John Lewis gets permission to build houses in Bromley

VaselineJuly 26, 2024

0 1 minute read

John Lewis gets permission to build houses in Bromley

image source, Getty Images

Author, Mitchell Labiak
Role, Business reporter, BBC News
52 minutes ago

John Lewis has been given the go-ahead to build homes in a ground-breaking first for the department store chain.

Bromley Council on Thursday approved plans for a block of 353 rental flats above an existing Waitrose store in the London borough.

“This now gives us the opportunity to improve the local area,” said John Lewis director Katherine Russell.

It is a milestone for the company, which has been trying to get permission to develop housing for years and still faces significant opposition from some locals to the scheme.

John Lewis said the “energy efficient” apartments in the 24-storey block will include a mix of one to three bedroom units. The existing Waitrose will be refurbished.

She added that she had received 147 letters supporting the scheme, more than the number opposing it.

However, campaigners complained that less than a tenth of the homes would be classed as “affordable”.

This means that rental rates for those homes will be set at 80% of market value. The rest will be rented at market value.

Local Liberal Democrat councilor Julie Ireland described the amount of affordable housing in the development as “derisive”.

Both Bromley Council and the Mayor of London’s office say 35% of homes in all new developments should be affordable.

Ms Ireland also criticized the height of the John Lewis scheme and said the extra residents would worsen road traffic and clog the train network.

John Lewis said council tax and “local spending” would rise by £70m in the development’s first decade.

Investment firm abrdn, which is working with John Lewis on the development, said the homes would be “an anchor for town center regeneration and wider community investment”.

Ultimately, John Lewis and abrdn plan to build 1,000 new homes across three sites, including the one in Bromley.

John Lewis has revealed for the first time plans to start building homes in 2020 under its former boss Dame Sharon White to diversify its income.

VaselineJuly 26, 2024

0 1 minute read