Architect鈥檚 proposal for historic Roupell Street wins backing of Lambeth planning officers
Proposals to build a modern extension to a Victorian school in one of south London鈥檚 most historic streets are being recommended for approval, despite objections from hundreds of residents and opposition from conservation bodies.
Tony Fretton Architects鈥� scheme would add a new canteen and inner courtyard on to the Roupell Street base of the Education First language school, which is housed in the grade II-listed former St Andrew鈥檚 and St John鈥檚 Primary School near Waterloo Station.
But the contemporary design of the proposals, which would occupy the site of a school building destroyed during the Second World War 鈥� and require the demolition of a grade II-listed wall and railings 鈥� have attracted opposition because of their impact on Roupell Street.
The street is famed for its 1830s 鈥渂utterfly鈥� roofed artisan houses, around 70 of which are listed at grade II and which were described by architectural critic Ian Nairn as 鈥渁 wavy parapet鈥� that created one of the capital鈥檚 finest architectural effects.
Tony Fretton鈥檚 proposals are a revised version of a 2015 scheme that was withdrawn following resident opposition, and feature a diamond motif taken from the Victorian gothic styling of the school buildings, along with zinc roofing.
Both the Victorian Society and the Georgian Group accept the principle of a new building on the site, but object to the plans on the grounds that they are harmful to the setting of the listed Roupell Street houses.
Lambeth council said that of 500 resident responses to the proposals, more than 490 opposed the plans for reasons including its impact, the community benefit, and EF鈥檚 need for the facilities.
Government heritage advisor , but voiced reservations that they may 鈥渄ominate鈥� the remaining listed school buildings and 鈥渃ommand a potentially unwelcome degree of visual primacy鈥� within the Roupell Street Conservation Area.
Recommending the scheme for approval, Lambeth planning officers said re-enclosing the school grounds was considered to be acceptable, and the Tony Fretton plans were lower than the earlier infants hall and that their glazing would introduced a degree of transparency to the courtyard.
鈥淭he proposed extension is considered to be a subordinate addition to the host building and incorporates design features and materials which reflect the spirit of the Victorian gothic features and detailing of the host building,鈥� they said.
鈥淭he contemporary gothic design of the extension is considered to be a well-informed response to the original infants鈥� hall.鈥�
They added that the scheme was in line with local planning policies, and the new structure would help to 鈥渟upport and promote an established community facility within the borough鈥� by allowing EF to provide a better quality of teaching facilities through relocating its reception and caf茅 to the extension.
The report said Lambeth鈥檚 conservation officer had reviewed the proposals and considered that the demolition of the wall and fencing that the scheme would require would result in no harm to the remaining listed buildings, and 鈥渓ess than substantial harm鈥� to the settings of the Roupell Street and Waterloo conservation areas.
鈥淥fficers consider that this level of harm would be outweighed by the numerous benefits derived from the proposal (heritage, educational, environmental, economic and social),鈥� they said.
Councillors on Lambeth鈥檚 planning applications committee are due to determine the application on Tuesday.
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