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Campaigns

Bell Green urban renewal plan

This proposal below outlines a community-led plan for Bell Green has been initiated by the Sydenham Society with Discourse Architecture. It has been registered with Lewisham Planning Department in response to their recent ‘Call for Sites’ for consideration in the development of the new Local Plan. The catalyst has been the proposal to demolish the gas holders, adjacent to the Livesey Hall and Perry Hill, and construct new retail and light industrial units at the west end of the site. This has highlighted the profound failure of development at Bell Green to provide a good environment for local people, and the urgent need for a fresh vision for the area.

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Public Consultation / Revised Design Proposals at Our Lady & St Philip Neri School

Following meetings with the school governors and Lewisham Council, the proposed external design of the school has been further developed and improved. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark wish to invite the school’s neighbours and the public to view and comment on these designs at a meeting in the school hall from 5pm to 7.30pm on Thursday 31 January 2019. To be held at Our Lady and St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School, 208 Sydenham Road SE26 5SE. 0208 778 4386.

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Bell Green community-led master plan

The Sydenham Society has called for an immediate halt to demolition of the gas holders to enable proper community consultation, a review of options and completion of a masterplan for Bell Green.
Working with Discourse Architecture, we have embarked on the development of a community-led master plan for the wider Bell Green site. We believe that the gas holders, which are an important expression of our local industrial heritage, should be retained as part of this new vision.

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Risk of formal enforcement action for Our Lady and St Philip Neri School

Lewisham Planning gives builder (Darwin/Built Off Site) 28 days to show how they intend to remedy the breaches of planning control. 

Height of building, cladding, windows and surrounding fences are amongst many items the developer will have to address.

A public meeting about the new St Philip Neri school development was held at Sydenham Library on Thursday 19 July. Just over 50 local people attended with six others who were unable to attend sending written questions. The meeting was chaired by local councillor Tom Copley and attended by Viv Evans, Lewisham’s interim Head of Planning. There were no representatives from the builder, developer or the diocese of Southwark and the head teacher sent his apologies. A member of the board of governors was present.

Since the meeting Lewisham has carried out a first survey of what’s been built and compared this to what was given planning permission. Now Lewisham has taken clear steps to ensure that the builder remedies all of the faults. You can read the report which points out some blatant disregard of planning permissions below.

A further public meeting will be held in the Autumn. In the meantime, we’ll keep you abreast of developments.