Policy information sourced from Lambeth Local Plan 2020-2035

ED1: Offices

Proposals for large offices (1,000m2 or more gross external area) will be supported in the Central Activities Zone, Vauxhall and Waterloo London Plan Opportunity Areas and Brixton and Streatham major town centres. Elsewhere, large office development will be supported where the scale of the proposal is appropriate to its location and the PTAL level is 4 or above and subject to the sequential test in section 7 of the NPPF.

Proposals for smaller offices (up to 1,000m2 gross external area) will be supported in the Central Activities Zone, Opportunity Areas and all town centres, subject to other plan policies relating to the existing use of the land, environment, transport and design. Proposals for smaller offices outside town centres will be subject to the sequential test in section 7 of the NPPF and other plan policies.

Proposals involving a complete loss of office floorspace will not be permitted unless the following tests are met.

  • Either
    • there is no demand for the office floorspace as demonstrated by evidence that the floorspace has been vacant and continuously marketed for a period of at least two years; and
    • it would not be feasible and/or viable to refurbish, renew, modernise or redevelop the offices in order to meet the requirements of existing or future occupiers as demonstrated through appropriate supporting evidence; and
    • it would not be feasible and/or viable to adapt the office floorspace as smaller office units to meet demand from small businesses. This should be demonstrated through marketing evidence and an independently validated viability assessment;
  • or
    • the office floorspace to be lost is replaced in the vicinity and within Lambeth.

Where these tests are met, proposed new use(s) will be considered against the policies for those uses.

Redevelopment of offices for a mix of uses will be supported if the quantity of original office floorspace is replaced or increased as part of the development or elsewhere in the vicinity within Lambeth, incorporating existing businesses where possible. Outside of the CAZ, partial replacement of existing office floorspace in a mixed use redevelopment may be supported where other significant planning benefits are delivered and it can be demonstrated that the maximum feasible and viable proportion of office floorspace is included in the scheme, and/or that the replacement space will result in an intensification of office use. In these circumstances, viability evidence must be provided.

Where appropriate to the scheme, the phasing of delivery of different uses within mixed-use schemes may be secured by planning obligation.

Development proposals for new office floorspace greater than 2,000 m2 (gross external area) should consider the scope to provide a proportion of flexible workspace suitable for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, in accordance with London Plan policy E2. This can include a variety of types of space including serviced offices and co-working space. Opportunities for long-term management of the flexible workspace by a company specialising in the management of this type of space should be fully explored.

All new office floorspace intended for use by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises should be made available to the market fully fitted out to turn-key standard, unless an agreement is in place prior to occupation with a specialist small business space management company.

Planning obligations or conditions will be used as appropriate to secure the provision of small or flexible office space and any measures for its fitting out and future management.

For more information please see the Local Plan