Lambeth Council's Planning Applications Committee has unanimously granted approval for a co-living development at 68-86 Clapham Road, which will provide 134 co-living rooms and four self-contained homes.
The decision will see the demolition of existing buildings on the site, including a car rental depot, to make way for the mixed-use development. The proposal also includes an education facility.
Concerns regarding the lack of affordable housing were addressed by the applicant's offer of a £1.4 million upfront contribution. Officers deemed this a better outcome than relying on an uncertain late-stage review due to the guaranteed upfront nature of the payment, which provided greater certainty for investors and funders. This was supported by Councillor David Ford and Councillor Viktor Westerdahl, who noted the significant improvement to the site and positive community engagement.
The co-living rooms will range from 18 to 20.5 square meters, with three wheelchair accessible rooms measuring between 28 to 30 square meters. The meeting information does not specify expected rental costs.
The education facility is intended for adult education and data analyst training. It comprises three flexible classrooms, each accommodating 19 to 22 people, and includes workspace adjacent to a landscape terrace.
Regarding local infrastructure, the development is described as largely car-free, with a London Plan compliant level of secure long-stay cycle parking and trip facilities. Section 106 contributions for Hamilton streets, legible loan signage, on-street blue badge parking, car club membership, and cycle hire schemes will be secured. The report also mentions that there would be fewer vehicle movements than the existing office use. For utilities and waste management, refuse and recycling storage will be located on the Palfrey Place elevation with waste collection from there.
Local residents and community groups have expressed strong support for the redevelopment, citing improvements to an underused and visually unappealing site. Councillor Joanne Simpson, the ward councillor for Oval, also welcomed the scheme's deliverability and positive community engagement.
Further details on the planning application can be found in the Public reports pack for the Planning Applications Committee meeting.