The date is set. On May 7th 2025 there will be an appeal hearing/ inquiry to establish whether or not Lambeth Council’s decision to refuse planning permission will stand.
Despite our very robust objection to Manaquel Co Ltd’s initial planning application in 2020 which was eventually refused in 2024 by Lambeth Council (HOORAH – and thank you all!), we are now faced with a very strong appeal from the landlord against this decision.
While safe-guarding Lambeth Council’s decision to refuse planning, we are also defending ourselves in this fight. To do this, we need your help. To mount our campaign we require a barrister, solicitor and an expert witness to have any chance of success.
Having put in what money we can to fund our defence, we are now appealing for assistance to get us over the line.
So please, if you would like to help, head on over to our GoFundMe page and make a small contribution to this important cause.
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 oneThe 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 twoThe 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 threeBuilding on the roofs will destroy this community – tenants will be evicted – leaving the estate sorely lacking in community spirit for years to come.
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.
