Bromley town centre under threat

Bromley residents fight to save their town centre.

We have written to Bromley Council to object to a planning application to build a 12-storey housing block in a low rise town centre, needlessly destroying Bromley’s distinct character. New homes can be accommodated on much more appropriate sites elsewhere in the town.

Our objection is below.

Dear Sirs,

Planning application 19/04588/FULL1, 70 High Street Bromley

CPRE London is a membership-based charity with 2500 members across London concerned with the preservation and enhancement of London’s vital green spaces, as well as the improvement of London’s environment for the health and wellbeing of all Londoners.

We object to this proposed development for the following reasons:

• Bromley has a distinct character and its town centre, high street, civic areas and town centre parks and gardens are all at the heart of that character. The proposed development gives no consideration to Bromley’s distinct character either in terms of preserving it or enhancing it.
• The height of the proposed development is wholly inappropriate in scale for the site and surrounding buildings and will dominate the lower part of the High Street as well as the conservation area (against Council policy 42) and will adversely impact the skyline from the Ravensbourne Valley, impacting on visual amenity and character.
• While we appreciate there is a need for new housing in Bromley, space for new homes can be accommodated in appropriate sites at appropriate scale elsewhere in the borough including redeveloping land which is currently
  • accommodating parking for private cars;
  • poorly-used or run-down industrial, commercial and retail spaces which could be intensified and regenerated to create mixed-use developments; and
  • road layouts accommodating up to six lanes of traffic which should be repurposed to encourage a shift to sustainable transport modes to meet Bromley’s transport targets.

We trust that these comments will be placed before the planning committee in the usual way.

Kindly acknowledge receipt.

Yours faithfully

Alice Roberts
CPRE London