Dominic Cooper and Sarah Hadland oppose Blackheath station homes plan

Developer Acorn intends to build 45 new homes on the site, consisting of 20 terraced homes and 25 flats as part of two blocks that would be five storeys and four storeys tall.

Lewisham Council’s planning committee has been recommended by planning officers to grant permission at a meeting tonight (January 27).

The plans would see the car park, which consists of 162 spaces, reduced to just 17 while the development itself would deliver 21.3 per cent ‘affordable’ housing by habitable room.

Acorn previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that its plans are an opportunity to unlock the site’s “development potential” and said the proposals offer a substantial number of public benefits.

However hundreds of Blackheath residents and businesses have criticised the plans as they argue the proposals are too large and out of character for the area.

In total, the plans have attracted 1,202 objections, 30 comments in support and 12 neutral comments.

Hollywood star Dominic Cooper and TV actor Sarah Hadland have raised concerns over the plans.

Dominic Cooper is opposing the plans (Image: PA)

Cooper, who grew up in Blackheath and stars in Mamma Mia and The History Boys, had already signed an open letter along with several other well-known names, including actor Jude Law and Chris Difford from the band Squeeze.

The Marvel actor released a statement on Friday (January 23), and said: “Residents are not anti-development – they are instead demanding development that is fair, responsible, and puts local people at the heart of decision-making.

"To plough ahead with a proposal of this size, that provides so little social and affordable housing, that prioritises developer profit, whilst ignoring overwhelming public opposition would amount to a devastating betrayal of the electorate.”

Campaigners argue the new homes will overshadow the existing terraces in Collins Street (Image: Lewisham planning documents)

He urged Lewisham Council to revisit the plan, adding “anything less is a failure of its duty to the public it serves”.

Hadland, who starred as Stevie Sutton in the BBC sitcom Miranda, called it an “absolute travesty” that local concerns had been “completely overlooked” by the council.

She added: “As it stands this development brings nothing positive to the area. All we are asking is that it’s amended further, taking local opinion into consideration. We will fight this to the end – for the sake of our children.”

Locals fear the plans will harm the Blackheath Conservation Area, which was the first one to ever be formed in London in 1968.

Campaigners also said the scale and design of the buildings “show no regard” for the surrounding area and would overshadow the existing terraces in Collins Street.

Olly Payne, a lifelong Blackheath resident, previously told the LDRS: “No one is against housing and no one is against some type of development, we understand that there’s open space and people try to build on open spaces so all of that has been understood but what we’re really objecting to is this particular application.

“Blackheath is one of London’s oldest conservation areas and this is just completely out of keeping with anything else within the vicinity. It’s enormous, you’ve got this big five storey block so there’s a problem with the massing and scale of the development.

“This is just going to have a huge impact on the area, it’s going to set a terrible precedent in terms of future development and you think people are being precious about the area, but it’s a conservation area and if you’re developing in conservation areas, you’re meant to respect them. There’s a reason why we have them.

The plans have been met with strong opposition from locals Credit: Acorn / Lewisham planning documents (Image: Lewisham planning documents)

“Conservation areas are important, otherwise everything becomes a high-rise, you lose the character. Blackheath is known for being a characterful area that people love and you can see that by the reaction that we’ve had to this development.”

Several celebrities and high-profile public figures with personal links to the area have signed an open letter opposing Acorn’s plans, including Hollywood actors Jude Law and Dominic Cooper and Dame Joan Ruddock, who served as Lewisham Deptford’s Labour MP for 28 years.

Last year 80 local businesses signed their own open letter urging Lewisham Council to reject the plans, arguing it is “the single biggest threat to the survival of Blackheath’s independent retailers” and the “unique character of the village that Blackheath has faced in recent times”.

Businesses such as Blackheath Natural Remedies and Blackheath Vintners said a reduction in car parking would be “disastrous” for the village, as they say the area already suffers from a lack of spaces.

Campaigners also said there is uncertainty around the future of the Blackheath Farmers’ Market, which operates in the car park every Sunday.

However Mark Handley, director at London Farmers Market, previously said the market will have a “much improved and viable new home” with additional facilities in a purpose-built market location.

Shortly after the LDRS first reported on the plans, the architect firm in charge of designing the scheme responded to the criticism and said the development would be “a change for the good”.

John Pardey, who founded John Pardey Architects, told Architects’ Journal in September: “The scheme offers the replacement of a car-centric environment characterised by poor-quality surface car parking with a highly considered design that we are convinced will enhance Blackheath Village. A change for the good.

“Our proposals, almost a year in planning – and more than four years since inception – are wholly in line with national, London and local planning policies that promote increased housing supply in response to the urgent need for new homes, including much-needed social rented family homes.”

A Lewisham Council spokesperson previously said they could not comment due to the plans being part of a live planning application however, planning officers have advised the planning committee to give the proposals the green light.