Developer Acorn wants to build new terraced houses and flats on Blackheath station car park, and recently submitted a formal planning submission to Lewisham Council.
Howard Shields, of the Blackheath Society, has described the plans as “just about the biggest building proposal to ever hit the village”, claiming that there has been “unprecedented” interest from local people.
Almost all of the 162 spaces in the station car park, which was handed over to the developer by Network Rail in 2021, are set to be axed, with only 17 remaining.
In total, 45 new homes would be built on the site, including 20 terraced homes in Collins Street and a five-storey block of 20 flats opposite John Ball Primary School.
A third block, described by the developer as a market building, would provide new shops and five further family homes.
The majority of the market stalls – which are currently set up in the car park every Sunday – would be pitched around this block.
Stalls would be set up around the market building on a Sunday (Image: John Pardey Architects)
The developer anticipates there would be room for 40 stalls, claiming that the space for the farmer’s market would be 70 per cent larger than at present.
But one local, Robert Macdonald, told the News Shopper that the plans for the market would likely deter stallholders from remaining at the site.
“The plans are totally impractical to how stallholders would actually operate,” he claimed.
“If you operate a stall in a market, you need your van very nearby, and some need it right next to the stall. That is not compatible with the loss of parking.
“It will get to the point where if it takes too long to set up or take down the stalls, market traders are not going to stay around, they’re going to find somewhere else to go.
“The market is such a vibrant part of Blackheath; it brings people from far and wide so it’s vital that we keep it.”
But London Farmers’ Markets, which operates the Sunday market at Blackheath, has said that it backs the developer’s proposals.
Director, Mark Handley, said that the redevelopment offers the farmers’ market a “much improved and viable new home for the future”, adding that it would provide “additional facilities in a purpose-built market location”.
Other concerns raised by locals include the impact the new homes would have on neighbours in Collins Street and schoolchildren attending John Ball Primary School.
Mr Macdonald, who has set up a campaign group to oppose the plans, said: “The 20 luxury houses with roof terraces tower over Collins Street.
“I feel very sad for those people living in those houses – they’re going to have all these people looking into their bedrooms and blocking out their light.
“There’s also a five-storey block overlooking the primary school that will cause a lot of parents to be very angry.
“I’m not against the development of some aspects of the car park, it’s very big.
“But this looks like a project of greed more than working with the community to design things for them.”
Acorn has said eight homes in the development would be provided at London “affordable” rent, which is typically set at around half the market rate.
The Blackheath Society added that it continued to have concerns about the “parking squeeze” the plans would cause, as well as the construction impacts on direct neighbours.
A spokesperson for the developer said: “The application represents the culmination of four years of design work and follows constructive engagement with officers at Lewisham Council and the local community at pre-application stage.
“The level of car parking provision has been driven by officers and local planning policy – with the reduction reflecting the site’s highly accessible location.
“There have been constructive discussions with John Ball Primary School including safety during peak pick-up and drop-off times and the school is supportive of the approach proposed.
“Detailed assessments have been prepared of the relationship with neighbours and key local views, and these have been submitted as part of the planning application.
“Acorn continues to welcome feedback from the community as the planning process continues.”
