Southwark Council's Planning Committee (Smaller Applications) has granted planning permission for a retrospective change of use at Myatts Field Court, SE5, allowing part of the car park to be used for private hire vehicles.
The decision regarding Myatts Field Court, located at 18 McDowall Road, SE5, permits the use of 20 parking spaces for vehicles associated with Civilised Car Hire. This application was retrospective, regularising the use of the area for private hire vehicles, which has been ongoing since July 2025.
The council's planning officers noted that the existing car park was under-utilised by residents, with the spaces now used for private hire vehicles having been deemed surplus to the needs of residents.
Site visits confirmed spare parking capacity at the site,
and no objections were received from residents regarding the loss of parking capacity. The arrangement will help fund necessary roof repairs for Myatts Field Court.
While an objector raised concerns about land stability and the impact on a retaining wall, officers stated that land stability was not a material planning consideration as no operational development was proposed and the lawful use of the land was already for car parking. The objector also cited concerns about loss of amenity, privacy, and the promotion of vehicular transport. However, measures are in place to mitigate these concerns. A condition prohibiting vehicle movements at nighttime, in accordance with the applicant's lease agreement, will protect residents from noise disturbance. While additional neighbour representations raised human rights issues, these did not present further material planning considerations beyond those already addressed. The report also noted that the level difference means vehicles are only visible from the first floor and are behind a wall, and that impacts such as overlooking and headlight glare are brief and comparable to normal street parking.
Conversely, a supporter highlighted a significant reduction in anti-social behaviour and an improvement in security since the site began being used for private hire vehicle parking. The applicant provided evidence of this, stating that the site was previously plagued by out of control
rubbish, abandoned cars, and individuals living on the premises. Following their intervention, five abandoned cars were removed, and the area was cleared of rubbish and drug paraphernalia. They also installed CCTV and a coded gate, with access restricted to Network Rail, residents, and their staff.
The definition of 'private hire vehicles' in this context extends beyond conventional minicab services to include private car collections, action vehicles for film shoots, vehicles for TV/music production, wedding vehicles, and airport transfers. A compliance condition was added to the decision notice, stipulating that no more than twenty private hire vehicles shall be parked on the land at any time.
The full details of the planning committee meeting can be found in the Public reports pack.