21 Albert Square London Lambeth SW8 1BS Data via plota.co.uk

25/03512/TPO - Approval for works to TPO trees Refused
Trees & landscaping

Proposal

Tree Preservation Order 523 (2025) T1 Robinia: Tree Works Submitted: (T1) Robinia: crown reduction by 30% and reshape. Less than 10m from building. Tree has been dropping some large, dead branches into the garden where children play. The roots are causing patio slabs to lift, making a trip hazard. Also causing excess shading to neighbouring garden. Height from 1.40m to 9.8m Crown spread from 9.0m to 6.3m Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
10 Nov 2025
✗
Refused
20 Jan 2026
Appeal
Not lodged

Refused on 20 Jan 2026 · Delegated Decision · Last checked 8 Oct 2026

Documents 19

Application forms 1

PDF APPLICATION FORM - WITHOUT PERSONAL DATA Application Form · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗

Other documents 18

PDF 25_03512_TPO_21_ALBERT_SQUARE_DELEGATED_OFFICER_REPORT_2026_01_14_PDF Delegated Register · 16 Jan 2026 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG OS MAP OS Map · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗ IMG PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOMONTAGES Photo · 10 Nov 2025 View ↗

All documents on the council site ↗

Site constraints 9

Grade II listed: 15-23, Albert Square Sw8
List entry 1200696 · The pin is inside its outline · 5 more listed buildings within 150 m (5 Grade II)
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 the other 5 with distances
Historic England ↗
Albert Square conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Article 4 direction
Albert Square. 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.
In flood zones plus climate change
Inside the extent flood zones 2 and 3 could reach with climate change: the Central allowance for the 2080s on rivers, the Upper End allowance for sea level rise to 2125. From the sea. Defences are not counted.
The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Councils use it to decide when a flood risk assessment and the sequential test are needed. It is indicative and does not show whether a particular property will flood.
Flood map ↗
Air quality management area: Lambeth 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 170 m away: Thames Tideway Tunnel
The site is 170 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, 1252 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 ↗
Protected tree 10 m away: Mulberry (Morus spp.), order 16
Named in a tree preservation order: work to it, its roots included, needs the council's consent first.
Root protection areas reach up to 15 m from a large tree, so an extension or new foundations this close usually needs a tree survey. Only some councils publish their single trees, and a position can be approximate: the order at the council is the definitive record, and no tree shown is not proof there is none.
Tree record ↗
Also on the record
Inside the Lambeth built-up area; Public transport access: PTAL 4 (good), TfL 2023, for the 100 m square.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 2 November 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.

Sales history 1

Last sold for £1,800,000 in May 2012. Terraced house, freehold.

15 May 2012£1,800,000

Sale prices from HM Land Registry's price paid record, matched to this application by its address.

Building

Floor area272 m² (2,928 sq ft)
Energy ratingD (56 out of 100)
PropertyMid-terrace house, 8 habitable rooms
BuiltBefore 1900
HeatingBoiler and radiators, mains gas
WallsSolid brick, as built, no insulation (assumed)

From the energy performance certificate lodged in December 2011, the latest held for this property. The building may have changed since. View the certificate

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Important details

Council
Lambeth
Application type
Approval for works to TPO trees
Postcode
SW8 1BS
Received
10 Nov 2025
Validated
10 Nov 2025
Ward
Oval
Case officer
Show
Target decision
5 Jan 2026
Decision
Refuse Permission
Decision date
20 Jan 2026
Decision level
Delegated Decision
Applicant
Show
Agent
Foxy Arboriculture Ltd

How this decision compares

Decided in 71 days from validation, 43 days slower than Lambeth's median of 28 for tree and landscaping works. Refused, as 8% of tree and landscaping works here are.

91%decided within 8 weeks
92%approved
479decided in the last year

Plota live figures for tree and landscaping works decided by Lambeth in the last twelve months, from validation. Lambeth decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

Last counted 8 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Statutory expiry
5 Jan 2026
Env. assessment
No

Historical activity at this location

26 previous applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

This property

Previous applications at this address

2025 Refused
Tree Preservation Order 523 (2025) T1 Robinia: Tree Works Submitted: (T1) Robinia: crown…
25/03512/TCA
Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Approved
15 Albert Square London Lambeth SW8 1BS
Trees protected under TPO 16 at this site comprise T11 Sycamore and G3 Six Limes. The app…
25/03231/TPO
2025 Approved
20 Albert Square London SW8 1BS
Replacement of defective roof tiles and ridge capping's felt roof on the flat roof as wel…
25/03599/FUL
2025 Approved
20 Albert Square London Lambeth SW8 1BS
Replacement of defective roof tiles and ridge capping's felt roof on the flat roof as wel…
25/03600/LB
2025 Withdrawn
21 Albert Square London SW8 1BS
1 x Robinia (T1): section fell to ground level - less than 10m from building. Tree has be…
25/03075/TCA
2025 Approved
5 Wilkinson Street London SW8 1DD
Erection of a single-storey ground floor side and rear extensions, together with the form…
25/02537/FUL
2025 Approved
13 Wilkinson Street London SW8 1DD
Front garden: G1 Leyland Cypress hedge. Fell to ground level and remove arisings. Reason…
25/03067/TCA
2025 Withdrawn
10 Albert Square London SW8 1BT
Reinstatement of main entrance door from the stairwell, creation of door opening between…
25/02395/FUL
2025 Approved
10 Albert Square London SW8 1BT
Reinstatement of main entrance door from the stairwell, creation of door opening between…
25/02396/LB
2025 Approved
21 Albert Square London SW8 1BS
Rear Garden: T1 Robinia: section fell to ground level. Note: On 30 September 2025 the Lon…
25/02647/TCA
2025 Approved
18 Albert Square London SW8 1BS
Rear Garden: T5: Whitebeam: Crown thin by 20%, removing heavy regrowth. Rear Garden: T6…
25/01668/TCA
2025 Approved
31 Albert Square London SW8 1DA
Rear Garden: T1: Holly: Prune laterally by up to 1m back to boundary. Final height 5m, sp…
25/01634/TCA
2025 Approved
17 Albert Square London SW8 1BS
TPO No. 16, December 1969, Individual Trees: T14 Sycamore, T15 Lime T3 (T15 Lime): Crown…
25/01308/TPO
2025 Approved
17 Albert Square London SW8 1BS
TPO No. 16, December 1969, Individual Trees: T14 Sycamore, T15 Lime T3 (T15 Lime): Crown…
25/01308/TCA
2025 Refused
5 Albert Square London SW8 1BU
T1. Robinia Tree ? Lateral Spread Reduction and Canopy Thinning The Robinia, while not ye…
25/01395/TPO
2025 Approved
16 Albert Square London SW8 1BS
TPO No. 16, December 1969, Individual Trees: T12 Tilia species. T1 (T12 Tilia species): R…
25/01307/TPO
2025 Approved
16 Albert Square London SW8 1BS
TPO No. 16, December 1969, Individual Trees: T12 Tilia species. T1 (T12 Tilia species): R…
25/01307/TCA
2025 Approved
8 Wilkinson Street London SW8 1DB
Replacement of existing timber framed windows with new timber framed double glazed sash w…
25/00089/FUL
2025
5 Albert Square London SW8 1BU
T1. Robinia Tree ? Lateral Spread Reduction and Canopy Thinning The Robinia, while not ye…
25/01395/TCA
2024 Refused
26 Albert Square London SW8 1DA
Conversion of basement floor into a separate flat; internal stair between ground floor an…
24/02517/LB
2024 Refused
26 Albert Square London SW8 1DA
Conversion of basement floor into a separate flat; internal stair between ground floor an…
24/02516/FUL
2016 Approved
9 Albert Square London SW8 1BT
Erection of side extension with 2 no. rooflights. Internal alterations to relocate bathro…
16/02200/LB
2016 Approved
5 Albert Square London SW8 1BU
Erection of ground floor rear part single, part two storey extension with external stairc…
16/01007/LB
2016 Approved
5 Albert Square London SW8 1BU
Erection of ground floor rear part single, part two storey extension with external stairc…
16/01006/FUL
2016 Approved
2 Albert Square London Lambeth SW8 1BU
Renewal of kitchens on ground and 2nd floor flats (amended description).
16/00143/LB
2016 Approved
7 Albert Square London Lambeth SW8 1BT
Refurbishment of the kitchens in Flats 3 and 4
16/00144/LB
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
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings

Sale prices: Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Energy performance: Energy performance certificates from the Energy Performance of Buildings Register, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright 2026.