Norwood Green Town Plan: March 2019 update

Here is the latest on the Norwood Neighbourhood Plan from NPA.

NPA UPDATE MARCH 2019

THE NORWOOD GREEN-TOWN PLAN

Following the series of public meetings, Feast displays and workshops during 2018, a strong vision for Norwood has emerged. The NPA Steering Group is proposing that Norwood should become London’s greenest town by 2030. Comments will be invited on a series of policies and projects to go into the Norwood Neighbourhood Plan:-

1. Zero carbon emissions for new developments and climate change resilience by 2030

2. Specified design and quality standards for all buildings

3. Using new developments to provide economic, cultural and community facilities for Norwood people

4. Increased tree planting and access to green space

5. Encouragement of walking and cycling

6. Measures to improve air quality

7. Meeting Lambeth’s annual housing target of 108 new homes in Norwood with innovative community-led schemes, and build to rent

8. Create a sense of place and of history for Norwood in partnership with schools

REFERENDUM TARGET MAY 2020

There will be a series of workshops throughout 2019 to test and develop Norwood Green-Town policies. The plan relies upon successfully encouraging new investment, especially in the business area, which currently only generates half the employment normal for such a large industrial estate. NPA will propose changes to the draft Lambeth Local Plan which remains inflexible. The possibility of using “Neighbourhood Development Orders” will be explored so as to speed developments and enable local people to specify designs. It is intended to hold the local referendum on the draft Neighbourhood Plan on the 7th May next year, coinciding with the Mayoral election.

B&Q SITE NOW COUNCIL OWNED FOLLOWING NPA INITIATIVE

In a dramatic change of policy, Lambeth Council has purchased the freehold of the B&Q site. This should enable a comprehensive new retail offer in the heart of Norwood. Following two key NPA meetings in the autumn, when landowners met together and NPA proposals were presented and discussed, the B&Q site was put on sale for bids “over £10 million”. The trade advertisement for the site, published by NPA, suggested a possible mixed development of 161 housing units with 11 storeys. B&Q are secure on the site until at least 2030 and indicated to NPA they were currently content to stay in West Norwood. Both NPA’s “Norwood Design” proposals and Lambeth’s “Manual for Delivery” propose a site assembly and major development of Norwood’s Retail Heart. Planning applications for developing the laundry site and the rear site to Texaco are continuing however. The council report on the purchase, council intentions for use, and details of the transaction are commercially confidential.

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