Manor Avenue poised to scoop title

There are many microeconomic mysteries in Brockley, from limbo shops to the aborted attempts to rescue The Talbot.

But perhaps the greatest of these is how a developer that owns a prime site in Brockley, "an area on the up", can fail to take advantage of a dramatic and sustained period of property price growth? Number 14 Manor Avenue, in the conservation area, is about to become the longest-standing derelict property in Lewisham, which is surely quite an achievement.

Planning permission was granted in 1983 to convert the three storey house in to flats. That scheme never happened and instead the building was left to rot, with the building now classed as unsafe, with many of the period features damaged or removed.

A planning document from 2006 describes the latest plans as follows:

"The alteration and conversion of 14 Manor Avenue SE4 and the construction of a part single/part two storey extension to the rear, to provide 1 two bedroom and 1 three bedroom self-contained maisonettes and 1 one bedroom self-contained flat."

The developer, sadly, has never delivered on its promises and there is no sign of the property being renovated any time soon.

Thanks to Claire for the information.