Flats ‘making me miserable’
RESIDENTS FEAR A LOSS OF LIGHT FROM PROPOSED BLOCK
A DEVELOPER has been told to look again at the height of a block of homes for a major housing development in Belgravia, after neighbours on the upmarket street said it would rob them of light.
One resident said the prospect has affected her more than Covid and made her “miserable.”
The controversial plans to knock down five blocks of flats on land bounded by Cundy Street, Ebury Street and Pimlico Road and replace them with new blocks, together with shops, a cinema and a new playground in Ebury Square, was deferred by Westminster Council’s planning committee.
The scheme includes 93 affordable homes and 70 for sale along with homes for up to 170 over-65s in a care home or assisted living.
The planning committee said it was likely to approve the rest of the scheme if developers Grosvenor Estate Belgravia would cut one storey from the 25m building, known as A1, earmarked for senior living.
Committee chairman Robert Rigby said there are a lot of “public benefits” from the scheme and homes would be bigger, but said the loss of light for some neighbours was “extensive”.
The scheme would see the demolition of Kylestrome House, Lochmore House, Laxford House, Stack House, Walden House and the felling of 69 trees. It would all be replaced with new blocks of five to 11 storeys.
However, neighbours said the light problems would come from a four-storey block with a two-storey mansard roof offering assisted living homes for the over-65s. Ironically, it is not the highest building in the scheme.
Residents commissioned a light impact report which found that it would impact on their sunlight and daylight, with one home in Mozart
Terrace standing to lose nearly 75% of its daylight.
One of the houses is where Mozart wrote his first symphony aged eight when his family were living there in 1764. It was on the market last year for £7.5 million.
Dame Sue Tinson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that her Georgian home of 21 years would be badly affected.
“This has been extremely upsetting,” said the former editor of ITN’s News at Ten. “It makes me feel miserable. I have lost a lot of sleep over the last few months about it. It has impacted my life more than Covid.”
A report said she would lose 100% of her sunlight in winter, and up to 75% of daylight and sunlight overall.
“Everybody needs light – it’s important for our mental health,” she said.
Belgravia Residents Association chairman James Wright said: “If one floor were removed from the building opposite it would remove all residents’ objections.”
Grosvenor said removing the floor would mean a loss of six-and-a-half flats, or the equivalent of 15 affordable homes.
“To sacrifice a historical street for six-and-a-half apartments seems extraordinary,” added Mr Wright.
Ward councillor Andrea Mann (Labour) urged the council to consider deferral.
“It will dramatically change the area. There is no second chance to get it right,” she said.
Councillors said overall they thought the scheme was good but voted to defer.
Committee member Louise Hyams (Saint James, Con), said: “To think residents are going to have their lives blighted is a sacrifice too much.”
Anna Bond, the executive director of development for Grosvenor Britain and Ireland said over the past two years the team has listened to residents and neighbours and has attended public meetings. Some residents set up a campaign group opposing the plan.
She said “It’s a genuine mix that better meets the needs of people living in Westminster today.”