Kennington is set to see a boost in community facilities and affordable housing as the Kennington Community Centre is slated for refurbishment and expansion, alongside the construction of new homes. The Lambeth Council Planning Applications Committee greenlit the project, which aims to enhance community spaces and provide much-needed affordable housing in the area.

The project, approved at a meeting on Tuesday 29 July 2025, involves demolishing the existing structure at 8a Harleyford Street and erecting a new five-storey building. This new building will house eight affordable homes offered at social rent and a ground-floor community space to be used in conjunction with the existing Kennington Park Community Centre (KPCC). The new space will be linked to the existing centre via an internal courtyard. The Kennington Park Community Centre will be responsible for the lease of the café space and intend for this to be occupied by a local small business.

![Architectural rendering of the proposed community space at 8 Harleyford Street.](https://opencouncil.network/rails/activestorage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBNHRUQnc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--c30b76898439949853e4a13d8f3f85fe0dc6aede/page415Picture_6.jpeg Architectural rendering of the proposed community space at 8 Harleyford Street.

I'm chair of the Kennington Park Estate Tenants and Residents Association, and of the Board of Trustees of Kennington Park Community Centre Community Benefits Society, said Joan Twelves, a resident of Blades House next door to the community centre. And I manage the day-to-day running of the centre. And I'd like to start by thanking Resitsa for her supportive report and say that I'm really excited at the prospect of this new centre.

The existing Kennington Park Community Centre will be refurbished and extended with a single-story infill at its entrance. The refurbished centre will feature two larger spaces, smaller office/breakout rooms, a kitchen area, and new toilet facilities.

Councillor Diogo Costa declared a non-pecuniary interest, noting that part of the Kenton Park estate sits in his ward and that members of the Kenton Park community centre had been in touch with him about the application. He assured the committee that he would keep an open mind.

While the plan represents a departure from the Lambeth Local Plan 2021 due to the loss of office space, the committee agreed that the public benefits of the scheme outweighed this concern. The meeting information notes that the office space at the Phoenix House development had been vacant for six years, and the applicant provided marketing evidence and a viability assessment to demonstrate that there was no demand for the office space and that it would be unviable to rebuild or refurbish the space to modern standards. These benefits include the provision of social rent units, the refurbishment of the existing community centre, and a 78% increase in biodiversity net gain.

Councillor Malcolm Clark, who chaired the meeting, summarised the committee's decision, noting the strong community support and the significant public benefits of the scheme. The committee also acknowledged the economic benefits and the wider societal benefits of redeveloping the site.

The Planning Applications Committee approved the officer's recommendation, subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement, which will secure the planning obligations. These obligations include measures to mitigate the impact of the development, such as contributions towards off-site playground improvements. The Planning Applications Committee minutes state that the payment should go towards a council estate such as the South Lambeth estate, specifically for the Triangle Adventure Playground.