Out-Law News 1 min. read
18 Dec 2014, 4:49 pm
The proposals for the 1.8 hectare site, to be known as Battersea Park East, include the demolition of several low-rise buildings and their replacement with 10 new mixed-use blocks up to 18 storeys high and a new primary school. The new blocks would contain 290 homes, ranging in size from studio apartments to family homes. Affordable housing provision of 60 homes has been proposed.
The site is divided by two Victorian railway viaducts, which would be refurbished under the plans. Of the 18 railway arches that run through the site from north to south, 15 would be converted into flexible commercial units, cycle parking and refuse stores and the remaining three would be incorporated into new west to east access routes. A total of 3,676 square metres of commercial space has been proposed, most of which would be located around a new public square in the north of the site.
A new primary school for up to 420 pupils would replace the existing St. Mary's Roman Catholic primary school under the plans. The school would be located to the east of the site, and would comprise two storeys of school accommodation and a roof top multi-use games area. The school buildings would be arranged around a central courtyard play space.
The proposed scheme also includes 428 cycle spaces, a residents' gym and semi-private communal courtyards. The development is intended to be "car free", with only five disabled car parking spaces planned.
The development site lies within the Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area and was allocated for "mixed-use development including residential" in the Council's site specific allocations document.
The plans were on the agenda for a meeting of the Council's planning applications committee on 16 December, having been recommended for approval in a planning officer's report, subject to a planning agreement and any direction from the mayor of London or the secretary of state for communities and local government.
Planning applications committee chairman Sarah McDermott said in a statement: “This project will stitch together a badly disjointed corner of Battersea. The new routes through the railway viaducts will be of great value to communities on all sides and commuters will benefit from the connection between Battersea Park and Queenstown Road stations."
“The new public spaces are very welcome and the refurbished railway arches are an exciting feature," said McDermott. "Local people will look forward to seeing so many of these interesting spaces brought back to life and we will work with Network Rail and the developer to attract a lively mix of uses."
