The planning committee voted 6-0 against the proposal despite planning officers initially recommending that the scheme be approved. Berkeley Homes sought to provide only 81 affordable units across the final two phases, offering mid-construction financial reviews to account for future market improvements. Council leaders backed the decision to protect local housing needs, while the developer cited updated safety rules—such as second staircases—and rising construction costs as reasons the original targets failed.
Key points
The proposed reduction would have lowered the total affordable housing proportion across…: The proposed reduction would have lowered the total affordable housing proportion across all three phases to 17.9 per cent.
Design changes to satisfy updated building safety regulations, such as second staircases,…: Design changes to satisfy updated building safety regulations, such as second staircases, contributed to the developer's rising costs.
Deputy Leader Victor Chamberlain plans to formally ask the Mayor of London not to overtur…: Deputy Leader Victor Chamberlain plans to formally ask the Mayor of London not to overturn the committee's refusal.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Members of Southwark Council's planning committee have unanimously rejected revised plans from housebuilder Berkeley Homes for the Bermondsey Place development on the Old Kent Road. The decision came after the company reduced its affordable housing offer from 40 per cent to just 12 per cent. Local councillors voted against the plans despite their own planning officers recommending approval. Their decision showed strong opposition to the sharp cut in affordable homes in a major regeneration area in south London. According to reports published by Southwark News, The Architects' Journal, and MyLondon, the revised plans covered 1,060 homes across the second and third phases of the wider development. Under the new proposal, just 81 of these 1,060 homes would have been affordable, a major drop from the original promise made for the site.
Viability challenges behind the reduction
The original combined planning permission for Bermondsey Place was approved in 2020. It allowed around 1,300 homes to be built across three phases, with a firm commitment that 40 per cent of the entire development, measured by the number of rooms suitable for living,…
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