| Topic: | Putney High Street application 2012/1833 OBJECT NOW | |
| Posted by: | Nicholas Evans | |
| Date/Time: | 12/06/12 15:00:00 |
| When I started this thread I warned against Putney becoming a sort of "Croydon-on-Thames" with high-rise development quite out of proportion to most of the existing brick buildings. In particular I was thinking of the High Street. Not a great example of past architecture you might agree, but certainly one where most of the buildings along both sides are on a hunam scale and in proportion to each other. I was also very concerned about the actions of our Borough Planners and the Planning Application Committee which seemed to me to have sold out to the property developers. The postings by Sarah Roberts vividly and shockingly demonstrate how a developer-led planning system can take control and change a neighbourhood against the majority interests of local residents. This was brought home to me when viewing the excellent programme on BBC2 entitled 'Secret History of London Streets' which described what had happened in Deptford in the 60s. Have we not learned anything about planning from this shameful era? It seems not. An application to develop the site that is now occupied by Jessups and surrounding shops has been added to the Wandsworth Planning Website. Application Number 2012/1833. We have until the end of the month to comment and object to the proposal which consists of a 15 storey and 7 storey building/tower with 3528 square metres of retail space, 389 sq m of offices and 96 residential units. It's huge. It's almost unbelievably ugly (just go to page 19 of the Townscape Report to see what I mean). I do not exaggerate. I would be happy to see a more appropriate building on this site which reflects the architectural heritage of University Mansions and other nearby buildings, all of which do not go higher than 5 storeys. But this is not that. It is a real monstrosity, bulging out over everything that surrounds it. Just think of the negative impact on parking, roads, pedestrian access, public transport and the environment. Its unacceptable incongruity casts a shadow over our Parish Church, both literally and metaphorically. Please make an objection. Application 2012/1833. |