Agenda and decisions

November 19, 2024 View on council website Watch video of meeting
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Summary

The committee voted to approve the adoption of proposed changes to the council's Local Plan, subject to a further round of public consultation. The committee also agreed to support the allocation of £4.5 million to improvements to the Falcon Road underpass.

Local Plan Partial Review

The committee considered a report on the council's proposed changes to its Local Plan. The proposed changes would, amongst other things, commit the council to aiming for 50% affordable housing1 in all new developments.

Councillor Sarah Apps asked how the policy would be cost-effective. Debbie Turner, the council's Principal Development Viability Officer, said that delivering more affordable housing would help limit the pressure on temporary accommodation, which is a substantial cost to the council. She added that increasing the level of social rented housing2 would be particularly beneficial.

Councillor Tony Belton raised concerns about the number of properties being let out as holiday accommodation or short-term lets. He also pointed out that the aspirations of the Local Plan are not the same as the London Plan, to which the local plan must adhere. An officer said that the plan was written to be in conformity with the London Plan, but that the council sought to adapt some of its mechanisms to maximise the delivery of social rented housing in Wandsworth.

Councillor Daniel Hamilton asked if the proposed changes were a statement of principles or if the council genuinely believed they would achieve the desired housing mix, given the amount of flexibility included within them. Councillor Simon Hogg, the Leader of the Council, said that delivering 50% affordable housing was a manifesto pledge that would be delivered.

Councillor James Austin asked how many site typologies were tested as part of the viability assessment for the new plan. Ms Turner said that 48 typologies had been tested at nine different open market values ranging from £8,000 to £14,000 per square metre, and that the majority were viable at 50% affordable housing.

Councillor Matthew Tiller asked about the accommodation provided for students at St George's, University of London. An officer said that both St George's and the University of Roehampton had been engaged with and that they both had sufficient accommodation to meet their current needs.

Clapham Junction Master Plan

The committee received a report updating them on the Clapham Junction Masterplan. The report focussed on the proposed transformation of the Falcon Road underpass, for which the council has allocated £4.5 million.

Councillor Hogg said that the underpass was an unpleasant and dingy area that residents wanted to see improved. He said that the council had partnered with the London Festival of Architecture to develop designs, with seven finalists now on display outside the bridge, in Battersea Library, and online.

Councillor Hamilton asked for further information on the funding for the project. An officer said that the funding would come from the council's general fund capital programme and would be supplemented by developer contributions.

Councillor Tiller asked if, given the level of interest in the Falcon Road underpass project, similar high-visibility consultation exercises could be held for other schemes. An officer replied that this depended on the nature of the scheme, but that more significant schemes generally attracted more consultation. He added that the design element of the Falcon Road project had generated a lot of interest, and that the council would look to replicate this engagement in other areas.

Battersea Park Area CPZ Review

The committee considered a report on a proposed review of the Battersea Park controlled parking zone (CPZ).

An officer said that the council had received a number of calls for a review of the zone, which was introduced in the mid-1990s. He said that following a consultation with residents and businesses, the council was proposing to change the operational hours of the zone to 9am to 8pm, seven days a week.

Councillor Belton asked whether the consultation had included properties on the eastern side of the park. An officer said that these addresses did not fall within the Battersea Park CPZ. Councillor Belton welcomed the proposals, saying that parking had been a major issue for residents since the opening of Battersea Power Station.

Quiet Cycling Routes

The committee received a report on the results of a consultation into the council's proposed quiet cycling routes. The routes are designed to provide cyclists with safer and more attractive ways to travel around the borough.

David Tiddly, the council's Head of Transport Strategy, said that about half of the proposed routes had been deemed suitable to be taken forward to a more detailed consultation. He added that there had been a number of comments about the lack of routes on the eastern side of the borough, and that this was primarily due to the fact that most cycle activity in these areas converged on the main roads.

Councillor Austin asked about the pinch points on routes 11 and 12 in Roehampton. Mr Tiddly said that the council expected these routes to converge into one, with Dover House Road being the preferred option.

Councillor Appes asked when plans for quiet ways in Battersea could be expected. Mr Tiddly said that Feasley Road was a clear high-quality cycle route and that Ravenet Street formed part of a phase of works on Queenstown Road.

Councillor Mayorkas said that many people already cycled on the proposed routes on Wandsworth Common, making them dangerous due to their narrow width. He asked if the council would consider widening them to reduce the risk of collisions. He also asked for assurances that the council would continue to look at the routes that were not taken forward in this phase. Councillor Hogg said that officers would review the comments received and look at how the routes could be changed or rerouted.

School Streets Programme Review

The committee received an update on the council's School Streets programme, where roads near schools are closed at the start and end of the school day.

Mr Tiddly said that the council had met its target for the number of School Streets in the borough one year early, and that it was now looking to progress a further phase of the programme.

Councillor Mayorkas said that the council had now largely implemented School Streets in locations where there was local support. She suggested that officers should carry out an audit of schools in each ward to identify potential new locations, and that this information could then be shared with local councillors to discuss with their communities. Councillor Hamilton welcomed the suggestion on behalf of the Conservative group.

Councillor Appes asked about the enhanced signage that had been introduced at some School Streets. She asked how this would be monitored and how the council would gather feedback on its effectiveness. An officer said this varied depending on the school, but that feedback would be sought from the school, officers would undertake surveys, and the number of penalty charge notices issued would be monitored.

Local Implementation Plan

The committee considered a report on the council's Local Implementation Plan, which sets out how the council intends to support the Mayor of London's Transport Strategy. The report included details of the schemes that the council intends to bid for funding for from Transport for London.

Councillor Tiller asked for more information on the plans for bus priority and the rationalisation of bus stands, particularly in Longmead Road in Tooting.

Mr Tiddly said that the council was investigating moving the bus stands in Longmead Road as part of a wider package of measures to improve the Tooting area. He said that one option would be to extend bus routes to serve new developments, such as the Springfield development.

Councillor Belton raised concerns about the lack of facilities for bus drivers, particularly at bus stands in Mount Flower Road and Elcho Street. Mr Tiddly said that he would look into the matter.


  1. Affordable housing is a term used by local authorities to describe housing that is designated to help those who cannot afford market rate housing in their area. 

  2. Social rented housing is housing offered by local authorities and some housing associations. Rents are generally lower than in the private rented sector and most social renters receive some form of housing benefit to help them pay their rent.