Lewisham Council's Planning Committee B has approved plans for a new five-storey residential development at 27 Longton Avenue, SE26, despite concerns raised about its height and scale. The development will comprise 20 self-contained flats, including nine family-sized homes.
The decision was made on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with six votes in favour, one against, and one abstention. The committee acknowledged that the proposed building, standing at approximately 14.6 metres, is taller than the previously approved four-storey, eight-unit building on the same site. Concerns were raised by objectors and the Council's Conservation Officer regarding the development's height, scale, and massing, which were considered to cause limited harm to the Sydenham Ridge Area of Special Local Character.
Specifically, the Council's Conservation Officer objected to the scheme, stating that the proposal would fail to preserve the character and appearance of the Sydenham Ridge Area of Special Local Character
due to its height, scale and massing.
Further concerns were raised that the proposed five-storey building would reduce views of the mature woodland backdrop associated with the adjacent SINC.
However, significant weight was given to the delivery of 20 new homes at a time when Lewisham's housing delivery is significantly below target. The committee also noted the extant planning permission for an eight-unit, four-storey building on the site, which established a fallback position. Benefits such as biodiversity net gain, urban greening, woodland enhancement, and financial contributions towards affordable housing were considered to outweigh the identified harms.
The scheme proposes to achieve a substantial biodiversity net gain and an urban greening factor of 0.82. Specific details include native woodland planting to help habitat creation, biodiversity green roofs, and bat and bird boxes within the woodland. The play area was relocated outside of the woodland to reduce potential impact. The Council's ecology and tree officers raised no objections subject to planning conditions being secured. The proposal also exceeds London Plan requirements for on-site carbon reductions through the use of air-source heat pumps and roof-mounted solar PV panels, achieving a 67.68% reduction in regulated carbon emissions, with a carbon off-site contribution to be secured through a Section 106 Agreement to bring this up to 100%.
Councillor Pauline Dowell questioned the optimisation of the site, asking if 20 units was the maximum number that could be accommodated. Officers responded that while 16 units might be possible in a four-storey building, the five-storey design was considered the maximum acceptable for the site. This assessment was based on the planning officer's professional view, considering the site's large plot size – roughly four times the size of any other standard plot in Longton Avenue, meaning the overall building-to-plot ratio remains low.
The design was also amended to improve its relationship with its surroundings and reduce the perceived bulk and visual prominence of the additional story, with the urban design officer supporting the revised scheme for its high standard of design quality.
The development includes nine family-sized dwellings, comprising 11 two-bedroom units and 9 three-bedroom units. The three-bedroom units have a Gross Internal Area (GIA) of 89m² (target 74m²) for one unit, and 84m² (target 74m²) for the remaining eight units. These units also have proposed private amenity space ranging from 7m² to 8m².
Concerns about the loss of light to neighbouring properties were also discussed. While some windows would experience reductions in daylight, officers concluded that the rooms would still retain adequate levels of daylight and remain usable.
The development is proposed as a car-free development, and parking surveys demonstrate that there is available on-street capacity within the surrounding area. The scheme will provide 42 cycle parking spaces, and officers are satisfied that the development would not result in severe residential impacts on the highway network. Regarding utilities, the Lead Local Flood Authority raises no objection to the scheme subject to planning conditions, and the proposed drainage strategy includes attenuation and surface water drainage arrangements with controlled discharge rates. Thames Water raises no objection regarding wastewater network and sewage treatment infrastructure capacity.
The total financial contribution towards affordable housing is £67,246. This payment in lieu would be secured via a Section 106 legal agreement and would be subject to early and late-stage review. The contribution would be used to support the delivery of affordable housing elsewhere within the Borough.
More information can be found in the Public reports pack 12th-Aug-2026 19.00 Planning Committee B.
