Southwark (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Plans to demolish a former London crown court and replace it with student accommodation and social housing have been approved by Southwark councillors.
Blackfriars Crown Court will be redeveloped by iQ Student Accommodation, which will construct 71 affordable homes in addition to housing for 600 students.
The plan, which will renovate the six-year-old Pocock Street site, was approved by Southwark Council’s planning committee.
Originally built as a printworks HM Stationery Office in the post-war era, the structure was eventually converted into a court.
An IQ official informed the planning committee that
“high-quality and well managed student housing, and much needed affordable housing in the heart of Southwark”
will be provided by the construction.
According to the plans, 350 studios and 40 shared apartments would make up the student housing, which will be housed in one block.
A movie theater, a karaoke area, and a gym will be available to students.
The housing block will have 23 one-bedrooms, 34 two-bedrooms, 6 three-bedrooms, and 8 four-bedrooms, all of which are completely affordable. It will be six stories tall at its highest point. On-site commercial floorspace and a café are also planned.
The absence of cheap housing, the concentration of student housing in the neighborhood, and the effects on privacy and sunlight were among the public’s two complaints to the proposals during the public consultation stage.
In response, a planning officer stated in a report that the design for 40% affordable housing was “very good” and that the concept was “considered appropriate for the area.”
In an attempt to save expenses and simplify the legal system, hundreds of courts were closed between 2010 and 2019, including Blackfriars Crown Court.
At the time, the Ministry of Justice stated that closing it will
“help us improve facilities for court users and represent improved value for money for the taxpayer.”
However, given that the backlog of cases in England and Wales’ crown courts has reached a new record of nearly 80,000, closures have drawn criticism.
The Law Society Gazette was informed by Her Majesty’s Court & Tribunal Service that although it had asked to use the location temporarily while redevelopment plans were being developed,
“the venue was only available for a short period of time and the offer did not represent value for money.”
Which units are designated social rent versus shared ownership?
All 71 affordable homes in the Blackfriars Crown Court redevelopment are designated for social rent. No units are allocated to participating power.
The planning approval specifies these as social rented homes, comprising 23 one- bedroom, 34 two- bedroom, six three- bedroom, and eight four- bedroom units. This provision meets Southwark’s policy for 40 affordable casing without participating power rudiments.
Social rent units target low- income homes via a public formula grounded on property size and original earnings. Shared power, involving part- steal part- rent, is absent then to prioritize rental affordability. Two expostulations cited inadequate affordable casing, pupil viscosity, and sequestration/ sun issues, but officers supposed the 40 affordable provision” veritably good” and suitable for the position. No further prayers are noted post-approval.