Adjoining Borough Observations Within Southwark Data via plota.co.uk

Pending 26/02921/OBS
Date received
1 Oct 2026
Date validated
1 Oct 2026

Description

Observations on a proposed development within the adjoining Borough of Southwark with respect to the Redevelopment of the site to include demolition of no. 229 and Pocock House, erection of a purpose built student accommodation building (Sui Generis), retention and remodeling of nos. 231 and 233 to provide flexible commercial/community floorspace (Class E / Class F1 / Class F2), with associated public realm, access, car parking, cycle parking, hard and soft landscaping and other ancillary works. For information only: - The proposed PBSA building including additional rooftop plant/enclosure is Maximum 150.655m AOD/147.055m above ground and is 45 storeys. The maximum height of the remodeling of Nos 231 and 233 is 18.745m AOD/15.145m above ground. The development as a whole comprises: - 798 bedrooms: 851 bedspaces - 255 sqm GIA of flexible commercial, learning and non-residential institution floorspace (Class E / F1/F2 use); The application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES) in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (as amended). This can be viewed on Southwark Council's Public Access for Planning Register. Hard copies of the ES are available for inspection at the John Harvard Library, 211 Borough High St, London SE1 1JA (Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am-5pm). Hard copies can also be purchased from DP9 Ltd 100 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5NQ, telephone: 020 7004 1700 At 229-235 Southwark Bridge Road, London, Southwark - Reference number : . Data via plota.co.uk

Last checked

Decision outlook

Plota predicts a decision between 26 Nov 2026 and 5 Dec 2026, from Lambeth's recent changes of use.

Day 8 of the 56-day target. Lambeth usually decides changes of use by day 57.

Day 849 days to the predicted decision (day 57)
49%decided within 8 weeks
56%approved
91decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Lambeth in the last twelve months, from validation. Lambeth decision record →

Site constraints 16

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 ↗
3 Article 4 directions
Site allocation NSP52: London Bridge Health Cluster · Central Activities Zone · London Bridge District Town Centre. 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.
Tree preservation order: Guys Hospital Cancer Centre Snowsfields
Consent is needed before work on protected trees.
Not every council has published its orders as open data, so no order shown is not proof there is none.
Scheduled monument about 4 m away: Roman riverboat, 136m west of Greenwood Theatre
Its setting is a consideration for work nearby.
Nationally important archaeology protected by the Secretary of State. Work that affects the monument or its setting is rarely permitted.
Historic England ↗
Archaeological priority area: North Southwark and Roman Roads
An assessment or field evaluation may be asked for before ground works.
The council or Historic England considers archaeology likely here. A desk-based assessment, and sometimes trial trenching, can be asked for with the application.
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 ↗
National infrastructure project about 292 m away: Thames Tideway Tunnel
The site is about 292 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, about 244 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 ↗
Town centre: London Bridge
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.
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
Heritage at risk about 4 m away: Roman boat at New Guy's House, Bermondsey; 3 listed buildings within 150 m of the postcode pin; Wider setting of protected view 3A.1 Kenwood viewing gazebo to St Paul's Cathedral; Conservation area about 87 m away: Borough High 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

Checked on 8 October 2026. The pin for this application is the centre of its postcode rather than the building, so distances to nearby designations are measured from the postcode and can be out by the width of the postcode area. 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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About Plota's data service
Lambeth
Planning Authority Score
2.7/10
Poor
#242 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Lambeth ranks #164 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. 47% of applications have the time limit extended, above the 41% national average. Lambeth is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 81% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 81% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Lambeth decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
78%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #274 of 296
81%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #273 of 296
62%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #164 of 296
47%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #209 of 296
46%
Minor dwellings approved
70 decided (1-9 homes)
100%
Major dwellings approved
9 decided (10+ homes)
42%
Change of use approved
53 decided
1,784
Total decisions
396 refused in the year to March 2026