This meeting was about approving the release of funds from Section 106 agreements, and about making a decision on a planning application.

To release £411,177.86 from Section 106 agreements for the delivery of Druid Street Improvements

The committee were asked to approve the release of funds from planning agreements¹ for improvements to Druid Street. The works would include parking and waiting restrictions, contra-flow segregated cycle lane, raised tables, footway resurfacing, drainage works, street furniture, trees and planting.

The report pack noted that these works would address road safety concerns by providing a new footway outside the railway arches, as well as improve the pedestrian environment. They form part of a project to create a new cycle route from Tanner Street to Willow Walk and link Cycleway 10 and Cycleway 14.

The report pack described the council’s previous consultations on this scheme, noting:

Despite overall support, residents and businesses had reservations. Respondents to the consultation wanted more space outside the arches for businesses and visitors, more planting, safer crossings, improved levels and wider pavements to support older and disabled people.

Development management

The committee were asked to decide on a planning application to demolish and redevelop the site of Southwark Underground Station.

The proposal is for two buildings:

• A 15 storey student accommodation building comprising 429 student rooms above the station, with retail and/or café uses on the ground floor.
• A 9 storey residential building to the west of Joan Street with 226 sqm of community facilities, 123 sqm of retail/café use, and 44 affordable homes.

The report pack noted that the site already has planning permission for a 17 storey office scheme and for 25 new council homes and a community hall, but that neither scheme was being delivered. The report noted:

TfL post Covid no longer have a need for the consented office accommodation. This potentially means that neither site will come forward for the foreseeable future and critically the council homes and replacement community hall will not be delivered.

The proposed scheme would provide 25.9% affordable housing on site, with a further 26.9% to be offered as part of a Section 106 payment in lieu, giving a total of 52.8%.

The application was supported by a number of technical documents. The daylight and sunlight assessment noted that some of the windows of surrounding buildings, including those of Styles House, 1 The Cut, 3-11 The Cut, 77 Blackfriars Road, and Rowland Hill House, would receive less daylight.

The transport assessment predicted that the development would generate fewer vehicle trips than the consented office scheme.

The report pack recommended granting planning permission subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement. It noted:

The scheme will deliver 25.9% affordable housing on site all as social rented, with a further 26.9% being provided by way of s106 PIL payment which will achieve a total affordable level of 52.8%. In addition, it provides 226sqm of community facilities and 123sqm of retail/café uses with active frontages to The Cut and Blackfriars Road as required by the site allocation. This makes a significant contribution to addressing the boroughs great need to deliver affordable housing.

The report pack also included 13 public comments, two in support and 11 in objection. Concerns raised included the height, bulk and scale of the development, the loss of daylight and sunlight, loss of privacy, the lack of affordable housing, the demand for student accommodation and the impact of construction.