Lewisham Council has bought land and plans for a 56-flat development in Deptford that will be 100 per cent affordable housing – though planning officers previously warned about unsafe levels of pollution for potential residents. 

The council approved a planning application for a mixed-use scheme at 1 Creekside, Deptford, from developer Bluecroft in March 2019. 

It included proposals for 56 flats, with 36 per cent affordable housing, and commercial space.  

Now the council has bought the land with the existing planning permission and intends to make it 100 per cent affordable housing – 22 will be ‘social rent’ and 34 will be shared ownership.  

It is unclear whether the ‘social rent’ is social or London Affordable Rent, which is about 52 per cent higher than social, and half the cost of private rent.  

Predicted annual mean Nitrous Dioxide concentrations in 2016 and 2021 indicate that the annual mean objective (40 microgram/metre cubed) would be exceeded across the first floor

When the application was approved the planning report acknowledged that air pollution would be below safe levels for residents on the first floor. 

It stated: “Predicted annual mean Nitrous Dioxide concentrations in 2016 and 2021 indicate that the annual mean objective (40 microgram/metre cubed) would be exceeded across the first floor. 

“As such, mitigation measures will be required and these include options such as creating a mechanical ventilation system fed from an air source at upper level floors where pollution levels fall within safe levels.  

“The same applies to ground floor and upper ground floor levels for the workspace. This will be subject to planning condition.” 

Just under forty residents could be affected.  

Throughout the building there will be a mechanical ventilation system that circulates fresh air around the entire building meaning residents do not need to rely on opening windows for cool, fresh air

A spokesperson for Lewisham Council said air quality is a “concern in the area”. 

“But with the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone in October 2021 we expect that pollution levels will improve significantly as this development is completed in 2022.  

“We fully expect it to be safe for residents to be able to open their windows as the number of polluting vehicles on London’s roads continues to decrease. 

“As the development nears completion, if the air quality is still assessed to be poor, we will install air monitoring equipment. 

“Importantly, the building has been designed from the start to address this issue with particular attention to the homes on the Deptford Church Street side of the building.  

“Generally speaking, air quality issues affect homes on the lower levels and this building was designed with the homes from second-floor level up. 

“For the work space at ground floor, there will be double glazed doors and windows.  

“Throughout the building there will be a mechanical ventilation system that circulates fresh air around the entire building meaning residents do not need to rely on opening windows for cool, fresh air,” he said.  

The development, funded by Lewisham and the Greater London Authority, is set to be completed in summer 2022. 

Lewisham Homes will work with CField Contractors and IPE Developers on the scheme, which will offer a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom flats “within a warehouse style development, plus commercial space at street level”.  

We have been ambitious with our plans to build genuinely affordable, high-quality social housing – we know this will need us to explore different ways of delivering new social homes and we will work with a variety of partners to deliver them

Lewisham mayor Damien Egan said increasing affordable housing to “100 per cent overnight is a major achievement”. 

“I would like to thank our housing and planning teams for all their hard work.  

“Our Building for Lewisham programme offers a model we hope to roll out again elsewhere in Lewisham.  

“We have been ambitious with our plans to build genuinely affordable, high-quality social housing – we know this will need us to explore different ways of delivering new social homes and we will work with a variety of partners to deliver them. 

“Alongside building new homes, identifying existing developments in progress and acquiring them gives us a real ‘quick win’ to get families who desperately need them into new council homes,” he said.