St Mildred’s Church: proposed new church hall and community building
Planning appeal: please can you help?
The church hall at St Mildred’s has deteriorated to the point where it is unsafe to use, so we have had to close it. We have been working for some years on plans to replace it and we have approximately half of the funding necessary for this.
The proposed new hall building will provide space for church activities but is also intended to provide a much-needed facility for community use. All of the plans and other documents comprising our planning application can be found on the planning section of the Lewisham Council website: link. Unfortunately we are aware that the Lewisham planning portal is only working intermittently at the moment, so if you have problems accessing anything particular that you would like to see, please email developmentproject@stmildreds.org.uk so that we can try to assist. Details of our vision for the new building and how it will used can be found here. All of the plans and other documents comprising our planning application can be found here.
Our planning application for the proposed new building was turned down in November 2019, despite the fact that there were no local objections to the application and a petition of 2,000 signatures in support. The reasons stated by Lewisham Council for refusing planning permission are explained below.
In May 2020 we lodged an appeal against Lewisham Council’s decision to refuse planning permission. After a long wait, the appeal process has just started. The appeal process is run by the Planning Inspectorate, which is independent of Lewisham Council.
We are asking church members, local people and representatives of community organisations to write to the Planning inspectorate to express support for our project. The deadline for submissions is 2nd March.
You don’t need to write anything long or complicated. Just a couple of lines will be sufficient if that is all you have time to do. The most important points to make (in your own words) are that the new building is badly needed by the local community, the planning appeal by the Church should be allowed, and planning permission should be granted.
Submissions can be sent to the Planning Inspectorate:
1 – Via the Planning Inspectorate website (preferred route)
Please go to https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/planning-inspectorate and select “Search for an appeal”. Ignore “log in/register” (top left). In the “Search for a case” box (top right) insert the seven digit reference 3252615 and “Submit search”. Choose “Make representation”, then “Save and continue”. On the next screen, indicate that you wish to make representations in the capacity of “Interested person/party”, then complete contact details and submit. You can then type comments into a box or attach a document.
2 – By email
Emails should be sent to RT1@planninginspectorate.gov.uk. The heading of your email should refer to St Mildred’s Church London SE12 - APP/C5690/W/20/3252615. In order to be considered by the Planning Inspector, your email will need to include your name and address. These details are required but will not be disclosed.
It is extremely important that the Planning Inspector can see significant local support for our project, so every submission will be useful and greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!
__________________________________________________________________________________
REFUSAL OF PLANNING PERMISSION
Planning permission was refused by Lewisham Council on two stated grounds:
Our position on this:
The new building is proposed to be larger than the old building and will be more visible from the South Circular road, wrapping around the east end of the church at a low single storey level. This layout is necessary in order to incorporate all of the facilities that are needed. It is important that most of these facilities are located on the ground floor, in order to be accessible by all.
Lewisham Council argue that the new building would “obscure” significant architectural features. However, this is incorrect. The architectural elements which are said to be significant are fully protected and will remain visible both inside and outside the proposed new building.
Our position on this:
A senior level arboricultural expert who has done a detailed examination of the trees on and adjacent to the church site has confirmed that the Council’s concerns about trees are misplaced. The proposed new building has been designed carefully to mininise any risk to trees and our contractors will be required to adopt specific precautions to avoid damage.
WE BELIEVE NEITHER OF THE REASONS STATED BY LEWISHAM COUNCIL TO BE ADEQUATE GROUNDS FOR REFUSING PERMISSION. Even if either objection were to be substantiated, it would not on its own justify refusal. Planning law requires the Council’s objections to have been weighed against the public benefit presented by the proposed new building. In our view the public benefit offered by a modern, well-designed community facility (to be built without any requirement for public funding) significantly outweighs any concerns about hiding aspects of Victorian architecture from view.
Planning appeal: please can you help?
The church hall at St Mildred’s has deteriorated to the point where it is unsafe to use, so we have had to close it. We have been working for some years on plans to replace it and we have approximately half of the funding necessary for this.
The proposed new hall building will provide space for church activities but is also intended to provide a much-needed facility for community use. All of the plans and other documents comprising our planning application can be found on the planning section of the Lewisham Council website: link. Unfortunately we are aware that the Lewisham planning portal is only working intermittently at the moment, so if you have problems accessing anything particular that you would like to see, please email developmentproject@stmildreds.org.uk so that we can try to assist. Details of our vision for the new building and how it will used can be found here. All of the plans and other documents comprising our planning application can be found here.
Our planning application for the proposed new building was turned down in November 2019, despite the fact that there were no local objections to the application and a petition of 2,000 signatures in support. The reasons stated by Lewisham Council for refusing planning permission are explained below.
In May 2020 we lodged an appeal against Lewisham Council’s decision to refuse planning permission. After a long wait, the appeal process has just started. The appeal process is run by the Planning Inspectorate, which is independent of Lewisham Council.
We are asking church members, local people and representatives of community organisations to write to the Planning inspectorate to express support for our project. The deadline for submissions is 2nd March.
You don’t need to write anything long or complicated. Just a couple of lines will be sufficient if that is all you have time to do. The most important points to make (in your own words) are that the new building is badly needed by the local community, the planning appeal by the Church should be allowed, and planning permission should be granted.
Submissions can be sent to the Planning Inspectorate:
1 – Via the Planning Inspectorate website (preferred route)
Please go to https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/planning-inspectorate and select “Search for an appeal”. Ignore “log in/register” (top left). In the “Search for a case” box (top right) insert the seven digit reference 3252615 and “Submit search”. Choose “Make representation”, then “Save and continue”. On the next screen, indicate that you wish to make representations in the capacity of “Interested person/party”, then complete contact details and submit. You can then type comments into a box or attach a document.
2 – By email
Emails should be sent to RT1@planninginspectorate.gov.uk. The heading of your email should refer to St Mildred’s Church London SE12 - APP/C5690/W/20/3252615. In order to be considered by the Planning Inspector, your email will need to include your name and address. These details are required but will not be disclosed.
It is extremely important that the Planning Inspector can see significant local support for our project, so every submission will be useful and greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!
__________________________________________________________________________________
REFUSAL OF PLANNING PERMISSION
Planning permission was refused by Lewisham Council on two stated grounds:
- The proposed new building “by means of its bulk and scale, form, siting and materiality is considered to be an incongruent and over-dominant addition, which results in harm to the character and appearance of St Mildred’s Church and the wider townscape”.
Our position on this:
The new building is proposed to be larger than the old building and will be more visible from the South Circular road, wrapping around the east end of the church at a low single storey level. This layout is necessary in order to incorporate all of the facilities that are needed. It is important that most of these facilities are located on the ground floor, in order to be accessible by all.
Lewisham Council argue that the new building would “obscure” significant architectural features. However, this is incorrect. The architectural elements which are said to be significant are fully protected and will remain visible both inside and outside the proposed new building.
- Proposed works to trees on and adjacent to the church site would “lead to a demise of the trees” and “detract from the setting and character of St Mildred’s Church”.
Our position on this:
A senior level arboricultural expert who has done a detailed examination of the trees on and adjacent to the church site has confirmed that the Council’s concerns about trees are misplaced. The proposed new building has been designed carefully to mininise any risk to trees and our contractors will be required to adopt specific precautions to avoid damage.
WE BELIEVE NEITHER OF THE REASONS STATED BY LEWISHAM COUNCIL TO BE ADEQUATE GROUNDS FOR REFUSING PERMISSION. Even if either objection were to be substantiated, it would not on its own justify refusal. Planning law requires the Council’s objections to have been weighed against the public benefit presented by the proposed new building. In our view the public benefit offered by a modern, well-designed community facility (to be built without any requirement for public funding) significantly outweighs any concerns about hiding aspects of Victorian architecture from view.
