Four-block Borough Triangle plans survive flood of objections from locals and opposition from Historic England
Southwark council has approved controversial plans by Berkeley to build four residential towers up to 44 storeys in height in south London after a knife-edge vote.
Councillors voted three in favour and three against a recommendation from planning officers to approve one of the capital鈥檚 tallest housing schemes yesterday evening in a near four-hour long planning committee meeting, with the outcome tipped in the scheme鈥檚 favour by the chair鈥檚 deciding vote.
The Maccreanor Lavington-designed development will contain nearly 900 homes, including 230 affordable, in four buildings of 14, 18, 38 and 44 storeys on the 0.86ha Borough Triangle site in Elephant and Castle.
Its planning application has survived a flood of objections from locals and heritage groups, including Historic England, over the scheme鈥檚 impact on several nearby conservation areas and heritage assets including the grade I-listed Southwark Cathedral.
The plans were also opposed by some traders operating within the popular Mercato Metropolitano food and drink market which currently occupies the site.
Although the market will be allocated space in the new development, traders said their businesses would be disrupted during the scheme鈥檚 phased construction, which is expected to take up to nine years.
The application received a total of 410 objections and just 20 letters of support, with one objector describing the scheme as an 鈥渙versized monstrosity鈥� and the closure of Mercato Metropolitano as a 鈥渟ignificant loss to the community鈥�.
Another objector concerned about the loss of the market said the scheme would 鈥渄estroy a local attraction for a new building that will serve wealthy investors far more than the local population鈥�.
Mercato Metropolitano was said to be 鈥済enerally supportive鈥� of the proposal in a 265-page council report, which claimed that the engagement with Berkeley had been 鈥渃ollaborative and positive鈥� while admitting the market鈥檚 business operations would be disrupted during construction.
Mercato Metropolitano will need to cease operating at its current premises by 2030 because of new EPC requirements for commercial properties. Berkeley said its intention was to supply the market with a 鈥渕odern sustainable place鈥� for them to return to.
Heritage groups also raised concerns about the impact on several historic buildings within the site boundaries, including an 1820s Georgian building at 38 Newington Causeway, which will be demolished.
While planning officers admitted the scheme would cause less than substantial harm to some heritage buildings, they concluded this would be outweighed by its public benefits including 35% affordable housing.
The approval comes after a lengthy design process for the scheme, which was first submitted by Berkeley in 2022 before being withdrawn following the introduction of requirements for second staircases in tall residential buildings.
The developer said it had also been impacted by increasing build costs caused by 鈥渢he macro-economic climate and foreign events鈥� which had put pressure on the viability of the scheme.
A fresh application was submitted last year with second staircases added as part of a redesign which also saw the tallest building cut by two storeys and the number of homes increased from the original 838 to the current 892.
The site was also expanded with Berkeley鈥檚 acquisition of the adjacent Institute of Optometry building in September 2023.
The project team includes planning consultant Lichfields, landscape architect Gillespies, structural engineer Walsh, environmental consultant Aecom, fire engineer Introba, townscape and heritage consultant Tavernor and transport consultant TTP Consulting.
Berkeley, Maccreanor Lavington and Mercato Metropolitano have been approached for comment.
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