Thirty-nine new homes are set to be built on top of an expanded GP surgery near Dickens Square Park.
Nexus Planning, a consultancy, has developed proposals for a scheme that will expand the existing Falmouth Road surgery and ‘cater for 85 per cent more patients’ – around 15,000 extra people.
Southwark Council’s planning committee made a resolution to grant the scheme permission last week, though a formal decision notice and further legal documents have yet to be issued.
Part of the proposals, and the most controversial element, is their pledge to build 39 new homes above the surgery. Of these, 41 per cent would be classed as ‘affordable housing’. Fifteen per cent are wheelchair accessible.
The car-free development includes roof terraces; a green, biosolar roof; and cycle parking.
The company says it has undertaken ‘detailed engagement’ with people living in the area and conducted reviews with Southwark Council to ensure a ‘high quality’ planning application that integrates well with the refurbished Dickens Square Park.
Rob Pearson, executive director at Nexus Planning London, which is not connected to the Nexus chain of GP surgeries, comments: “We’re excited by this scheme, as we believe it delivers a number of public benefits in a highly sustainable location, including affordable housing, accessible housing, improved and enlarged medical facility.
Those in favour includeTrinity Newington Residents’ Association (TNRA), which counts some 400 members. On the council’s public planning portal, during a public consultation throughout 2020 the vice-chair wrote: “TNRA supports the plans. The design seems to respond well to the local setting in terms of scale and massing, as well as making a positive and considered contribution at street level and through to the Dickens Square park – stepping down from seven storeys on the corner to four along Harper Road and Falmouth Road.”
They added: “Importantly, views from our two squares have already been considered and will have no impact from street level in the two squares.
“The fact that the development will overlook the park will enhance security in the park to the benefit of future residents and park users.
“The inclusion of communal gardens at fourth and roof level is a positive contribution in sustainability terms (replacing green space with green space).”
The group said the ‘40 per cent’ affordable housing provision was ‘very welcome’ as was minimal parking spaces.
Others, however, have described the designs as out of keeping and criticised the decision to build more private housing.
One objector wrote: “This proposal is very clearly not about healthcare provision, nor community wellbeing.
“In fact, this type of construction would necessitate prolonged closure of critical healthcare facilities at this time.
“The council may want to consider the very real reputational risk of eroding community trust by placing public health secondary to an ad-hoc commercial outcome (more unaffordable, housing in an already-saturated market) that does not benefit the local community.”