Southwark Council approves three new residential developments

One of the schemes, located at Quebec Way Industrial Estate, Canada Water, is for the construction of seven blocks between three and six storeys high and to provide 366 residential units. The development will involve the demolition of existing warehouses on the 2.2 hectare site, and the residential blocks will be constructed in three phases.

The Council's planning officer's report to Committee recorded that the development includes 76 units of affordable housing, 10% below the policy requirement for the area. On the basis of the viability appraisal submitted by developer Woodland Views Limited and taking into account the current economic climate, the officer agreed that this level of affordable housing was "the most that the scheme could realistically deliver whilst remaining viable".

The recommendation was for a section 106 agreement to provide that more affordable housing units should be secured on site if the cost of decontamination of the site is considerably less than allowed for in the viability appraisal.

A section 106 agreement is a legally binding agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act which allows a local planning authority to agree planning obligations with a developer in association with the grant of planning permission.

A second scheme on Edmund Street, Camberwell received approval for 279 residential units. The site of the development is divided by Edmund Street and comprises 0.7 hectares to the west and 1.1 hectares to the east of the street. The scheme has been proposed by Notting Hill Housing Association and will include 87 units of affordable housing, a new road, pedestrian and cycle routes and open space.

The third scheme to secure approval is a nine storey building on the site of the Tavern Quay Business Centre, and will comprise business uses on the ground and first floors and 71 residential units on the upper floors. The scheme was originally granted permission in September 2008, and the effect of the Committee's resolution to approve the application is that the applicant now has a further three years in which to implement the permission.