Former Blackfriars Crown Court, 1 Pocock Street London SE1 0BT Data via plota.co.uk

25/AP/2203 - Major application Approved

Proposal

Redevelopment of the site comprising demolition of the existing building and construction of two buildings providing Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) (Sui Generis) and Residential (Class C3), alongside flexible commercial (Class E) floorspace and a café unit (Class E(a)) at the ground floor, together with associated public realm and landscaping works and a new pedestrian route. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
30 Jul 2025
✓
Validated
4 Aug 2025
✓
Approved
9 Dec 2025

Approved on 9 Dec 2025 · Committee B (Major Applications) · Last checked 16 Oct 2026

Planning committee

Decided by Southwark Planning Committee (Major Applications) B on 9 Dec 2025.

Approved

As officers recommended.

  • Officers advised approval because the scheme provides 71 social-rent homes, high-quality design and public realm improvements, despite limited amenity impacts.
  • Two public objections concerned student housing, commercial uses, affordable housing, café provision, privacy, daylight and sunlight.
  • The committee voted to grant permission subject to conditions, a legal agreement and Mayoral referral.
Read how the committee decided The proposal, site history, officers’ assessment, objections, speakers, committee debate, vote and decision.

Source: Plota analysis of Southwark's committee minutes of 9 Dec 2025.

Documents 99

Statements & assessments 56

PDF TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT REV F04 PART 1 OF 2 Transport assessment · 2 Dec 2025 View ↗ PDF TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT REV F04 PART 2 OF 2 Transport assessment · 2 Dec 2025 View ↗ PDF PHASE 2 LAND CONTAMINATION Ground investigation report · 20 Nov 2025 View ↗ PDF PHASE 2 LAND CONTAMINATION PART 2 Ground investigation report · 20 Nov 2025 View ↗ PDF BNG METRIC TOOL Biodiversity BNG Metrics · 20 Nov 2025 View ↗ PDF OCTOBER 2025 Basement Impact Assessment · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF OCTOBER 2025 ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK BASED ASSESSMENT Archaeological Details · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF OCTOBER 2025 Transport assessment · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF LOMAN STREET - GLA CONSULTATION (STAGE 1) - ENERGY MEMO 2025 (002) Document · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF 09 OCTOBER 2025 GATEWAY ONE FIRE SAFETY STATEMENT REPORT. Fire Statement · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF 16 OCTOBER 2025 FIRE SAFETY STATEMENT REPORT Fire Statement · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF RESPONSE TO HSE Fire Statement · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF OCTOBER 2025 Circular Economy Statement · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF OCTOBER 2025 CIRCULAR ECONOMY STATEMENT Circular Economy Statement · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF OCTOBER 2025 ENERGY STATEMENT Energy statement · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF OCTOBER 2025 CES APPENDIX D- RECYCLED CONTENT CALCULATION Circular Economy Statement · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF ARBORICULTURAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT & METHOD STATEMENT Tree survey or Arboricultural implications · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF OCTOBER 2025 Design and Access statement · 21 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF DAYLIGHT AND SUNLIGHT (AMENDED) Daylight/Sunlight assessment · 2 Oct 2025 View ↗ PDF FIRE STATEMENT Fire Statement · 1 Sept 2025 View ↗ PDF PLANNING STATEMENT V2 Planning statement · 6 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF DAYLIGHT AND SUNLIGHT REPORT Daylight/Sunlight assessment · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 1 FINANCIAL VIABILITY ASSESSMENT Viability report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 2 FINANCIAL VIABILITY ASSESSMENT Viability report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 1 LAND CONTAMINATION STAGE 1 DESKTOP STUDY Ground investigation report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 2 LAND CONTAMINATION STAGE 1 DESKTOP STUDY Ground investigation report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 3 LAND CONTAMINATION STAGE 1 DESKTOP STUDY Ground investigation report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 4 LAND CONTAMINATION STAGE 1 DESKTOP STUDY Ground investigation report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 5 LAND CONTAMINATION STAGE 1 DESKTOP STUDY Ground investigation report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 6 LAND CONTAMINATION STAGE 1 DESKTOP STUDY Ground investigation report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT Air quality assessment · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF ACOUSTIC ASSESSMENT REPORT Acoustic report · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 1 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 2 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 3 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 4 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 5 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 6 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 7 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 8 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 9 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 10 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 11 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 12 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 13 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 14 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 15 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 16 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 17 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 18 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 19 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 20 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 21 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 22 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 23 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗ PDF 24 HERITAGE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Heritage statement · 1 Aug 2025 View ↗

All documents on the council site ↗

Associated applications 11

Site constraints 12

Flood zone 3, rivers and sea
High chance: a 1 in 100 or greater annual chance from rivers, or 1 in 200 from the sea. Any development here needs a flood risk assessment. Defences are not counted.
The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Homes in zone 3 must also pass the sequential test. Surface water flooding is a separate map.
Flood map ↗
2 Article 4 directions
Bankside and Borough District Town Centre · Central Activities Zone. Named permitted development rights are withdrawn here.
An Article 4 direction withdraws particular permitted development rights, so work that would normally need no application needs one here. Not every council has published its directions.
Air quality management area: Southwark AQMA
The council has declared the area as failing an air quality objective.
Schemes that add traffic, parking or combustion plant are assessed against the area's action plan and may need an air quality assessment.
Council record ↗
Town centre: Bankside and The Borough
A designated centre in the London Plan.
Shops, services and active frontages are protected in centres, and main town centre uses are steered here first.
National infrastructure project 445 m away: Thames Tideway Tunnel
The site is 445 m from the project boundary. Waste water treatment, decided. The project page says whether consent was granted. Also within 2 km: London Strategic Heat Main Project (at pre-application, 225 m).
Nationally significant infrastructure projects (power stations, electricity lines, pipelines, major roads and railways, harbours, airports and reservoirs) are consented by a Secretary of State under the Planning Act 2008, after an examination by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than by the council. The boundary is the one the Inspectorate consults on and can change as the scheme does. Projects are shown within 2 km of the site.
Planning Inspectorate project page ↗
7 listed buildings within 150 m
Nearest: 55, Great Suffolk Street, Grade II, 26 m away · 7 Grade II
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show all 7 with distances
Historic England ↗
Central activities zone
The core of central London in the London Plan.
Offices, culture and the other strategic functions of the centre take priority over new housing here.
Opportunity area
Where the London Plan expects significant growth.
Boundaries are indicative and the borough holds the detailed plan.
Also on the record
Conservation area 48 m away: King's Bench; Heritage at risk 35 m away: 55, Great Suffolk Street; Inside the Southwark built-up area; Public transport access: PTAL 6b (excellent), TfL 2023, for the 100 m square.
Not affected
Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 16 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Planning Inspectorate, Transport for London (public transport access levels, Powered by TfL Open Data, OGL v3.0, contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council
Southwark
Application type
Major application
Postcode
SE1 0BT
Received
30 Jul 2025
Validated
4 Aug 2025
Ward
Borough & Bankside
Parish
Borough, Bankside And Walworth
Case officer
Show
Target decision
18 Sept 2026
Decision
Major - GRANTED
Decision date
9 Dec 2025
Decision level
Committee B (Major Applications)
Applicant
Show
Agent
Turley

How this decision compares

Decided in 127 days from validation, 72 days slower than Southwark's median of 55 for full applications. Approved, as 88% of full applications here are.

55%decided within 8 weeks
88%approved
520decided in the last year

Plota live figures for full applications decided by Southwark in the last twelve months, from validation. Southwark decision record →

Public comments

4comments received
3 objecting1 supporting

75% object · above the UK average of 74%

947 neighbours consulted · Last counted 16 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Committee
9 Dec 2025
Statutory expiry
3 Nov 2025
Env. assessment
No
Southwark
Planning Authority Score
7/10
Good
#64 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Major dwellings

Southwark is faster than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #54 out of 296. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (95%) than the national average (90%).

Faster than most councils
for householder decisions
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Southwark decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
92%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #93 of 296
95%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #92 of 296
78%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #54 of 296
37%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #122 of 296
92%
Minor dwellings approved
259 decided (1-9 homes)
86%
Major dwellings approved
14 decided (10+ homes)
82%
Change of use approved
38 decided
1,622
Total decisions
132 refused in the year to March 2026