White’s Pet Shop Premises
Appeal by applicant to turn White’s Pet Shop into residential units.
When White’s Pet Shop (80 Sydenham Road) closed its doors last September the applicant put in a planning application to turn the site into residential units. This was refused by the Council for the following reasons:
- The proposed development does not comply with Article 3, 9A(b) under Class MA of Part 3 of Schedule 2 of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 (as amended), by virtue that no outdoor private amenity space would be provided – or the equivalent space provided internally – for three of the four units, whilst all proposed dwellings fail to comply with the minimum floor to ceiling height requirements of 2.5m for at least 75% of the floor plan of each new dwelling, contrary to Policy D6 of the London Plan (2021); Policy 15 of the Lewisham Core Strategy (2011), and Policy 32 of the Lewisham Development Management Plan (2014).
- The proposed development does not comply with Schedule 2, Part 3, Class MA, Condition MA2 (2)(a) of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 (as amended) as the applicant has failed to provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the site would be capable of providing adequate refuse/recycling provisions that would not lead to unacceptable harm to highway and pedestrian safety, contrary to Paragraphs 114 and 115 of The National Planning Policy Framework (2023), Policy T4 of the London Plan (2021), and Objective 8 and Policy 13 of the Lewisham Core Strategy (2011).
The applicant has now appealed that decision. You can have your say by uploading your comments to the Planning Portal (ACP) at the link below:
acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk
The reference is W/24/3357723 – insert the last 7 digits only.
Please note the deadline is February 27 – next Thursday.
Sydenham Society’s written objection
Here’s the Sydenham Society’s written objection which you can use to support any comments.
Sydenham Society’s comments on the appeal at 80 Sydenham Road – formerly the premises of White’s Pet Shop Number 80 Sydenham Road occupies a significant location within the townscape and overlooks the Thorpes Estate Conservation Area, designated in 2001 (the streets of residential housing) and 2007 (a number of the commercial terraces in Sydenham Road). The buildings diagonally opposite, including the corner building at number 89 (at the junction with Mayow Road) form part of the Thorpes Estate and were constructed by Edmondson’s, a firm which developed Edwardian housing in north and south London – notably in Sydenham and Muswell Hill (adjoining Alexandra Park). In our view conversion of the ground floor of 80 Sydenham Road is an inappropriate use, it will be harmful to both the CA and the “health” of the high street, and the ground floor should be retained as retail or business premises. In addition the London Borough of Lewisham has recently approved an Article 4 Direction to retain retail uses within the core shopping area of Sydenham and other shopping parades and districts within the borough and this policy should be supported.
The Society’s other points are as follows:
- Entrance via the back alley with a bin store will lead to issues of security and smells.
- The bin store is too far removed for ease of use by the other units. They would be accessing the back alley which is intended for the use of the single unit. Hence there will be issues of distance, safety and lack of amenity.
- Natural ventilation would be out of question, as there would be security issues – but if adding air conditioning units, where would the equipment be positioned?
- There is no amenity space for any of the units.
- There would be a poor outlook of the units onto the street.
Have your say
You can have your say by uploading your comments to the Planning Portal (ACP) at the link below:
acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk
The reference is W/24/3357723 – insert the last 7 digits only.
Please note the deadline is February 27 – next Thursday.