Agenda item

Jon Abbott, Project Director,

Explanation of the council’s role

Simon Bevan, Head of Planning and Transport

Planning policy

Rob Deck and Susie Wilson, Lend Lease

Explanation of the consultation process prior to the planning application submission

Rob Deck and Susie Wilson introduced themselves to residents and explained the role of Lend Lease in the Elephant and Castle regeneration project. Susie outlined the timescales for the project and where to find information on the regeneration master plan.

Rob and Susie took questions from the floor around what opportunities would be available to local people on the project, the possibility of including a war memorial for Gurney Street in the development plans, the opportunities for resident comments on the consultation strategy, the format of the consultation process and the potential liaison groups and the level of affordable housing in the regeneration scheme.

Susie explained that Lend Lease had a non-profit organisation ‘BeOnsite’.  The aim of ‘Be Onsite’ is to find job opportunities for people who are furthest away from the job market. Susie also explained that Lend Lease has a long track record of providing training and employment opportunities, an example being The Learning Shop at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent, which has placed over 22,000 jobs over the last 12 years.  Susie would report back to the community council on the consultation process. Rob explained that Lend Lease has an obligation to provide a minimum of 25% affordable housing.

Simon Bevan, Interim Head of Planning and Transport, informed the meeting of the role of the planning department in comparison to Lend Lease’s role.

Attendees asked further questions about the level of affordable housing, viability checks at different stages of the development, the possibility of Lend Lease committing to the London Living Wage for people working on the development; when the leisure centre will be ready to use; when the first planning application will be made and how that application will fit with policy such as the supplementary planning document.

Simon re-iterated that Lend Lease had an obligation to provide a certain level of social housing some of which would include shared ownership.

Rob will check & advise whether Lend Lease can commit to the London Living Wage on the Project. Residents were advised that the first phase application was expected to be submitted within the next 12 months. 

It was hoped the leisure centre would open in 2014 but this was not part of the agreement with Lend Lease.

Simon confirmed that any decisions on the planning applications submitted by Lend Lease would be taken in the policy and statutory framework which all planning decisions are taken. Simon advised that planning policy was being updated and that there would be a new supplementary planning document which would provide clear guidelines for applications to be considered against.

Some residents informed Lend Lease that they had undertaken surveys of some of the trees in the area and would be willing to share this information with Lend Lease to ensure the retained greenness of the estate. Susie invited residents to send any relevant information directly to her.