Planning application
Why is the public inquiry taking place?
The council refused the application on the 31 January 2024. The applicant has appealed this decision. Due to the large scale of the application, the level of public interest in this development and the reasons for refusal, a public inquiry will take place to determine whether the appeal should be allowed (i.e. the planning application approved).
The public inquiry will start at 10am on the Tuesday 22 October 2024. The inquiry is expected to run for up to 16 days. However, the duration is not fixed and will depend on how the evidence emerges.
What is the Planning Inspectorate’s role?
Planning appeals are managed and determined by the Planning Inspectorate. The Planning Inspectorate is an executive agency sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
There is a strict process and timeframe for conducting public inquiries.
What is the council’s role in the proceedings?
The council is a main party in the appeal and will present evidence to the inquiry.
What is the council’s position?
The council refused this application for the following reasons:
- The proposed building, by reason of its excessive height and bulk as well as its long and unrelieved elevation on Harleyford Road, would result in an incongruous, jarring and overly dominant development in the streetscene contrary to policies D1 and D3 of the London Plan (2021) and policies Q5 and Q7 of the Lambeth Local Plan 2020-2035 (2021).
- The proposed building, by reason of its excessive height, bulk, mass and the design of the Harleyford Road elevation would result in an incongruous, jarring and overly dominant development that would cause less than substantial harm to the significance of the Vauxhall Conservation Area and the setting and therefore significance of the Grade II listed 48-60 Harleyford Road and 15-25 Harleyford Road and the locally listed 27-33 Harleyford Road. This would be contrary to policy HC1 of the London Plan (2021) and policies Q20 and Q22 of the Lambeth Local Plan 2020-2035 (2021).
- The proposed development would result in total demolition of the locally listed St Anne's Catholic Settlement building and the Gateways to St Anne's Roman Catholic Settlement. This would cause substantial harm to the significance of these non-designated heritage assets contrary to policy Q23 of the Lambeth Local Plan 2020-2035 (2021).
- The proposed building, by reason of its excessive height, bulk and mass would result in unacceptable harm to amenity, including unacceptable losses of daylight for the occupiers of 1, 48, 56 and 57 Vauxhall Grove and 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29 Harleyford Road, and an undue sense of enclosure to the occupiers of 58 Vauxhall Grove. As such, the proposed development would be contrary to policy Q2 of the Lambeth Local Plan 2020-2035 (2021).
The council will give evidence to defend these reasons for refusing the application at the public inquiry.