Stop the Blocks in Kennington
November 2022 public consultation
Information
Since the October 7th 2022 consultation passed, Lifestory Group (the developer) has slightly modified the make up of their 14-storey tall building and they have also published a heavily redacted addendum to a financial viability assessment to argue why they need 126 units to make the development viable. The reduction in their original 155 unit proposal comes at the expense of the original affordable housing allocation while they have taken the opportunity to increase the number of private market units.
We believe these changes are tokenistic at best,misguided and do not alter the balance in favour of development or address the key issues that have been repeatedly raised.
We have seen before that scrutiny, comments and feedback of these proposals play a significant and useful part in the challenge for a better, a more proportionate, mixed and balanced development for the benefit of new and current residents.
Hayles Street - Proposed View from page 120 of 271 of THVIA
USEFUL INFORMATION
The proposal by Lifestory Group (the developer) is for 126 units on the 0.54 hectare Woodlands forming nursing home site on Dugard Way in Kennington.
As well as our original concerns detailed further below, you may find useful:
* Our key findings on the latest November 2022 planning application documents which you can find here
* An anonymised sample letter recently written by a local resident to Lambeth Planning having their say on the scheme which you can find here
* Informative comments on the heritage and architectural matters of the proposed scheme from:
- Chartered Architect Paul Velluet
- Local architectural historian Professor Andrew Saint
- The Victorian Society
Feedback from Lifestory Group on the questions raised by residents at the public meeting we held on 4 October 2022 at The Cinema Museum which you can find here
Dugard Way - Proposed View (from page 155 of 271 of THVIA)
KEY reasons to object
november 2022 consultation
This re-consultation on the Woodlands scheme is mostly due to an addendum to the financial viability appraisal which sets out essentially how the developer can only provide under 14% of the units to be "affordable" and for the scheme still be viable (profitable) for them. We have completed an initial assessment on the latest information published which you can find here
To summarise our key points:
1. The Financial Viability Assessment October 2022 (FVA) Addendum is not fit for the purposes of public examination. The FVA fails to justify why the maximum amount of affordable housing that the Applicant can viably provide on this former public land site is only 20% on a habitable room basis (which is less than 14% of the total 126 units proposed) where the policy expectation is that 50% affordable housing on a habitable room basis is expected to be provided (London Plan Policy H5). The reduction in the number of units since August 2021 (from 155 to 126) has primarily come from the affordable housing allocation of units while there has been a 7% increase in the number of private market units. The Applicant’s profit allowance has not been disclosed which is a reversal of them publishing their original estimate.
2. There have been no significant changes to the external design of the Applicant’s proposed buildings; internal and external separation distances, building heights, floor plans and elevations which could mitigate the harms of the flawed proposals.
3. STB recommends that the Council refuses this scheme on the grounds of all the issues previously identified in two previous reports (December 2021 and October 2022) submitted by STB on this scheme on the grounds of non-compliant national, strategic, and regional policy issues, conflicts with the development plan and harms, and deficiencies in information. The harms and dis-benefits of the scheme do not outweigh the benefits and alter the planning balance in favour of approval
Still current issues
1) Inappropriate design, layout and density adversely affecting residential amenity
- Height and bulk of proposed buildings would overshadow existing homes, blocking daylight and sunlight in breach of BRE guidance
- Noise and privacy issues from windows, balconies and terraces close to and overlooking existing residents
- Poor quality amenity and play space with limited sunlight, squeezed in around buildings and busy routes through the site
- Delivery and servicing access and parking inadequate for size of development
2) Detrimental impact on heritage assets and conservation areas
- Large bulky buildings between 3 and 14 storeys would have a detrimental impact on Brook Drive, Renfrew Road, Elliot’s Row, Walcot Square, St. Mary’s Gardens and West Square Conservation Areas
- Detrimental impact on setting of heritage assets: the Grade II Listed Water Tower and Cinema Museum building would be negatively impacted next to a 14-storey tower
3) Impact on surrounding Kennington area
- Tall and bulky design does not respond to character of low-rise surrounding area which is outside of the Elephant and Castle tall buildings cluster.
- Sets precedent for more tall buildings across Kennington.
4) The current planning application does not address all of the six issues that the Planning Inspector raised with the previous proposal at the site and are a material consideration for this planning application
how to object
online
Go directly to the planning application's public comment section with this weblink HERE
Make sure it is for Planning Application Reference No: 21/04356/FUL
Click ‘comments’ then ‘make a comment’
post
Write to: Lambeth Planning, PO Box 734, Winchester, SO23 5DG
Also, contact your local councillor and MP See the contact list here
REMEMBER
Please Quote Application Ref No: 21/04356/FUL
background
KENNINGTON STAGE-Woodlands Nursing Home 1 Dugard Way London LONDON SE11 4TH
THE DEVELOPER WANTS TO SECURE PLANNING PERMISSION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO COMMENT ON THIS LIVE PLANNING APPLICATION BEFORE LAMBETH COUNCIL DECIDE THE APPLICATION
Developer Lifestory has submitted a revised planning application for 126 flats across bulky blocks between 3 and 14 storeys on the former Woodlands Nursing home site in Kennington.
Full details of the planning application and a feedback/comments form can be found here
The Kennington Stage proposals are for the:
- Demolition of the former care home;
- Redevelopment of the former Woodlands site retaining the Masters House and associated ancillary buildings;
- Construction and siting on the site of a central residential block ranging in height up to 14 storeys (47m tall), to provide residential units, together with servicing, disabled parking, cycle parking, landscaping, new public realm, a new vehicular and pedestrian access, and associated works.
- Development to include 126 residential units comprising 14 x studio, 53 x 1-bed, 50 x 2-bed, 7 x 3-bed units. Of these 126 units; 109 will be private market (87% of the units) and just 13% will be "affordable" comprising of 11 rental units and 6 intermediate (shared ownership) units.
- Vehicular access via Renfrew Road and refuse vehicles exiting onto Dante Road and Brook Drive.
OUR CONCERNS
The "Kennington Stage" proposal is overbearing and its massing, scale and the poor design of the development is not appropriate for a small constrained site in an urban low-rise part of Kennington. If approved it will set a precedent for more similar and taller buildings across Kennington.
We want a lower density development that would protect the significance of the listed buildings, Conservation Areas and respect the prevailing building heights, density and massing of the surrounding residential properties.
An example of a more sensitive and proportionate development, a mixed and balanced community is already evident and it is possible as demonstrated by the Bellway/Water Tower Estate Development which is adjacent to the "Kennington Stage" proposal site.
PLEASE ACT NOW!
There is a short window to comment on this LIVE PLANNING APPLICATION before Lambeth Council decide the application.
COMMENT NOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY
june 2021 draft version (NOW REVISED)
NEW DESIGNs
Stop the Blocks Community Action Group (StB) in an open and collaborative effort worked with Lifestory Group (the developer of the Woodland Nursing Home site), Lambeth Planning and elected representatives (Councillors Jon Davies, Joanne Simpson and David Amos) and we have been running an exercise to share information and facilitate discussions on the initial design proposals for the former Woodlands nursing home site on Dugard Way with the local community.
On 29 June 2021 Lifestory Group put forward its initial revised design solutions for the former Woodlands nursing home site on Dugard Way in Kennington. The developer has arrived at these initial design solutions following discussions with Lambeth Planning. Lifestory has developed a presentation for resident's information and you can download an updated version of the presentation HERE
There is also a shorter document available HERE
Lifestory's Key Points of their revised design proposal
- Lowered height (circa 50% of the refused scheme) reduces the impact on local character.
- Lifestory says that the lowered height reduces shading and daylight impacts and building close to the site boundary have no living rooms or balconies which overlook their neighbours.
- Main block of three buildings of 5, 10 and 16 storeys in the centre of the site.
- Three perimeter blocks of buildings bordering Renfrew Road, Castlebrook Close, Brook Drive and Dante Road ranging two to five storeys.
- Buildings designed to respond to their contextual design.
- 170 units of which 127 units are private, 43 units are deemed affordable of which 29 units are deemed affordable rent.
Online Public Consultation
Lifestory Group are running an online public consultation regarding their current proposals.
Key Details
- A consultation document,which can be found HERE
- This pre-planning consultation by the developer will run through to Friday 24th September 2021 and if you have any questions on the specifics of the above, please do contact Michael Stanworth by emailing Michael.stanworth@kandaconsulting.co.uk or directly by phone on 07902 112829
Our position
In June 2021 Lifestory Group informed StB that they wished to rebuild trust and improve lines of communication with the community. StB are pleased to share the additional information provided
StB and its volunteers remain committed to working constructively with the developer and all parties to ensure any development proposal for the site reflects the matters that are important to the current and future residents in the community. For the purposes of clarity the developer has made no changes in these proposals first published on 29th June 2021 and republished with additional information on 3rd August 2021.
Site Masterplan(Excerpt from 21015 Residents Presentation 2021-06-29.pdf, Page 43)