Coldharbour Lane redevelopment

[Crispy]

Here's the GLA's London Housing Design Guide: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Interim London Housing Design Guide.pdf
Minimum apartment areas are on page 13



Here's the habitable floor areas of the proposed scheme (ie. excluding stairs, lift and riser)

1st : 190m²
2nd : 149m²
3rd : 129m²
4th : 78m²

Some simple maths will show that 9 units is the absolute maximum that can be fit into this envelope without breaching this standard. With a slightly larger envelope, they could cram the 1st and 2nd floors with 1 bed flats, but this would then reduce the diversity of units, which also goes against the Design Guide and Lambeth's own planning policy.

Even if they did get 10 units on the site, we all know that the "affordable" ones would be anything but.

 

[editor]

Might be interesting to look at this snapshot of the changes taking place further down Coldharbour Lane:



So here's what we've got:

(Out of view to the left)
Angel pub - flats upstairs, downstairs perma-empty
Internet Cafe

1. Jimmy's - Ace fish and chip shop
2. Shop currently being redeveloped
3. Food & Wine
4. Shop currently being redeveloped
5. Shop currently being redeveloped
6. Shop currently being redeveloped - looks to be something upmarket going in
7. Gresham Cafe
8. Posh cocktail bar Shrub & Shutter
9. Shop currently being redeveloped - looks to be something upmarket going in
10. Morleys chicken
11. Majestic, busy African restaurant
12. Caribbean Spice take away
13. Old betting shop

(Out of view to right)
Mini mart
Cake shop

Anyone got any more info on the shops being redeveloped?

 

[editor]

Here's the GLA's London Housing Design Guide: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Interim London Housing Design Guide.pdf
Minimum apartment areas are on page 13

View attachment 67788

Here's the habitable floor areas of the proposed scheme (ie. excluding stairs, lift and riser)

1st : 190m²
2nd : 149m²
3rd : 129m²
4th : 78m²

Some simple maths will show that 9 units is the absolute maximum that can be fit into this envelope without breaching this standard. With a slightly larger envelope, they could cram the 1st and 2nd floors with 1 bed flats, but this would then reduce the diversity of units, which also goes against the Design Guide and Lambeth's own planning policy.

Even if they did get 10 units on the site, we all know that the "affordable" ones would be anything but.

Couldn't they just have fewer 2 bedroom units and no three bedroom unit?

 

[Crispy]

Couldn't they just have fewer 2 bedroom units and no three bedroom unit?

It's not a simple exchange because a 1 bed is not 1/2 the size of a 2 bed - the kitchen, toilet etc still take up space.
If you take each floor and split the area up , you'll find there's no combination of flats that lets you get more than 3 on the 1st floor, 2 on the 2nd and 3rd and 1 on the roof.

If you added a few m² to the 1st and 2nd floors, you could get 4 and 3 1 bed flats on them, but then you've got a development that's nearly all pokey 1 bed flats, which Lambeth wouldn't approve.

They're not even fully complying with the RTL rules in terms of bulk. The new proposal falls half way between the previous scheme and the "zero infringement" envelope, which they excuse by saying the Hotel is proper residential so they don't deserve the full rights to light.

The fact that the same developer submitted a scheme with 10 flats says to me that they're not too concerned with the affordable homes rule.

 

[editor]

The fact that the same developer submitted a scheme with 10 flats says to me that they're not too concerned with the affordable homes rule.

I'd say it's fair to say that the developer has appeared to have shown no interest in providing affordable homes at any point. But that's most developers for you.

 

[CH1]

View attachment 67789
(Out of view to the left)
Angel pub - flats upstairs, downstairs perma-empty
Internet Cafe
1. Jimmy's - Ace fish and chip shop
2. Shop currently being redeveloped
3. Food & Wine
4. Shop currently being redeveloped
5. Shop currently being redeveloped
6. Shop currently being redeveloped - looks to be something upmarket going in
7. Gresham Cafe
8. Posh cocktail bar Shrub & Shutter
9. Shop currently being redeveloped - looks to be something upmarket going in
10. Morleys chicken
11. Majestic, busy African restaurant
12. Caribbean Spice take away
13. Old betting shop
(Out of view to right)
Mini mart
Cake shop
Anyone got any more info on the shops being redeveloped?

My sixpenworth:
6. is the former George's barbershop
Last time I saw inside there was still one chair and a sink.
The other day I bumped into George (owner of Gresham Cafe next door) and asked if it was going to be another barber and when it was opening. He said it was, and he was going as fast as he could, which confirmed my suspicion that both shops share a common owner.

So it looks like there may be a barber back there soon - let's hope at George prices not Barber of Seville prices.

I also hear there is a possibility of a residential development behind the shops on the site currently used as a coach depot (and previously a scaffolding depot)
I can't quite see how this could be suitable for residential. But you know how these developers are these days. [it's not Lexadon by the way]

 

[editor]

I also hear there is a possibility of a residential development behind the shops on the site currently used as a coach depot (and previously a scaffolding depot)

I've been worrying about this for ages.

 

[leanderman]

A CHL trader today was trying to persuade me today that Waitrose is going to take over the Phoenix cafe site.

More plausible was his claim that the money transfer business by 414 is to become a cafe.

 

[editor]

A CHL trader today was trying to persuade me today that Waitrose is going to take over the Phoenix cafe site.

I'd say that it's highly unlikely. There's all sorts of access problems there.

More plausible was his claim that the money transfer business by 414 is to become a cafe.

That's definitely more likely.

 

[CH1]

Might be interesting to look at this snapshot of the changes taking place further down Coldharbour Lane:
View attachment 67789
So here's what we've got:
(Out of view to the left)
Angel pub - flats upstairs, downstairs perma-empty
Internet Cafe
1. Jimmy's - Ace fish and chip shop
2. Shop currently being redeveloped
3. Food & Wine
4. Shop currently being redeveloped
5. Shop currently being redeveloped
6. Shop currently being redeveloped - looks to be something upmarket going in
7. Gresham Cafe
8. Posh cocktail bar Shrub & Shutter
9. Shop currently being redeveloped - looks to be something upmarket going in
10. Morleys chicken
11. Majestic, busy African restaurant
12. Caribbean Spice take away
13. Old betting shop
(Out of view to right)
Mini mart
Cake shop
Anyone got any more info on the shops being redeveloped?

Not the shops - though 5 (formerly George Fell electrical shop) does seem to be getting a move on now.

Immediately behind the shops on your picture though plans are afoot for 3 residential towers 9 stories high - one "affordable" with 30 "social units" as they say and 114 "units in total between the three blocks.

Local groups have been consulted (presumably this is the new modus operandi of the planning department) and plans are expected to be submitted by April perhaps.

The complicating factor in this scheme is that the owner is not the developer. The current owner is planning to apply for planning permission and terminating the lease of the coach company using the site currently so that the maximum profit can be obtained selling a vacant site with planning permission for residential development on to a builder.

 

[editor]

I've heard that a local hairdresser will be moving into George's old premises.

 

[editor]

Immediately behind the shops on your picture though plans are afoot for 3 residential towers 9 stories high - one "affordable" with 30 "social units" as they say and 114 "units in totalbetweem the three blocks.

Local groups have been consulted (presumably this is the new modus operandi of the planning department) and plans are expected to be submitted by April perhaps.

It's the first I've heard of it. And like fuck will there be more than 15 'social units.' And even that is optimistic.

 

[CH1]

It's the first I've heard of it. And like fuck will there be more than 15 'social units.' And even that is optimistic.

Personally I'd rather the site stayed as industrial. I guess we won't know for sure that this is happening until there's a Higgs-like spasm of consultation prior to a planning application being submitted. But I did hear stated in no uncertain terms that the lease for the coach company is expiring in May this year and the owner's architects have clearly done a lot of work on the plans.

 

[editor]

Personally I'd rather the site stayed as industrial. I guess we won't know for sure that this is happening until there's a Higgs-like spasm of consultation prior to a planning application being submitted. But I did hear stated in no uncertain terms that the lease for the coach company is expiring in May this year and the owner's architects have clearly done a lot of work on the plans.

It will completely deprive the current CHL residents of any light.

 

[ChrisSouth]

I've heard that a local hairdresser will be moving into George's old premises.

What happened to George? Got my first ever Brixton haircut there in 1992

 

[CH1]

What happened to George? Got my first ever Brixton haircut there in 1992

He retired on Christmas Eve. Lives in Thorton Heath.

 

[CH1]

A couple of things.
There is an issue lately over the council's policy on tall buildings.

The council altered their guideline map to take account of council regeneration proposals. Here is a copy - rather poor quality I am afraid. This is an interim document and not final.

It can be seen that the area directly south of the Town Hall is now merely "sensitive to tall buildings" where formerly it was "Inappropriate to tall buildings".

Similarly the area around so-called Brixton Central is now sensitive rather than inappropriate.

Most intriguing of all - Southwyck House and part of Moorlands Estate have also been changed, suggesting they are preparing to cook up a regeneration scheme involving the Barrier Block and Moorlands - some of which will be high rise.

 

[CH1]

On the subject of high buildings here is a mock-up of the shopping terrace starting at Brixton Cakeshop, opposite the barrier block, showing the tower blocks proposed for the rear.

No planning application as yet - but expected soon.
Curiously this area is "inappropriate for tall buildings" according to the council map above.

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

On the subject of high buildings here is a mock-up of the shopping terrace starting at Brixton Cakeshop, opposite the barrier block, showing the tower blocks proposed for the rear.

No planning application as yet - but expected soon.
Curiously this area is "inappropriate for tall buildings" according to the council map above.
View attachment 69382

Wow, thanks for the info. This is bad.

 

[CH1]

Wow, thanks for the info. This is bad.

Could be a re-run of the Higgs situation.

 

[editor]

On the subject of high buildings here is a mock-up of the shopping terrace starting at Brixton Cakeshop, opposite the barrier block, showing the tower blocks proposed for the rear.

No planning application as yet - but expected soon.
Curiously this area is "inappropriate for tall buildings" according to the council map above.
View attachment 69382

That is fucking hideous and completely out of scale.

 

[CH1]

That is fucking hideous and completely out of scale.

Exactly - and you are one of the people well placed to say so when the application comes in!

 

[Peanut Monkey]

On the subject of high buildings here is a mock-up of the shopping terrace starting at Brixton Cakeshop, opposite the barrier block, showing the tower blocks proposed for the rear.

No planning application as yet - but expected soon.
Curiously this area is "inappropriate for tall buildings" according to the council map above.
View attachment 69382

That's where the coach garage is now isn't it? That looks hideous. Time to mobilise!

 

[CH1]

That's where the coach garage is now isn't it? That looks hideous. Time to mobilise!

The coach garage are apparently moving out in May.

I'm not sure how easy this is to oppose. The proposal will be, like Higgs, for an office/employment development at ground level, topped by the vile residential towers. Difficult to know what to say at this point. When the planning application comes in it will have a design statement giving the developer's justification.

The case will presumably be similar to that for what we now call "The Viaduct" - now owned by Lexadon, though originally built by another developer.
In that case it has not even worked out that the employment space got used - yet!

 

[editor]

Exactly - and you are one of the people well placed to say so when the application comes in!

Can you say where you got that image from? Be good to start stirring up the good folks in advance...

 

[djdando]

Apparently these guys have taken the old pub on the Corner of Valentia Place and Coldharbour Lane

http://sodopizza.co.uk/

 

[CH1]

Apparently these guys have taken the old pub on the Corner of Valentia Place and Coldharbour Lane
http://sodopizza.co.uk/

I would have preferred a pub - but judging by the website this could be good news for Brixton Brewery and Clarkshaws.
Where did you hear the news?

 

[aussw9]

I would have preferred a pub - but judging by the website this could be good news for Brixton Brewery and Clarkshaws.
Where did you hear the news?

Agreed a pub would have been ideal, but this is still a shed load better than another tesco express

 

[editor]

It's just another step in the total gentrification of that strip of shops.

 

[Peanut Monkey]

Surprised anyone's taking that site on with the rent so high.