This meeting was scheduled to include the confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting, the consideration of an addendum report on a previously approved planning application at 68 Ravensbourne Park Crescent, and planning applications at Sydenham High Senior School and the former Marvels Lane Boys Club. We do not know what was actually discussed, or whether any decisions were actually made during the meeting.

Marvels Lane Boys Club, Balder Rise, SE12 9PF - DC/23/134223

The most significant item on the agenda was the planning application for the demolition of the former Marvels Lane Boys Club at Balder Rise and a dwelling house at 41 Le May Avenue, to be replaced by 28 self-contained flats in five blocks, ranging in height from two to three storeys, with associated landscaping, refuse and cycle storage, and disabled parking bays. This application had been brought before the committee because of the submission of 30 individual objections from members of the public.

The former boys club was last in use as a boxing club, closing in 2018, when the club relocated to the Livesey Memorial Hall in Bell Green. The site is in the Grove Park Neighbourhood Forum area, is subject to a Small Houses in Multiple Occupancy Article 4 Direction¹ and has a Public Transport Accessibility Level rating of 3/4.

Previous Applications

The application follows two previously refused applications. The first, in 2021 (ref: DC/20/119336) proposed the demolition of the former Marvels Lane Boys Club and the dwelling at 41 Le May Avenue and their replacement with 3 three-storey buildings, comprising 36 self-contained flats. The second, in 2023 (ref: DC/21/123178) proposed the same demolition but this time proposed their replacement with 3 three-storey and 2 two-storey blocks, comprising 28 self-contained flats.

Current Application

The latest application is very similar to the previous application, with the most significant difference being a reduction in the height of one of the proposed blocks, Block C, and a change to its position to place it further from the northern site boundary and the neighbouring houses in Balder Rise. In the previous application, the distance between the first floor of Block C and the rear of the houses in Balder Rise was 19.8 metres. In this application, the distance is 21.5 metres.

The application proposed no affordable housing provision, which was one of the reasons that the previous application was refused. The previous refusal was because the report did not contain enough information to demonstrate that the applicant had taken reasonable steps to try to provide affordable housing. In this application, the applicant included a Financial Viability Assessment prepared by Sheridan Development Management, which concluded that:

the proposed development would result in a deficit of £0.98m based on the Applicant’s costs plan, which was also agreed by BNPP [BNP Paribas Real Estate]. Therefore, the deficit demonstrates that affordable housing cannot be viably provided on site.

This assessment has been independently reviewed by BNP Paribas Real Estate, the council's appointed viability consultants. The assessment concluded that the Applicant’s profit for the development, at 17.5% of the Gross Development Value, was reasonable for a scheme of the proposed size, and that the applicant’s costs plan was accurate.

The change of use from a boxing club to residential use was considered to be acceptable because:

since 2020, following changes to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, the premises has been reclassified from D2 (indoor recreation) to E(d). This means there is now less planning control to safeguard the former sporting amenity as Class E encompasses many forms of uses, for example retail, day nurseries and offices, and therefore a change of use within Use Class E would not constitute development for which planning permission was required.

The report goes on to say that the site is also subject to a policy in the Grove Park Neighbourhood Plan which allocates it for development as a residential-led or mixed use scheme.

Objections and Engagement

30 objections to the development had been received from members of the public. In accordance with the Council's Statement of Community Involvement, a virtual local meeting was held on the 3 April 2024 to discuss the development. The meeting was chaired by Councillor Mark Jackson and attended by representatives of the applicant and the planning officer, Dean Gibson.

Internal and External Consultation

Internal consultees, including Environmental Protection, Economy and Jobs, Local Lead Flood Authority, Ecology Officer and Sustainability Officer were all consulted on the proposal. External consultees, including Active Travel England, Thames Water, Network Rail, Transport for London, Environment Agency, and the Metropolitan Police Designing Out Crime Officer were also consulted.

68 Ravensbourne Park Crescent, London, SE6 - DC/24/135333

An addendum report was scheduled to be considered on an application that was approved at the meeting on the 6th August 2024 for the construction of 5 two-storey dwelling houses with cycle parking, refuse storage and associated landscaping at 68 Ravensbourne Park Crescent, SE6. The addendum report stems from complaints that were made after the decision to grant planning permission for the application was made, and was to consider

minor updates and the history of the proposed site, including matters relating to the historical buildings and the provision of local open space in the vicinity.

Specifically, the addendum sought to clarify that the site is not within an area of archaeological priority, is not identified as open space in the council's Parks and Open Space Strategy, and that there are 5 public parks within 1km of the site, not 14 as was previously claimed. It is not clear what the nature of the complaints were, who made the complaints, or what the significance of the history of the site is.

Sydenham High Senior School, 19 Westwood Hill, London, SE26 6BL - DC/24/135436

A planning application was scheduled to be considered for the demolition of the existing caretaker's cottage, sixth form building and single storey of the lodge building at Sydenham High Senior School. These were to be replaced with:

• A three-storey building to the front of the site
• A new sports pavilion at the rear of the site
• A two-storey extension and alterations to the facade of the lodge building
• Installation of a steel walkway with glass balustrade and air source heat pump to the lodge building
• New railings and associated landscaping.

The application was supported by a report that recommended that planning permission be granted for the application, subject to conditions and the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement².

Objections and Representations

Two objections to the application were received from people living in Westwood Hill and Amberley Grove. Their main concerns were about the size of the development, the potential for noise pollution during and after construction, and overlooking of neighbouring properties from the development. The report acknowledges that:

the proposed development would introduce a three-storey block compared to the existing caretaker’s building

and goes on to argue that this would not lead to overlooking because it would be at a sufficient distance from the neighbouring properties and because of the relative topographies of the sites.