Over 1,600 new homes approved for Old Kent Road area in June

25 June 2019

Two major planning applications have been approved by the council’s planning committee this month that will deliver just over 1,600 new homes.

The first development is the regeneration of Malt Street, just off the Old Kent Road, where 1,300 new homes – including 83 new social rented homes and 48 intermediate homes in the first phase – have been approved.

The application, which also includes affordable retail space and contributes to the new Surrey Canal Linear Park as part of the Old Kent Road Masterplan, was approved by the council’s planning committee on Monday 3 June, subject to referral to the Secretary of State.

The Malt Street site at the north end of Old Kent Road is currently mainly used for storage and by Travis Perkins as a builders’ merchant.

Overall the new development, which will be made up of 11 new buildings from 5 to 44 storeys, will offer 40 per cent affordable housing, a significant increase over the 20 per cent originally offered – and at least a quarter of the housing will be social rent.

The second development is on Verney Road where planning committee member approved (subject to referral to the Mayor of London) a further 338 new homes including 112 affordable homes made up of 79 social rented and 33 intermediate rent.

The development will consist of three buildings at 18, 19 and 24 storeys that would also provide space for offices/workspaces and landscaping including a contribution to the new Linear Park.

Cllr Johnson Situ, Cabinet member for Growth, Development and Planning, said: “"The vision for the Old Kent Road is to build on its unique creative character, a place where industry can thrive alongside new homes and quality open spaces. We are committed to delivering the social rent and genuinely affordable homes Southwark needs and with the addition of these recent applications, we have already secured over 1000 social rent homes along the Old Kent Road and we are continuing to push developers to provide as much essential affordable housing as possible, especially at social rents.”

*This release was amended on 26/6 to correct a misleading line regarding the proportion of affordable housing in the development. 

Page last updated: 26 June 2019