The Former Wolfson Centre in Copse Hill is being turned into homes.

Nearly six years ago, Berkeley Homes put in a successful application to turn the former hospital into 16 large houses.

But due to "changes in the housing market" that idea was scrapped.

Now more than half a decade later, and following "the success of the apartments on the adjacent Atkinson Morley Hospital site," which is also owned by Berkeley, a new idea has been submitted to Merton Council and approved.

That idea is the creation of 85 apartments, 30 per cent of which or 25 homes) will be classed as "affordable."

"There is a window of opportunity to ensure that the development of the Wolfson site follows on directly from the construction of the

Atkinson Morley Hospital, and ensure that the site does not sit vacant for an extended period of time," a planning statement submitted by Berkeley said.

To go along with the 85 homes will also be 90 car parking spaces (the majority of which would be located in a basement car park), as well as 147 cycle spaces.

The planning statement also said that more "public space" would be made available as a result of the new area.

"A network of public and private landscaped spaces is proposed between and around the buildings," it said.

"One of the key elements of this is a new pedestrian route from the bus stop on Copse Hill to the north-south link road, which offers a pedestrian and cycle route south to the pavilion, the sports fields and Cottenham Park Road.

"The new public route would also enhance the integration of the residential development on the Former Wolfson site with that on the

Atkinson Morley Hospital site.

"In addition to the attractive landscaping, the route would contain a children’s play area, cycle parking, and seating areas

to encourage activity, with natural surveillance provided by the windows from the apartment blocks on either side."

It is also estimated that the development would generate the equivalent of 180 construction workers being employed on a full-time basis for

12 months worth of work.