Plans to redevelop Benabo Court in Hackney have met with objections from local residents, a planning agent representing 16 households, and the Dalston Conservation Area Advisory Committee (D-CAAC). Despite these objections, the Hackney Council Planning Sub-Committee reviewed the application, numbered 2024/2544, on Wednesday 2 July 2025, and the report pack for the meeting indicates that the recommendation was to Grant conditional planning permission subject to completion of a Legal Agreement.
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The proposal involves demolishing the existing independent living retirement apartment block at the corner of Sandringham and Ferncliff Road, and constructing a new one with 72 units for people over 55. The existing building has 31 one-bedroom apartments, and according to the council, only 16 of these are currently occupied. The applicant, Anchor, has confirmed that the existing 16 occupants will be rehoused in alternative housing within the borough whilst the redevelopment is ongoing, most likely at Newnton Close. The new building would consist of 69 one-bedroom units and 3 two-bedroom units, all designated as social rented. The council justifies the increase in units, with a decrease in two-bedroom apartments, by stating that the development is for residents aged 55 and over, who are unlikely to be accompanied by children or extended family and thus require fewer two or three-bed units. The development also aims to provide 7 off-street parking spaces for disabled residents, with the potential for 4 more in the future, and 52 bicycle storage spaces.
However, the plans have faced criticism. Objections from 23 residents, a group of Amhurst Road and Sandringham Road residents, and a planning agent representing 16 households, cite concerns over:
- Overdevelopment of the site
- Excessive height, scale and massing
- Out of character with the streetscene
- Harmful to the setting of the adjacent St. Mark's Conservation Area
- Harm to neighbour amenity, especially along Amhurst Road and to 165 Sandringham Road, due to overlooking, loss of privacy, an increased sense of enclosure and loss of natural light, and noise
- Increased overlooking into adjacent child care centre at Fercliff Contact Centre
- Increased on-street parking congestion
- Increase pressure on public services
- Loss of mature trees
- Neighbours have not been adequately consulted/informed about the development
In response to residents' concerns about inadequate consultation, the Council states that neighbour notification letters were issued on 28 January and sent to residents of properties at 165-175 Sandringham Road and 137-157 Amhurst Road, along with properties on the southern side of Sandringham Road and the corner of Montague Road. The council acknowledges that it cannot confirm if all letters were received. A site notice was also posted on 22 January 2024, and a press notice was issued on 24 January 2024.
The D-CAAC also objected to the scheme on similar grounds. The Planning Sub-Committee is scheduled to review a document outlining delegated planning decisions made between 21 March 2025 and 19 June 2025, as well as consider and agree the minutes of its previous meeting held on 2 April 2025. The meeting agenda and reports pack are available on the Hackney Council website.