Plans to build 695 shared living flats and 79 social rent homes on the site where an 18-storey office block was supposed to have been constructed are recommended for approval.
The applicant, Hub Propco Limited has submitted plans to build on the site, known as ‘Plot H1’ which is located in Elephant and Castle and is the final plot to be developed as part of the contentious Elephant Park scheme.
According to a planning statement, Hub Propco bought the site from developer Lendlease, whose previous plans to build offices were approved by a government inspector after Southwark Council refused to grant planning permission.
The latest plans, which would replace the office scheme which was never actually constructed, are set to be approved by Southwark Council’s Planning Committee at a meeting next week (March 17).
Lendlease is working in partnership with Southwark Council to deliver Elephant Park, a £2.5 billion regeneration project which exists on the site of the now-demolished Heygate Estate.
Southwark councillors refused to grant planning permission for Lendlease’s plans back in October 2022, after ruling the 48,750sqm office block was too tall and “bulky”.
Local campaigners said at the time that because Elephant Park exists on the site of the former Heygate Estate, affordable housing would have been more suitable than offices.
Following the refusal, Lendlease chose to appeal against the council’s decision. A government inspector ultimately approved the original application, concluding the development “would have a significantly positive impact on the character and appearance of the area” through its design.
The latest plans from Hub Propco will see the construction of three tower blocks, ranging between 11 storeys to 25 storeys. There are also plans to build a new NHS ‘Health Hub’ which planning officers have said will provide an “important amenity” for Elephant Park.
The social rent homes would consist of 28 one-beds, 31 two-beds and 20 three-beds.
If approved at next week’s meeting, the plans will also see the construction of 695 purpose-built shared living units, which are typically designed for single-person households where residents share communal areas such as kitchens, living rooms and workspaces.
Planning officers said the latest plans will deliver “major regeneration benefits, including a significant contribution to Southwark’s housing stock, including on-site affordable housing”.
They concluded: “It is therefore considered that the development, in land use terms, is acceptable, and will contribute to the creation of a mixed and inclusive community at Elephant Park.”
