New Southwark Plan

Currently we are working together with several other organisations who are part of the Southwark Planning Network, and with assistance from Community Southwark and the Southwark Law Centre, to challenge the soundness and the legality of the draft New Southwark Plan, and the way that elements of policy are being formed on-the-hoof without proper consultation with the full range of potentially affected parties.

A key element of our challenge will be that Southwark Council have insufficient understanding of their borough’s economy and its future accommodation needs, and that this is in violation of government requirements that local planning authorities are expected to embrace. We will also be making the argument that our Council has not grasped the consequences of residential land values now being higher than value for other uses across a high proportion of the borough, yet the majority of non residential accommodation has no protective planning designation. We are pointing out that a majority of our borough’s high street and industrial accommodation is under threat, and that this could cause the expulsion of businesses that employ many thousand people. We believe that our position aligns with the tougher line now being taken by the Mayor of London following recent investigations by the GLA into the mounting problem of industrial and high street accommodation shortages.

Search 'New Southwark Plan Cabinet Submission' to get access to the report.

Visit the Peckham Vision site to find out more about the Southwark Planning Network and affiliated organisations by clicking here.

Mark Brearley will be discussing the effects of the NSP with the Southwark Planning Network on December 5th 2017.