Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

Southwark Council resolves to grant planning permission for mixed-use redevelopment of London Centre for Contemporary Music

02 Jul 2014, 4:03 pm

Southwark Council has resolved to grant planning permission for the 55-home mixed-use redevelopment of the home of the London Centre for Contemporary Music (LCCM) in south east London, according to a report in the Estates Gazette .

Real estate advisers Deloitte Real Estate submitted proposals in November 2013 on behalf of the LCCM, housebuilder Taylor Wimpey Central London and building subcontractor Sherwood Property Holdings for the construction of a 14-storey building to house the LCCM and 55 residential units. Prior approval for the demolition of the existing three-storey office building on the site was granted in February.

Under the scheme, the LCCM will occupy the lower floors of the new building, from the basement to the fourth floor. These floors will contain a performance space, classrooms, practice rooms, three recording studios, a library and office space as well as a ground floor cafe.

The fifth to fourteenth floors of the building are proposed to house 55 residential units in a mix of one bedroom to three bedroom apartments, 14 of which will be allocated as affordable housing.

The proposals were on the agenda for consideration at a meeting of the Council's planning committee on 1 July, having been recommended for approval with conditions, subject to a satisfactory legal agreement and referral to the Mayor of London, in a planning officer's report (49-page / 380 KB).

The officer said that the proposed building had "a suitably high standard of design", would be "a dynamic and visually exciting addition to the area" and would provide "an excellent quality of residential accommodation".

The report noted that the site lies within London's central activities zone, a town centre and the Bankside, Borough and London Bridge opportunity area, where mixed-use development and intensification of use are encouraged, providing justification for the loss of office space by the demolition of the existing buildings.

In addition to the 14 on-site affordable residential units, a contribution of £1,100,000 has been proposed by the developers in lieu of meeting the required 35% affordable residential units. According to the officer's report, the developer also intends to make contributions towards upgrades at the nearby Marlborough Sports Garden to mitigate the shortfall in amenity and play space under the proposals.