Tenants fear ‘bat diseases’ if plans for penthouse flats built on top of building approved

By Alicia Curry, Local Democracy Reporter

Tenants living in a London block of flats are furious over plans to build four luxury penthouses on top of the existing building and fear they could bring “bat diseases” to the area.

Residents say they fear the demands of the rich owners “will increase service charge to all” and potentially price them out when they live in modest one-bed flats and studio apartments.

The controversial plan will be deliberated next week by Westminster City council’s planning committee after an application was first submitted in June 2021.

It proposes a roof extension with the provision of four additional residential flats at Langford Court, St John’s Wood.

But more than 50 residents have voiced their worries over the development on the council’s planning portal.

The proposals also set out the landscape of a grass-lined roof space, which is set to be fitted with a green wall that holds bird and bat boxes.

One resident quipped that the enclosures could pose a risk to tenants.

They wrote: “I understand that this is good for the wildlife but I don’t think that it is so good for humans. There are conflicting views on whether bats carry disease which can affect humans but if there is the slightest chance that they can – I don’t think it is fair to put 125 households at risk just to try and sway the planning committee to grant [the] planning permission.

“However, there are no conflicting views when it comes to bat droppings and bat urine. They do exist and they smell. People are more important than bats and birds. They will be sharing the roof with our water tanks, heating vents and various other pipework. There is no mains water to the flats in this block – they are all serviced from the water tanks on the roof, including our drinking water.”

The worries were rebutted by the council who stated: “There is no evidence to justify that this will be an issue, and this is not considered to be a justified reason in which to withhold permission.”

It also notes: “The proposal is considered to be acceptable and meets within the relevant development plan policies and notwithstanding the objections raised, a favourable recommendation is made.”

Beyond the disruption of the building works, some of the concerns raised included “health risks” with installing bird and bat boxes on the roof and the expectations of “wealthy owners”.

One commenter, who said they live in the 1930s building, wrote: “This is a nice block but it is not a luxury block by any stretch of the imagination. Penthouse owners will expect full time porterage which will increase service charge to all the residents.

“If there are huge increases to the service charges there will be many of the current residents who will not be able to afford these increases. What happens then – where will we live? All this to provide four homes for the wealthy.”

But the council response states that the matter of the financial impact on residents “are not matters that can be considered in the determination of this planning application”.

A decision on the erection of the roof extension is yet to be reached and will be discussed in a planning application meeting on Tuesday but the committee has been recommended to approve it.

Pictured top: The building which could see four new penthouses built on top (Picture: Nash Baker Architects)