Categories for Planning News

Objecting To The Landlord’s Plan
[May 2020]

April 28, 2020 9:12 pm Published by

The Dorchester Court Residents Association objected to the Landlord’s planning application in its entirety. Because of the important heritage status of Dorchester Court there were multiple objections to be made. 

One objection related to the application to build the new houses and flats and the other, to the effect that this project will have on the Grade Two Listed status that Dorchester Court holds.

Objections were made here on the Lambeth Website using the following two reasons –

1

reason one The new flats will destroy the – aesthetics – formal lines – style – of the buildings.The rooftop flats will be ugly in comparison to this beautifully designed estate. reason two The proposal ignores the architect’s original concepts of – space – proportion -and the idea of community.

2

For a more comprehensive objection, the following three reasons were put forward –

reason one The rooftop flats are an overdevelopment – overpopulation – over-crowding. The roofs were originally designed to be used by you – the residents – the people that live at Dorchester Court. We have a legal right to use all of the roof spaces – the roof on every block.reason two The garages were designed to be used by the residents and the team that service the estate. Losing the garages will will negatively impact the – running – servicing – management – of the estate. Until the garage tenants were evicted the garages were an important part of Dorchester Court community – tradesmen’s workshops – community store – cleaner’s facilities –Dorchester court’s gardener’s garage – bin storesreason three Building on the roofs will destroy this community – tenants will be evicted – leaving the estate sorely lacking in community spirit for years to come.

Cut-off for objections was May 8th.

The Planning Application

April 9, 2020 1:56 pm Published by

Three years after beginning the consultation process, Manaquel Limited – the landlord – finally submitted its plans to build eight townhouses on the garage site and sixteen flats on top of the eight blocks of Dorchester Court.

Manaquel have always ‘sold’ this plan as their way to guarantee Dorchester Court gets fixed. Amazingly – after all the promises and despite their planning documents describing the renovation works – they make no concrete commitment to doing them.

Tenants will be evicted, leaseholders will be re-homed for the duration of the works to their blocks, a thriving community will be ripped apart, to the sole profit of the landlord.