Olympic Park tower approved despite attacks on design

A 43-storey tower next to the Olympic Park has been approved despite being criticised by the Government's design watchdog.

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment said it had "fundamental concerns" about the skyscraper even after design revisions were made.

In spite of this, Genesis Housing Group was granted planning permission by Newham council for the tower and five other lower buildings containing offices, shops, a 153-room four-star hotel and 655 homes on a 1.3 hectare site. Diane Haigh of CABE said: "It's not the calling card that London's worldclass architecture deserves.

"The developers seem only interested in cramming as much development as possible on to the site and show little concern for the future residents' quality of life."

Meanwhile, property speculators have been barred from buying flats in another tower overlooking the Olympic Park.

Anyone who wants to buy in the 19-storey Stratford Eye development must sign a clause promising to live in their flat rather than let it out.

Four fifths of the 62 flats have already been reserved. The developer, L&Q Group, said it did not want to freeze out first-time buyers.