Plans approved for first John Lewis homes in Bromley

July 29, 2024

The John Lewis Partnership has been approved to turn a Waitrose site in Bromley into 353 new homes.

The proposed development consists of 353 new rental homes and a refurbished and extended Waitrose store on site, where over 70% of existing customer parking will be retained. The site will include a mix of one, two and three bedroom homes and will be developed, owned and managed by the John Lewis Partnership (JLP).

“Small number of accessible units”

The London Borough of Bromley says it has received 147 letters of support from local residents, however Lib Dem councilors for Bromley Town oppose the development due to the “small number of affordable units”.

According to the Bromley Liberal Democrats website, “the 10% of affordable units (or 20% if they secure additional funding) will not meet London Plan requirements or Bromley Local Plan targets for affordable housing”. Bromley’s Local Plan (2019) calls for 35% affordable housing.

John Lewis says local residents will be given priority for the new build to rent homes and that letters of support for the project “outnumber those who opposed the proposal”.

Liberal Democrat councilors are also opposing the scheme on height grounds, claiming the development may “set a precedent” for other tall towers:

“At 24 storeys, the development is too big. The tallest block will be 7 stories taller than Perigon Heights (the green block next door). The only other tall building in the area is St. Mark’s Square – whose highest point is 19 stories. The Waitrose development will be a third bigger.”

Councilor Alexa Michael, Chair of the Development Control Committee, responded: “This development will make a vital contribution to much-needed housing in Bromley, while providing a significant boost to the local economy.

“While well balanced with many factors to consider, the proposal is a clear net benefit to the borough and improves the local housing supply, which optimizes the use of land on this highly accessible brownfield site on the edge of Bromley town centre.”

Work is expected to begin in 2025.

Image: A CGI showing the proposed refurbished Waitrose store with residential flats above. At the front of the building, there are relaxation areas among the green spaces. Image credit: John Lewis Partnership

Article written by Ella Tansley | Posted on July 29, 2024

Action

Similar articles