£250m Richmond Homebase-to-housing development cleared

£250m Richmond Homebase-to-housing development cleared

London developer Avanton has been granted go-ahead by secretary of state Robert Jenrick for a £250m housing development on the site of an old Homebase store.

Avanton’s planned flats on Manor Road, Richmond upon Thames

The development will comprise 453 flats on a 4.5 acre site off Manor Road in Richmond upon Thames, southwest London.

Avanton bought the Homebase site in 2018 and submitted a planning application, which was initially refused by Richmond Council in 2019. The mayor of London intervened, called the scheme in and granted planning permission in October 2020.

Given the local controversy, the scheme was referred to the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, who has now decided not to interfere, allowing the mayor’s decision to prevail.

Existing buildings will be demolished and replaced with four new buildings between four and 11 storeys tall. The buildings are designed by Assael Architecture.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “This site is well-connected, under-utilised, previously developed land that is exactly the kind of site we need to intensify if we are to develop in a sustainable manner, protect the green belt, and deliver the homes Londoners need.”

Construction of the project will start in summer 2021 and is expected to take 30 months, a spokesperson for Avanton said.

Before the machinery gets moving in Richmond, Avanton’s new Ruby Triangle development on Old Kent Road in Southwark starts in March 2021 work. The first phase will have 550 homes, leading to 1,152 eventually, as well as a new sport centre.

Elsewhere on Old Kent Road, Avanton is seeking permission for a £230m residential-led mixed use regeneration project, building 750 flats and  50,000 sq ft of light industrial commercial use on the site of SGN gasholders.