Lambeth Council is seeking views on its Draft Lambeth Site Allocations Development Plan Document (SADPD) which includes plans for 14 sites around the borough. If the proposals for two local sites were ever built they would have a huge impact on West Norwood town centre and change forever the nature of the West Norwood and Tulse Hill neighbourhoods.
For details on how to have your say and what the local community organisations are doing, read on:
Where
Site 18: 286-362 Norwood Road, SE27: this includes all the shops and flats along the west side of Norwood Road from Lansdowne Hill to York Hill (including Iceland, the Texaco petrol station, B&Q and the terrace with Knowles of Norwood), and the substantial site rising up the hill behind. The main York Hill estate itself is not included, but residential blocks at the bottom of Lansdowne Hill and York Hill would be affected.
The Council states: "This key town centre site provides significant opportunity for sustainable, mixed use redevelopment". The vision includes a number of blocks with a high rise block (36m high - approx 11 floors), and public open space.
Site 19: Knollys Yard, SW16: the triangle site north of York Hill between the railway lines heading towards Streatham Hill and Tulse Hill and bounded by the railway line parallel to the easterly section of Leigham Vale.
The Council states: "This key town centre site provides significant opportunity for sustainable, mixed use redevelopment". The vision includes a number of blocks with three high rise blocks (ranging from 31m to 68m high so the highest would be approx 22 floors), public open space, another vehicular access bridge to Knollys Road and a new pedestrian/cycle bridge to Leigham Vale.
What
The full proposals can be read here:
Appendix 1: Lambeth Site Allocations Development Plan Document Regulation 18 Consultation Draft January 2022
Site 18: section 5, pages 106-117.
Site 19: section 5, pages 118-127.
Consultation with local community organisations
Instead of reflecting on the outcome of past public consultation on site 18, seeking to involve the local community in developing robust proposals, and using its powers to assemble sites to develop the outcome of community consultation, the Council’s apparent approach is to do the absolute statutory minimum public consultation and rush through its mega development proposals. We do not understand how the published timetable would allow the proper consideration of the questions and views likely to be made by the local commnity, yet alone the communities affected by the other 12 sites.
The Council says it will not use its armoury of public consultation methods set out in its Statement of Community Involvement so no public meetings or other outreach work will be undertaken by them.
The Council has however asked to meet Norwood Forum, Norwood Planning Assembly, Norwood Action Group, Station to Station and our local Ward Councillors (who have not been involved in the plans at all so far) to explain its proposals and answer questions. This meeting is planned for 24 January and we will feedback to the community immediately afterwards. The four groups and local Councillors have already met and we are producing a list of questions to send to the Council in advance.
Local residents
We have already reached out to residents of the York Hill Estate and Knollys Road who would all be profoundly affected, and we want to help make sure their concerns are raised. If you are part of a group of residents who want help to make a group response, please get in touch: info@norwoodforum.org.
We suggest you familiarise yourself with the proposals as soon as you can, and then submit your views. Comments are sought over an incredibly tight timescale: by 22 February 2022. It will be very important that everyone submits their views in writing. Please let us know how we can help you.
Outcome
If these proposals were adopted, they would become part of the statutory development plan for Lambeth alongside the Lambeth Local Plan 2021, the London Plan 2021 and the South Bank and Waterloo Neighbourhood Plan 2019 and associated planning guidance. The Council states that "the SADPD will help deliver new homes and workspaces, secure benefits for communities and improve the quality of places and the environment in Lambeth." Potential developers use the statutory development plan to inform their planning applications.
How you can comment
Views will need to be submitted by by 11pm on 22 February 2022. You can comment in the following ways:
Commonplace Site 18
Commonplace Site 19
Email: sadpd@lambeth.gov.uk
Post: Lambeth Council, Planning Policy and Strategy, PO Box 734, Winchester, SO23 5DG.
We highly recommend email.
For additional information or questions, please also contact: sadpd@lambeth.gov.uk.
And please contact Norwood Forum and we will do our very best to help: info@norwoodforum.org
