Mayor Blocks Stag Brewery Development

Concerned about lack of affordable housing and road traffic issues

CGI Mortlake site viewed from Chiswick. Picture: Squire & Partners

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called-in the controversial application to redevelop the Stag Brewery site in Mortlake across the river from Chiswick due to the lack of affordable housing and concerns about road traffic.

The plan includes 633 new homes on the old Budweiser beer site, but only 17 per cent are classed as affordable.

In a letter from the Greater London Assembly (GLA), Richmond council was told its decision to approve a site with such low levels of affordable housing “warranted further consideration” because of the council’s “recent underperformance in delivering affordable housing.”

It warned the proportion of affordable housing approved by the borough is “significantly below” its local plan target of 50 per cent and “represents a significant undersupply of affordable housing in the pipeline.”

It also expressed concern that the council’s decision to refuse changes to the road layout did not “adequately mitigate” the highways impact of the proposed development.
Likewise, the application for a new secondary school and sixth form for 1,200 pupils “comprises part of the wider redevelopment scheme and must therefore also be considered in conjunction with it”.

Protesters outside the planning meeting on Stag Brewery development

The application for the redevelopment was approved by the council in January this year. More than 100 members of the public brought forward submissions, as well as seven councillors.
Most of the complaints were about housing density and the lack of affordable housing, increased levels of traffic and pollution in the area, and concerns that there was no need for a secondary school.

Reacting to the news this Wednesday morning, the Mortlake Brewery Community Group tweeted: “We plan to set out next steps on our new website to be relaunched this week.”
Under article 7 of the Mayor of London Order (2008), the Mayor has the power to direct that he will become the local planning authority for an application, commonly referred to as ‘call-ins’.
This is possible when a development will have a significant impact on the implementation of the London Plan and for “sound planning reasons”.

In this case, the size of the development meant it was likely to have a significant impact on housing supply and education provision in the capital.

Mortlake Brewery Plan. Picture: Squire & Partners

The Greater London Authority will hold a public hearing before deciding whether or not to grant planning permission for the three applications that make up the redevelopment, which will be announced one week in advance of the meeting taking place. A date has not yet been confirmed.

Cllr Martin Elengorn, chair of the environment and sustainability committee at Richmond Council, said, “The Planning Committee very thoroughly considered the arguments for and against the scheme for redevelopment of this important site. It is understandable that the Mayor wishes further to examine it in the context of his strategic planning policies for London and we look forward to further dialogue with him.”

Sian Bayley – Local democracy reporter

May 6, 2020