Lewisham councillors voted 4-0 to refuse 548 homes at the former Lewisham College, adding loss of sunlight to houseboats as a reason. Greenwich has deferred.

Lewisham’s Strategic Planning Committee has voted to refuse the 548-home Lewisham half of the Deptford Reach scheme on the former Lewisham College site at Deptford Bridge. Four councillors voted for refusal, none against, and two abstained.

The vote came at the end of a meeting on Thursday 24 September that ran past its two-and-a-half-hour limit. The result was read out by the chair and is recorded on the council’s own webcast of the meeting (item 5). No written minutes or decision notice had been published by Sunday 27 September, and the application still shows as “Registered” on the council’s planning register under DC/25/139390.

Councillors went further than their own planners. They added a fourth reason for refusal that officers had advised against: the loss of sunlight to the houseboats moored near the site.

Bar chart of the Lewisham Strategic Planning Committee vote on 24 September 2026 on refusing the former Lewisham College scheme, DC/25/139390: four councillors for refusal, none against, two abstentions
Chart by Lewisham News. Source: Lewisham Council webcast, 24 September 2026.
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The four reasons

The motion was proposed by Councillor Claire Wills and seconded. It asked for “the three reasons given in the report, plus the impact of the sunlight on the canal boats” to be the grounds for refusal.

The three reasons in the officers’ report, as summarised to the committee by the council’s legal adviser, are:

  • harm to heritage assets, including nearby conservation areas and listed buildings
  • harm to urban design and townscape, with the 30-storey Building A singled out in key views
  • the lack of a signed section 106 legal agreement at this stage

The wording of the fourth, houseboat reason was delegated to planning officers to complete after the meeting.

Why officers had left the houseboats out

Residents of the houseboats raised the loss of light at the meeting. They asked for it to be added so that the Greater London Authority would weigh it too.

A planning officer told the committee that the report sets out the harm to homes near the site, “whether they’re houseboats or otherwise”, openly. But officers did not think daylight and sunlight would be a sustainable reason for refusal if the scheme went to appeal. They said the site falls under the “tilted balance”, a presumption in favour of development in the national planning rules. The officer said “we’ve seen appeals allowed with similar degrees” of lost light.

Councillors can overrule officers on this. The council’s legal adviser told the committee it was “entirely within your gift” to accept the recommendation, add reasons of their own, or reject it.

Greenwich has put its half on hold

The site crosses the borough boundary, and the Greenwich half, with 254 homes in blocks up to 19 storeys, went to the Royal Borough’s Planning Board on the same evening. Greenwich officers had recommended approval, conditional on Lewisham first granting permission.

The Board’s printed decision reads: “That consideration of the application be DEFERRED pending Lewisham Council’s determination of the application.”

We set out the full scheme, the affordable housing offer and the split between the two councils’ planners before the meetings. In short, 24 of the 802 homes across both boroughs would be affordable.

What happens next

The refusal is not yet final. The council’s legal adviser explained the next step at the meeting:

  • the decision goes to the Greater London Authority, because the scheme is referable to the Mayor of London
  • the GLA will consider the officers’ report, the minutes of the meeting, the formal reasons for refusal and any response
  • the Mayor has powers over schemes of this size, including taking over the decision
  • if the refusal stands, RER’s company can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate

Greenwich’s Planning Board will return to its half once Lewisham’s decision is determined.

What it means for you

  • A refusal at committee does not end the scheme. The Mayor’s stage and any appeal come first.
  • You can watch the whole debate on the council webcast. Item 5 is the former Lewisham College.
  • The decision notice will appear on the planning register under DC/25/139390 once it is issued. Our Lewisham planning applications page explains how to search the register.
  • If the scheme goes to appeal, the council notifies people who commented on the application, and they can send their views to the Inspectorate.

Sources