving area of the capital.
📌 Reference Map:
- Paragraph 1 – [1] Building, [2] Building
- Paragraph 2 – [1] Building, [2] Building
- Paragraph 3 – [1] Building
- Paragraph 4 – [3] PLP Architecture, [5] PLP Architecture, [7] PLP Architecture
- Paragraph 5 – [4] PLP Architecture, [6] Twin FM
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is recent, published on 28 October 2025, and reports on a new planning application submitted by PLP Architecture for a residential tower within Native Land’s Bankside Yards masterplan. The content appears original, with no evidence of prior publication or recycling. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from PLP Architecture’s submission, such as:
> “The townscape and visual character of the site would be positively transformed.”
A search for this exact quote reveals no earlier usage, indicating it is potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from Building, a reputable UK-based construction news outlet. While not as widely known as some major news organisations, Building is considered a reliable source within the industry.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative are plausible and consistent with known facts. The Bankside Yards masterplan is a significant development in London, and the reported revisions to the residential tower align with building safety regulations introduced in April 2024. The narrative provides specific details, such as the increase in building height to 170 metres and the addition of two storeys, which are verifiable and consistent with the project’s scope.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is recent, original, and sourced from a reputable outlet. The claims are plausible and supported by verifiable details, indicating a high level of credibility.
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