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Planning Applications Committee - Tuesday 1 July 2025 7.00 pm
July 1, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting Read transcript (Professional subscription required)Summary
The Lambeth Council Planning Applications Committee met on Tuesday to discuss planning applications for a new flat in Kennington, new facilities for a community trust in Waterloo, and a large student accommodation complex in Vauxhall. The committee approved the flat and the community trust facilities. The committee approved the student accommodation, subject to conditions and a non-standard agreement to spend money on affordable housing elsewhere in the borough.
Items 1-3: Declarations of Interest and Minutes
Councillor Malcolm Clark, Vice Chair of Planning Applications Committee, and chair for the meeting, began by confirming that committee members were attending in person at Lambeth Town Hall, while officers, visiting ward members, and the public were joining in person or virtually. He noted apologies from Councillor Joanne Simpson. Councillors then confirmed there were no declarations of pecuniary interest. Councillor Martin Bailey, Chair of Pensions Committee, declared a non-pecuniary interest for item six, as he had engaged with the applicant before they submitted the application. Councillor Clark also declared a non-pecuniary interest for item six, as his wife works for a university, but not the one outlined in the application. The minutes from the meetings held on Tuesday 6 May and Tuesday 3 June were then approved, with a correction to the 6 May minutes to note Councillor Scott Ainslie's presence but recusal from the meeting.
4 Stannery Street, London (Kennington)
The committee approved a planning application for the erection of a three-storey building to provide one self-contained flat at 4 Stannery Street, subject to conditions and a section 106 agreement.
The application site is the residential amenity space for the main building of 4 Stannery Street/ 202-204 Kennington Park Road. The proposal is a departure from policy ED3 of the Lambeth Local Plan 2021, as it is located within a Key Industrial Business Area (KIBA) where only development proposals for business, light and general industry, storage and distribution uses can be supported. However, officers noted that the intention of the KIBA review was to remove the building at 202-204 Kennington Lane/ 4 Stannery Street from the KIBA designation because of its use as residential and retail.
David Bellis from Bellis Architects, a supporter of the application, said the proposal has been carefully considered and designed to adhere to the established building pattern along Stannery Street. He added that the existing amenity space to 4 Stannery Street will be retained, with the proposed building acting as a buffer between the busy KIBA activities along Stannery Street and a much improved landscape and scheme throughout.
Councillor Clark said the core question was balancing protecting the KIBA with regular reviews to ensure it is in the right place and protecting the right things. He said the intention of policymakers was clear, and the work done to mitigate any harms was also clear. The committee then voted unanimously to approve the application.
36 Carlisle Lane, London (Waterloo and South Bank)
The committee approved a minor application for the installation of two shipping containers and two smaller containers to provide an office and storage facilities for Archbishop's Park Community Trust at 36 Carlisle Lane, subject to conditions.
The application is made by the Council, in relation to land in the Council's ownership and in respect of which the Council intends to grant to a third party any form of right or interest over that land. The application is to relocate the Archbishop's Park Community Trust to relocate their site office just north of the park, north of this depot area. The existing offices is a shipping container, and that whole structure will be relocated. A second shipping container will be brought in to provide storage for the Archbishop's Park Community Trust.
Councillor Saleha Jaffer, Deputy Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, asked if they have proper investment into getting the daylight into that container. An officer responded that the whole front of it rolls up, so they've got full daylight. Councillor Emma Nye spotted that condition six on the green roof did not specify how long it would be in place for, and suggested amending it to have any planting that does die off to be replaced. The committee agreed to amend condition six so that the green roof is maintained over the lifetime of the building's use. The committee then voted unanimously to approve the application with the amended condition.
36-46 Albert Embankment, London (Vauxhall)
The committee approved a major application for the redevelopment of 36-46 Albert Embankment, subject to conditions, referral to the Mayor of London, and a section 106 agreement. The plan involves demolishing the petrol filling station and building two linked towers with student accommodation, a cafe, flexible incubator space, and a vertical extension to Vintage House.
The presenting officer said the site is within the central activity zone1 and the Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area2. The north tower will be 30 storeys and the southern tower 27 storeys. The officer said the GLA considered there to be a very low to low degree of less than substantial harm to several designated heritage assets3.
Johnny Manns from Urban Nest, the applicant, said they are specialists in delivering high quality student accommodation in central London. He said the scheme will deliver 769 purpose-built student bedrooms that will help to alleviate the shortage. Emmanuela Paier, founder and artistic director of Neon Performing Arts, said Urbanest is offering Neon a cultural and incubated space at the lower floor of our embankment scheme, rent free for 20 years. Nia Fraser, a planning partner at Newmark, said they've engaged extensively with local residents immunity groups, businesses and cultural organisations.
Councillor Isla Rathmall, a ward councillor, said the application should be refused as there is already a live planning permission for a hotel on the site. She said the hotel contributes more to the local economy, more jobs, and more footfall into local shops, cafes, and services.
Councillor Martin Bailey asked how officers have assured that in granting this application taking 870 hotel beds out the pipeline will we will contribute spare share to that shortfall need. An officer responded that both uses are encouraged within Vauxhall, so we're not necessarily trade-off hotels versus student accommodation.
Councillor Scott Ainslie asked about the concentration of student accommodation and whether Lambeth is on track to hit the London target of 3,500 units per annum. He asked if we are getting the balance right. An officer responded that the GLA is concerned about finding that balance, but there is this strategic unmet need.
Councillor Bailey asked for assurances that the 14 rooms deemed the darkest won't all be lumped as part of the affordable rooms.
Councillor Ainslie asked about the greening measures and why green walls were not considered. A representative from the applicant said that because of the height of the buildings, they have to consider non-combustible facades.
Councillor Clark asked what was meant by securing the optimum viable use. An officer responded that it's more of a discrete point, securing the viable use for Vintage House.
Councillor Bailey proposed an amendment to ensure the £8.02 million payment in lieu is ring-fenced for the pre-identified NH6 programme sites, principally the Jonathan Orsett Street sites in Vauxhall Ward, also Denbigh Court, Largall Depot and Night's Walk Phase 2, which are nearby. He also proposed to amend condition 65, which talks to the east of the terraces, and said 10pm to 6am closure of all the terraces feels heavy-handed. He also wanted an informative that 14 student rooms, which have been identified as being over 20% away from the target lux, won't all be lumped into the affordable position.
Councillor Clark asked officers for responses on a couple of the points raised. An officer responded that the hours of operation had been surprised by the applicant, but also agreed to by our health consultant.
A representative from Urban Nest said they would be perfectly happy for the cultural space to remain as a cultural space.
Councillor Clark proposed officers' recommendations subject to the addenda, removing condition 65, but ensuring that condition 61, on the student management plan, includes the hours of operation of the terraces, an informative on the cultural implementation plan, an informative on directing the payment in lieu on the affordable housing to the local area, and an informative on the allocation of the units which were most affected by daylight sunlight to avoid where possible the affordable units. Councillor Ainslie seconded the proposal. The committee voted five in favour, none against, and one abstention (Councillor Ainslie).
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The central activities zone (CAZ) is an area of mixed commercial, cultural and residential land use in central London. ↩
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Opportunity Areas are large-scale locations with the potential for substantial development, providing new homes, jobs and infrastructure. ↩
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A designated heritage asset is a World Heritage Site; Listed Building; Registered Park and Garden; Conservation Area; Scheduled Monument; Protected Wreck Site; Registered Battlefield. ↩
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