A former hospital in Bethnal Green has been the subject of a major planning application. 

The ex London Chest Hospital in Bonner Road has been named as the proposed site for a significant residential and commercial development. 

An application for permission has been made by architect Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) on behalf of Clarion Housing Group's development arm Latimer.

The proposed site is a Grade II listed building which has seen previous applications turned down in order to protect a veteran mulberry tree on the site. 

East London Advertiser: The site has been closed to the public for eight yearsThe site has been closed to the public for eight years (Image: Google Maps)

The tree survived during the Second World War, despite being located in close proximity to a chapel that was bombed. It bares on its trunk a scar from the bombing.

Latimer's plans bid to demolish the existing buildings on the site excluding the main hospital building, south wing and the sanitary tower.

Within a converted and extended hospital building and five new buildings ranging from five to nine storeys high, there are plans for a total of 274 homes and 125 square metres of flexible commercial and community floorspace.

Half of the new housing is earmarked as being 'affordable', according to a planning statement in support of the application.

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East London Advertiser: The plans also include community spaceThe plans also include community space (Image: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), Sechi Smith)

Latimer has argued its plans will reopen the site to the public after it has been closed off for the past eight years. 

East London Advertiser: A CGI of the proposed restored sanitary towerA CGI of the proposed restored sanitary tower (Image: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), Sechi Smith)If approved, it has also stated the plans would benefit the building and its history by removing it from the Heritage at Risk register. 

Other works would see the allocation of blue badge parking bays, cycle parking, refuse storage and a Transport for London bus driver facility.

A consultation on the application ended on Saturday (March 16), with Tower Hamlets Council explaining that a decision on the application is expected to be made by its strategic development committee.