Neil Milligan, Planning update from Merton Council

Neil Milligan, Building and Development Control Manager at Merton Council provided an update on local planning issues.

Pinch point south of railway station: A land transfer from Network Rail to Merton Council has been granted. The Council will put together plans for improving the junction.

557 Kingston Road, Dundonald Church 17/P0763: New church with flats above. The decision letter issued and S106 signed but no progress on site.

559-589 Kingston Road – Manuplastics and land to the west. Two new applications now submitted:

•           19/P1675 enlargement of approved dwellings at eastern end of site

•           19/P1676 additional floor on block alongside railway embankment

Both schemes are likely to have to go to the Planning Applications Committee.

South side of Wyke Road 17/P0609: Construction of three apartment blocks (two three-storey blocks and one four-storey block containing 10 x 1 bedroom flats.

Permission was refused, but no sign of an appeal yet.

Rainbow Industrial Estate: work has begun on the commercial area and an application has been submitted for a Certificate of Lawfulness pertaining to implementation. It will be some time before the ‘kiss and ride’ area for the station drop-off will be constructed.

80-86 Bushey Road 16/P1317: Major retail/food and drink development. Unoccupied buildings demolished – Pets at Home retained. No obvious building activity.

19/P1390 a new pre-app for approx. 700 dwellings in blocks with 3,600sqft commercial floorspace.

32-34 Bushey Road 18/P2619: Scheme for 32 flats approved by Planning Committee, but discussions on affordable housing are ongoing.

641 Kingston Road, former Railway Pub south of railway embankment in Raynes Park, 18/P2207: Permission has been granted for 9 flats above and the section 106 has been agreed, but no work has taken place so far.

Transmitter mast site on Blenheim Road 19/P2673: A planning application has been received with significant objections and member interest. As a result, this may be considered by the Planning Applications Committee.

Residents asked a number of questions to Neil:

Q: Why are planning representations no longer being listed online?

A: GDPR complaints were coming in about personal details being published online and ICO was looking into this. We are looking at alternative solutions, with new IT or email if possible.

Q: Access to Bushy Road site through Edna Road

A NM – will have looked at access as part of application but the owner of the site who was in attendance pointed out that there would be no car parking on the site

Q: How many representations have been received for the Tesco site and when will it go to Planning Applications Committee?

A: Will need to check on numbers. We are still negotiating so not ready to go to PAC yet, but possibly November.

Q: Police using café on Edna Road leaving engine running

A: Can pass on.

Q: What are the policies on converting housing into flats?

A: There are detailed requirements on what is acceptable which makes this type of conversion difficult to do in properties like those in the Apostles