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Agenda

July 14, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting
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Summary

The Wandsworth Council Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee met on 14 July 2025 to discuss several planning applications, including a 34-storey tower building next to the Heliport, a two-storey dwellinghouse on Burstock Road, revisions to proposals for The Grapes pub on Fairfield Street, and alterations to the London Rowing Club. The committee raised objections to the Heliport House proposal, expressed mixed views on The Grapes, and supported the London Rowing Club application.

Heliport House, Lombard Road

The committee discussed application 2025/0907 for the demolition of existing buildings and erection of a 34-storey tower at Heliport House, 38 Lombard Road. The proposed development includes commercial space and 143 residential apartments.

Planning officer Barry Sellers led the presentation, noting that the building is within a tall building zone but exceeds the local plan's parameter height of 10 storeys. He highlighted the context of emerging developments in the area, including the Winstrandley Estate and the former Prices Candles site.

Concerns were raised by committee members:

  • Andrew Catto from the Putney Society questioned the building's compliance with fire safety regulations, particularly regarding glass balustrades.
  • Andrew Catto also noted the building's proximity to the industrial estate buildings and the potential issues with windows being close to boundaries, contravening building regulations.
  • Peter Farrow from the Wandsworth Society, raised concerns about the density of the development and its impact on the area's landscape and heritage assets.
  • Councillor Finna Ayres criticised the separate entrances for affordable housing residents, describing the affordable housing entrance as a second-class entry.
  • Mr Edward Potter from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), raised concerns about the proximity to the heliport and the potential dangers of landing helicopters in that spot.
  • Councillor Emmeline Owens questioned why the council keeps allowing developers to put forward plans which go against the local plan.

Dr Michael Jubb, Chair of the Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee, summarised the committee's concerns, including the detailed objection from the heliport, the impact on nearby conservation areas, the height of the building, its location on the river, and its density. Councillor Ayres added concerns about increased traffic and delivery vehicles.

The committee agreed that they were against the building as proposed.

Garages, Burstock Road

The committee considered application 2025/2138 for the erection of a two-storey dwellinghouse in place of existing garages at the rear of 23-24 Burstock Road.

Barry Sellers presented the application, noting it is in the backland area of the Oxford Road Conservation Area. He said that the proposal for a single detached building was an anathema to the character of the conservation area. He also stated that the local plan says that if amalgamating sites, there should be more than one building on the site.

Andrew Catto said that the Putney Society supported the application, as the corner of Putney was heavily bombed in World War II, and the adjacent buildings are modern. He said that the site has no impact on any of the historic elements of the conservation area, and welcomed that a local small-scale developer amalgamated the gardens of several houses to create a little back plot.

Peter Farrow supported those comments, calling it a well-considered, attractive building and an asset to the area.

The committee agreed that they were content to let the application go forward, and that it was a pleasure to see a well-thought-out scheme on a site like this.

The Grapes, Fairfield Street

The committee discussed application 2025/1091 for revisions to proposals for The Grapes, 39 Fairfield Street. The building itself is grade two listed, and on the corner of Fairfield Street and Barshard Street. Planning officer Lauren Way led the discussion, reminding the committee that the applicant already had permission for a single-story house in the location. The current proposal is to introduce another story on top of the single-story building, and enlarge the footprint.

Peter Farrow said that he was conflicted, as he thought it was quite a nice building, but that it was too big. He said that the previous application had a rather splendid garden, but this one doesn't really have a garden at all.

Andrew Catto dissented, saying that the case for a single-storey building is weak when everything around it is two stories.

One committee member asked if there was a CGI which would show the effect as you proceed south along Fairfield Road on those three very distinctive arched windows. Lauren Way said that there was not.

Mr Edward Potter said that the roof shape should be like its neighbours, and that the single storey bit should be pushed back by about 300mm from the facade of the two storey.

One committee member said that they liked that the building is not trying to ape the buildings next to it, but is very sympathetic to the styling. They said that they wanted to see as many single houses introduced into that area as possible.

Dr Michael Jubb summarised that the committee had comments to make about the application, and were sympathetic to a two-story building so long as the impact on the environment of The Grapes can be minimised.

London Rowing Club, Putney Embankment

The committee then considered application 2025/2022 for the London Rowing Club on Putney Embankment. The site is a three-story building constructed in around 1871, and forms one of the first rowing clubs to be built along the Putney Embankment. It forms part of the local list and is within the Putney Embankment conservation area. The application is to replace the first floor balcony.

Lauren Way presented the application, noting that the current balcony is modern and has been greatly altered from previous balconies. The proposal is to replace the balcony completely, extend it outwards, wrap around the central flagpole, and reinstate the canopy.

Councillor Ayres asked what was so special about the bollards. Lauren Way said that by reinstating the bollards, those features are reinstated as they were rather than they've been quite, it looks unfinished at the moment.

Andrew Catto said that the Putney Society had already written in support of this application. He said that the original canopy survived until about 1970, and that the shape of the building is designed entirely to have a canopy.

The committee agreed that they were approving of this application.

Decisions

The committee then moved on to item four on the agenda, paper 25-268, which summarised the decisions that had been taken on applications that the committee had considered in the recent past.

The decisions were:

  • 160 Falcon Road - approved
  • 7 Vicarage Mansions, Queenstown Road - refused
  • 6-12 Endersham Road - objected to by the committee, but granted planning permission by the planning applications committee
  • The Glass Mill, 1 Battersea Bridge Road - refused
  • 100 Tooting Bec Road - objected to by the committee, but granted planning permission by the planning applications committee
  • Battersea Power Station - planning permission granted by delegated authority
  • 794 Bollingbrook Grove - appeal dismissed

Peter Farrow commented that the committee does not seem to give significant weight to what the Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee says. Dr Michael Jubb said that that was a matter for an offline conversation with the chair of the planning applications committee.

Andrew Catto raised that there had been two new applications concerning listed buildings in South West 15: 26 Bessborough Road, and the Methodist Church in Putney.

The committee noted that they would meet again on 8 September.

Attendees

Dr Michael Jubb Battersea Society
Mr Peter Farrow Wandsworth Society
Mr Roger Armstrong Clapham Society
David Andrews
Profile image for Councillor Finna Ayres
Councillor Finna Ayres  Labour •  East Putney
Profile image for Councillor Tony Belton
Councillor Tony Belton  Labour •  Battersea Park
Profile image for Councillor Emmeline Owens
Councillor Emmeline Owens  Conservative •  Northcote
Nick Calder
Christine Cook
Mr Mark Dodgson Balham Society
Janet Ferguson
Dr Pamela Greenwood Wandsworth Historical Society
Nigel Granger
Ms Libby Lawson Tooting History Group
Ms Laura Polglase The Putney Society
Mr Edward Potter Royal Institute of British Architects
Ms Frances Radcliffe Friends of Battersea Park
Mr John Rattray Balham Society
Mr Chris Rice River Thames Society
Elen Richards
Barry Sellers
Lauren Way
Callum Wernham
Andrew Catto The Putney Society

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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