Camden steps up to help unlock delivery of 1,800 homes

Camden’s Cabinet has agreed in principle to use its planning powers (s203 powers) to assist in the comprehensive development of the approved 02 masterplan.

This decisive action will help unlock the delivery of new housing, including hundreds of affordable homes, and the range of benefits in the 02 planning permission, which was granted by the Council as local planning authority, benefitting local communities and helping address the housing crisis.

Cabinet member for Best Start for Children and Families, Councillor Marcus Boyland remarked: 

“I had a previous meeting today with headteachers who are facing deficits in their schools because of falling roll. This is 1,800 homes that would bring more families to our borough. It’s desperately needed, as soon as possible.”

The permission granted for the O2 site 1,800 homes including 600 affordable homes, many family sized: funding for step-free access at West Hampstead Underground station, new walking and cycling routes, new green space and new health, community and creche facilities.

Councillor Harrison continued:

“An impediment to the development is the injunctable access rights the car showrooms enjoy to use Blackburn Road.

“The proposal before cabinet to approve the potential use of section 203 would address this. It would also override all third-party rights, not just those being targeted. This includes the rights to light of impacted properties. These rights to light are different to the daylight and sunlight assessments that are carried out as part of the planning application process and are a separate property related legal matter.

“This is not an unusual step to take as the council has used it on its own sites such as Liddell Road, Highgate Newtown, Central Somers Town and Maitland Park.”

There is a strong and compelling case for the Council to do this due to the benefits the scheme will deliver, an opportunity to take decisive action to transform what is largely an underused car park into a green and car-free, thriving new residential community for over 3,000 people which will support the Finchley Road and West End Lane town centres.

Without the Council taking this action the deliverability of the scheme and its benefits would be in jeopardy.

• Cabinet has agreed the principle of using its section 203 powers with authority to take subsequent detailed decisions, subject to legal requirements, and provided specific conditions are met including that Landsec have made adequate attempts to negotiate settlements (where possible) and that the Council’s costs are covered.
• Use of the section 203 power, in accordance with legal requirements, would enable third-party rights to be overridden. Statutory compensation would instead apply which is calculated on basis of difference in value of the property before and after the impact.
• The Council is committed to using all the means and powers at its disposal to increase the supply of housing. This commitment is clear in Camden’s draft Local Plan (15.15), our West End Lane to Finchley Road planning framework (p30) and in our Housing Delivery Action Plan (p25). It is also supported by the National Planning Policy Framework (see para 126) and the London Plan (see 11.1.23).
• This is not an unusual step to take as the Council has used it on its own sites such as Liddell Road, Highgate Newtown, Central Somers Town and Maitland Park.

The permitted development includes:

Affordable housing

• The first phase includes:
  • 07 social rent comprising 14 (1 bed), 39 (2 bed), 54 (3 bed)
  • 85 intermediate rent comprising 37 (1 bed), 36 (2 bed), 12 (3 bed)
  • 192 affordable homes in total (36% of total residential floorspace)
• The second and third phases includes 35% affordable homes, with 60% of these social rent and 40% intermediate which the following indicative mix:
  • 211 social rent comprising 51 (1 bed), 63 (2 bed), 97 (3 bed)
  • 167 intermediate 8 (studio), 52 (1 bed), 79 (2 bed), 28 (3 bed)
• The social rent homes is low cost rented housing to low-income households who are unable to secure or sustain housing on the open market for the lifetime of the development. The units are managed by a Registered Provider who has entered into a nominations agreement with the Council providing for nominations to the Council.

East-west route and open space

• The scheme delivers a much-improved east-west route in the form of a well overlooked landscaped linear park linking West End Land to Finchley Road and linking the three new public spaces, the town square, central square and community green. In total over four acres of new public open space is provided on a site currently dominated by car parking.

Improvements to Finchley Road and West End Lane

• £3m for improvements to Finchley Road, West End Lane, Billy Fury Way and Granny Dripping Steps.

Underground Stations

•  The scheme provides £10m towards step free access at West Hampstead Station and safeguards land for future provision of step-free access to Finchley Road Underground Station.

Health Centre

• A 1200 sqm health centre has been secured on an affordable rent for the NHS and in Phase 2, along with a community centre and creche in Phase 1.

Shops and facilities

• New commercial and employment development including reprovision of a supermarket, gym and cinema.