Agenda and minutes

Cllr Bonavia declared an interest as a Blackheath Councillor, member of the Blackheath Society and Lewisham Station Users Group  Cllr De Ryk declared an interest as both a Blackheath Councillor and member of the Blackheath Society.  Both councillors stated that these interests were non-prejudicial to the planning application being considered at the meeting.

The Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee meetings held on the 8 February 2018 were approved.

The meeting began at 19:30. Head of Planning presented the proposal and explained that this proposal had originally been submitted to the Council in 2017 and was refused by the Strategic Planning Committee in 2017.  The reasons for refusal are set out in paragraph 1.9 of the committee report. The applicant has been working on the reasons for refusal and this application before the committee is the applicant’s response.

An Addendum to the committee report was tabled which includes additional consultation responses and updates to the proposed transport contributions following discussion with Network Rail and Transport for London.   The report does not impact or change the recommendations within the committee report. The transport contributions has been agreed with Network Rail and TFL. 

The Head of Planning explained that the Lewisham Gateway new road system is now in place. A key part of the scheme was to remove the roundabout in accordance with the Lewisham Gateway Planning Brief.

This application looks at amendments to Phase 2 of the development. With Phase 1 nearing completion, this is a Section 73 minor material application seeking amendments to the original scheme. It is a mixed use development with tall buildings.  Certain elements of the development have already been approved in detail; e.g. the transport and river works in 2009, Phase 1 of the scheme and the principle of development.

This s.73 application reduces the height and massing of the blocks and increases in height to others, the residential units are now 100% PRS (private rented scheme) change to commercial usages to include a cinema, office space for co-working and co-living in place of the hotel.  There is also a reduction in retail space as no longer being double height.  Phase 2 includes 20% affordable housing.

Cllr Bonavia stated that the increase in affordable units was welcome, but asked for confirmation whether this increase of 20% was the best possible percentage given the circumstances and what the GLA’s views on this were.  Cllr De Dyke also requested that the Head of Planning give some further background on affordable rent.  Emma Talbot explained that the London Living Rent was assessed as 1/3 of the median income for a ward to be spent on rent, so that a resident can save for their own property.  The affordable units can be located in any property within the development. She confirmed that the GLA have a land holder interest in the scheme.  The policy position on affordable housing percentage is the maximum amount that is viable. The Housing Infrastructure Improvement fund, announced just after the last refusal, awarded Lewisham Gateway £10m so that the infrastructure costs can be offset allowing more units to become affordable.  A £9.6m contribution payment from the Renaissance/ Barratt scheme is being allocated to this scheme, amounting to 20~% affordable across Phase 2.

Cllr Paschoud asked about the effects of the development on transport.  Emma Talbot explained that significant levels of contributions have been received by town centre developers towards transport improvements; £140k for DLR  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.