A planning application has been made to the Council for 27 flats and involves the demolition of a large Victorian house.

Situated in a prominent location at the brow of the hill between Beckenham and Shortlands, at the corner of Downsbridge Road, 79 and 79a Bromley Road is a distinctive Victorian house from the mid-1800s and one of the last remaining grand villa houses that once lined Bromley Road.  

The three-storey building currently accommodates 13 retirement flats and an adjoining, four-bedroom single family house.  The £12M development involves the demolition of the entire building, replacing it with a five-storey block of 27 flats, and underground car park.  The proposed scheme comprises 5 No. one-bedroom, 17 No. two-bedroom and 5 No. 3-bedroom flats, providing  space for up to 95 occupants.  None of the flats will be affordable housing.

The developer reported that no responses were received to consultation leaflets and emails sent last November to residents in the surrounding area, and to ward councillors.  Unfortunately CCARA was not consulted at this time and several residents have complained they were not made aware of the scheme until the planning application was made public at the beginning of January.  

We have written to the council objecting to the application, focussing on the loss of an attractive Victorian building, the scale and density of the new development, the lack of any affordable housing provision, loss of trees on the site, road safety concerns, amongst other issues.

Full details of the planning application are on the Council’s website here 20/03881/FULL
where you can also leave a comments on the proposal.  If you wish to comment, you must give your full name and address, or your views may not be registered.