A group in Richmond is appealing to the Mayor of London to consider an alternative, smaller scale plan for the redevelopment of the former Stag Brewery site.

The Mortlake Brewery Community Group (MBCG) says the current 1,250-home development proposals for the Stag Brewery site would "nearly double the population of Mortlake and force more cars and pollution on to the local road network, which doesn't have the capacity to cope".

Campaigner Geri Cox told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she is most concerned about the health of children and vulnerable residents.

"We live in a very toxic and polluted area. We have asked for air monitors in the past. Most of the children have asthma," she said.

She said the roads are constantly gridlocked and even the trains are too busy, and that this will only get worse with the new development. "Sometimes in peak times the trains don't even stop at Mortlake. When the passengers get on them, they just tell them that they're going to Clapham Junction or Waterloo."

The group's co-chair and architect Peter Eaton said: "It's just got bigger, it's got taller, it's got more dense, and by going taller, it's actually damaged a lot of the placemaking that they were trying to achieve with the open spaces."

Mr Eaton worries the new scheme is "subsumed by buildings" and there is a "great deal more damage to heritage than in the previous scheme."

He also fears the plans for a new secondary school on the site are not needed, and may harm existing schools in the area.

Size of proposal grows

The Mayor was due to make a decision on the amended scheme on November 26, but this hearing was delayed. A new date is yet to be set but looks likely to be in early 2021.

After the original scheme from developers Reselton was largely approved by Richmond Council (except an application for changes to the road layout at Chalkers Corner traffic junction), the Mayor 'called-in' the plan because of its low level of affordable housing, which stood at just 17%.

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This has since increased to up to 30%, but so has the size of the development.

It was originally due to contain 813 homes, but this has since grown to 1,250.

The heights of some of the buildings have also increased by up to three storeys, worrying locals who fear they will obscure the protected historic brewery building built in 1903.

Alternative vision

The MBCG see the delay as an opportunity to consider their alternative community plan for a smaller development, and to prevent the start of building until Hammersmith Bridge is fully re-open, expected in 2027.

Their plan includes a maximum of 700 flats "with ample affordable and social rent housing, blocks no taller than the old Maltings building and protection for the precious green space on the historic Watneys playing fields".

Richmond Council also welcomed the Mayor's decision to delay his planning hearing last month. It also raised concerns about the impact of the ongoing closure of Hammersmith Bridge on the proposed development.

In its formal submission to the Mayor on changes to the development, the council outlined concerns about the transport assessment and the increased height and bulk of some of the buildings.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said they were unable to comment on the application because it is still "live".

What the applicants say

A spokesperson for the developers, Reselton, said: "Somewhat surprisingly the MBCG have never shown us their development plan for the site so it is difficult for the applicant to comment. Technically there is an approved planning policy for the site which is set out in the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames' adopted plan. This was consulted upon in 2010 and then adopted by Richmond Council in 2011 so the local residents had a significant say in how the site should be developed then."

MBCG disputes this and said they have spoken with the developers about their community proposal several times.

The spokesperson for Reselton added: "Richmond's planning committee approved the planning application which followed this adopted plan on January 20.

"Following his Stage 2 Review, The Mayor of London has called in the application principally for two reasons. First, he feels the scheme represents an underdevelopment of the site and he consequently feels a larger scheme would deliver more much needed affordable housing. Second, he felt the proposed approved scheme has too much car parking.

"Therefore the applicant has addressed these two points with an amended scheme which is due to be considered early in the New Year.

"The original application comprised three linked applications, one of which was to improve the working capacity of the intersection of Lower Richmond Road and the A316, Clifford Avenue. As the amended scheme has significantly less car parking and so will generate less traffic, a smaller alteration to Chalkers Corner has been designed and is preferred by the applicant, the GLA and TfL.

"It does not involve the acquisition of any existing non highway land in third party ownership and the works can therefore be secured by way of a S.278 Highways Agreement. Consequently the Chalkers Corner Application C has been withdrawn."

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