New Southwark Plan New and Amended Policies Preferred Option

Overview

The New Southwark Plan is a regeneration strategy for Southwark for which we have been working on the draft plan since 2013. This document will be used to make decisions on planning applications after it has been adopted by the council. We have been sharing and improving our ideas with local residents and other interested people as we go.

The council has previously consulted on a detailed draft version which contained proposed policies which development proposals would have to comply with once the plans are adopted and which will guide future development across the borough. Some of these policies are specific to particular land and buildings in Southwark.

We have received a lot of feedback on these draft documents and have gathered further evidence to understand the issues. At the same time changes have been made to the planning system London-wide and nationally. In response, we have made significant amendments to some policies and written some new policies.

The council is now consulting on those changes before producing the final drafts of the New Southwark Plan. This will ensure the borough’s residents and all those interested in planning and regeneration in Southwark will have the opportunity to comment on all of our proposals before the plans are finished.

At this stage we are just asking for feedback on these new or amended policies. We will take this into account as we prepare the final drafts of both plans. These will be published before they are submitted to the secretary of state, who will appoint an independent planning inspector to examine the documents. The inspector will take into account any comments made on these final drafts of the plans.

Area Visions

Area Visions provide the strategic vision for the future of Southwark’s distinct places and neighbourhoods. They set out key infrastructure enhancements, opportunities for public realm and transport improvements and growth opportunities for new homes and jobs. Area Visions also identify the prevailing character of different places to be renewed, retained or enhanced. Development proposals should be formulated in the context of the relevant Area Vision and should demonstrate how they contribute towards realising the strategic vision for that area.

We are consulting on a new Area Vision for:

• Crystal Palace and Gipsy Hill Area Vision

Site allocations

Site Allocations are planning policies which apply to key potential development sites. Site Allocations set out the land uses that must be provided as part of any redevelopment alongside other acceptable land uses that may be provided in addition to the required land uses. For example, Site Allocations may specify that development must provide new public open space, new public access routes, and new health or education facilities.

We are consulting on new and amended policies for: 

·         NSP06: Land bounded by Southwark Street, Redcross Way and Crossbones Graveyard (Landmark Court)        

·         NSP38:  Dulwich Hamlet Champion Hill Stadium

·         NSP65: Camberwell Green Magistrates Court

·         NSP66: Discovery Business Park and Railway Arches

·         NSP67: Swan Street Cluster

·         NSP68: Croft Street Depot

·         NSP69: Dulwich Telephone Exchange, 512 Lordship Lane

·         NSP70:Denmark Hill Campus East

Strategic policies

Strategic policies are borough-wide policies which set out the council’s strategy to work with local people to improve neighbourhoods and create new opportunities for the future.

We are consulting on a new strategic policy:

·         SP7: Social regeneration

Development management policies

Development management policies are detailed planning policies against which planning applications are assessed.

We are consulting on amended development management policies for: 

·         DM1:      Affordable homes

·         DM4:      Private rented homes

·         DM17:    Borough Views

·         DM24:    Office and business development

·         DM26:    Small business units

·         DM27:    Town and local centres

·         DM48:    Car parking

·         DM70:    Self and custom build

·         DM71:    Small shops

What happens next?

Following  the interim consultation on the New Southwark Plan, we will carefully consider all the feedback received. We will then make any required amendments to the plan and publish and consult on the Proposed Submission Version. This version will include all sections of the draft plan and will be published toward the end of 2017. Following the proposed submission version consultation, we will submit the draft plan to the Secretary of State for a public examination.