Millwall housing plan: Revised scheme for 3,500 homes at New Bermondsey uploaded – then pulled

I begun writing this post last night with the intention to carry on as soon as more details emerged, and then something odd happened.  After a plan for 3,500 homes near Millwall’s The New Den football ground appeared on Lewisham Council’s planning portal (minus key documents which normally follow) they were pulled this morning.

But before they did a few details were evident. Firstly the site will see 44-storey tower if approved reaching 154 metres. That would be in phase 2. There’s already a website giving broad outlines of plans from over six months ago though we won’t know exact details until the planning application is placed online.

Phase 1 would sees detailed plans for 600 homes and a 32-floor tower. The rest of the site including 2,900 homes is only outline in nature in the now missing hybrid application.

The entire site is bordered by Surrey Canal Road, Stockholm Road, Bolina Road and Rollins Street. Phase 1 would see the demolition of existing buildings at Orion Business Centre, while Phase 2 would see demolition of existing buildings except Guild House and part of Rollins House which would be retained. Plans for a church in phase 1 have been ditched after no agreement was reached. An auditorium is in its place.

The first phase sits directly next to an incinerator, or the South East London Combined Heat and Power plant to give it it’s less than snappy full name.

The initial plan from a decade ago for the site saw much controversy after Lewisham Council agreed to sell land that was leased to Millwall football club to a developer named Renewal. Millwall themselves wanted to develop land and released images and details of their ideas in 2020:

Whether that’s credible remains to be seen. We’ve seen plenty of attractive CGI images for stadium developments dumbed down upon completion.

The scheme would bring a new London Overground station named New Bermondsey and upgrades to South Bermondsey station.

After years of following planning applications it’s hard to remember many plans that suddenly disappear like this. Will it reappear soon? One to keep an eye on. When it does I’ll take  dive into what will no doubt be dozens if not more documents to see exactly what is planned this time around.