Former Biscuit Factory public hearing
In their role of making strategic planning decisions, the Mayor may occasionally take over an application, therefore becoming the local planning authority. They must then hold a public hearing before deciding whether or not to grant planning permission.
In this instance, the Mayor, Sadiq Khan, took over the application for the redevelopment of Former Biscuit Factory and LeSoCo campus.
Background to the public hearing
On 24 April 2019 Southwark advised the Mayor that it was minded to refuse permission for the redevelopment proposals for Former Biscuit Factory
On 7 May 2019, having considered a report on the case, the Mayor notified Southwark that he would act as the local planning authority for the purposes of determining the planning applications (under article 7 of the Mayor of London Order and the powers conferred by Section 2A of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act).
The local authority for this case is 17/AP/4088. The GLA reference is 3776a.
GLA documents
The Mayor's initial stage 1 and 2 reports and decision letters can be downloaded here
Public consultation 26 September - 28 October 2019
The revisions make amendments to plans and planning documents submitted as part of the Application, and include:
• an increase in the number of residential units from 1,342 to 1,548 (+206);
• the provision of 35% affordable housing (habitable rooms) (increased from 27.37%);
• changes to affordable housing tenure mix to provide 30% of the affordable offer as social rent equivalent homes and 70% as discounted market rent;
• an increase in employment floorspace (Class B1) from 12,023 sq.m. to 14,666 sq.m (GEA) (+2,643 sq.m.);
• a reduction in flexible retail floorspace (Class A1/A3/A4) from 3,795 sq.m. to 3,436 sq.m. (GEA) (-359 sq.m.);
• a reduction in flexible multi-use floorspace (Class A1/A3/A4/D1) in building BF-F from 3,882 sq.m. to 3,311 sq.m. (GEA) (-571 sq.m.);
• an increase in height between 1-7 storeys of Blocks BF-RST, BF-W, BF-DE, BF-OPQ, BF-F, BF-5 and BF-U&V; with associated amendments to elevational treatment and massing;
• alterations to the configuration of public realm, landscaping and playspace;
• alterations to the footprint of Blocks BF-RT and BF-DE;
• replacement of all standard residential car parking with blue-badge (wheelchair accessible) parking spaces;
• improvements to residential quality including the addition of 392 private balconies to residential units;
• alterations to transport and servicing strategy;
• an addition of 683 cycle parking spaces; and,
• revision to application site boundary to include an additional alternative railway arch.
Copies of these documents are also available to view at the following locations:
• Southwark Council website at: https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications-old/ (using ref: 17/AP/4088).
• GLA website at: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/former-biscuit-factory-public-consultation-documents
Representation hearing
A public Representation Hearing was held in The Chamber at City Hall on 21 February 2020, starting at 09:30, for the Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe to consider this application in detail and to determine whether or not planning permission should be granted. Following the hearing the Deputy Mayor decided to grant permission for the application subject to planning conditions and conclusion of a section 106 legal agreement
You can download the hearing report here.
Final decision
The Final Decision Notice, s106 legal agreement and update report are available to download below.
Need a document on this page in an accessible format?
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.
It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.