New Planning Chief at Lewisham Council

Lewisham Council has appointed a new interim Chief Planning Officer Michael Forrester. He was previously Head of Development Management at the authority where he had responsibility to ensure the efficient review of thousands of pre-applications, planning applications and to facilitate planning committees as well as supporting planning enforcement. Much of Michael’s work has been to …

Public Transport Liaison in Lewisham – All Change Please….

Lewisham Council has agreed to retain the Public Transport Liaison Committee or Forum. This has resulted in greater scrutiny and pressure on bus and train operators to address key issues such as poor services, working conditions and lack of investment. The AGM of the Council was held on the 7th May 2025 and this meeting …

Catford Road changes go forward with CPO

Transport for London has published details of the road changes to the A205 South Circular Road that it would like to see. The documents released confirm that both a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and planning permission is required. Lewisham Council has been supporting the changes to realise their ambition to build over 2,700 properties in …

New Interim Director of Planning at Lewisham Council

Lewisham Council has appointed an Interim Director of Planning as Emma Talbot, the council’s longstanding lead planner is to leave her position shortly. The news was revealed following a public question asked by the chair of the Bell Green Neighbourhood Forum, Julia Webb at the full council meeting on 12th July 2023. PUBLIC QUESTION NO. …

Lewisham Council changes Constitution – Planning Matters

The way Lewisham Council deals with planning applications has been changed. The number of objections required to trigger a public committee meeting has been increased from three to ten and the number of planning committees and their membership reduced. Changes were made to Lewisham Council’s Constitution in relation to Planning Committees at the AGM of …

London City Airport Expansion Plans to be ‘refused’

Newham Council has written to commentators on the recent controversial London City Airport planning application and revealed that they intend to recommend refusal. The detailed proposal seeks to allow up to 9 million passengers per annum – currently limited to 6.5 million – arrivals and departures on Saturdays until 18.30 with up to 12 arrivals …

Media Law – How to report a draft judgement – or not?

An interesting point of media law and local authorities has been clarified in the High Court. The case concerns the issuing of Confidential Embargoed Draft Judgements – CEDJ – and their wider circulation. Mr Justice Fordham had sent a confidential embargoed draft judgment (CEDJ) of his decision in the planning case of Kinsey, R (On …

Assumptions for Catford Traffic published

Transport for London have released an important ‘Catford Town Centre Traffic Forecasting Report’ dated May 2021. The AECOM report gives highway assignment forecasts for 2026, 2031 and 2041, both without and with the scheme. It explains the forecasting assumptions and presents the results from the ‘Without Scheme’ and ‘With Scheme’ forecasts. AECOM make clear that …

Catford Roadworks to cost over £50 million

The proposals under consultation to re-route the South Circular A205 road in Catford are estimated to cost £55 to £60 million of public money. The figures were released following a public question to Lewisham Council’s Deputy Mayor responsible for planning. Lewisham Council believes that the majority of the funding will come from the Government via …

Consultation on Catford Road Traffic

Transport for London has started a consultation on changing the road layout in Catford, south east London. The stated aims of the scheme are to simplify the road network and make it safer and easier to walk, cycle and use public transport. A part of the Catford Road section of the main A205 South Circular …