The controversial planning application for 83 flats with retail units at the old dairy crest site, on the corner of Villiers Avenue and Lower Marsh Lane, has been refused unanimously by Councillors at their meeting on 10th June.

I’m delighted that all Councillors saw that this application was over-development and out of character with the area. Whilst we support a redevelopment of the site for homes at 5 storeys high, it was just too big and there was not enough affordable housing.

Of course, this will not be the end and we would expect the developer to return with a modified application later in the year.  We’ll let you know when we hear more.

says St Mark’s Ward Councillor Diane White

Full reasons for refusal:

1. The development by virtue of its scale, height, mass, density and layout would result in a collection of buildings which would not respect the prevailing development typology of the surrounding area and would therefore be detrimental to the established local character and visual amenities of the area. The development is therefore contrary to Policies DM10 and DM11 of the Royal Borough of Kingston LDF Core Strategy Adopted April 2012.

2. The development does not provide a minimum of 30% of units at a size of 3 bedrooms or more and insufficient evidence has been submitted to robustly demonstrate that this would be unsuitable or unviable. The development therefore fails to provide a sufficient housing mix and is contrary to Policy DM13 of the Royal Borough of Kingston LDF Core Strategy Adopted April 2012.

3. The development proposes an affordable housing offer which is single tenure and does not include a review mechanism which would allow the Council to re-appraise the scheme to take account of achieved costs and values on or near completion, in the absence of which the development may not deliver the maximum amount of affordable housing that it could reasonably support. The development therefore is contrary to Policy DM15 of the Royal Borough of Kingston LDF Core Strategy Adopted April 2012 and Supplementary Planning Document on Affordable Housing May 2013.