Southwark Council has given the go-ahead to plans to build an eight-storey office block on a residential Bankside street.
The decision prompted audible uproar from angry attendees at the meeting on Tuesday, June 6.
Local residents had warned the building would be an “immense burden” due to the loss of sunlight and privacy.
But committee chair Cllr Richard Livingstone, who gave the deciding vote, said that any development on the site was likely to have negative impacts on sunlight so the block should be approved.
He also suggested a shorter building would not be worth a developer’s investment.
Acorn Property Group and Galliard Homes are behind the proposals for the site on Bear Lane, a narrow residential street south of Southwark Street.
The site currently contains a commercial yard and a mish-mash of single-storey buildings.
The new building will be an office block but also include retail space.
Objecting local residents argued the building caused unacceptable light loss to neighbouring buildings, was too tall, and invaded their privacy.
The scheme had been amended to alleviate privacy worries, following the original application in April 2021.
For example, the building’s windows have been set a minimum twelve metres away from the homes opposite
The plans also included introducing plants to screen people living in the opposite building from the office’s terrace.
But some remained unconvinced. Bear Lane resident Tony Quinn said: “This idea that this is not an issue because you put up plants… we can still hear that there are people behind this evergreen tree.
“We still know people are there…you don’t know whether someone is peering through those plants and can see you.”
There were also concerns that 25 windows on 18 Great Suffolk Street would experience a “major adverse” reduction in sunlight.
But Trevor Morriss, speaking on behalf of SPPARC Architecture, said: “During the period of several years, we have evolved, through extensive pre-application discussions with planning officers, local societies and residents, a proposal that respects and responds to the setting of the street to create a building that will skilfully cohabit with neighbouring properties whilst mitigating matters of privacy and amenity.”
He added that it would create 520 jobs and provide a “healthy and attractive workspace”.
Borough and Bankside councillor David Watson, who spoke as an objector, said: “This development was conceived pre-pandemic and now risks blighting the neighbourhood with an over-sized monolith, that will join the myriad other office blocks sitting half empty across the ward. We don’t need more office blocks in Borough and Bankside. We need affordable homes and open, green, community spaces.”
Cllr Nick Johnson, who would later oppose the application, said the daylight loss was “pretty bad” and that he couldn’t support the application.
The councillors’ votes were tied, with two voting in favour, two against, and one abstaining.
As committee chair, Cllr Richard Livingstone had the deciding vote and backed the plans, allowing them to go ahead.
