The Planning Board of Greenwich Council met on Thursday, 24 September 2026, to discuss two planning applications. The board resolved to defer consideration of the application for the former Lewisham College site pending a decision by Lewisham Council, and granted full planning permission for the erection of industrial warehouse buildings at 71-73 Nathan Way, Thamesmead.

Former Lewisham College, 1 Deptford Bridge, London, SE8 4HH

Consideration of the application for the former Lewisham College site was deferred. This decision was made pending the determination of the application by Lewisham Council, to allow the board to have a complete picture of the application once all related decisions have been made. Officers noted that deferring the decision could lead to an appeal on grounds of non-determination, which might have cost implications for the Council.

Land at 71-73 Nathan Way, Thamesmead, London, SE28 0BQ

Full planning permission was granted for the erection of industrial warehouse buildings for flexible uses within Use Classes E(g)(iii), B2 and B8, with ancillary offices. The development will include access and servicing arrangements, vehicle and cycle parking, landscaping, an external amenity area, a roof-mounted photovoltaic array, fencing, a substation, and bin stores.

The decision was subject to the conditions detailed in Appendix 2 of the reports pack and the prior completion of an agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This agreement will contain planning obligations related to transport infrastructure, highways works, employment and training initiatives, a carbon offset review mechanism, and a low-carbon and renewable energy monitoring strategy. The Assistant Director (Planning & Building Control) was authorised to make minor changes to the wording of conditions and to finalise the Section 106 agreement. They were also authorised to consider refusing the application if the Section 106 agreement was not completed within three months.

The development was praised for its high sustainability standards, targeting BREEAM Excellent and utilising an all-electric strategy with high-performance fabric, air source heat pumps, and PV panels, resulting in a net negative reduction in carbon emissions. The scheme also achieved a biodiversity net gain of 182% over the baseline, exceeding the required 10% under legislation. Concerns raised during consultation regarding parking provision were addressed, with officers considering the quantum proportionate to the number of employees and other schemes in the area. Discussions also covered the interface with Nathan Way, with officers noting that while a larger green buffer would have been preferred, the proposed layout optimised servicing and parking on-site. The application was granted unanimously.