Lambeth Planning is drafting policy on what could potentially happen on ‘Site 18’ – which encompasses all the shops from the corner of Landsdowne Hill to York Hill, 286-362 Norwood Road and the area behind (see plan below). These proposals have been drawn up without local consultation and the community have been given just 6 weeks to consult on this, with the deadline on Tues 22 February.
Lambeth needs to build more homes and the West Norwood site could potentially house hundreds of families, which would be a very good thing for the area’s businesses.
However, it could also potentially mean that developers buy up the shops and close existing businesses while they rebuild their premises with new flats on top.
The disruption to the commercial heart of West Norwood could be very damaging to the area if businesses did not have a say in how it happened.
What happens on Site 18 will affect the whole business community for many years to come, so please contact the council (links on how below) to voice your concerns.
Subjects you could ask about include the following:
- Consultation time – 6 weeks is not long enough for such a big development
- Compensation – for physically closing businesses or for the financial effect of having nearby ‘anchor’ retailers closed
- Business rates relief – will this be available due to business disruption from ‘anchor’ shops closing, traffic, building works, noise, pollution
- Timelines – how long could the disruption last?
- Compulsory purchase orders – will Lambeth use these to buy properties that landlords won’t sell?
- Leases – would these be affected if landlords wanted to sell?
- Size of development – how could it happen, the entire street? block by block? or building by building?
- Access – would the building work behind the high street effect traffic/parking on Norwood Road and side streets?
- Directly affected retailers – would they have ‘first refusal’ on new units if theirs are demolished/renovated?
- Affordable rents – will independent businesses be priced out by multinational chains when the new units open?
- Environmental impact – how does the demolition of buildings fit with Lambeth policy on the Climate Emergency
- Affordable housing – will the new residences on Site 18 be ‘affordable’ or market rate?
The best option is to email your comments to sadpd@lambeth.gov.uk and put ‘Site 18’ in the subject header. Deadline is 11pm on Tues 22 February.
Council Planners will have to answer your questions and address your concerns.
For more information and to comment on the plans visit
https://lambethsadpdsite18.commonplace.is
https://lambethsadpd.commonplace.is/
More information on the background behind why this is happening to Site 18 is here.
“Site 18 is not just a ‘development opportunity’, it is quite literally the heart and soul of West Norwood as this will define and dominate our town centre for the next 100 years. Any development on this site should inspire, excite, and provide hope and optimism for the future. It should be a true partnership project with the community. Lambeth should be asking what we want and need from our town centre and working with us to create a truly compelling narrative and vision.
Sandy Nuttgens (local resident and NAG Committee Member).
