The Southwark Council Planning Committee (Smaller Applications) met on 11 November 2025 to discuss two planning applications. The first was for the demolition of an existing house and the construction of a new dwelling at Grove House, Dulwich Common. The second was for the replacement of temporary public toilets with a permanent structure at Camberwell Old Cemetery.

Grove House, Dulwich Common

The committee was scheduled to consider an application for the demolition of the existing residential building at Grove House, Dulwich Common, London, SE21 7EZ and the erection of a two-storey dwelling. The plans also included an ancillary garden/bike store, terracing, parking, and hard and soft landscaping.

The application represented a departure from policy P57 Open Space of the Southwark Plan 2022, because it involved the construction of a replacement dwellinghouse on a different footprint. The site is located within the Dulwich Wood Conservation Area and is designated as Metropolitan Open Land (MOL).¹

Key aspects of the proposal included:

• A maximum height of 8.16m
• A gross internal area (GIA) of 791 sqm including the basement (577 sqm without)
• A footprint of 372 sqm for the house (428 sqm total)

One objection was received during the public consultation, with concerns raised that:

The contemporary design is not in keeping with the surrounding period houses and architectural style.

Supplemental Agenda No.1

The objection also stated that the proposal would harm the group value of the homes on Dulwich Common, and was unlikely to be approved by the Dulwich Estate.

The agenda noted that a previously withdrawn application had a footprint almost three times the size of the existing building, whereas the proposed footprint was broadly similar to the existing house and attached garage/workshop.

The agenda stated that the proposed dwelling would sit comfortably within the surrounding context and would not harm the openness and character of the MOL.

The agenda also stated that the development would result in a biodiversity net loss of -10.72% in habitat units and -100.00% in hedgerow units. To mitigate this, the applicant would purchase offsite units from a habitat bank to achieve 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). A Biodiversity Gain Plan would need to be submitted and approved by the council before the commencement of development.

The proposal included a rainwater harvesting tank, a ground source heat pump, photovoltaic panels, and a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MCHR) system. The development was projected to achieve an 86% decrease in CO2 emissions over the Part L baseline.

An addendum report clarified that six trees were proposed for removal, but 56 new trees and 568 shrubs would be planted. It also provided updated wording for several conditions, including those related to external materials, lighting, and biodiversity net gain.

Camberwell Old Cemetery Public Toilets

The committee was also scheduled to consider an application for the replacement of the existing single-storey temporary building providing public toilets within Camberwell Old Cemetery, with a new permanent single-storey public toilet building. The proposal included associated groundworks.

The site is located within the Green Chain Park, a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), Metropolitan Open Land, and the Suburban Zone South.

The current temporary building was granted permission in 2014, with an application in 2021 to retain the building for a further 5 years. The temporary permission is due to end on 22 April 2026.

No comments were received during the public consultation.

The agenda stated that the replacement of a temporary structure with a permanent one with a marginally greater width would not harm the openness of the MOL. It also noted that no trees would be lost, and the existing hardstanding would be adapted to support the new toilet provision.

The application site was considered exempt from Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements as it is below the threshold. However, an extensive green roof was proposed to promote biodiversity.