Old Biscuit Factory plan in south London was thrown out by local council earlier this year

Grosvenor Bermondsey Biscuit factory

London mayor Sadiq Khan will now decide whether to give a 拢500m build to rent scheme in south London the green light after the local council refused it planning.

Southwark council said Grosvenor鈥檚 plans for a former biscuit factory at a site in Bermondsey did not have enough affordable housing when it threw out the proposal in February.

At the time, a council report said couples would have to be earning 拢30,000 a year to be able to move in 鈥� 拢10,000 more than the equivalent the lowest income households in the borough were paying in rent.

The council added: 鈥淭he development fails to provide the maximum reasonable amount of affordable housing and the affordable housing offered would be at a cost which would not be affordable to those in greatest housing need."

But explaining his decision to call it in, Khan said 鈥渢he nature and scale鈥� of the plans meant the scheme could have a "significant impact" on the implementation of the London Plan in terms of housing supply.

Grosvenor executive director Simon Harding-Roots said: 鈥淸We] have spent over five years working with the community and others to ensure our proposals reflect their ambitions for the area.鈥�

The proposals for the scheme, called the Old Biscuit Factory and drawn up by KPF, also include a new school and new retail, community and dining spaces.

Khan is expected to give a decision later this year.

 

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