Greenwich councillors have decided to defer a decision on whether to approve controversial plans for 771 new homes on an industrial estate at Anchor & Hope Lane until after next month’s council elections.
Greenwich West Labour councillor Mehboob Khan proposed the decision be deferred because he was “not comfortable taking this decision at this point in the municipal year” – a reference to the poll on 3 May.
A new planning committee will take a decision on the site after the election.
Council deputy leader Danny Thorpe was one of the councillors on the committee, despite having chaired “stakeholder forums” about the development. He backed the deferral, while planning vice-chair Ray Walker and Eltham North councillor Steve Offord were the only ones to abstain.
Part of the site as it is now, with low-rise Derrick and Atlas Gardens to the left
In total, 11 new buildings are planned, with space for retail and commercial use alongside Anchor & Hope Lane. 210 car parking spaces are planned.
Those were changed to the current proposals in January 2018 to fit more closely with the council’s Charlton Riverside Masterplan, and again in March to increase the level of “affordable” housing to 25% (17.7% for social rent, 7.2% at “intermediate”) – below the council’s target of 35%.
Charlton Together – which includes the Charlton Society, Charlton Central Residents’ Association, Derrick and Atlas Gardens Residents’ Association, SE7 Action Group, Charlton Parkside Community Hub and local churches, says Rockwell’s plans represent “a wholesale departure” from the council’s new masterplan for the riverside area.
Objectors say the buildings are too high and the development too dense – particularly when the masterplan says most buildings in the area should be between three and six storeys.
Greenwich MP Matt Pennycook had added his voice to the objections, writing to councillors on the planning board to emphasise that the proposal “falls short of the development proposal that is needed to ensure that the vision for Charlton Riverside as an exemplary urban district is realised”.
What Rockwell says the development’s residential garden areas will look like
Plans to build 771 new homes on an industrial estate at Anchor & Hope Lane are to be considered by Greenwich councillors next week – despite residents’ appeals for the decision to be delayed because it does not fit in with the council’s vision for Charlton Riverside.
Early plans were, submitted in December 2016, included a 28-storey glass tower. Those were changed to the current proposals in January 2018 to fit more closely with the council’s Charlton Riverside Masterplan, and again in March to increase the level of “affordable” housing to 25% (17.7% for social rent, 7.2% at “intermediate”) – below the council’s target of 35%. Plans were revised again last week to alter the road layout.
In total, 11 new buildings are planned, with space for retail and commercial use alongside Anchor & Hope Lane. 210 car parking spaces are planned.
Charlton Together – which includes the Charlton Society, Charlton Central Residents’ Association, Derrick and Atlas Gardens Residents’ Association, SE7 Action Group, Charlton Parkside Community Hub and local churches, says the plans represent “a wholesale departure from that masterplan”.
‘Like the Greenwich Peninsula’
It says in a letter sent to councillors, local MP Matt Pennycook and London Assembly member Len Duvall: “It will create a precedent that undermines the development of the Council’s fundamental vision for the whole area. So we are extremely concerned, that if this first application is agreed, like the development of the Greenwich peninsula, this will affect the character of the whole borough for decades to come. And we also note that this was a masterplan developed over 5 years, with two major public consultations, produced at considerable expense, with external expertise and advisory costs borne by the Council.
“We are shocked to see how far this application departs from the agreed [Charlton Riverside] SPD vision. We are disappointed at the huge discrepancy that remains between the human scale, low to medium rise vision of the masterplan and the predominantly high-rise, monolithic proposal from Rockwell. We are also dismayed at the very low levels of affordable and family housing. The wide deviation remains not just in terms of height, but also in terms of density, design and affordability.
“It is unfortunate that a more detailed infrastructure plan is not available, to inform decisions relating to the Rockwell site. We cannot see how this scheme can be approved in its current form without further clarity from the Council on infrastructure, including further details for the main east-west route, which would have to be changed as a result.
“We are concerned about how far this application has got in the planning process, to even be considered in its current format, for decision at a formal planning meeting. We are aware that an original application at the end of 2016 included a 28 storey tower. We consider that to have been a somewhat disingenuous application, intended to show ‘progress’ by the developer between then and now. Similarly, despite lengthy discussions with the Council, we note that recent amendments to address height issues have made little impact and have only served to increase the out-of-scale nature of the proposal.”
A plan of the proposals, together with Atlas and Derrick Gardens
‘Development is needed to kickstart regeneration’
Council officers say: “Whilst the overall density is above that recommended in the London Plan and the plot densities are higher than those recommended in the [Charlton Riverside] SPD it is considered that higher densities can be supported in this location in order to bring forward the redevelopment of the site and the regeneration of the area. Furthermore, density is just one factor to be considered in the assessment of an application and regard should be had to factors such as design, local character and impacts upon amenity.”
Furthermore, council officers say the amount of “affordable” housing would mean the development would secure a profit of 17.2% – less than the developer’s target of 18%. It recommends reviewing the scheme to see if there is room for more “affordable” housing if the scheme generates more profit.
Network Rail says it has concerns about local rail stations’ ability to cope with the demand from the development – a matter not addressed in the officers’ report.
Cratus Communications, the lobbying company which has former Greenwich Council leader Chris Roberts as its deputy chairman, involved in the Rockwell project. Former Greenwich chief executive Mary Ney is listed on the Cratus website as an “associate”, while one-time Greenwich Labour borough organiser Michael Stanworth heads up the company’s London lobbying operation.
The planning committee features – uniquely for a London borough – council leader Denise Hyland and her deputy Danny Thorpe, who is also the council’s cabinet member for regeneration.
Woolwich Riverside councillor John Fahy said he would be seeking a deferral of the proposals for a site visit.
Also on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting is a new plan to demolish and rebuild the Kings Arms pub in Woolwich – which was attacked by Irish republican terrorists in 1974 – and a proposal to add another two storeys to a stalled hotel project next to the Blackwall Tunnel approach at Tunnel Avenue, east Greenwich.
Greenwich Council’s cabinet has approved two new conservation areas around Charlton Riverside, which it hopes will preserve the area’s historic character as it prepares for huge redevelopment schemes.
Last week’s cabinet meeting heard from local residents, and senior planner Victoria Geoghegan said the decision would “bring a positive approach to placemaking”.
Council leader Denise Hyland said: “We’ve got eight and a half miles of riverfront, and we have to celebrate that and look after that waterfront.”
Woolwich Riverside councillor John Fahy has previously reported on his Facebook page that council planners had come under pressure from a developer to abandon the idea because of the cost of maintaining the buildings.
Plans for a 28-storey glass tower were blocked, while the developer only wants to provide 5% “affordable” housing on the site, compared with 15% for the previous plans. However, it says it will be discussing a “growth scenario” to provide more “affordable” housing with Greenwich Council.
Now a public exhibition will be held at the Millennium Suite in The Valley between 3-7pm on Friday 2 March, and 10am-2pm on Saturday 3 March.
A flyer distributed by Rockwell says “key members of the project team will be on hand to answer any questions”.
Not much to say: The Charlton Conversations website
It also directs residents to charltonconversations.com for more information, but that website is just showing a holding page suggesting visitors go to the council website.
You can wade through all the planning documents and comment by searching for reference 16/4008/F at Greenwich Council’s planning pages. You can also read part one and part two of the lengthy design and access statement, which outlines the proposals.
What Rockwell says the development’s residential garden areas will look like
The developer hoping to build the first major housing development on the Charlton Riverside has been told it needs to properly consult the local community before Greenwich Council will decide on its plans.
Now they have been told by Greenwich Council that Rockwell has been advised to, and has promised to, consult residents on its proposals.
Led by the Derrick and Atlas Gardens Residents Association, a loose coalition of local organisations has now formed around the proposals, including the Charlton Society, Charlton Central Residents Association and others – with the shock of the Fairview Victoria Way planning decision prompting many to keep a close eye on the Rockwell scheme.
Charlton Society planning chair Roden Richardson said working together and using social media was proving to be effective.
“Any number of people are now contacted simultaneously and instantaneously to distribute a given message,” he said.
“In the case of the latest application that meant all our fellow community stakeholder members and councillors, leading council staff, the Greater London Authority and, of course, our MP, all virtually at the touch of a button. If we handle this kind of thing wisely, it might begin to help a bit to make community and council more like constructive partners than frustrated strangers.”
In total, 11 new buildings are planned for the site, with space for retail and commercial use alongside Anchor & Hope Lane. 210 car parking spaces are planned. But the developer only wants to provide 5% “affordable” housing on the site, although its application says it is in talks with Greenwich Council about a “growth scenario”.
Cratus Communications, the lobbying company which has former Greenwich Council leader Chris Roberts as its deputy chairman, involved in the project. Former Greenwich chief executive Mary Ney is listed on the Cratus website as an “associate”, while one-time Greenwich Labour borough organiser Michael Stanworth heads up the company’s London lobbying operation.
What Rockwell says the development’s residential garden areas will look like
Residents of streets next to the planned Rockwell development off Anchor and Hope Lane are holding an open meeting to help people respond to the proposals, as anger grows over the lack of consultation over the new plans.
In total, 11 new buildings are planned, with space for retail and commercial use alongside Anchor & Hope Lane. 210 car parking spaces are planned. But the developer only wants to provide 5% “affordable” housing on the site, although its application says it is in talks with Greenwich Council about a “growth scenario”.
It has also emerged that Cratus Communications, the lobbying company which has former Greenwich Council leader Chris Roberts as its deputy chairman, is now involved in the project. Former Greenwich chief executive Mary Ney is listed on the Cratus website as an “associate”, while one-time Greenwich Labour borough organiser Michael Stanworth heads up the company’s London lobbying operation.
The workshop, which has been organised by Derrick and Atlas Gardens Residents Association, will be held at Greenwich Yacht Club on Sunday 4 February from 3pm to 5pm. All with concerns about the scheme are welcome, not just residents of those two streets.
The new proposals see brick-based buildings with a maximum height of 10 storeys
The association has already written to Greenwich Council chief executive Debbie Warren, in a letter supported by other local groups including the Charlton Society and Charlton Central Residents Association, to ask that the scheme be deferred because no public consultation has taken place on the revised plans.
You can wade through all the planning documents and comment by searching for reference 16/4008/F at Greenwich Council’s planning pages. Comments need to be with the council by Wednesday 6 February.
Worries over the Rockwell development come as wider concerns are being raised about Greenwich Council’s planning procedures and consultation policies in the Charlton area, with the numerous local groups now starting to work more closely together on scrutinising schemes.
Residents’ groups are seeking explanations as to why no councillor explained why they backed the controversial Fairview Victoria Way development at a meeting last month – a departure from usual practice at planning meetings – along with issues to do with the consultation, which was also run by Cratus Communications.
The new proposals see brick-based buildings with a maximum height of 10 storeys (click the image to enlarge it)
Developers behind the first major plans to build new housing at Charlton Riverside have submitted new proposals for 771 homes to be built off Anchor and Hope Lane.
As reported here last month, Rockwell has dropped plans to build a 28-storey glass tower as part of its proposals, and has now submitted a plan which includes five 10-storey blocks, three of which would be on Anchor & Hope Lane itself, close to Charlton station.
The other two would be set back behind Atlas Gardens and a cluster of smaller blocks.
But the viability assessment submitted with the proposal reveals that the developer only wants to provide 5% “affordable” housing on the site, compared with 15% for the previous plans. However, it says it will be discussing a “growth scenario” to provide more “affordable” housing with Greenwich Council over the next month.
Rockwell’s earlier scheme went against several principles of Greenwich Council’s masterplan for the Charlton Riverside, which set guidelines suggesting that tall buildings should be no taller than 10 storeys, and outlined a desire to see a new road driven through towards the Thames Barrier area.
Rockwell’s description of the changes it has madeWhat towers?
But this scheme, which was first revealed by council deputy leader Danny Thorpe at a “stakeholders’ forum” last month, now appears to tick the boxes the council demands – at least as far as design and planning goes.
Residents now have less than three weeks to comment on the proposals.
In total, 11 new buildings are planned, with space for retail and commercial use alongside Anchor & Hope Lane. 210 car parking spaces are planned.
As well as the change in height and materials, the scheme also sees its central green space replaced with a series of smaller residential garden areas as well as a “play street”.
A plan of the proposals, together with Atlas and Derrick Gardens
Rockwell, which is acting for the applicant, Channel Islands-based Leopard Guernsey Anchor Propco Ltd, also says its revised proposals will allow more light through to properties at Atlas and Derrick Gardens, who feared being overshadowed by the original development.
The application makes much of public consultations held by Rockwell, although there has been very little consultation since the original scheme was submitted 12 months ago, save for a council-approved “stakeholder” group. An email sent by The Charlton Champion last month seeking more information about the plans went unanswered.
You can wade through all the planning documents and comment by searching for reference 16/4008/F at Greenwich Council’s planning pages. You can also read part one and part two of the lengthy design and access statement, which outlines the proposals. Comments need to be in by 6 February.
What Rockwell says the residential garden areas will look like
But the extremely low level of “affordable” housing could yet prove a major sticking point – especially with council elections due in May.
The viability assessment says that Rockwell is aiming for an 18% profit on the scheme. “If we were valuing a more established site with planning permission we would adopt a profit margin of 17.50% on sale,” it says. “This is an untested site in an untested area and developers would require a higher profit margin to reflect the risks going forward.”
The Charlton Champion 