Residents reject proposed plans for set of huge tower blocks in high street

Residents have hit out at council plans to build a set of tower blocks up to 16 storeys tall in a high street.

Bromley council received plans from Hadley Property Group and Clarion Housing Group to build four tower blocks between three and 16 storeys tall in Penge High Street.

The project features a revised design of a previous application to build a set of blocks up to 18 storeys tall. Building the blocks would involve knocking down the current structures on the site, which includes the Blenheim Shopping Centre.

The plans said the project would deliver 230 new homes, 35 per cent of which will be ‘affordable’, as well as 2,700 square metres of space for shops.

The revised plans were developed following feedback from the council and residents, with a petition opposing the plans gaining more than 2,500 signatures.

The petition was started by Michael Payne, 62, who has lived in Penge for 18 years.

He said: “Penge is the size of a village. You’ve got a Victorian high street, and the local businesses and residents are all concerned it’s going to completely destroy the high street because the development is going to go on for two years at least.”

A spokesman for the applicant said: “We have used valuable public feedback to amend the design of the project throughout the planning process.

“Any further compromise on height will reduce the number of affordable homes delivered, something we are firmly committed to maximising at this site – especially with close to 3,000 on the borough’s housing waiting list.”

Pictured top: Michael Payne, organiser of Stop the Blenheim Centre Redevelopment campaign (Picture: Joe Coughlan)