Residents prepare new fight against giant scrap yard

Campaigners against a giant new metal processing yard that would lead to an increase in very large lorries using roads in Brixton and the rest of Lambeth are gearing up for a new battle.

As expected, an appeal has been lodged against the decision of Lambeth council’s planning committee to reject proposals for the yard.

It would be created in a residential area of West Norwood, next to schools, homes and a Royal Mail depot, at the end of a narrow cul de sac, Windsor Grove.

The appeal is part of a wider scheme to redevelop an existing scrap yard on Shakespeare Road between Brixton and Herne Hill. This scheme cannot go ahead unless the scrap processing capacity lost there can be recreated elsewhere in the borough of Lambeth.

The planning applications for both Shakespeare Road and Windsor Grove come from a property development company, Urban & Provincial, that shares directors with Southwark Metals, which woud operate the new West Norwood Yard.

An added complication is that the new yard would not process waste currently dealt with at Shakespeare Road, but from a large Southwark Metals plant which is near the massive redevelopment that is going on around Milwall Football Club and will itself be redeveloped.

The Norwood Action Group (NAG), which has been central to the campaign against the yard in Windsor Grove, said: “In July Lambeth planning committee, against planning officer advice for approval, unanimously refused consent for a mega waste metal yard at the end of Windsor Grove.

“NAG played a fundamental role in securing that refusal in collaboration with Norwood Forum, Norwood Planning Assembly, Station to Station and #ScrapTheYard.

“It’s an interesting scenario: Lambeth officers will have to defend the refusal when they were pressing for approval.

“Southwark Metals will be ‘throwing everything’ at winning because, although it sounds weird, success would also gain them planning consent for 218 flats at Herne Hill. Many millions of pounds of profit is at stake for them.

“Local groups are all now engaged in securing the dismissal of the appeal.”

NAG said a briefing is being prepared so that residents can make informed objections that the appeal officer must consider.

The appeal is already open for comments.

See the history and background