London SE1 community website

Lambeth tells developers: no more hotels in Waterloo, thank you

London SE1 website team

Lambeth Council is to warn developers that it won't grant planning permission for new hotels around Waterloo and the South Bank.

The measure is contained in updates to the Lambeth Local Plan to be rubber-stamped at a meeting of the borough's cabinet next week.

Lambeth's draft policy says: "Given the significance of tourism to London's economy it is important that Lambeth contributes to meeting the accommodation needs of tourists and business visitors.

"However, Lambeth has a very strong pipeline and stock of new hotel rooms, with the majority of this concentrated in the north of the borough.

"There is also a good supply of other forms of visitor accommodation including short-term lets and the use of student halls during university holiday periods that supplement the supply of traditional serviced visitor accommodation.

"Concentrations of visitor accommodation can constrain other important uses and change the character of an area. Given the existing numbers and concentration of hotels in Waterloo, additional visitor accommodation in this area will not be supported."

Lambeth says that just under half of respondents to its consultation – held last autumn – strongly agreed or agreed that new hotels should not be supported in Waterloo.

"Respondents argued there are number of issues in Waterloo, including the creation of a dormitory for tourists, the impact on Lower Marsh and loss of services for residents and the lack of benefit to the local economy," wrote council officers in a summary of the feedback received.

"Developers argued that the need for hotels should be considered on a case by case basis and a blanket ban on new hotels in Waterloo would not be supported."

More details in the papers for next week's Lambeth cabinet meeting

The SE1 website is supported by people like you
We are part of
Independent Community News Network
Email newsletter

For the latest local news and events direct to your inbox every Monday, you need our weekly email newsletter SE1 Direct.

Archive
News archive from February 1999 to January 2001
Got a story for us?
Contact us with your tip-offs and story ideas.