Planning Application Refused - 18 April 2012
On the 18th April Wandsworth Council Planning Committee followed their officers' advice and refused the outline planning application for 227 - 231 Wimbledon Park
Road SW18.
The committee further encouraged the applicant to re-think their plans and conduct a more exhaustive and inclusive pre-application with council officers and local
residents.
I'm sure the owners will need a little time to reflect on this decision but I'm cautiously optimistic that they will now see the imperative to engage with us and
the wider community in Southfields to bring forward a far better and more popular scheme.
We at the Southfields Plaza Group will continue with our efforts to engage positively with the owners and their agents. As soon as I have more news I will be in
touch.
Once again I would like to thank everyone that has supported the campaign and I feel privileged to be part of a community that cares so passionately about its future.
Without your support this would not have been possible.
Rob Richman
Acting Chairman
The Southfields Plaza Steering Group
We are a group of Southfields residents who formed a steering group to restore and modernise the building at 227-231 Wimbledon Park Road, Southfields to its former
use as a cinema.
Our aim was to buy the building but it was sold to a pension fund, Gresham Pensions Trustees Limited, in July 2011. Gresham have appointed a Planning specialist,
Indigo Planning, to advise on a new-build mixed-use residential led development.
Our vision was to create a magnificent destination cinema and to adapt the building to provide a wonderful café and restaurant, theatrical space, independent film
production facilities and a creative arena for the local and wider community.
Now the building has been sold we have to accept that the new owners are not intending to refurbish the existing building but to demolish it and replace it with
something that realises the maximum financial return possible for them.
Our campaign however continues. From a planning point of view the site is classified as D2 use (Assembly and leisure) and this site is the only substantial D2 building
in Southfields. Wandsworth council policy requires arts cultural or entertainment uses to be replaced unless it can be convincingly shown that such use is not viable.
As a part of our campaign for the cinema we have put together a team of people, drawn up detailed architectural plans, written a realistic business plan and ensured
finance is available to ensure and demonstrate that our vision is not just viable but sustainable over the long term.
Furthermore we have continued to receive substantial local support not only from thousands of residents but from our councillors, Wandsworth council and our MP,
Justine Greening.
If we don’t continue our campaign we risk that a worthwhile and substantial cultural space will disappear and make way for yet another uninspiring residential development
or yet another high street supermarket, gym or bar franchise.
Residents of Southfields have a say about the shape of this development and they and their village deserves a first-class destination for entertainment.
Please browse our site and you will see the magnificent progress so far. If you want to know more please contact us.