A proposed 168-flat development reaching 21 storeys in Old Kent Road is going to a planning committee on Wednesday (January 8).  

Plans to demolish and replace the single-storey Aldi near the junction with Leo Street in Peckham are included in the application.  

Apartment buildings would vary from 13 storeys to 21, prompting objections from residents about the potential lack of light and privacy, and possible “commuter misery”.  

The developer is proposing to allocate 36 per cent of the homes as affordable, while 28 per cent of those would be shared ownership.  

A temporary Aldi store would be open to the public while construction takes place, while the new supermarket, once built, would have 20 per cent more floor space and be located under the flats.  

A representative for residents in Radford Court, a nearby block of flats, said they were supportive of the redevelopment of Old Kent Road but that the proposals would “have an adverse impact on the local community and existing residents, one that is not outweighed by the benefits of development of additional housing”. 

“The size of the proposed development is significantly out of character with the local area.  

“All other residential buildings in the surrounding area are below five to six storeys except for the council flats.  

“This is in-keeping with the height of the local listed gas holder and is a feature of the area enjoyed by local residents.  

“If this proposal were approved at its current proposed size it would set a precedent for significantly altering the surrounding landscape,” they said. 

They also raised concerns about the loss of privacy and light to existing residents that would result from the development and the increase in traffic.  

One resident, whose home is right next to Aldi, said it would “be like living in a gold fish bowl” if the plans are approved. 

Another said they were concerned about the scale of the development “in the absence of any further transport improvements”.  

“The overall size of the building has been enlarged from when I saw it at the developer’s consultation.  

“The bus services are already at breaking point at peak times on the Old Kent Road and, with no firm prospect of seeing the tube extension before this plan is implemented and completed, we can expect more commuter misery,” they said.  

The decision on the development will be made at a planning committee on Wednesday evening.