Friday 25 May 2012

Mercy Terrace go-ahead

Lewisham's Planning Committee has given the go ahead for a three-storey building on Mercy Terrace, the cul de sac that runs at the back of the parade of shops on Algernon Road and ends at the bridge over the railway line.  The building will comprise three flats, two one beds and one two bed, and a multipurpose ground floor hall that might be available for community use. The development also includes a curved stairwell and water tower, clad in zinc and topped by solar panels.  Despite the go-ahead, the Committee raised two concerns.  At the moment there is no proper provision for refuse collection on the proposed site and there are worries that the zinc cladding might prove a distraction to drivers in bright sunlight.  The development is in the Ladywell conservation area and some local people fear it will look out of place in the neighbourhood.  What do you think?  Tony M

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

is there really a need in the area for a 'multipurpose ground floor hall'?

Anonymous said...

probably not. and when it isn't used as such, it'll make a lovely tesco express.

Geoffrey said...

It was a majority decision of the Planning Committee, with one councillor expressing misgivings about the lack of an elevation drawing showing the relationship between the proposed building and the properties in Algernon Road. Without this, it was not possible to gauge the impact on the Conservation Area.
The granted application also includes the refurbishment of the end stable, which, along with an attached residential caravan parked on the site, has been used as living accommodation for years. The applicant also owns the buildings which contain the barber and florist. He has offered to "tidy up" the Mercy Terrace "gardens" of those properties.
As Mercy Terrace is a "light industrial" area, and is deserted at night, it is difficult to see who would be attracted to use the ground floor space of an evening, particularly in winter. Use for religious purposes has been excluded from the permission.

Anonymous said...

I think even Tesco would hesitate to put in a store that it would be difficult to see . . . and with the lack of 'religious purpose' uses it's difficult to see the need for a hall.