Policy information sourced from the Lewisham Local Plan

HO6 Supported and specialised accommodation

Strategic Objectives:

A An open Lewisham as part of an open London,

B Housing tailored to the community with genuinely affordable homes,

G Healthy and safe communities.

A Development proposals for supported and specialised accommodation will only be supported where they:

  • Contribute towards meeting the identified need within the Borough for approximately 500 units of supported accommodation for the period until 2040;
  • Make provision for a mix of tenure types including affordable housing, where appropriate, with reference to Policy HO3 (Genuinely affordable housing);
  • Support mixed and inclusive neighbourhoods and communities without leading to a harmful overconcentration of supported or specialised accommodation. This will be assessed where the character of the area has changed or local amenity has been adversely impacted as a result of:
    1. Visual amenity;
    2. Increased noise;
    3. Vehicular traffic generation, along with car and cycle parking pressure;
    4. Inadequate provision of waste management and recycling facilities;
    5. Additional pressure on community facilities; and
    6. Antisocial behaviour and public safety.
  • Are appropriately located in areas that are well-connected to services and facilities that are likely to be required by the occupiers;
  • Are of a high quality design, giving consideration to the:
    1. Intensity of use that is appropriate to the size of the development;
    2. Integration of accommodation and facilities for the specific use or group it is intended for;
    3. Suitable arrangements for managed care or supervision, security and community safety; and
    4. Protection of the amenity of adjoining and neighbouring uses.

B Development proposals that will result in the net loss of floorspace for supported or specialised accommodation will be refused unless it can be suitably demonstrated that:

  • The specific type of accommodation is no longer required for the particular use and/ or group, or other relevant groups in need of supported housing; or
  • Adequate replacement provision will be provided; or
  • The existing accommodation is not suitable for the support or care of the intended occupants in its current condition and format and/or is incapable of being maintained at an acceptable standard.

C Where the loss of accommodation is acceptable in line with (B) above, development proposals must secure the re-provision of an equivalent amount of floorspace for residential use, including an element of affordable housing, where appropriate.

For more information and policy context please see the Lewisham Local Plan