Over 800 new homes approved for Old Kent Road

Two separate schemes were approved by Southwark Council’s planning committee last night that will deliver more than 800 hundred new homes for Old Kent Road, including at least 40 per cent affordable housing.

Although the council’s top priority for the past two months has been responding to the pandemic, Southwark is also getting on with other important work, including planning and delivering the new homes that the borough needs.

At planning committee last night (1 June 2020) two separate schemes were approved that will deliver more than 800 new homes for Old Kent Road, including at least 40 per cent affordable housing.

The first, at 651 to 657 Old Kent Road (the site of the old Carpetright store) will comprise two buildings up to 11 and 20 storeys in height and includes 262 new homes, 92 of which will be affordable homes.

This scheme forms the last piece in the jigsaw of the Ruby Triangle development area and will also deliver the final part of the new public park. It also includes new shops and commercial space.

The second scheme at 747 Old Kent Road (the site of the old BP Garage and HSS site) will create up to 565 new homes, including around 220 new affordable homes.

Known as Devonshire Square, the development is set across five buildings, up to 39 storeys in height. The scheme proposes a new, Old Kent Road high street, a large public square (that will be used for markets, events and community activities) as well as two other new public spaces and commercial workspace.

Both of the approved schemes include at least 40 per cent affordable housing. That means, together, they will deliver at least 312 new affordable homes.

Since 2015, planning permission has been granted for more than 7,000 new homes in the Old Kent Road area, including more than 2,000 affordable homes.

In total, 20,000 high quality, new homes are due to be built in the area, 35 per cent of which (around 7,000) will be affordable including 5,000 at social rent.

Read more about the benefits of regenerating Old Kent Road

A recording of the 1 June Planning Committee will be made available on the council’s YouTube channel.