Council rubber-stamps plans to bulldoze wildlife to build luxury housing

Residents have hit out at their council after it rubber-stamped plans that would see wildlife bulldozed to make way for a major development of unaffordable housing.

Lewisham council has given the go-ahead to developers Skillcrown Limited to build eight two-storey properties for private sale in Geoffrey Road, Brockley.

The site, which will be the third development built in the road in the past three years, is located within the Brockley Conservation Area, next to a green corridor and the Brockley to St John’s Railside Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).

Community campaign group Save The Stables has described the council’s decision as a “total disgrace” which will lead to an “ecological disaster”.

Joy Carter, 54, who moved into Geoffrey Road 20 years ago, said: “Everyone who lives here loves the wildlife and we all listen to the owls and bats in our gardens. In the summer we have hummingbird hawk moths, which are extremely rare.

“This will be destroyed if another development goes ahead and our gardens will be left with nothing but noise pollution from building sites. It would be heartbreaking.”

The new development will see seven mature trees cut down, some of which are at least 70 years old. The council has said 24 new trees will be planted but residents are concerned that the felling will still disrupt the area’s biodiversity.

Stephanie Le Geyt, 35, another resident of Geoffrey Road, said the previous two developments in the area had already increased pollution, traffic and danger in the neighbourhood.

She said: “I have a two-year-old little girl and my partner has asthma. I’m very aware of extra pollution and congestion in the street and the effects it has already had on my family.

“It feels hypocritical of the council to be quietly letting this through when they advertise so much about their green projects.

“I’d love to teach my daughter about animals and wildlife in our garden but it might all be gone.”

Residents also said they were “shocked” by the council’s lack of engagement regarding the plans.

In response to letters sent to residents and businesses in the area in April 2023, the council received 43 responses, with 42 objections. This was followed by meetings with residents and a final decision was made in December.

Ms Carter said: “They told us about the meeting one week before Christmas – even though they knew their own planning committee were not prepared. They just tried to rush it all through.”

The council’s decision was agreed by two council members. The meeting was attended by three councillors and the chairman, with four other council members failing to turn up, and two abstaining to vote.

A Lewisham council spokesman said: “This application to build eight much-needed new homes was approved by a meeting of a Planning Committee in December 2023 with the required number of councillors, following a lengthy discussion of the proposals and an opportunity for residents to present their objections.

“The site is currently occupied by a number of disused buildings and garages. It is not a protected wildlife area and wildlife surveys carried out found no evidence of roosting bats or badger setts on site.

“A number of ecological enhancements are proposed as part of the development to support wildlife and biodiversity, including the installation of bird and bat bricks, wildlife-friendly planting, bug hotels, hedgehog tunnels and 24 new trees to compensate for the loss of trees – a net increase of 17.”

Save The Stables is appealing the council’s ruling. Their petition which has reached more than 1,300 signatures so far can be found here: https://chng.it/vkzkrCS8cD

Pictured top: The Brockley Conservation Area and Joy Carter, member of Save The Stables campaign (Picture: Joy Carter)