Barratt slams Wandsworth over planning refusal
Barratt London has criticised Wandsworth Council’s rejection of its plan to redevelop part of Tooting’s former Springfield Hospital site.
The housebuilder says the move will cause “unnecessary” delays to much-needed housing in the borough.
The developer submitted plans for 449 homes on the 8.5-acre site in December 2022. It comprises a section of the wider Springfield Village site, developed by South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
Barratt London has criticised Wandsworth Council’s rejection of its plan to redevelop part of Tooting’s former Springfield Hospital site.
The housebuilder says the move will cause “unnecessary” delays to much-needed housing in the borough.
The developer submitted plans for 449 homes on the 8.5-acre site in December 2022. It comprises a section of the wider Springfield Village site, developed by South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
The plan had been recommended for approval by Wandsworth Council’s planning committee, but councillors rejected it in a planning meeting last week due to the impact on space with protected Metropolitan Open Land status and pressure on the surrounding transport network.
Alastair Butcher, development director at Barratt London, said: “Wandsworth Council’s planning committee apparently rejected our plans on the basis of the impact on the previously developed Metropolitan Open Land, and pressure on the surrounding transport network.
“These reasons are, in our view, unsubstantiated and the council’s professional planning officers supported our proposals following a two-year application period.
“This refusal has unnecessarily delayed private and affordable housing, and infrastructure delivery, rendering the wider development incomplete for the foreseeable future.”
The housebuilder is working with Springfield & Tolworth Estate Partnership and the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust to consider its options, including appealing the council’s decision.
Its proposed plan had set out to provide 50% affordable housing across four apartment blocks, ranging from three to five storeys, and nine townhouses.
It also included 48 car parking spaces, including 13 disabled bays, and 817 cycle parking spaces.
As part of its section 106 contributions, Barratt had also proposed financial contributions to local infrastructure projects, including £49m to hospital buildings and £10m to support and improve local services, including education, arts, culture and transport.
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