Hackney Council Rejects Anvil House Self-Storage Warehouse Plans Hackney 2026

Key Points

• Planning Refusal: Hackney Council’s planning authority has officially rejected plans to construct a new self-storage facility on Matthias Road.
• Property Condition: The development site, Anvil House—a former builder’s merchant—currently stands vacant and deteriorating, with visible structural cracks threatening its stability.
• Developer’s Proposal: Real estate firm EQT Real Estate proposed partially demolishing the existing building to erect a STOREX self-storage facility featuring app-managed smart locks, eight “Fab Lab” digital workshops, and a 318-square-metre garden.
• Promised Community Benefits: The developer claimed the development would generate up to 60 local employment opportunities and operate as a quiet neighbour to the adjacent primary school.
• Council Objections: Town hall planners cited several grounds for refusal, including an “excessively prominent” top storey, poor-quality cladding materials, insufficient energy and thermal regulation plans, inadequate waste storage, heightened risks of anti-social behaviour, and incomplete ecological bat surveys.
• Repeated Rejection: This decision marks the second unsuccessful attempt by the developer to secure planning consent for the site.

Hackney (East London Times) August 13, 2026 – Plans to convert a decaying commercial site in Hackney into a modern app-controlled self-storage facility have been turned down by local council planners, who ruled that the design was unsuitable for the surrounding neighbourhood. The decision affects Anvil House on Matthias Road, a crumbling former builder’s merchant that remains unoccupied amidst severe structural concerns. As reported by Local Democracy Reporter Josef Steen of the Hackney Citizen, the formal refusal issued on 4 August came after planning officers identified wide-ranging deficiencies in the application, spanning architectural design, environmental performance, public safety, and ecological compliance.

Why Did Hackney Council Refuse Permission for the STOREX Facility?

Hackney Council’s planning authority refused planning permission after determining that the proposal submitted by EQT Real Estate failed to satisfy municipal standards across multiple crucial areas. As reported by Josef Steen of the Hackney Citizen, town hall planners concluded that the proposed building design was a poor aesthetic and functional fit for the local streetscape.

The application outlined a scheme to partially demolish Anvil House to make way for a self-storage facility under the STOREX brand. The scheme featured digitally managed storage units accessible via mobile applications and smart locks, complemented by eight “Fab Lab” digital workshops and a 318-square-metre open garden. While EQT Real Estate argued that the facility would create up to 60 local jobs and function as a quiet, unobtrusive neighbour to the nearby primary school, municipal planning officers judged that the detriments of the design outweighed these asserted benefits.

What Architectural and Environmental Flaws Were Identified in the Refusal?

A central point of contention for council planners was the height and overall massing of the proposed building. Town hall planners ruled that the building required a substantial redesign due to an “excessively prominent” top storey that was deemed out of character with the surrounding urban context.

In addition to visual impact, concerns were raised regarding the choice of construction materials. As reported by Josef Steen of the Hackney Citizen, Assistant Director of Planning Natalie Broughton stated in official assessments that the proposed development would utilise “some poor quality external materials”. Planning documentation revealed that the developer intended to use composite exterior systems, including brick-slip cladding and steel sandwich panels, rather than traditional brickwork that reflects local building character.

Furthermore, council officers identified major deficiencies regarding sustainability and energy regulation:

• Thermal Performance: The developer failed to demonstrate how the building would regulate internal temperatures throughout the year.
• Policy Compliance: The submission lacked adequate details on insulation materials and technical solutions to prevent overheating, falling short of Hackney Council’s energy policies.
• Refuse Management: Planning officers highlighted that the plans provided only a single shared bin store for all facility users, a logistical flaw that officers noted would require a complete redesign of the service facilities.

What Are the Concerns Regarding Site Security and Ecological Impact?

The proposed 318-square-metre garden was another key element rejected by the planning authority. Planners determined that the green space was inadequate in size and posed potential safety risks due to a lack of passive surveillance, raising fears that the unmonitored area could attract anti-social behaviour and unauthorized intruders.

The refusal was also grounded in environmental protection law. Ecological consultants acting for the project had not completed the minimum required bat survey visits prior to determination. Under statutory planning regulations, developers are legally obligated to prove that proposed building works will not endanger protected wildlife species or disrupt local biodiversity. The absence of completed bat surveys left the council unable to verify the ecological safety of the proposed demolition works.

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What Is the Background of the Anvil House Planning Proposals?

Anvil House, situated on Matthias Road, was historically utilized as a builder’s merchant but has stood vacant for an extended period. Over time, the physical structure of the building has severely deteriorated, with expanding structural cracks creating risks of structural failure if the property remains unaddressed.

This recent rejection on 4 August represents the second unsuccessful attempt by EQT Real Estate to secure planning permission for the site. An initial application previously submitted by the developer was withdrawn and revised after planning officers raised a series of preliminary objections regarding the scheme’s layout and density. Despite modifications to include community-facing digital workshops and green spaces, the revised submission failed to satisfy the council’s requirements regarding design quality, environmental efficiency, and public safety.

How Will the Rejection of the STOREX Facility Affect Local Residents and Businesses?

The decision to refuse planning permission for the STOREX facility directly impacts several local stakeholder groups across Hackney:

• Nearby Residents and Primary School: The rejection ensures that local residents and pupils at the adjacent primary school will not experience immediate disruptions associated with heavy demolition and construction work on Matthias Road. It also prevents potential issues linked to an unmonitored garden space that planners feared could foster anti-social behaviour.
• Neighbourhood Safety and Structural Stability: Because Anvil House remains in a state of severe disrepair with visible structural cracks, nearby occupants continue to live alongside a vacant, crumbling structure that requires urgent remediation or redevelopment.
• Local Economy and Job Seekers: The council’s decision halts the prospective creation of up to 60 local jobs associated with the digital workshops and facility management, as well as delaying the availability of modern self-storage space for local residents and small businesses.
• The Developer and Future Planning Options: EQT Real Estate must now decide whether to appeal the planning refusal to the Planning Inspectorate, submit a third substantially revised design addressing the council’s specific material and environmental objections, or sell the Matthias Road site to another entity.