Image © JTP
Meyer Homes has won planning consent from Kingston Council for nearly 1,000 homes in Tolworth.
Plans have been a long time in the making. Former landowner Tesco submitted plans as far back as 2012. The site was one of 12 across London and the South East of England which Meyer Homes acquired from Tesco in 2015.
Meyer subsequently amended the plans for this site in favour of more homes, with the loss of the major supermarket.
The site, on Hook Rise South, has been vacant for many years. It will provide 950 homes in total, with 30% affordable housing. A major new public realm area known as Tolworth Square and amenities including play areas, a convenience store, a community facility, a doctor’s surgery and a new nursery are also planned.
Jamie Pearson, land and planning director at Meyer Homes, said: “We are delighted to have gained resolution to grant planning from Kingston Council. We hope to move quickly in formalising the planning consent and starting construction.
“The Tolworth site has been derelict for 20 years and we are looking forward to working with the council, local residents and stakeholders to create a thriving and vibrant community to make a positive and lasting contribution to Tolworth.”
The decision has seen the Kingston Liberal Democrats make a U-turn on the scheme. In December 2017 they wrote that “Tory councillors failed to support the people of Tolworth’s opposition to 950 new homes in tower blocks”.
Once planning was approved, however, the Kingston branch of the Liberal Democrats, now back in control of the council after the local elections, said: “Liberal Democrats are delivering on their election promise of new homes, after approval was given for 285 affordable homes.”
Referring to the Lib Dem U-turn, Duncan Stott, former director and founder of housing campaign group Priced Out, said: “Nothing summarises the unprincipled cynicism of nimby politics better than this.”
The worst kind of local politics. Your views when plans are proposed vs. Your views after the same plans are granted consent. pic.twitter.com/u5jawAYvfB
— Paul Wellman (@PaulWellman_EG) July 13, 2018
Established in 2015, Meyer Homes has a pipeline of around 4,000 homes on its 12 sites. Shareholders include Meyer Bergman, the privately held specialist real estate management firm, AIMCo, one of Canada’s largest and most diversified institutional investment managers, and Vanke, China’s largest real estate developer.
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