Battersea community centre to be bulldozed to make way for twenty-four flats
A Battersea community centre will be bulldozed down and replaced with a newer centre and 24 flats built above it.
Wandsworth Council has given the go ahead for the plans at Mission Hall, Battersea Christian Centre and Community Church on Battersea Bridge Road to be rebuilt as an eight storey structure.
But 77 people have signed a petition against the plans.
Developer Savills says the new building will include a community hall as well as bike and bin stores – along with a communal terrace with greenery and solar panels on the top floor.
Nine of the 24 new flats will be “affordable” as shared ownership homes.
The petition raised concerns such as loss of light, privacy, over-development, out of keeping with character, congestion, lack of affordable housing and dust/noise during building work.
The Battersea Society said the building was overbearing, out of keeping with surroundings, lacked affordable housing for small families and claimed there was a lack of community consultation by the applicant.
In Wandsworth Council’s planning applications committee on Thursday evening (August 19), Conservative councillor Guy Humphries said: “We are lucky here to get a nice community space that can be used by as many people as possible.”
He added: “I actually like this building. I think it is a welcome addition to the street scape [and] it’s a tick for me on the design front.”
A date has not yet been confirmed when building work will start.
A planning application passed with hardly any discussion about the concerns of those who were to be living opposite this building, of those on the Ethelburga Estate who will see considerable loss of light to their gardens and flats; of those who will be living under its shadow; of the pub opposite whose terrace will be in shade. The concerns of the Battersea Society. And how pleasant for residents to read of the Council decision – taken very quickly, as I understand it – in a local newspaper. If Cllr Humphries likes the look of it, let him come and take up residence in the flats opposite. So much for resident consultation. More than 70 serious concerns completely ignored.