Nursery bid for Ashby Road

Zoom, the company which applied to convert 60 Manor Avenue in to a nursery, is back after the failure of that project, with another application, just down the road. This time, it's lodged an application for:

The alteration and change of use of 1-3 Ashby Road SE4, from Offices (Use Class B1) to Nursery (Use Class D1) together with the construction of two skylights on the single storey roof, alterations to the north and west elevations, installation of boundary fence and gates to the front, associated landscaping and provision of bicycle stores and four car park spaces.

The building would create 77 places for 3 months-5 years-old kids. Zoom also plan to jazz up the exterior of the building, which they describe fairly as "rather dull and lacking any architectural merit."

Zoom's last attempt to build a nursery here was highly controversial. This should prove to be less-so, as the location is more sensitive and other mooted uses for this site have included a mental health facility.

Brockley Central said during the Manor Avenue saga that a nursery was clearly needed in the area, due to the fact that Brockley was attracting increasing numbers of young families. That was visibly true in 2009 - it's even more the case now.

With thanks to JPM for the tip-off.