Two applications for affordable housing in Orpington and in Mottingham have received planning approval, in support of the council’s Bromley homes for Bromley People programme.
A total of 52 new homes has been approved across the two developments by Bromley’s Development Control Committee. These properties would be retained and let by the council to residents on Bromley’s housing register. Permission has been granted subject to a Director's Assurance Agreement, the equivalent of a Section 106 Agreement that is used instead for the council’s applications.
In Mottingham, 10 affordable homes have been approved on Castlecombe Road. This development will consist of two and three bedroom homes arranged as a two-storey terrace with a red and brown brick façade. The site uses some of the remaining land of the Castlecombe Youth Centre that is moving into the Castlecombe Children and Family Centre next door once it is refurbished and expanded.
In Orpington, permission has been granted for 42 affordable homes on Poverest Road, including family-sized units and five wheelchair-accessible homes. The implementation of this planning permission, and the proposed closure of the Poverest Adult Education Centre, are subject to a forthcoming consultation. That consultation will relate to the proposed closure of the Poverest Centre and the delivery of Bromley’s adult education courses at various sites across the borough. Further details about the consultation, which is expected to take place in September 2026, will be shared with residents and service users in due course. The decision on whether to proceed with this development and the closure of the Poverest Centre will only be taken following that consultation and consideration of responses from those consulted.
If the Poverest Road scheme does proceed it will be a mix of two, three and four bedroom semi-detached and terrace houses, each with a private garden. The scheme would also provide new publicly accessible landscaped open space, a community green, enhanced biodiversity and new pedestrian and cycle connections linking the site with Tillingbourne Green, which would also be improved.
Councillor Alexa Michael, Chairman of Development Control Committee, said: “These are two good applications for Bromley Council to build much-needed affordable housing for local people. In Mottingham, a well-designed proposal makes sensible use of a limited site, while in Orpington, a comprehensive proposal delivers further enhancements, including to local green spaces. I was pleased that the committee was able to approve these much-needed applications.”
Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing, said: "We are bringing forward affordable housing developments wherever we can across the borough in order to tackle the significant housing pressures we are facing. Despite our unrelenting efforts, we still have over 1,300 households in expensive nightly-paid accommodation, which is why we need homes like these to house Bromley families and tackle costs for our council taxpayers.”
There were 67 responses to the Planning consultation on the Poverest application and 12 responses on the Mottingham application. Concerns were raised around the loss of the Poverest Adult Education Centre site and replacement of the youth centre, as well as matters such as perceived overdevelopment, and parking, with the latter also raised at committee.
A total of 29 car parking spaces would be retained in addition to cycle parking at the Poverest site, while eight parking spaces are being retained along with cycle parking at the Mottingham site.
Prior approval was previously granted for the demolition of an unused hut on the Poverest Centre site, which is now getting underway. This does not impact the decision about the future of the Poverest Centre, with this hut not used as part of the delivery of the Adult Education service from the site.
Find out more about the Poverest proposals.
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