News

Lewisham planners have written to residents alerting them to the latest application by London Square. In a letter they set out the proposed key changes from the existing consent which London Square inherited from Galliard. They are:

• 59 extra residential units, taking the total to 620
• An increase in the amount of “affordable” housing from 36.2% to 46.3%.
• The main tower to go to 17 storeys above ground, with no basement.
• Only 21 residential Blue Badge parking spaces, and one commercial Blue Badge space.
• Relocation of the medical centre to the ground floor of Block B and a reduction in the overall commercial space.
• A revised energy strategy from individual Exhaust Air Source Heat Pumps to a Communal system.
• The full application can be viewed here – where you can also post comments. The planners have set a deadline for comments of August 29th.

The Lee Manor Society believes that any building in the area which is higher than 12 storeys is in breach of the adopted Local Plan, so the planners should reject the application. The Local Plan says that “…the maximum height of buildings shall not normally be more than…32.8 meters(10 storeys) to 39.2 meters (12 storeys) in Bellingham and Lee Green.” (The document can be found here – pages 78 and 79).

London Square has announced it is scaling down its most recent plans for Leegate, after its round of consultation with residents in May.

The company says it now wants to make the Leegate Tower 17 storeys, one fewer than their original ambition.

They also intend to reduce the height of the other two proposed blocks. A2 would be 8 storeys, down from the proposed 10, and block A3 would be 10 storeys, down from the proposed 11.

Overall, London Square says this means there will be a total of 620 homes on the site, down from 640 proposed in their revised plan in May. The reduction of 20 homes will all come from the private dwelling part of the development.

London Square said “With no change in the number of affordable homes proposed by London Square, the affordable housing provision has actually increased, to 46.3% (by habitable room). Clarion, who manage the nearby Leybridge Estate, is earmarked to manage the affordable homes planned at Leegate (if they are approved).”

London Square has now submitted revised plans to the London Borough of Lewisham, and the planning documents can be found using the reference DC/25/140732. The Council will soon begin its own 21-day consultation, and a planning committee decision is likely towards the end of this year, or in early 2026.

 Fancy a usually sunny afternoon at the Lee Manor Gardens ice house? Chatting to Lee locals and visitors from more distant parts? The Lee Manor Society is looking for more volunteers to staff its ice house openings during the months of April to September. We open for two hours from 3pm to 5pm on the first and third Sundays of the month. The volunteers work in pairs and supervise entry to the ice house and the sale of our leaflets.

The task is not arduous and much of your time will be spent talking to visitors. Some, particularly the younger ones, make frequent visits. For others it is a surprise to discover that the ice house exists and is open. Yet others will be visiting from afar and the ice house will be a discovery and a one-off. Our existing team works between one and three sessions a year so the demands on your time would not be excessive.  Full instructions will be given.

The Society raised the funds to re-open the ice house in 2000 after it had suffered decades of neglect. On opening day in June 2000 the queue stretched round the park and we have had more than 30,000 visitors since. Most large mansions would have had an ice house up to the First World War but the arrival of mechanical refrigeration and social change meant many fell into ruin. The Manor House ice house is, in the Society’s view, one of the finest in London if not the UK. You can become a part of our history and spend an enjoyable afternoon in the park.. Contact leemanorsociety@gmail.com to find out more.

A reminder that the next meeting of the Lee Green Ward police panel is at 7 pm on Thursday the 24th of July 2025 at Manor House Library.

PCSO Iulian Matei says “This will serve to us as your local policing force as a great opportunity to hearing any of your opinions and any potential worries that we can address to the best of our ability and together come up with a plan going forwards for the year to solve them.

“Please feel free to extend/forward this invite to your fellow neighbours who wish to participate.”