Ikea has objected to the plans. According to planning reports, it asserted it has “unencumbered rights” over the car park next to its Greenwich store that opened six years ago in the Millennium Leisure Park.
The report also states that Ikea raised concerns that the development would result in a loss of parking spaces and would have a “significant adverse impact” on its retail operations during its six-year construction period.
To build the proposal’s 1,251 flats, 1,600 sp m of commercial space and 15,500 sp m of public space, the B&Q and Tradepoint stores at the leisure park would be demolished. Ikea, Sainsbury’s petrol station and the Odeon cinema would be retained.
The flats—35 per cent of which would be affordable—would be contained within seven buildings ranging from four to 20 storeys in height, with most of the development being under 10 storeys.
The amount of car parking spaces would be reduced from 1,066 to 856, with most of them concealed within a covered car park beneath several of the residential tower blocks. However, residents will not be able to use the parking spaces as it is intended only for leisure park customers and will be locked overnight.
The development, called Peninsula Gardens, is car-free, with nearly 2,500 cycle parking spaces provided across the site. 38 disabled car parking bays are also included within the scheme.
Plans to build on the car park were first presented to Greenwich Council by property developer London Square in 2020 before it eventually dropped out reportedly due to spiralling costs.
The current plans were put forward by Weybourne Group, a business group owned by British inventor and business magnate James Dyson. First presented last year, the proposal was updated in April following Ikea’s refusal to allow future reductions in car parking.
Alongside Ikea, The Greenwich Society has also objected to the plans because no healthcare facilities have been included. The society argued that existing GP practices in the area lack the capacity to accommodate the influx in patients the proposal would likely cause.
The NHS was formally consulted as part of the planning process, with the health service stating that the financial contribution of £1,281,000 agreed by the developer was enough to mitigate the lack of additional healthcare floorspace. Most of this money would go towards providing additional capacity at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich.
The Charlton Society also raised concerns about the plans, believing the assumption residents would not own cars to be “unrealistic” and fearing that lack of residential parking would result in increased parking pressure on nearby streets.
Planning officers responded that the car-free nature of Peninsula Gardens aligns with the London Plan and Greenwich Council’s Local Plan, with parking restrictions in nearby streets acting as a deterrent to visitor and resident parking.
Greenwich planners have recommended that full planning permission be granted for Peninsula Gardens as the proposal will deliver a significant amount of homes that aligns with helping to achieve the borough’s housing target.
Greenwich Council’s Planning Board will make a decision on the plans at its next meeting on Tuesday (June 17).
