Latest plan for two towers rather than one raises concerns among residents
Locals said they felt “fobbed off” following Cube Real Estate’s consultation on the proposed changes to the Lever House development.
The proposed plans will extend the previously consented scheme, which was a single 16 storey building, into two slimmer towers that will be 13 and 19 storeys.
Stephen Coates from the Kingston Society Planning Sub Group, a voluntary organisation that promotes standards of planning, conservation and design in the Royal Borough, called the consultation “patronising” and full of “self-serving questions”.
“The extremely short consultation period of 14 days and how it was conducted, is a clear example of ‘tokenist consultation’,” he said.
On the closing date the developers extended the consultation to 12th March.
Coates said there was “no genuine attempt to listen and consider views” and “no acknowledgment of the infliction of more harm to the environment”.
Others within the Kingston Society expressed concern but also called for continued dialogue with the developers.
John Allen, from the Kingston Society said he hoped further discussions with the developers could improve the current plans.
“I would like there to be a constructive relationship with the developers in the hope that an acceptable proposal could emerge. There is no doubt that there is a shortage of housing in Kingston and this site is capable of playing an important role in meeting housing need in the area,” said Allen.
Allen did also criticised the consultation process.
“It was a very limited consultation that did not fully represent the proposed development. In particular, no key views of the proposed development from important nearby locations such as the Market Place were shown.”
Locals also had concerns about the height of the towers and the impact this development would have on local conservation areas.
Cube Real Estate, the developers of this project, said:
“A new planning application will deliver an improved scheme that works better for Kingston, responding to local housing needs through co-living and affordable housing, providing wider community benefit.”
Cube Real Estate responded to questions concerning the potential impact on the Hogsmill chalk stream which runs alongside the proposed development site.
Anna Russel-Smith, in charge of planning for the project from Montagu Evans spoke during the consultation, she said:
“We have a consultant instructed who will be preparing ecology appraisals and assessments that will form part of the application and as part of that they will be looking at the chalk stream. We are looking to naturalise it which is agreed with the EA [Environment Agency].”
In addition to environmental concerns, Coates raised issue with the proposal’s apparent lack of compliance with the Kingston Plan which states:
“The council will require developments to actively enhance the features and composition of strategic and local views.”
Coates’s estimated illustrative images show an example of “views that would be destroyed by these proposals”.
“There should be a genuine attempt to consider less harmful solutions including retention and reuse of Lever House. Things have moved on, the bar is much higher, and they need to reach it,” said Coates.
Cube Real Estate’s planning application is expected to be submitted by April. The full application is to be determined later this year with construction beginning in 2027. Cube Real Estate were approached for comment.
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