Lucy’s plan gets the green light

Lucy's already had permission for a previous proposal in 2000, then in 2003 put in a new application for substantially more housing, but withdrew this in the light of doubts from the planning officers about the low provision for social housing and the scale of the buildings. These concerns have been met and on 25 August the Strategic Development Control Committee approved the plans. The development will consist of 186 flats, plus some offices and a gym on the main factory site. On the other side of the canal, on land currently used for a car park, there will be 33 more flats and 30 houses. Now 40% of the units will be for social housing, including joint-ownership flats for key workers. There will also be more than 300 parking spaces most of which will be underground. As their social contribution, Lucy’s will give £100,000 towards the building of the new Jericho Community Centre, plus £55,000 for recreation facilities for older children to be built elsewhere, perhaps in Aristotle Lane or at St Barnabas School. There was a fairly heated debate at the meeting about the environmental standards of the new building. Berkeley Homes, the developer, said they had some pilot schemes for solar heating but that they could not guarantee that these would be completed in time for this development. Walton Street Cycles’ workshop is currently on the factory site and it looked as though this might have to close down. Fortunately, Lucy’s have now offered as an alternative the building in Cranham Terrace formerly occupied by Cranham Press. This gives only half the space, but at least means that the business survives. The move will take place in January.