The Planning Applications Committee of Lambeth Council is scheduled to convene on Tuesday 23 June 2026. The committee's agenda includes the consideration of two significant planning applications: one for a mixed-use development at 90-96 Norwood High Street and another for a change of use at 35-43 Bondway.

90-96 Norwood High Street, London (Knight's Hill)

The committee is set to review a proposal for the demolition of existing buildings at 90-96 Norwood High Street¹ and the erection of a mixed-use development. This development is planned to include 14 residential units and approximately 615 square metres of Use Class E(g) floorspace, which can encompass light industrial, research and development, or office uses. The report pack indicates that the officer's recommendation is to grant conditional planning permission, subject to the completion of a satisfactory deed under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990². This deed would contain planning obligations related to various aspects of the development, including viability reviews, transport contributions, open space mitigation, employment and skills obligations, and sustainability offsets.

The report pack details that this application is a resubmission of a previously refused scheme, which was later dismissed on appeal due to the absence of a Section 106 agreement to secure planning obligations. The current application aims to address these concerns by proposing the same development with the intention of entering into the necessary Section 106 deed. The report highlights that the Council's recent Housing Delivery Test results mean it is subject to a strengthened presumption in favour of sustainable development, particularly concerning housing provision.

Key considerations for this application include the principle of land use, with the site being partly designated as a Key Industrial Business Area (KIBA) and partly within a Creative Business Cluster. While the proposal includes residential units which conflict with the KIBA designation, officers consider the development plan as a whole is complied with, giving weight to the regeneration benefits and the provision of light industrial floorspace. The report also addresses the lack of affordable housing, concluding that the scheme is not currently viable for such provision, but includes mechanisms for future viability reviews. The design, standard of accommodation, transport impacts, and sustainability credentials are also detailed, with recommendations for conditions to ensure compliance with policies such as the Urban Greening Factor³.

35-43 Bondway, London (Vauxhall)

The committee will also consider a change of use application for the property at 35-43 Bondway⁴. The proposal is to change the use from a hostel for single homeless men (sui generis) to a hostel for visitor accommodation (sui generis). The building, which comprises basement, ground, first, second, and third floors, would provide 209 bed spaces. The officer's recommendation is to grant conditional planning permission, also subject to the completion of a satisfactory deed under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The report pack indicates that the existing hostel use has been vacant for approximately seven years, and that alternative provision for single homeless men exists in the vicinity. The proposed visitor accommodation is considered acceptable for the location, contributing to regeneration and economic activity within the Vauxhall Cross retail cluster and the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area⁵. The report details that a Hostel Management Plan has been provided to address amenity concerns, particularly in relation to the adjacent nightclub, applying the agent of change principle⁶. The proposal includes cycle parking and refuse storage, and a delivery and servicing management plan would be required. While the building's energy performance improvements are noted as proportionate to the change of use, the report highlights challenges in meeting carbon saving targets due to the nature of the refurbishment.

The assessment covers the principle of land use, transport impacts, sustainable design, and amenity considerations, including noise mitigation in relation to the neighbouring nightclub. The report concludes that the proposal complies with relevant development plan policies and is consistent with the development plan as a whole, subject to conditions and planning obligations.