Lambeth Council's Planning Applications Committee has approved plans for the redevelopment of Vauxhall Square, a significant mixed-use development that will deliver 1,097 new homes. The project, located south-west of Vauxhall Station, will feature seven buildings ranging from three to 69 storeys.
However, the development includes only 25% designated as affordable housing, a reduction from the previously required 35%. This departure from policy was acknowledged by officers, who cited the GLA's 'Support for housebuilding' London Plan Guidance (LPG) as a material consideration. Introduced in March 2026, this guidance temporarily lowers the threshold to 20% under a 'time-limited planning route' where no financial viability assessment is required. The LPG aims to enhance the viability and deliverability of schemes to address the current housing delivery crisis across London. Officers noted that while the LPG is not part of the development plan, it is a strong material consideration in decision-making. The reduction was also influenced by the applicant amending their scheme to align with the new LPG and the removal of intermediate housing (shared ownership) while maintaining social rent. The report states: Following the time limited planning route which is being brought in emergency measured by the GLA to address poor housing delivery across London. This is by the whole way the aim is to enhance viability of housing schemes. So as it's out in the report, the LPG is not part of the development plan, but it is a strong material consideration in decision making.
The plans include 122 social rent homes and 120 discount market rent homes within the build-to-rent element. Additionally, the scheme will provide 1,164 co-living units and 699 student accommodation units.
Concerns were also raised about the heritage impact on the Westminster World Heritage Site. Historic England and the GLA identified 'some level of harm' due to visual competition and the erosion of skyline gaps. However, Lambeth Council officers concluded that the development would not harm heritage assets, a view that was debated by councillors. The report states: 'Important to note, Historic England and GLA do consider the development would cause some harm to the Vauxhall heritage site due to visual competition and the erosion of skyline gaps, however, officers have already assessed the scheme and we do not consider it to be any harm.' Mitigation for this identified harm was not explicitly detailed, as officers did not concur with the assessment of harm. However, the report mentions that if members were to find some harm, there would be enough public benefits to outweigh it.
The development also includes office space, a hotel, flexible retail units, community and health facilities, and a cinema. The proposed development includes 'flexible town centre uses/commercial (Class E(a), (b), (d), (e))' and 'community/health uses (Class F2/E(e))'. Specifically, Plot 4 includes a 'community and healthcare unit at the ground and mezzanine floor'. Plot 7 includes a 'cinema'. The flexible retail units are located at the base of Plots 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. The report states that 'The flexible retail, gym and cinema uses would activate the street frontages as well as the central areas of the development, strengthening town centre activity and they are supported by LLP Policy PN2 as a town centre leisure, entertainment and cultural uses that would enhance the vitality and viability of Vauxhall and contribute to the area's evening economy and CAZ functions.' Management plans for these flexible units and community facilities are not explicitly detailed, but conditions are mentioned to control the mix of uses within the ground floor retail units to ensure they are primarily retail for compliance with LLP Policy PN2. The gym within the co-living building would have public/community access secured in the S106 deed.
The scheme's environmental impact, including a whole life-cycle carbon assessment that indicated higher emissions than GLA benchmarks, was also discussed. The Whole Life-Cycle Carbon Assessment indicates higher emissions than GLA benchmarks, primarily due to structural requirements for tall buildings. The report states: 'Being honest that the whole life carbon is above the GLA benchmarks, but this is principally due to the amount of concrete steel required in very tall buildings in this location.' The architect, Liam Wilson from Deep Inc., mentioned that the embodied carbon is measured between 1500 and 1750 kg CO2/m², while the GLA benchmark for residential is 1200 kg CO2/m². He also stated, 'We do have some particularly challenging ground conditions. So there's. Um. A deep gratitude. Clear. Uh. Gravel inclusion on the side. And so. There is some additional carbon in the basement to do with that particular. Uh. Condition. I would also say that in our experience at an early stage of design. We measure. And report conservatively. So I'm just finishing a building fetch technology in Southwark. We were 840 kilograms of carbon and planning. We've driven that figure down to 600. So we've got more than 20% production. And we will do the same here at Vauxhall. But that needs collaboration with industry. Making. Uh. The right material choices as we get into the details.' Conditions are expected to be imposed to mitigate these concerns, including a condition (WSG16) to require updated whole life-cycle carbon assessments for each phase of the development prior to construction.
During the meeting, councillors heard from objectors and supporters of the plan. Councillor Bryn Scott of Oval Ward expressed concerns about the impact on Vauxhall Park and advocated for local groups to have a say in how Section 106 contributions are spent. Conversely, Jason Tracy, representing the developer, emphasised the scheme's potential to unlock a long-stagnant site and deliver substantial public benefits, including around £210 million in contributions to Lambeth and the wider community. The financial contributions towards off-site affordable housing, totalling nearly £80 million, were highlighted as a significant public benefit.
Ultimately, the Planning Applications Committee voted to grant conditional planning permission, with an added condition for an updated whole life-cycle carbon review for each phase of the development.
Public reports pack Tuesday 08-Sep-2026 19.00 Planning Applications Committee.pdf
