Hackney Council's Planning Sub-Committee has approved plans for a new synagogue at 25 Amhurst Park, a decision that will provide a permanent place of worship for a growing Orthodox Jewish congregation.
The approval, made on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, grants conditional planning permission for the change of use of the ground and part-first floors of the property to a synagogue. The plans also include permission for a part single-storey side and rear wrap-around extension and a part two-storey rear extension, along with associated elevational changes and the installation of photovoltaic panels.
The proposed synagogue is described as serving a growing Orthodox Jewish congregation of over 60 families from the Gur branch of the Haredi community.
The development is considered to provide profound public, statutory, and equality benefits of delivering a permanent, high-quality place of worship for a growing local community congregation,
satisfying strategic community infrastructure objectives.
The approval follows a previous refusal for a similar development at the site, which was dismissed on appeal. The council's planning officers noted that the current application addressed previous concerns regarding the loss of housing, design, and impact on neighbouring amenity.
However, the planning permission is subject to a comprehensive set of conditions and the completion of a legal agreement. Key conditions include:
- Commencement within three years: Development must begin within three years of the permission date.
- Development in accordance with plans: All works must strictly adhere to the approved plans.
- Materials (Details): Full details and samples of external materials, glazing, and shutters must be submitted and approved before above-ground works commence.
- Flat roofs: Flat roof areas cannot be used as terraces or external amenity areas.
- Construction Management Plan (CMP): A CMP detailing working hours, traffic management, dust control, and contact arrangements must be submitted and agreed before development begins.
- Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM): All NRMM used during construction must comply with Low Emission Zone requirements and be registered.
- Management Plan: A detailed Operational Management Plan (OMP) for the women's entrance and first-floor gallery must be submitted and approved before occupation, focusing on minimizing noise and disturbance to neighbours.
- Noise Insulation: Construction details for noise insulation must be submitted and approved before above-ground works, ensuring habitable rooms comply with BS8283:2014 standards.
- Biodiversity and HMMP: A Biodiversity Gain Plan and a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) must be submitted and approved before development begins, ensuring a 10% biodiversity net gain and long-term habitat management.
- Biodiverse Green Roof: Details of the green roof, including substrate depth, planting mix, and maintenance plan, must be submitted and approved before works commence.
- Hedgehogs: Details of a hedgehog hole must be submitted and approved before occupation, with evidence of installation provided within one month of completion.
- Vegetation Clearance: No demolition or vegetation clearance is permitted between March 1st and August 31st without an ecologist's survey confirming no nesting birds or bat roosts will be harmed.
- Sustainable Drainage: Detailed specifications for the sustainable drainage system (SuDS), including green roofs, rainwater harvesting, and attenuation, must be submitted and approved before superstructure works, ensuring surface water discharge is restricted.
- Air Permeability: Air permeability certificates demonstrating a maximum of 6 m3/(m2.h) at 50 Pa must be submitted before occupation.
- VRF System: Details of the VRF system, including seasonal coefficient of performance, condenser unit locations, and refrigerant types, must be submitted and approved before occupation.
- PV Panels: A PV array layout design must be submitted and approved before above-ground works, maximizing renewable energy generation. An
as-built
installation certificate must be submitted before occupation. - Overheating Risk Assessment: A dynamic overheating risk assessment following CIBSE TM52 methodology must be submitted before above-ground works, with a final
as-built
assessment submitted before occupation. - BREEAM: An Interim BREEAM Design Certificate must be submitted before above-ground works, and a Final BREEAM Design Certificate within 12 weeks of occupation.
- Parking Design and Management Plan (PDMP): A comprehensive PDMP must be submitted and approved before first occupation, detailing parking layout, disabled access, and management measures.
- Cycle parking: Precise details of secure, accessible cycle parking must be submitted and approved before first occupation.
- Refuse and recycling: Precise details of refuse and recycling storage capacity must be submitted and approved before first occupation.
- Swift boxes: Two swift nestboxes must be installed before the first use of the development and retained in perpetuity.
The legal agreement, which is essential for the approval to be finalized, will secure several financial and operational commitments. These include a Carbon Offset Payment of £929, a Travel Plan and Monitoring Fee of £5,000, and a commitment to Car-Free Development. Additionally, the agreement covers monitoring costs of £1,665 and the payment of the Council's legal and other relevant fees.
Further details on the meeting and decisions can be found in the Public reports pack and Decisions documents for the Planning Sub-Committee meeting.
