The Planning Applications Committee of Lambeth Council is scheduled to consider a significant planning application for the phased redevelopment of the Vauxhall Square site. The proposal includes the demolition of existing structures and the erection of up to seven buildings, ranging from three to 69 storeys, to provide a mixed-use development comprising residential units, co-living spaces, student accommodation, offices, a hotel, flexible town centre uses, community/health facilities, and a cinema.

Vauxhall Square Planning Application

The committee will consider the details of the proposal, which includes:

• Housing: 1,097 new homes, with 25% designated as affordable housing. This includes 122 Social Rent homes and 120 Discount Market Rent homes within the Build-to-Rent (BTR) element.
• Co-living: 1,164 co-living units, with a financial contribution of £55,228,092 towards off-site affordable housing.
• Student Accommodation: 699 student accommodation units, with a financial contribution of £24,676,805 towards off-site affordable housing in lieu of on-site affordable student accommodation.
• Other Uses: Office space, a hotel, flexible retail units, community/health facilities, and a cinema.
• Public Realm: A new publicly accessible central garden, improved pedestrian and cycle routes, and enhanced landscaping.
• Tall Buildings: The development includes several tall buildings, with the tallest reaching 230.5 metres AOD (Above Ordnance Datum), forming a new focal point for the Vauxhall tall building cluster.

Key Considerations and Potential Decisions:

• Affordable Housing: A point of discussion will be the proposed 25% affordable housing provision, which deviates from the adopted development plan policy requiring 35% for the 'Fast Track Route'. Officers have noted this departure is in line with the GLA's 'Support for housebuilding' London Plan Guidance (LPG), introduced to address the current housing delivery crisis. While this represents a conflict with adopted policy, officers' assessment will consider the substantial public benefits, including the significant contribution to housing delivery and the financial contribution towards off-site affordable housing, in weighing against this conflict.
• Heritage Impact: Officers' assessment will be considered regarding the development's impact on designated heritage assets, including the Westminster World Heritage Site. This assessment will be weighed against comments received from Historic England and the GLA, who have identified some level of harm.
• Environmental Impact: The development aims for a 55% on-site carbon reduction beyond Building Regulations Part L 2021, exceeding the London Plan target. However, the Whole Life-Cycle Carbon Assessment indicates higher emissions than GLA benchmarks, primarily due to the structural requirements of tall buildings. Mitigation measures and conditions are expected to be considered to address this, including a potential requirement for updated WLCA assessments prior to construction of each phase.
• Amenity Impact: The development's potential impact on daylight and sunlight to surrounding properties will be assessed against the substantial public benefits and the urban context of the Opportunity Area.
• Transport and Infrastructure: The scheme's car-free approach and contributions towards highway and active travel improvements, including significant financial contributions towards the Vauxhall Cross gyratory and the Council's Healthy Streets programme, will be reviewed. Cycle parking provision and associated financial contributions will also be discussed.
• Planning Obligations: A Section 106 agreement is anticipated to secure a range of planning obligations, including financial contributions towards affordable housing, healthcare provision, highway and active travel improvements, and employment and skills initiatives.

The committee's decision will be subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement and any direction from the Mayor of London. An additional condition regarding whole lifecycle carbon reviews for each phase of the development may be considered.