A good analogy for one of these blocks is the Allies project Keybridge, which uses similar strategies. I have seen it and it is very good.
https://www.alliesandmorrison.com/projects/keybridge
Agreed
Wanted to comment on this.
I'm a proponent of 'it's about the outcome' not the process thinking.
By which I mean, guidelines are there to say this is what we want to achieve, and this is a short-hand way to get there.
In the context of separation distances, there are three types of goals being aimed for:
1) Privacy
2) Sky view
3) Shadow mitigation.
On the latter, London is a very lowrise City, and this development contains only 2, relatively short towers, so shadow can largely be dismissed a a concern.
It has to be considered more seriously when there are more tall buildings in close proximity because the impact is cumulative.
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On the first two, note that the positioning of the buildings relative to one another, they aren't parallel, by having them at angles to one another, someone's view isn't directly into your window in the same way, and vice versa. There are also no projecting balconies, which allows buildings to be closer together since privacy inside your unit would be considered in the context of someone looking into your window from their balcony.
I also want to note that the diverging angles of the building positions allow greater skyview (the 8m separation is at the narrowest point, and is not constant)
Also worth noting, the separation at its narrowest, is essentially from midrise height down, and that Toronto's separation requirements are only 11M for midrise.
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The importance of the above is to consider that rules/guidelines should be flexible if architects/planners can deliver the desired goals in a different ways.
I would argue that the OLT gets in the way here, and so does a culture in Planning and many development firms that doesn't really value novel, or non-formulaic thinking.
Allies are simply great at this, they understand what people generally and planners specifically want to achieve, and they go out and do that in ways far superior to a literal and dull reading of guidelines.
Guidelines are for the G+C s of the world you wouldn't trust to execute in a more flexible environment. But, of course understanding that, means trusting City Planners to treat Allies differently than G+C and its a stumbling block in how we do things.
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Second note.
@HousingNowTO would hate this development. The units are spacious! LOL
