Probe into work on Greenwich site which was refused planning permission

By Grainne Cuffe, Local Democracy Reporter

Greenwich council has launched an investigation in whether work on a site in Deptford where planning permission was refused was legal.

Developer Aurora Apartments, which did not apply to build a fence around the site, but did so anyway last week, wants to build a three-storey building on the small plot of land by the Armada Community Project and Charlotte Turner Gardens in McMillan Street.

The application was rejected by the local authority at the end of March, on grounds that the design, massing, and scale would be “unsympathetic and over dominant” to the surroundings.

Aurora has since appealed the decision, which will be reassessed at a future date.

But construction workers were spotted building a fence around the site early last Saturday morning.

A resident-led group, Stop McMillan Street Development, set up to oppose the scheme, posted a video and said: “The four vans parked illegally from before 7.30am this morning, they started work soon after destroying the morning peace.”

The council confirmed to the group on Thursday that planning consent had not been applied for.

In an email, a planning enforcement and appeals manager said that although the developer “may believe this treatment falls within permitted development for hoardings around development sites,” she was “not convinced” it does.

She added: “I can confirm your findings that consent has not been applied for in relation to this boundary treatment and it is over 1m in height adjacent to a highway.

Aurora has been contacted for comment.

Locals people objected to the plans, saying children would lose out on “vital” play space, while a nursery playground would have been plunged into darkness by the proposed build.

Campaign group Deptford Folk said it was a “terrible proposal”.

Pictured top: Greenwich council’s offices