Savills Planning has received a resolution to grant full planning permission for John Lewis Partnership's first flagship build to rent project, above their Waitrose store in Bromley South.
The project will deliver 353 new build to rent homes on a highly accessible brownfield site in Bromley town centre. The high quality, energy efficient homes will be managed by JLP and prioritised for local people, making a significant contribution to Bromley’s housing targets.
In addition, the scheme will see a state-of-the-art, modernised Waitrose store; a café fronting the new public piazza, which will provide dedicated space for community groups and schools to use; and the creation of three new pedestrian and cycling routes through the site, including a new ‘woodland link’.
The scheme, designed by Assael Architects, will provide a £70m boost to the local economy in extra council tax and local spend over the first 10 years, once homes are occupied. It will also see the provision of 200 construction jobs.
The project involved Savills Planning team in London as well as Savills Earth, which provided a social value statement and cultural strategy, setting out initiatives for engagement with local community groups to ensure the development has a truly positive local impact.
Amelia Hunt, of Savills planning team in London, says: “John Lewis Partnership’s flagship build to rent scheme is an important project, delivering much needed homes for local people on a highly accessible, brownfield site in Bromley town centre. The scheme will bring forward a number of public benefits including a new public piazza and creation of pedestrian links, alongside significant economic benefits for both the town centre and the borough.”
Wesley Ankrah, head of social value, Savills Earth, adds: “This is a positive and important result that primarily drew more local support than opposition because JLP had conducted significant community engagement, listening to what many people wanted from the town centre regeneration. This isn’t just about the creation of homes, but also about creating a diverse space that will benefit the local area. The basis of this sort of project is to ensure we create new communities, which is the kind of concept that councils should be championing up and down the country.”