Leegate shopping centre to make way for over 500 homes
Lewisham Council has approved plans to knock down a 1960s-era shopping centre in South East London to make way for over 500 homes.
Plans to demolish the Leegate Centre in Lee Green were approved by members of the planning committee on Thursday (20th), with Galliard Homes set to build a number of tower blocks containing 562 homes.
A gym, medical centre, and small supermarket are also set to be constructed on the 1.92-hectare site.
Plans to redevelop the shopping centre, which has been described by some as an ‘eyesore’, were originally tabled in 2015. However these hit a number of obstacles including debates around affordable housing, as well as some commercial businesses taking an interest in the site.
The site was sold by Knight Frank’s residential team to Galliard Homes in early 2021, before the real estate company’s planning team took the latest set of proposals to councillors.
The Leegate Centre is enclosed by Burnt Ash Road, Eltham Road, Leyland Road, and Carston Close.
Existing shops and residents will now have to vacate the site, although returning businesses are being offered 12 months of rent-free tenancy.
Simon Welch, director of land at Galliard Homes said: “We welcome Lewisham Council’s decision, and share it’s view that there is a real opportunity to deliver a new and vibrant mixed-use regeneration scheme on the site that responds to the way people live, work and spend their leisure time.”
However, some have opposed the decision, including Carol Hicks of local preservation group Blackheath Society, who said: “The plan has many flaws. The number of single aspect units stands at 40 per cent. That is over 200 homes, exclusively small one-bedroom units. This is not good enough.
“Those south facing units which are small, in a changing climate with 40 degree plus temperatures, with no through ventilation will be at risk of overheating.”
Nick Patton, also of Blackheath Society, added: “In our view the current application is not yet good enough. The proposal is too high because the tallest block is over 80 per cent higher than the existing.”