Merton Council agreed earlier this month to grant planning permission for the development of a new 1,129m2 Waitrose supermarket, café and 97 apartments in Raynes Park.
Located at the junction of Coombe Lane and West Barnes Lane, the site is 150 metres from Raynes Park railway station and is in the heart of the town centre. The proposed development, which is five storeys in part, will include two studios, 64 one-bedroom and 31 two-bedroom properties. Residents living in the apartments will all have access to outside space as each property will benefit from a balcony or terrace.
Sustainable living is also at the heart of the 0.8 hectare development as the site will not only include some public and residential car parking, but also recycling facilities, a car club and cycle parking. The properties will be centrally heated by an efficient and more environmentally sustainable, combined heat and power (CHP) system which will provide heating and hot water as well as generate electricity for the site. The apartments will be 25% more energy efficient than current building regulations require and as an added condition to the successful planning application, developer St James has committed to providing a wind turbine for nearby Raynes Park High School.
Merton Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Traffic Management, Councillor William Brierly said: ‘This development is good news for Raynes Park and the surrounding area. The site will be fully accessible and will be an asset to the town centre, providing convenient shopping as well as quality and affordable housing for the borough. The store will improve the local economy by bringing jobs to the area and drawing in shoppers to spend their money in Raynes Park, benefiting not only the new Waitrose itself, but also the existing businesses already operating there.’
Chairman of St James Chris Payne said: ‘This development has been the result of significant consultation with all the key stakeholders and we are very pleased with the result. Thanks to the commitment of our development partner Waitrose, we are looking forward to implementing the consent early in the New Year and providing the high quality, sustainable development that Raynes Park deserves.’
Waitrose Director of Development Nigel Keen said: ‘We are delighted the council has given us the opportunity to play an integral role in the future of Raynes Park and regenerate a key area of the town. We are confident a Waitrose food shop will not only offer more choice for the local community, but help add to the vibrancy of the area by having a positive knock-on effect for the high street. Waitrose place great value on becoming part of a town’s fabric and we have worked hard with St James to ensure we deliver a scheme that best meets the needs of Raynes Park.’
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Notes to editors
1. After public consultation the Council adopted a planning brief for the site in October 2003 which stated that a development including residential and retail
floorspace would be acceptable on this site.
2. The site is currently occupied by a public 121-space car park which is leased to the London Borough of Merton from Thames Water.
3. West Barnes Lane and Coombe Lane are both part of the London Bus Priority Network and Coombe Lane is also part of the London Cycle Network.
4. The south east boundary of the site edges onto railway land which is a designated Site of Importance for Nature Conservation and a Green Corridor within the Unitary Development Plan.
5. The applicant, St James Homes, is an award-winning, and sustainable developer with a record of successful and diverse projects. The company was originally established as a joint venture between Thames Water and The Berkeley Group Holdings Plc in 1996, but is now a fully owned subsidiary of The Berkeley Group. Information and photography are available at http://www.rpconsultation.co.uk
6. The council would consider installing a CPZ in the area should residents call for this.
7. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of usable heat and power (usually electricity) in a single process. CHP is a highly efficient way to use both fossil and renewable fuels and can make a significant contribution to the UK’s sustainable energy goals, bringing environmental, economic, social and energy security benefits (Combined Heat and Power Association).
8. A piazza is planned for the Coombe Lane frontage and should include landscaping rooted in the ground rather then in planters and all advertisements removed.
9. The planning application committee report can be found at: http://www.merton.gov.uk/democratic_services/ds-agendas/ds-reports/_7000-7999/7822.pdf