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Javid rejects 700-home scheme by supermarket’s development company
Sajid Javid has blocked plans for a 705-home scheme by Tesco’s development company on a former government offices site in south west London over a lack of affordable housing.
The communities secretary ruled that there were “sufficiently serious deficiencies” in the developer’s Section 106 unilateral undertaking to refuse permission.
Spenhill Developments, a subsidiary of supermarket giant Tesco, had planned to build a mixed-use scheme including “a 262 square metre retail convenience store”, other retail and office space, a doctors’ surgery and a car park on the Surbiton site.
But Mr Javid agreed with the planning inspector’s recommendation that the developer’s appeal against Kingston Council’s rejection of its application should be dismissed.
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He concluded there were shortcomings in Spenhill’s Section 106 offer, “particularly in relation to affordable housing provision”, as well as its contribution to building a new roundabout.
The developer had proposed including 13.2% affordable housing in the scheme, well short of the council’s 50% target for larger sites.
It will need to submit a fresh application to Kingston Council or attempt to challenge Mr Javid’s ruling in the High Court.
Inside Housing reported in April that five of the UK’s largest supermarket chains have been taking steps to build thousands of homes.
