Upper Brockley Road / Geoffrey Road planning

A new planning application has been submitted to Lewisham Council for:

"The construction of a 3 storey plus roof space building at 159 Upper Brockley Road SE4. to provide 1, three bedroom maisonette and 1, two bed maisonette."

Essentially, the application would see the house, which was destroyed by fire last April, rebuilt exactly as before, although the decision to rebuild will depend on medium term expectations for the Brockley property market.

The damaged house has been underpinned and made safe.

The bigger (and longer-running) story is next door, where the MOT garage and tyre shop have been the subject of planning discussions for approximately three years. Developers hope to turn the site (which has soil contamination) in to an apartment block, but the project seems to be locked in planning limbo, with some voices even suggesting that the tyre shop should be retained as part of the new development for the "character" it lends the area. Presumably they mean the rows of tyres perched on the roof of the building?

Whatever the issues that have prevented the development being given permission, we hope that the Council and the Brockley Society will treat this site as a priority - three years is far-too-long to argue over a small scale development and the site is currently a polluted eyesore, that needs dealing with. And for those worried about the plight of the guys running the garage, don't be - they are more than happy to relocate as soon as the issue is resolved.