Mayor Gives Green Light To 14-Storey High Development
Controversial Osiers Road scheme now to be 100% 'affordable'
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has given the go ahead to a controversial development in Wandsworth which had been rejected by the local planning scheme.
Having ‘called in’ the 14 storey high scheme at 9, 11 and 19 Osiers Road this July he has now given it approval after the affordable housing component was increased to 100% from 39%. 93 of the units will be shared ownership and 75 will be available at social rent.
The council’s planning committee had rejected the plan which would have included 168 new flats on the basis of over density. Councillors from both Labour and Conservative parties voted against the plan.
The scheme will also have 4,000 sqm of commercial space, including offices, cafes, restaurants and shops. There will be a children’s play area, 25 new trees planted and ample parking for bikes.
Guy Humphries, chair of the planning applications committee that rejected the original plan said that this was “a bad day for local democracy" as the views of residents had been "comprehensively ignored”. There were over 350 objections to the original scheme.
Objections ranged from the scale, size and bulk of the proposed towers, which people complained would be on too small a site, overbearing and excessive. The designs were said to lack architectural merit, be out of keeping with their surroundings and described as “piecemeal and chaotic”, resulting in a significant loss of light, outlook and visual amenity.
Cllr Humphries added, “What the mayor has effectively said today to locally elected planning committee members across London is that you should not disagree with planning officers to support your residents’ concerns."
London Assembly Member, Leonie Cooper AM, said, “It is hugely positive that the Mayor has stepped in today and given the go ahead to this scheme, which due to City Hall’s intervention and funding will offer 100% genuinely affordable housing.
“This is why it was unbelievable to see Wandsworth Council over-rule their own planning officers to try and block this development.
“We have also received reassurances that different tenures will be mixed into the development and communal spaces will be accessible to all”.
Mr Khan said, “This development will provide a significant number of much-needed new social rented and other genuinely affordable homes in an area where supply has consistently failed to meet targets.
“I’m clear that I will use all the levers at my disposal to increase the delivery of new genuinely affordable homes across the capital.”
October 23, 2019