INSIDE THE LATEST CAMBERWELL QUARTERLY

The Society looks at all planning applications within the SE5 area. The website http://www.camberwellsociety.org.uk/planning has all the advice the Society’s planning committee has given to Lambeth or Southwark Councils on whether we object, support or have decided not to comment on application. It has invaluable quick links to all the relevant applications.

There are some new significant planning schemes on the horizon, and we expect them to be in the public domain within the next quarter.

They are a new proposal on the Valmar trading estate to provide outpatient facilities for King’s College Hospital in place of a hotel, a scheme for housing at Seavington House and a scheme to redevelop housing at Redcar Street and Wyndham Road

Seavington House site three years on

The Camberwell Society objected to Southwark Council’s planning application to develop the Seavington House site in Champion Hill (18/AP/0532) on the grounds of scale, impact on trees and failure to follow the Council’s own sunlight, daylight and privacy guidelines with reference to the neighbouring consented application for nine houses at 1A Dog Kennel Hill.

The application was withdrawn in December 2018 with the promise that it was “back to the drawing board” for the development plans

In November 2021 Southwark Council invited local residents to comment on its revised plans for the site.

1A Dog Kennel Hill is the building to the left of the proposed new development, which is on the corner of Dog Kennel Hill and Champion Hill.

The proximity of the two proposed buildings to the consented scheme at 1A Dog Kennel Hill will result in loss of privacy and daylight for the residents of all three buildings, according to Southwark’s guidelines, and to loss of sunlight for the residents of the buildings proposed in this consultation, since 1A Dog Kennel Hill lies on their south side.

An alternative strategy would be to locate most of the proposed new dwellings in a block to the west of the site, set away from 1A Dog Kennel Hill, where there is clear space for them, and build a row of modest one or two-storey houses along the Champion Hill frontage.

Valmar Road: from trading estate to hotel to outpatient clinic

In September 2020 Southwark agreed a planning application to develop the site of the Valmar trading estate, a triangle of land behind the shops of Denmark Hill, backing on to the Samuel Lewis Trust and accessible by car from Valmar Road and by foot through Milkwell Yard.

Three new buildings were proposed; two six-storey blocks , one to provide a 127-bed hotel and café, a second with employment space on ground and mezzanine and 15 homes on upper floors and a four-storey block of 28 homes.

The developers have now sold the site and new developers New Be properties held a public meeting to consult on its new plan. They are working with Kings College Hospital NHS Trust to build a six-storey outpatient and diagnostic clinic and 43 homes, including affordable homes, and a new east west green pedestrian route from Denmark Hill to Valmar Road.

At the time of going to press NewBe is about to submit its new planning application with a planning decision expected from Southwark in the spring for works to begin in winter 2022. Public response so far has been supportive of the Kings clinic which aims to reduce waiting times and divert outpatients away from the main hospital thus reducing COVID transmission.

Concerns were expressed about the safety of the pedestrian walkway and the need to encourage outpatients to use local shops.

New outpatient building at Kings (sub head)

Work has begun on a new building for outpatient services at King’s College Hospital, next to the existing Normandy Building, facing Bessemer Road.

It will free-up space, help reduce waiting times, and improve service to patients.

The new four-storey building will house 48 consultation rooms and eight procedure rooms. It will offer a range of outpatient services including dermatology, rheumatology, respiratory, neurosciences, pain, and urology, plus some surgery and therapies.

It should be ready for use by patients and staff by May or June.