Residents have voiced their disappointment over approval of plans for a mammoth 365-flat and workspace development which includes Lewisham’s tallest building.

The Conington Road development in the Tesco car park in Lewisham town centre, which includes eight, 14 and 34-storey towers, was approved by Lewisham Council’s strategic development committee last month by four votes to three.

The scheme includes 16 homes for social rent, 27 homes for “affordable rent” or 80 per cent of market value, and 30 homes for discount market sale.

This equates to 20 per cent of the total 365 homes in the development.

Lewisham Council has a strategic target of 50 per cent affordable housing on all developments.

The first application for the scheme submitted by Meyer Homes was rejected in April, with the developer appealing the council’s rejection.

The scheme was initially rejected because of transport access and capacity, affordable housing levels, and height and density.

But the approved scheme is “largely identical to that of the refused application” with “minor modifications,” council documents explain. 

This includes improved access to the Skydeck on top of the tallest building – which would be free to the public between 10am and 1pm, and free to residents at all other times – and an agreement with Network Rail around funding improvements to Lewisham station.

Nick Patton, from the Blackheath Society, said residents were writing to the Greater London Authority with their concerns about the level of affordable housing in the development.

An initial report from the GLA found the affordable housing levels “wholly unacceptable.”

Mr Patton said the council’s approval of the re-submitted scheme was “very disappointing”, after a petition against the development received more than 1,000 signatures.

“Residents think they don’t seem to count for much in these decisions,” he said.

Ward councillor for Blackheath, Cllr Kevin Bonavia, who spoke against the development at planning committee, said this type of scheme should have a clear public benefit.

A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: “The strategic planning committee resolved to grant planning permission for the Conington Road development after earlier concerns raised were satisfactorily addressed. The application will need to be referred back to the GLA as part of the process.”