34-36 Bedford Road, London SW4 - Lambeth Council

• Policy 38: Design in Existing Residential/Mixed Use Areas
• Policy 39: Streetscape, Landscape and Public Realm Design
• Policy 46: List of Buildings of Local Architectural Merit
• Policy 47: Conservation Areas
SPDs and other guidance
• S106 Planning Obligations
• Guidance and Standards for Housing Development and House
Conversions
• Waste & Recycling, Storage and Collection Requirements – Guidance for
architects and developers
7 Land Use and Principle of Change of Use
7.1 The existing use of the site is as offices (class B1) for Kone (a global
escalator/elevator company) who occupy a three storey building of 766 sqm on
the boundary with Bedford Road. The remainder of the site is covered in
hardstanding and is used as a parking and storage area for this company.
7.2 The application proposes an increase in the amount of office floorspace on site,
(936sqm – an increase of 170sqm). Therefore there would be no loss of B1
floorspace, and the employment use of the site would be maintained and
improved through the provision of larger, modern, office floorspace. The
applicant states that Kone intends to remain on this site, demonstrating an
immediate demand for this floorspace and retaining the business currently
occupying the site within Lambeth. The supporting information indicates that the
scheme will sustain the existing 90 jobs plus provide opportunities for expansion
on site. In any case, the development will see office floorspace provided to ‘turnkey’
standard.
7.3 The site is not allocated as a KIBA, nor does it have any other policy
designation restricting housing or any other use, so whilst the existing B1 use on
site should be protected, the principle of a mixed use development on this site
could be acceptable.
7.4 Core Strategy Policy S2 (housing) seeks the provision of at least 7,700 net
additional dwellings across the borough between 2010/2011 and 2017/17 in line
with the London Plan. The London Plan sets an annual monitoring target for
Lambeth of 1,195 new homes.
7.5 Officers consider that the scheme increases the amount of employment
floorspace, thereby creating a more productive use of land to meet Core
Strategy aims on reversing worklessness in the Borough. Therefore the
provision of additional housing will not be at the expense of any employment
floorspace.
7.6 The provision of new dwellings in addition to adequate replacement B class
floorspace is to be welcomed in principle as it will help to contribute to achieving
the council’s housing target.