®Planning appeal decision
The Old Sorting Office, 4 to 6 Silverdale, Sydenham , London, SE26 4SZ
Planning appeal 3337413 at The Old Sorting Office, 4 to 6 Silverdale, Sydenham , London, SE26 4SZ (London Borough of Lewisham) was dismissed on 23 August 2024 by Inspector Parkin A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Effect of the proposal on employment land provision.
retention of the front façade together with the front part of the building and refurbishment as galleried offices / studio spaces. Demolition of the rear part of the building and the construction of seven residential apartments and two mews houses
- Authority
- London Borough of Lewisham
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Parkin A
- Postcode
- SE26 4SZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Effect of the proposal on employment land provision
- Living conditions of future occupiers with particular regard to size, aspect and layout of the dwellings, outlook, privacy, and natural light
- Significance of the Sydenham Thorpes Conservation Area
- Highway safety
- Living conditions of nearby occupiers at 2 Silverdale, with particular regard to privacy
- Biological diversity
What decided it
The cumulative harm to employment land provision, living conditions of future and nearby occupiers, and the significance of the conservation area, combined with the failure to demonstrate the site was unsuitable for employment use, outweighed the benefits of housing delivery on brownfield land.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 5 (other employment locations) of the Core Strategy 2011DM Policy 11 of the Development Management Local Plan 2014Policy D6 (housing quality and standards) of the London PlanPolicy 15 (high quality design for Lewisham) of the Core Strategy 2011DM Policy 32 (housing design, layout and space standards) of the Development Management Local Plan 2014Policy D4 (delivering good design) of the London PlanPolicy HC1 (heritage conservation and growth) of the London PlanDM Policy 33 (development on infill sites, backland sites, back gardens and amenity areas) of the Development Management Local Plan 2014DM Policy 36B (conservation areas) of the Development Management Local Plan 2014Policy T5 (cycling) of the London PlanPolicy T6 (car parking) of the London PlanPolicy 14 (sustainable movement and transport) of the Core Strategy 2011DM Policy 29 (car parking) of the Development Management Local Plan 2014Policy G7 (trees and woodlands) of the London PlanPolicy 7 (climate change and adapting to the effects) of the Core Strategy 2011DM Policy 25 (landscaping and trees) of the Development Management Local Plan 2014
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.