DWD have secured planning permission on behalf of Big Yellow Self Storage after the Planning Inspectorate allowed an appeal following a five-day public inquiry in May 2024.
The scheme comprises the redevelopment of Alpha House on Regis Road within a central part of the Regis Road Growth Area – one of six strategic areas to which growth within the borough is to be delivered. The proposal involves the replacement of the existing building with a new five-storey building containing a self-storage facility and flexible office space.
Although 10 reasons for refusal were cited by Camden Council, the principal reason debated at the inquiry related to the Council’s assertion that the development constituted ‘piecemeal’ development that would prejudice the Council’s aspirations for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Growth Area.
The Council argued that to constitute comprehensive redevelopment, any proposal should be informed by a masterplan encompassing the entire Growth Area. However, there was no adopted masterplan and the Council’s efforts to promote such a plan were not at an advanced stage.
The Inspector concluded that the development proposals could not be expected to accord with a masterplan that did not exist and there was no evidence to suggest it would undermine any future development strategy. Rather, the Inspector acknowledged that the proposed development would deliver significant employment benefits including a significant increase in floorspace of priority uses for which a need had been identified and support of hundreds of jobs for start-ups and small-to-medium enterprises.
The appeal decision can be viewed here.
