Wimbledon Town Centre Flats Plan Is Refused Again
Proposed development would replace town centre fitness studio
Architect plans for the Holistic Fitness Studios site
July 3, 2023
A third attempt to secure planning permission for flats to be built as part of a three-storey development on a site now housing a fitness studios in Wimbledon town centre has been turned down.
Stephen Dixon, Chief Instructor of the Holistic Fitness Studios in Broadway Court, off The Broadway, wanted to demolish the building to then replace it with a building housing two two-bedroom flats, office space and a gym/studio at ground and basement levels.
The plan, submitted to Merton Council in April, replaced another three-storey scheme which was refused in April 2022, involving three one-bedroom flats as well as office and gym space.
That scheme itself replaced a previous application for four flats to replace the existing two-storey building, housing fitness training and a martial arts school, that was refused in April 2021.
Merton’s planners have turned down the latest scheme due to a combination of its height, massing and siting which would be visually intrusive, overbearing and result in an unacceptable loss of outlook, to the “detriment” of the residents of No. 13 - 17 South Park Road. These were the same key reasons for its refusal in 2022.
More than 50 neighbours had been consulted about the latest scheme, which agent DNA Architecture said was 11.5 - 13 metres from 13, 15 and 17 South Park Road.
But in a decision report by Merton’s Development Control Manager Jonathan Berry he also said another reason for refusal was that the plans did not comply with the provisions of Merton’s Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.
He said the plan “would have required substantial changes such that a new application would be required. The applicant is advised to seek pre-application advice on any resubmission.”
Although the plan did not propose any off-street parking, Mr Berry said another reason for refusal was there was no legal agreement in place for the development to be a permit-free zone.
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