Design Review Panel say people of Putney 'shortchanged' by current proposal

CGI of building as it would be seen from Putney Bridge Road

The Wandsworth Design Review Panel which reviews planning proposals on behalf on the Council have delivered a damning verdict in their official response to the Levellers Court development proposed for the centre of Putney. Their criticisms have been echoed by the Putney Society in their comments on the 10-storey building that Trust Real Estate and Savills Investment Management want to build at 45-53 Putney High Street and 327-339 Putney Bridge Road.

In a letter to the developer, Marcus Wilshere, Chair of the Design Review Panel, describes the building as ‘introverted and uninviting’ and puts forward two main objections to the plan. Firstly, he states that the height of the building at 10-storeys does not provide enough public benefit to justify breaching the Council’s guideline for a six-storey maximum height in the area. The building would loom over the historic St Mary’s Church and blight views of the area particularly from across the Thames. Secondly, he expresses disappointment that the communal area at the centre of the development will be for residents only and says that plans should incorporate a public square with a greater proportion of retail space at ground level.

He states, “The Panel are still of the view that the realisation of a public square, which can work with both schemes should still be your client’s aspiration for this site. The proposed courtyard scheme offers no connections with adjacent sites, limited activity, and no perceived access to the public.”

The Panel believes that a restrictive covenant on the land imposed by the owners of the adjoining development makes a good design for this location challenging and the best solution would be that both sites are developed in tandem.

He concludes, “We are unable to identify any demonstrable public benefits of the proposed scheme and feel that the people of Putney are being shortchanged by the current proposal.”

Andrew Catto has commented on behalf of the Putney Society on the scheme saying that the consensus from the public when the plans were first exhibited was that the building was at least three storeys too high. The applicants did reduce their original proposal from 11 to 10 storeys but the Putney Society believe that the current scheme would create a ‘sunless canyon’ at the most polluted part of the High Street.

Mr Catto states that changes made so far, “are not enough to justify riding roughshod over so many policies nor the long term damage this will do to the already awful local air quality to daylight and sunlight over a wide area and to the iconic setting of St Mary’s church seen from Putney Bridge.”

The loss of retail space on the High Road is also criticised with the scheme said to offer just ‘2 real shops’ and 2 kiosks. Also only 10 out for the 122 units will be classed as ‘affordable’ which is way below the Mayor’s target of 35%

Keith Hawkins of Better Putney said, “Like the ill-fated Blades plans, this development again doesn't include the very corner site on the High Street (owned by another developer) where the Brazilian restaurant is - so we will not have a joined up scheme for the benefit of Putney. In our view it is a far too big one - that has not been well thought through. It removes valuable office space, and retail sites - and not even with enough affordable housing/public space/trees to help justify it.”

A spokesperson for the developers said, "The development team are continuing to work closely with immediate neighbours and stakeholders to ensure the Levellers Court proposals are sensitive to our neighbours and that they make a positive contribution to Putney Town Centre.

"The development team are reviewing all feedback from the ongoing public consultation and is in discussions with Wandsworth Council officers and the owners of the corner site"

If you wish to comment on the scheme you can do so on the Wandsworth Planning Portal.

April 26, 2017