Context

Factual information about Site 18, its existing use and surroundings

Site address and postcode

286–362 Norwood Road, SE27

Ward

Current: Knight’s Hill

Proposed: Knight’s Hill

Site area

1.9 ha

Land ownership

Lambeth Council, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing and mixed private ownership

Existing land uses

• 80 residential units

– Snowe House (12 affordable units)

– Thanet House (12 units, 9 affordable)

– 8-12 Lansdowne Hill (12 affordable units)

– Residential above Knowles of Norwood (19 units)

– Residential above shops between 328-362 Norwood Road (24 units)

– 2 Lansdowne Hill (1 unit)

• 4,152 sqm GIA – retail floorspace (consisting of one large unit of 1,867sqm and 15 smaller units)

• 57 sqm GIA – office floorspace

• 2,605 sqm GIA – industrial floorspace

• 440 sqm GIA – church

• 233 sqm GIA – petrol station

• 318 sqm GIA – pub

• 263 sqm GIA – art studio

• 398 sqm GIA – fast food takeaways and restaurants (6 small units)

Local Plan Place and Neighbourhood policy

PN7: West Norwood / Tulse Hill

London Plan and Local Plan designations

The whole site falls within the West Norwood district centre. The frontage on Norwood Road lies within the primary shopping area and the rear of the site is outside the primary shopping area.

Neighbourhood Development Plan

Within neighbourhood area of Norwood Planning Assembly

Community Infrastructure Levy charging zones

• Lambeth CIL Zone D

• MCIL2 Band 2

Heritage assets

No heritage assets within the site.

Near the site:

• St Luke’s Church, Knight’s Hill (Grade II*)

• 445 Norwood Road (Grade II)

• Lancaster Avenue Conservation Area

• West Norwood Conservation Area

• West Norwood Cemetery (registered landscape)

• 364-366 Norwood Road (local list)

• Archaeological Priority Area 14 – Levehurst Medieval Manor House

Views

No strategic views.

Local views (Policy Q25):

• (c) (iv) View N from Knight’s Hill (across LB Southwark) to the City Knight’s Hill looking north

• (d) (ii) View N along Knight’s Hill to St Luke’s Church Tower

• (d) (iii) View S along Norwood Road to St Luke’s Church Tower

• (d) (iv) View N from Chapel Road along Weaver Walk to St Luke’s Church Tower

Transport and access

• PTAL 5 Very Good

• Norwood Road to the north of the site is part of the Healthy Route network

• Norwood Road is a London Distributor Road, York Hill is a Local Distributor, Lansdowne Hill is a Borough Road

Air Quality Focus Area 

No

Energy

The Heat Network Priority Area is adjacent to the site on the eastern boundary.

Flood risk

The site is in Flood Zone 1. The EA model only shows shallow (0.00-0.15m) surface water extent within the site, however this is moving away from the roof car park via the ramped surface towards Norwood Road.

Access to open space and nature conservation

St Luke’s Church Gardens and West Norwood Cemetery are to the south of the site.

The site is within an area of open space deficiency for district and regional parks; the northern part of site only is within an area of open space deficiency for local, small and pocket parks.

Trees

No Tree Preservation Orders on or adjacent to the site. There is a group of trees at the York Hill end of site.

Community safety

Recorded crimes in Knight’s Hill ward August 2020 – July 2021: 1,716.

Top three categories:

• Anti-social behaviour: 31.3 per cent

• Violence and sexual offences: 24.4 per cent

• Vehicle crime: 8.7 per cent

Recorded crimes in Knight’s Hill ward September 2018 – July 2021: 4,841.

Top three categories:

Anti-social behaviour: 29.9 per cent

Violence and sexual offences: 23.2 per cent

Vehicle crime: 10.1 per cent

Knight’s Hill Ward has had average rates of serious youth violence since 2018 and had the 11th highest rate out of 21 Lambeth wards in 2020.

Description of current site character

A series of unrelated plots and dead-end routes comprising a large area between York Hill and Lansdowne Hill. The Norwood Road frontage, within the primary shopping area of West Norwood town centre, is lined with Victorian and 20th Century commercial premises, including a large retail shed. Within the site are pockets of existing housing, commercial garages, warehousing, a car park. Current buildings do not optimise the potential of the site given its town centre location, or provide a strong active frontage on the high street.

The sites at the foot of York Hill and ground levels step significantly on the western boundary with the York Hill Estate. For this reason, heights are given in both metres from ground level and in metres Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) height. The latter combines the building height and the height above sea level of the site itself.

Neighbour context

To the east of the site are shops on Norwood Road with residential above. They are three to four storeys in height. To the south of the site is Lansdowne Church, built in 1907, and some modern flats/maisonettes which are two storeys. To the west of the site, and partially to its north, is the York Hill Estate, which is characterised by five storey blocks of walk-up Council flats. To the north of the site, across York Hill, are three storey terraces.

Relevant planning history

6 Lansdowne Hill

19/02840/FUL – Demolition of the existing buildings and erection of a part 6 and part 7 storey building to provide 51 residential flats (Use Class C3) with amenity space at 5th floor level, and erection of a separate 4 storey office building (Use Class B1(a)), together with provision of cycle stores, car parking spaces, refuse/recycling stores, landscaping and new pedestrian links. Granted 13/03/2020.

294-298 Norwood Road

19/00398/FUL – Erection of a part two, part three and part four storey building to provide 4 art studios (Use Class B1c) and 1 residential unit (1x 1-bed) (Use Class C3) at the ground floor and 8 residential units above (2x 1-bed and 6x 2-bed) (Use Class C3) together with provision of refuse and cycle storage and landscaping plus installation of solar panels. Refused 18/10/2019 – the proposal was considered to prejudice the future regeneration of the wider Norwood Town Centre Opportunity Area and did not comply with Local Plan policies on affordable housing, transport and design. Appeal dismissed 28/09/2021.

20/03478/FUL – Erection of part three, part two and part one storey building with nine residential units (use C3) located at first, second and third level and four art studios (B1c) located at ground floor level together with the provision of communal and private amenity space, cycle storage and refuse storage. Awaiting decision.

Rear of 300-302 Norwood Road

18/05496/OUT – Application for outline planning permission (Access, Layout and Scale) to provide 28 dwellings (Use Class C3), community space (Use Class D1) and office space (Use Class B1), together with refuse and cycle storage, access, circulation and parking, amenity space and other ancillary works. Refused 22/03/2019 - insufficient marketing evidence to justify the loss of the D1 community floor space, unacceptable site layout, unsafe access and failure to comply with Local Plan policies on dwelling size mix, affordable housing and sustainability. Appeal dismissed 10/07/2020.

20/01394/FUL – Change of use from Sui generis (Use Class B1/B2) to storage and distribution (Use Class B8). Granted 16/09/2020.