The Strategic Planning Committee met to discuss the restoration of the Lyrisham Play Tower and the realignment of the A205 South Circular. Councillors voted to refuse planning permission for the Play Tower project due to a failure to agree on a Section 106 agreement¹, but voted to approve the A205 South Circular realignment project.

A205 South Circular Realignment

Councillors voted to approve the realignment of the A205 South Circular, a project aimed at transforming Catford Town Centre. The project includes:

• Removal of the one-way system around Plassy Island
• Improved pedestrian crossings
• Widened footways
• Segregated cycle lanes
• A new vehicle entrance to Jubilee Ground

The committee heard from council officers and Thomas Holmes from Transport for London (TfL), who explained that the scheme seeks to balance the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, buses, and general traffic within the busy town centre. Holmes acknowledged that the scheme isn't perfect, but represents a very good scheme that will enable the council's strategic objectives for Catford.

Several members of the public voiced concerns about the A205 realignment, including:

• Potential flooding risks, particularly concerning changes to London Squares on Rushey Green
• Accessibility of bus stops
• Traffic flow and potential bottlenecks, especially at Catford Bridge and Ravensbourne Road
• The impact on green space at St. Dunstan's

Officers clarified that the Environment Agency and the Lead Local Flood Authority had initially objected to the proposals but withdrew their objections after additional information was provided by TfL. TfL representatives assured the committee that extensive traffic modelling had been conducted to ensure a neutral impact on traffic flow and bus journey times. They also highlighted improvements to bus stop designs to enhance accessibility.

Councillor John Paschoud sought assurance that the proposed green space would be more permeable to water drainage than the existing non-green space, which officers confirmed.

Despite the concerns raised, Councillor Peter Bernards moved the recommendation for approval, which was seconded.

The addendum report adding an additional planning condition relating to archaeological investigation was also approved.

Lyrisham Play Tower

Councillors voted to refuse planning permission for the restoration and redevelopment of Lyrisham Play Tower, also known as Ladywell Baths, due to the absence of a Section 106 agreement. The application, submitted by Guildmore, proposed to convert the Grade II listed building into a multi-screen cinema, along with the construction of two residential blocks providing 33 flats.

The committee had previously resolved to grant planning permission in October 2022, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement to secure planning obligations, including:

• Affordable housing contributions
• Financial contributions for carbon offsetting, children's play space, and local labour
• Car club provision
• Highways improvements

However, the applicant had not progressed with the legal agreement, leaving no mechanism to secure the necessary planning obligations. Officers advised that without these obligations, the development would be contrary to the Development Plan and relevant national policies.

The report noted that while there have been updates to national, regional, and local planning policies since the initial resolution, these changes did not alter the assessment of the application. The key issue remained the failure to secure the planning obligations, which were considered necessary to mitigate the impacts of the development and ensure its acceptability.

The committee concluded that the benefits of the housing delivery did not outweigh the failure to secure the planning obligations, leading to the decision to refuse planning permission. Councillor Jack Lavery proposed that the committee accept the officer's recommendations, stating that without a Section 106 agreement, the development was not viable.