65 Hampden Road, Kingston

The site currently comprises a vacant plastics factory which is located on a narrow residential road and backs onto the Kingsmeadow Stadium, athletics track and MOL. The proposals incorporated an innovatively designed building standing up to 7 storeys comprising 79 dwellings (20% affordable), a police office to be used by the local ward teams, a resident’s work hub as well as parking, landscaping, public realm improvements and a host of other public benefits.

The Council considered that the former plastics factory was an employment site benefitting from policy protection but following the submission of evidence on employment land quality and availability prepared by our development economics team and given the absence of a 5 year supply of housing land, the Council accepted that the previous use could be lost in favour of residential development.

Another challenge was the location of the Council owned land to the rear, which has been removed from the MOL to facilitate development. Through the application the applicant demonstrated that the proposal would enhance the development potential of the land to the rear with the Council agreeing that the development would act as a catalyst for high quality redevelopment in the wider area.

We are delighted with this result, which demonstrates the strong working relationship we have with both Conegate Ltd. and the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames.