Campaigners to appeal High Court decision for 110 social homes to be built on ‘beauty spot’

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents have launched a last chance legal challenge to save a “beauty spot” from a “monster” seven-storey block of flats.

Campaigners will appeal the High Court’s decision to back Lewisham council’s approval of 110 council homes next to the Sydenham Hill Wood nature reserve.

On Monday, High Court judge Mr Justice Fordham dismissed residents’ bid to overrule Lewisham’s permit for the revamp of the Sydenham Hill estate.

He ruled there were no grounds to overturn the local authority’s decision and ordered Helen Kinsey, who brought the case on behalf of campaigners, to pay Lewisham’s legal costs of around £5,000.

Ms Kinsey, who lives on the Sydenham Hill estate, now intends to appeal the judgement in the Court of Appeal.

She argues that The City of London Corporation – which wants to redevelop the site – hasn’t proved the apartment block is the least harmful option for the site.

Campaigners also claim objections to the development by the London Wildlife Trust weren’t taken into account by Lewisham after planning officers missed an email.

Campaign group Friends of Mais House, named after a block of former supported living accommodation for the elderly that will be bulldozed under the plans, said: “Lewisham [is] determined to drive [the] monster development through.

“The unchanged plans mean the urbanisation of an environmentally sensitive area… Following the shock decision by Justice Fordham not to order the quashing of Lewisham’s second grant of planning permission, an appeal is being filed at the Court of Appeal.”

The City of London Corporation – which owns the Sydenham Hill estate – and Lewisham council will split the 110 planned flats between them.

Lewisham council originally approved plans for new council homes on the site in August 2020. Locals subsequently appealed the decision in the High Court and won. Judges blocked the plans due to errors made by the council during the planning process.

The local authority brought the proposals back to its planning committee and approved them a second time in June 2021. Residents then launched another bid to overturn the plans in the High Court but were unsuccessful.

Lewisham Councillor Brenda Dacres said: “With 10,000 families on our housing waiting list, building new social homes is a key priority for Lewisham.

“The development at Mais House will see an empty building and garages replaced with 110 much-needed social homes, helping families on our housing waiting list. It will also see more trees planted and the creation of a new play space for residents, while retaining current green space on the estate.”

Pictured top: Sydenham Hill Wood (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Steve Grindlay)