New council plans to demolish homeless hostel halves number of promised council homes
By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
A council’s re-jigged plans to bulldoze a homeless hostel would see the number of new council homes slashed by more than half.
Mayfields Hostel in Lee could be demolished to make way for 64 flats under new proposals revealed by Lewisham council.
Only 23 of the new homes would be the cheapest council properties, despite officials previously approving separate plans for 47 council homes at the site in Burnt Ash Hill.
AÂ development approved by Lewisham councillors in 2018 would have seen a block of 47 council flats built where the hostel currently stands, as well as shops. But the building was never constructed and its planning permission is no longer valid.
Planning documents submitted as part of the council’s new 64 flat scheme say that officials dropped proposals to make all the new homes council rent properties after realising the figures didn’t add up.
A decision was made to scrap the planned shop units as they would “detract from the overall attractiveness and viability of the site,” the documents add.
Of the 64 planned homes, 41 would be shared ownership flats, where a person buys a share of a property and pays rent to a housing association on the remaining amount.
The other 23 council homes would be available at target rent, a type of rent that is based on local property values and average earnings.
Split across three blocks up to six floors high, 31 of the new flats would be one bed, 26 would have two bedrooms and eight would be three bed.
Planning documents submitted to the council on July 6 read: “Owing to the costs associated with the implementation of the proposal and a recent market assessment, a residential-led scheme is proposed for 64 affordable homes.
“The applicant aims to comprehensively redevelop the site, creating affordable homes while improving amenities, security and appearance.”
A council planning committee will make a decision on the application at a later date.
Pictured top: A CGI of planned flats in Burnt Ash Hill, with Our Lady of Lourdes Church on the left (Picture: Lewisham council planning documents)
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