154-158 Sydenham Road

[Sydemocracy]

Still no response from the Sydenham Society......?

[TredownMan]

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[TredownMan]

Some news. This development will be the subject of a second public meeting in May. It will take place at 6-8pm, May 17 at the Lovely Gallery.

To recap: There was a resubmission of plans by Mosaic in January, following the Planning Inspectorate's decision in July 2017 to dismiss the appeal against the council's origin rejection. There was a public meeting about the new plans in January, which were to have a lower roof and smaller upstairs premises.

I wrote in favour of the amended plans taking the view that the derelict haulage yard drags the area down terribly, and the high quality of the new family homes would be a real boost to the area.

I've received this letter from the planning department.

"I am writing further to previous correspondence concerning the above planning application. A number of letters of objection and concern have been received and in these cases it is council policy to offer to hold an informal meeting or a drop in session with these local residents to enable an assessment to be made of the areas of concern before the application is considered by the Council's Planning Committee. A drop in session has now been arranged 6pm-8pm 17 May 2018, at Lovely Gallery, 140 Sydenham Road, SE26. Please not this will be a walk in session where ou will be able to view the plans and discuss the proposal with the planning officer and applicants. You are invited to attend. Local Ward Councillors will also be invited. The applicants will also be in attendance to answer any questions you may have on this proposed development."

[TredownMan]

This is this evening. Id encourage those who back the new homes and have not yet done so consider letting council know their views - they can be emailed on planning@lewisham.gov.uk.

[prince]

This is this evening. Id encourage those who back the new homes and have not yet done so consider letting council know their views - they can be emailed on planning@lewisham.gov.uk.

Thanks for this. I visited this evening and fully support this high quality scheme and they have positively responded to concerns about heights by reducing some buildings by over 2m.

[TredownMan]

I'm glad you back it Prince - I heard that the majority of people there did too

My personal view is it's a shame the changes have had to be made (for those who haven't seen, the top rear window is obscured and the ceilings cut in height by 10cm, so the whole house is shorter. feels like a bit of a rabbit hutch step compared the lovely high ceilings the owners of the neighbouring Victorian properties enjoy.

still, fingers crossed this does the job and it gets the go ahead.

[prince]

I'm glad you back it Prince - I heard that the majority of people there did too

My personal view is it's a shame the changes have had to be made (for those who haven't seen, the top rear window is obscured and the ceilings cut in height by 10cm, so the whole house is shorter. feels like a bit of a rabbit hutch step compared the lovely high ceilings the owners of the neighbouring Victorian properties enjoy.

still, fingers crossed this does the job and it gets the go ahead.

Yes I think they have responded well to try and alleviate some people’s concerns which means that they have compromised ceiling heights etc. However the overall quality of the scheme is high and is something that I think should be supported.

[Tim Lund]

I went along too, and was quite shocked to learn that the result of the concerns people - all? - in Hillmore Grove had expressed was that the ceiling heights were to be brought down. It's bad enough that the floor space of new build homes is shrinking

Welcome to rabbit-hutch Britain, land of the ever-shrinking home

but the ceilings are closing in too?

I guess if I lived in one of those Hillmore Grove houses I'd have been a bit concerned about people being able to see in through my back bedroom windows, although on balance I'd probably have been happy to see the derelict old buildings removed. Is there no way the developers could pay for some back bedroom curtains for neighbours, and this be recognised by the planning system as mitigating the loss of privacy? Gardens will still be overlooked, but that happens with next door neighbours too, and is surely something we accept living in a city?

[alywin]

There *is* some (admittedly expensive) Japanese-made glass which very cleverly prevents you from being able to see out once you get near the window, while still allowing light in. Not quite sure how it works, but it was fitted in Jerwood Space to overcome the problem of potential overlooking.

[JRW]

I think the new designs look absolutely brilliant. The design quality is high and the way it fits into its surroundings is excellent. My sole reservation is the brick colour, as I find the grey odd given the local use of London stock. A modern buff coloured brick would be better imo.

As for criticising the neighbours for their justifiable concerns, please back off. To say that people should keep their curtains closed to avoid their new view is pretty crass. Light and privacy is important to everybody, and I find it hard to imagine that people living in large properties in posh streets would take this lying down.

[Growsydenham]

Update: The proposals for this site - the derelict builders' yard opposite KwikFit - will be heard by councillors on Thursday this week.

Planning officials have recommended it go ahead. The proposals are for a mixture of affordable rent, shared ownership and private sale, in terraced houses or flats of up to three storeys, in a brick design. They will be built around an L-shaped driveway.

Nine people have objected to the development, and five people have written to say they support it. The Sydenham Society's representatives have also objected.

The report can be read here: http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/ ... Report.pdf.

I can't attend, but fingers crossed it goes ahead. Swapping the wasteground for new homes would be a real boost to that end of the high st...

[John H]

If only they included Sivyer's yard in the development Sydenham would be rid of one of its most prolific polluters and causes of traffic disruption.

[Growsydenham]

Agreed. People would never accept demolishing houses to build a truck yard or waste ground on a high street now, so why people are up in arms about vice versa I've no idea.

I get the role for conservation societies but is this eyesore really worth "conserving"?

[KPR]

From reading the report, the objections of the Hillmore Grovers have been dealt with, so looks like this will get the go ahead, fingers crossed.

[Growsydenham]

This was approved last night

[KPR]

Great!

[Holaquease]

Does anyone have any idea of timelines on the build? When does work start?

[prince]

This was approved last night

That is fantastic news. Just for information in speaking to the developers they have also offered to acquire the adjacent Sivers yard with the hope of including it as part of their scheme.

[TredownMan]

The Sydenham Society's leadership has found the time to send multiple website, twitter and email updates about the school.

And yet it didn't the time to let its members and neighbours know that it intended to intervene against these homes. Would it not have been neighbourly to do so?

[KEVD]

Good news.