Lambeth Council's Licensing Sub-Committee has granted a licence for Amazon's distribution hub on Hamilton Road, despite significant objections from local residents. The licence, which initially permitted the off-sale of alcohol, was approved with several conditions.
Residents had raised numerous concerns during the consultation period, with 29 representations submitted. Key objections included the narrowness and congestion of Hamilton Road, potential for increased traffic, noise, emissions, and obstruction of emergency vehicle access. Concerns were also raised about loitering, litter, and the impact on vulnerable residents in nearby sheltered accommodation.
Amazon's representative, David Roberts, explained that the premises would function as a local distribution hub for their Amazon Now
quick convenience service, aiming for deliveries within 30 minutes. This 30-minute radius from customer ordering to delivery translates to approximately a 20-minute delivery radius on the road, accounting for picking and packing time. It is anticipated that six to ten delivery partners would operate from the location during a delivery block of approximately four hours.
Mr. Roberts stressed that there would be no public access to the premises and deliveries would be made by e-bikes. He also detailed robust age verification processes for alcohol deliveries. At the point of ordering, customers must verify and prove their age on the Amazon app. Upon delivery, if a recipient appears under 25, identification will be requested. If identification is not acceptable or provided, the delivery partner must return the alcohol to the hub. Amazon monitors these standards through mystery shoppers and audits, operating a 'one-strike rule' for breaches of procedure. Weekly safety audits for delivery partners also include checks on bike specifications and helmet use.
Regarding traffic and congestion, residents' concerns about Hamilton Road's narrowness were noted. Amazon stated that deliveries would be made by e-bikes, with only one Amazon vehicle, a box van, arriving each day. There would also be one daily delivery for bakery items. The Felix Group, a charitable organisation, would collect surplus food, and refuge collections would be made by smaller vehicles with more frequent collections. However, the committee granted the licence with conditions that did not directly address traffic and congestion beyond the applicant's stated operational plans.
To mitigate noise and emissions, Amazon stated that e-bikes are quiet and there are no envisaged plans for mopeds or other vehicles that would cause idling issues. The company also has processes in place to ensure delivery standards are maintained, including mystery shoppers and audits, and e-bikes are compliant with legislation.
The committee granted the licence with several conditions. The initial application sought permission for alcohol off-sales between 7 am and 1 am, seven days a week, with the premises operating 24 hours a day. However, the applicant's representative stated their intention was to operate from 7 am to 11 pm. Ultimately, the licence was granted with the condition of the removal of off-sales. The exact operating hours and enforcement mechanisms beyond the agreed conditions were not explicitly detailed.
Beyond the removal of off-sales and the appointment of a named contact, the licence includes the following conditions: a warning displayed on the digital platform about age verification; alcohol only being delivered to a premises address; all off-sales being in sealed containers; and evidence of refused deliveries being available for inspection.
Furthermore, a named contact with a phone number will be implemented for residents to raise concerns. The first point of contact will be the team leader on site, who will then link through to the Amazon community engagement team. The extent of this contact's authority to implement changes was not detailed, but Amazon agreed to consider this as part of the licence conditions.
The decision to grant the licence was made despite the volume of resident objections, with the committee noting that no representations were submitted by any of the responsible authorities, including the police or environmental health officers. The full details of the application and the committee's decision can be found in the public reports pack Public reports pack Thursday 03-Sep-2026 19.00 Licensing Sub-Committee.pdf.
