Context

1. On 3 January 2002 Lewisham Council consulted the Mayor of London on a proposal to develop the above site for the above uses.  Under the provisions of the Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2000 the Mayor has the same opportunity as other statutory consultees to comment on the proposal.  This report sets out information for the Mayor's use in deciding what comments to make.

1. The application is referrable under Category 3A of the Order 2000: "Development which is likely to result in the loss of more than 200 houses, flats, or houses and flats (irrespective of whether the development would entail also the provision of new houses or flats)."
2. If Lewisham Council subsequently decides that it is minded to grant planning permission, it must first allow the Mayor an opportunity to decide whether to direct the Council to refuse permission.
3. The Mayor of London's comments on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk.

Details of the proposal

1. The proposal involves the demolition of part of the Pepys Estate comprising 221 residential units, and the erection of 261 one, two, three and four-bedroom residential units.  To facilitate this, it is proposed to demolish five blocks of apartments, and erect seven (of between five and nine storeys) along with two terraces of three-storey houses.  The scheme retains much of the existing layout, following the boundaries of Admiralty Square, Aragon Gardens and Upper Pepys Park, while increasing private garden provision, altering the road network and providing on street parking to replace the existing mix of underground and surface level car parking (165 spaces).  This current application does not involve Aragon Tower, the very tall landmark residential tower on the edge of the Thames.  The applicant is Hyde Housing, and this is part of an estate regeneration scheme, with 100% affordable housing provision and funding through the Housing Corporation. 

Site description

1. This is a residential estate of some 19.4 hectares, comprising a total of 1,546 residential units in blocks.  The site is characterised by medium rise (four to eight/nine storeys) blocks of social rented  housing, constructed in the 1960s and early 1970s.  It lies approximately 1.5 miles from Canada Water, the nearest tube station, and is poorly served for public transport.  The blocks to be demolished and subject of this application are in the eastern part of the estate, close to the River Thames. They comprise 28 x bed sit, 48 x 1 bed, 38 x 2 bed, 100 x 3 bed and 8 x 4 bed units.  

Case history

1. There have been numerous applications for modifications and refurbishments to the estate, most recently in association with the estate action programme, which started in1993.  In 1998, a review of this programme was carried out in consultation with the residents, resulting in an altered programme approved by the Government Office for London, and an outline application approved on 26 April 2001 for the demolition of 221 residential units, and construction of a total of 251 units in one ¾-storey block; one 4/6-storey block; one 6/9-storey block; one 8-storey block and one 11-storey block.  While this application was substantially different, it was connected to that now proposed; related to the same blocks; and involved the demolition of more than 200 residential units.  This application was not referred to the Mayor. 

Relevant strategic planning policies

1. The relevant policies are:

• PPG3 (Housing 2000).
• RPG3 (Strategic Planning Advice for London 1996).
• Towards the London Plan, Proposals document for the Mayor's SDS.
• Homes for a World City, Report of the Mayor's Housing Commission (2000).
• Mayor's Transport Strategy (2001).
• Affordable Housing in London, Nottingham Trent University, Three Dragons (2001).
• Mayor's Draft Biodiversity Strategy (2001).

Analysis of strategic planning issues

1. This application raises the following strategic issues:

• Loss/ reprovision of affordable housing/ density.
• Parking and transport.
• Environment and biodiversity.
• Urban design.

2. This section will evaluate the proposal against the current and emerging strategic policies.

Housing Policy

1. The prioritisation of new housing and maintenance of housing sites is a position supported by RPG3, RPG9, PPG3 and Towards the London Plan.  This is an existing affordable housing site and the proposed demolition of existing housing blocks involves their replacement with higher quality units.  This will result in an increase in affordable housing provision from 221 units to 261 units (an overall increase of 40 units), and increase the overall density across the estate, from 258 habitable rooms per hectare (hrh) to 261 hrh, a figure at the high end of Sustainable Residential Quality matrix recommendation for a relatively inaccessible site.

Parking and transport

1. The proposed development involves the creation of 165 car parking spaces spread evenly throughout the development, and generally visible from dwellings.  Tree planting and shared surfaces have been utilised to soften the visual impact.  The assessment of existing parking allocated to the demolished blocks is not easy, and in a measure agreed with the local authority the applicants have submitted a parking study relating the development to a wider functional parking area of the estate, giving an overall increase in parking from an existing 215 spaces (51%) to a proposed 277 (60%).  The Mayor's Transport Strategy builds on the concept of Sustainable Residential Quality, linking location, public transport accessibility, density and car parking.  This is a comparatively inaccessible, high-density urban site, comprising a mix of flats and houses, with a very low existing level of parking provision, and in the circumstances the need for an increase in well-located parking spaces is consistent with strategic planning policy. 

Biodiversity

1. There is a possibility that black redstarts (a protected and priority species in the London Biodiversity Action Plan) may breed on this site.  The applicants have submitted an ecological assessment that addresses this issue, and the recommendations should be implemented. 

Urban design

1. The applicants have submitted a design philosophy with six main objectives:

• To retain all existing open spaces, improving these where possible.
• To position buildings so as to link open spaces visually and physically, improving existing pedestrian and cycle routes and to provide access for all.
• To provide well proportioned dwellings, with the best possible view and aspect, optimising solar gain and natural light in dwellings.
• To rationalise the ground floor levels and entrances of new buildings in relation to the existing site and to make pedestrian areas properly overlooked, safe and pleasant to use.
• To improve vehicular circulation and parking provision, making it appropriate to need, sympathetic to pedestrians and safe for children.
• To design structures that are fast to build, that minimise waste and unnecessary use of energy, reusing existing substructures and where materials where possible. 

2. These principles have been satisfactorily incorporated into the proposal in most areas.  The existing pedestrian accesses and public open spaces are poorly designed, often inaccessible and poorly overlooked with raised podiums and blind turns, and opportunity has been taken to redesign and remove these problems where possible.  It is proposed that all 51 new ground floor dwellings have a garden or private patio space.  The buildings are high quality and designed with 'security by design' in mind.  Considerable thought has gone into achieving improved vehicular and pedestrian routes throughout the estate, allowing direct routes between the green spaces, a tree planting programme of between 70 and 80 new trees, and streets to be predominantly pedestrian in character.  The proposal will involves no loss of open space, but does involve the planting of shrubs for privacy along the boundary of Upper Pepys Park, along with remodelling and tree planting to improve accessibility.  The space at Dolben Court is also to be opened up and remodelled, with a toddlers' play area, and the existing unsightly podium removed. 

3. The design attempts to create a coherent framework of routes that promote accessibility throughout the estate, while introducing activities and the direct overlooking of routes.  The scale and massing of the buildings are acceptable in relation to that of the existing buildings, and pattern of building heights within the estate. 

Local planning authority's position

1. Lewisham Council is looking to approve this scheme at its Committee on 28 February 2002. 

Transport for London and CABE's views 

1. CABE has been consulted by the applicants, and submitted that it appears to be 'perfectly acceptable'.
2. TfL has requested that the car parking and cycle provision should be at appropriate levels given the site's inner London status, and that pedestrian permeability be improved.

Legal considerations

1. There are no specific legal considerations to this report

Financial considerations

1. There are no specific financial implications to this report

Equal opportunities considerations

1. The designs have incorporated full accessibility standards.

Conclusion

1. The application is in accordance with Government planning guidance and the emerging Mayoral strategy in that it provides an increase in affordable housing, at appropriate levels of density and with a high standard of urban design.  Lewisham should ensure that the recommendations of the ecological report are implemented to secure the future of the black redstart.

for further information, contact Planning Decisions Unit:

Giles Dolphin, Planning Decisions Manager

020 7983 4271 email giles.dolphin@london.gov.uk

Stewart Murray, Team Leader Development Control

020 7983 4493 email stewart.murray@london.gov.uk

DM Considine, Case Officer

020 7983 4269 email Donald.Considine@london.gov.uk