The Camberwell Lanes development, on the site of the existing Butterfly Walk, has been revised again and a public consultation on the new proposal is open now until the 21st of February. A photo of the architects model, viewed looking South-East, is at the head of this post.

In the latest proposal Morrisons will remain, as will the existing shopping centre, although the shop units will be reduced in size and the covered passageway opened as a street. There are plans for up to 146 new homes, a 101-bed hotel, a cinema (which could be used for something else if no operator can be found), new public realm, and 32 car parking spaces (for shoppers, not residents).

The developers haven’t uploaded the latest plans to their website, but the key documents you may want to look at are the planning statement, proposed location plan, and elevations 1, 2, 3.

At the time of writing only 83 people had left public comments on the consultation, which isn’t many when you consider it’s a big change in the heart of the neighbourhood. Reader Camilla Read-Shaw kindly sent some points for consideration when making any response:

Can the site accommodate so many residential units as well as a cinema and a 101-bed hotel?

What assurances can the Council provide that local infrastructure (public transport, primary healthcare, educational services) will cope with the extra population?

Would Camberwell benefit from the proposed cinema and the proposed hotel?

Does Camberwell need two large new hotels (one on Butterfly Walk and one across Denmark Hill as is proposed for the Valmar Trading Estate)?

How much thought will be given to the crucial matter, in this area, of preventing crime and anti-social behaviour in the design of the project, given a lack of detail on this topic?

What impact will the proposed new buildings have on the surrounding Conservation Areas? Will they fit in to the area well?

Are the height and mass of the buildings suited to the area?

Will there be unacceptable levels of overshadowing or overlooking of existing adjacent properties?

Are the proposed service yards sufficient and will service vehicles be controlled so as not to cause nuisance to adjoining properties?

Is there sufficient “greening” designed into the project?

Burgess Park

A number of new buildings, some up to 10 stories (30m) tall, have been proposed for Parkhouse Street and the Burgess Business Park site. The Friends of Burgess Park argue that the tallest buildings will cast shadows up to 100m in Winter. They’ve launched a campaign called Don’t Put Burgess Park in the Shade, and are asking for people to get involved:

Write to Johnson Situ, the Councillor with responsibility for planning.

Write to your local ward councillor.

Object to each planning application (links to follow).