It is clear from recent past experience that applications for permission
to erect scaffolding shrouds and advertisements on the front elevation
of buildings in central Camberwell is not about refurbishment work but
about the advertising panels to be mounted on the scaffolding.
The two previous examples at 352 — 354 Camberwell New Road and 3
Camberwell Church Street illustrate this. There is no sign that any
significant refurbishment work has taken place on the front elevation at
either address and certainly not enough work to justify the presence of
the scaffolding and shrouds/advertisements for a whole year.
The reason given for the approval of planning permission for the shroud
and screen at 3 Camberwell Church Street (21/AP/3130) was that the
shroud, which would replicate the front elevation of the building
behind, would preserve and enhance the appearance of the Conservation
Area and would be preferable to an undecorated screen.
This has been demonstrated not to be the case. The image of 3 Camberwell
Church Street to be found currently on Google Maps shows a screen that
was seriously over-dominant in its context, and which was completely
taken up with the advertisement feature, despite the planning permission
having stipulated that the shroud should show an image of the building
behind with the advertisement panel limited to its centre.
There is a distinct similarity between the planning application for
shroud and advertising at 3 Camberwell Church Street and the current
application (22/AP/3864). None of the refurbishment work included in
Schedule of Work attached to the Camberwell Green application involves
scaffolding on the front of the building. All the proposed work is at
the rear of the property, to roofs, brickwork, flashings and windows.
In addition, the presence of scaffolding on the pavement will create an
obstruction for pedestrians, give graffiti artists the opportunity to
decorate the building’s walls at high level, as at 352-4 Camberwell New
Road, and the decorated screen will cut out daylight from the upper
floors of the building.
The appearance of the Camberwell Green Conservation area will not be
preserved or enhanced by what is proposed here.
The Camberwell Society objects to this application.