Plans in for 149 Charlton homes near Thames Barrier
Revised plans for 149 homes at a site in Charlton have been lodged after a previous refusal for housing.
That refusal is now going to appeal, with developer Aitch hedging their bets with another application which sees a reduction in total homes.
The application at Coopers Yard, Eastmoor Street and Westmoor Street would ensure “Demolition of existing structures and erection of buildings between 4 and 8 storeys in height.” Three retail units would be located facing Mirfield Street.
Current usage is “vehicle repair/car breaker, scrap metal yard/dealer, and metal castings”. The site forms part of the 8,000 Charlton Riverside masterplan.
The revised proposal is a reduction in overall homes from a previous level of 192 homes with 35.4% “affordable” with a split of 80% rented and 20% shared ownership.
That reduction now sees just 10% affordable across the site. The “affordable” housing is split 73% affordable rent / 27% shared ownership.
Pre-application meetings have been held with Greenwich Council Planning, Highways, Conservation and Regeneration Officers, the Greater London Authority (GLA) Officers, Transport for London (TfL) Officers, the Environment Agency and the Design Council’s Design Review Panel (DRP). As is common, Network Rail and Southeastern were not involved.
Design revisions as a result of reducing height has also led to a duller design. Set-backs at upper floors are now gone with flat boxes evident.
Appeal
A previous plan for the site as recommended for approval but rejected by Greenwich’s Planning Board last year. One reason was it was one storey taller that the Masterplan total.
The Planning Board also rejected a neighbouring site for 67 social homes despite the housing crises and homelessness totals doubling in three years. That plot is not part of this new application.
The overall Charlton Masterplan has been extremely slow to progress. Some sites have been years without a decision including Flint Glass Wharf submitted in 2018.
Those that have been submitted have been rejected. Low building heights in the masterplan even some way from existing residential areas appear to be hampering progress. In some cases the Masterplan stated just three floors maximum, which also ensured the 67 social homes were blocked.
A forthcoming appeal will decide whether the original scheme progresses or this revised plan is built. If the latest is approved, we could well up with a worse design and fewer overall homes alongside “affordable” homes, and if so the Masterplan will be the reason. Given pressing need particularly for social housing, will it be revised?
The latest application can be viewed here.
The boards over the doors of derelict The Victoria pub have been ripped off. Arson candidate.
Police informed.
All these new build flats look exactly the same. Same brick colour, balconies, window frames. London is going to look very monotonous
Twas ever thus in UK with volume builders and trends. Victorian houses, interwar semis, post war modernist etc.
The third picture is identical to the recent development opposite Lea Bridge Road Station, out in Walthamstow. It even has a Routemaster (55). Add in the fake Sainsburys at the bottom of the development and you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart in the slightest.
Current usage is “vehicle repair/car breaker, scrap metal yard/dealer, and metal castings”. That’s going to be expensive to clean up and I see there are plans for commercial space that will remain empty.
Looks like the design has to go back to the drawing board to remove what appears to be wooden balconies and any included cladding.