SydSoc:
The application (turned down by a Lewisham planning meeting last November) to turn the former gas works site into an Aldi supermarket will now go to a public enquiry in the autumn.
Kier/SGN are appealing Lewisham Council’s decision to refuse planning consent for an Aldi supermarket, storage facility and associated car parking at Bell Green. The Planning Inspectorate have now decided that the appeal hearing will take the form of a three-day public inquiry, to take place at a future date.
The planning committee refused consent for the scheme for the following reasons:
- Building on the bowling green would destroy the setting of the Grade 2 listed Livesey Hall & War Memorial;
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The application, by reason of additional traffic and congestion generated by the retail units, would have an unacceptable impact on the Bell Green gyratory system and local streets;
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Permitting more retail at Bell Green would exceed the amount allowed in Lewisham’s Core Strategy (the planning framework), thereby harming the retail character and viability of adjacent shopping centres;
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The application failed to demonstrate that traffic & vehicular movement associated with the proposed development would not increase levels of air pollution and would therefore have an unacceptable impact upon local amenity and air quality.
The Sydenham Society continues to object to the proposed development for all the reasons stated above. In addition, the Society will also object on the grounds that Listed Building Consent should have been sought for the following reason:
The boundary wall is Grade 2 listed – hence Listed Building Consent should have been sought for the plan to demolish the bowls pavilion and turn the bowling green into a car park.
The former large ToysRus store less than 200m away is now empty. Surely common sense indicates that Aldi should take up this site rather than much-needed space for housing.