Jude Law and Dominic Cooper among celebrities fighting John Pardey Architects’ plans for 45 homes on farmer’s market site
A planning decision on proposals to redevelop a station carpark in south-east London has been deferred following more than 1,200 objections to the scheme.
Lewisham council’s planning committee voted to push back a decision on John Pardey Architects’ mixed-use plans for Blackheath station carpark yesterday evening amid a major backlash from locals and celebrities including actors Jude Law and Dominic Cooper.
Designed for developer Acorn Property Group, the scheme is seeking to transform the site with 45 homes, three commercial units, a new market square and a smaller car park which would reduce the number of spaces from 158 to 17.
It would also contain replacement space for a farmer’s market which is currently held in the car park on Sundays, a proposal which has been welcomed by London Farmers’ Markets, which has operated the market since 2000.
However, locals have objected to the loss of car parking spaces while councillors including Labour’s Lewisham mayoral candidate Amanda de Ryk have argued the proposals could threaten the future of the market. The application received 30 representations of support.
The council’s planning committee has put back a planning decision in order to gather more information about the scheme’s impact on parking and how the market would operate within the new development.
Planning officers, who recommended the application for approval, argued the scheme would make a meaningful contribution to the borough’s housing supply and would not give rise to “unacceptable” harm to the operation of the market.
Officers also said the scheme was a suitable use of the brownfield site and included well-designed public realm spaces which would provide good opportunities for civic use in Blackheath town centre.
The project team includes landscape architect Matthew Wigan Associates, planning consultant Avison Young, heritage consultant Montagu Evans, drainage consultant Pell Frischmann and transport consultant SLR Consulting.
Acorn Property Group and John Pardey Architects have been contacted for comment.
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