Category: Planning

A new use for the Southside Debenhams

Developers LandSec with Invesco have been granted planning consent to convert the 70,000 sq ft store, which has been vacant for a year (apart from a charity Christmas pop-up store) into a leisure hub.

The ground floor will have an electric go karting track, the mezzanine will offer a family entertainment centre and high ropes climbing and the first floor will be used for bowling, indoor golf, darts, pool and basketball with restaurants.

It will certainly bring a new sort of evening economy to Wandsworth Southside which must already be on tenterhooks about the future of the Cineworld complex.

Jaggard Way proposal refused at appeal

The Inspectors Report, issued on 3 December, has refused to accept the appellant’s case and has refused the appeal. The Inspector based his case largely on the daylight and sunlight reductions which would be caused to neighbouring houses in Ravenslea Road. In addition he cited the planning use as principally workspace in this popular estate which is fully occupied.  The harm to the Listed buildings close by and the Conservation Area were also stated as additional grounds for refusal.

Planning for the Future: The Society’s View

The proposals in the White Paper attempt to simplify and clarify the planning system. The existing system has been adapted to the changed social, political and economic circumstances over the past 70+ years with mostly beneficial results. This has however resulted in what appears to be an over complicated process.

For a review of the White Paper from the Society’s Planning Group please see the Planning section of this website.

Planning for the Future: the London Forum’s Response

In August the Government published a White Paper entitled Planning for the Future, with consultation closed on 29 October. There have been thousands of responses from a range of national bodies, small societies, and individuals and the issue has had an airing in the national press.

If you just read one of the responses, our Planning Group suggest looking at that from The London Forum of Amenity & Civic Societies (of which this Society is a member) which makes a most interesting read.

London Forum’s final response to the consultation on the Government’s Planning White Paper can be seen here.

A new tall building for the town centre

The planning application for a 20-storey tower was approved at the Planning Applications Committee meeting of 19 May. The site is immediately behind the Wandsworth Medical Centre on Garratt Lane, on the east bank of the Wandle opposite the recently completed Pocket Living building on Mapleton Crescent.

The Society objected to the application, submitted in 2017, principally as we considered the building to be too tall. We welcome the opening up of the riverside walk associated with the proposed development, but regret that this has come as the price of another tall building.