A London council has approved 144 new homes and adult social care flats on Harrow Road. Westminster City councillors voted three to two - along party lines - to approve the development.
Westminster City’s planning committee chair Cllr Jason Williams acknowledged issues with the application, which was submitted by the council, before approving it.
He said during Tuesday evening’s meeting: “We spoke about having to weigh things in the balance and planning is about weighing the balance of the different issues. I think the issues we’ve all heard, we’ve all had concerns about this as councillors, and I think the benefit in this case does outweigh those issues.”
Conservative councillors Jim Glen and Hannah Galley voted against the proposal because of concerns about its height and impact on biodiversity. Cllr Glen said he was particularly concerned about the development not meeting the council’s own planning policies.
He said: “What I heard tonight is we’re not complying in terms of height, we’re not complying in terms of daylight and sunlight, we’re not complying in terms of family-sized accommodation, we’re not complying in terms of biodiversity net gain, we’re not complying in terms of carbon off-setting, the circular economy, we might be complying, but we’re not entirely sure, it hasn’t been done yet.
“Trees, we might but we’re getting rid of lots and finally…our waste officer said we’re not compliant because we’ve specified the wrong food waste, the wrong separation, at the very least that should have been got right before it came before a committee. It’s a death by 1,000 cuts.”
Labour Cllr Patrick Lilley shot back: “I think [the development] is in part what Westminster needs, affordable accommodation, [there is] an absolute crisis in housing. It would be foolish, foolish indeed to not approve this project because it addresses a fundamental need of our communities. Homelessness is everywhere, everywhere, so I vote to approve this.”
Council officers urged councillors to approve the plans saying it would provide much-needed affordable housing in the borough. Officers also acknowledged councillors’ concerns about the lack of three-bedroom apartments but stressed the flats can house families.
Officers also defended shrinking the size of the new multi-use sports pitch saying providing such space was not mandatory. They said the current sport facility was temporary and was not included in the application.
The proposal, which is located at 291 Harrow Road and 1-2 Elmfield Way, will boost the number of adult social care homes on site from the current five to 24. It also includes 48 affordable homes and 72 units at market rate.
The council will construct these flats in three separating buildings varying from 5 to 15 storeys and include an indoor sports facility and commercial space, the application shows.
The development will be car-free but there will be some parking provision for adult social care users.
Critics say the plans amount to an "overdevelopment" of residential land and warn it could lead to a loss of daylight for neighbouring properties. They said the tall buildings will create a "wind tunnelling impact" and claim they weren't properly consulted by Westminster City Council.
They also shared concerns about the impact on the future redevelopment of the local medical centre.
Westminster City said it had no plans to redevelop the Woodfield Road medical practice. It said though the development would be tall and bulky, it would result in "relationships to neighbouring properties seen elsewhere in the Carlton Gate development and Westminster".
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