Locals slam plans to build more homes on Springfield Hospital site

South Londoners have slammed plans to build almost 450 more homes in a new "village" to help fund new hospital facilities in a nearby borough.

More than 830 homes are already approved for the Springfield Village site in Tooting, as part of Springfield Hospital's revamp, along with a new public park previously described as the biggest set to open in London since the Olympic Games.

The scheme would be the final phase in the ongoing revamp of the site, which already includes permission for 839 homes, state-of-the-art mental health facilities, a care home, the 32-acre Springfield Park and land for a new school. The latest application from BDW Trading Limited and STEP Springfield Village Limited would add 449 more homes, including 220 affordable homes.

Buildings on the site would be demolished to make way for the homes, which would be built in blocks up to five storeys tall and as townhouses. The plans include 48 car parking spaces and 817 cycle parking spaces.

The overall project forms part of South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust's scheme to revamp and build new mental health facilities in the area, including at Springfield and Tolworth hospitals. A statement with the latest application says selling the land would help fund the new facilities at Tolworth Hospital in Kingston.

It says: "Since 2019, there has been significant pressures impacting on the deliverability of Tolworth Hospital and the funding required due to pressures such as increasing build costs, inflation and Brexit. In light of this, the trust have sought to maximise the opportunities for sale of their land parcels, including this site, to achieve best value, to facilitate the delivery of Tolworth Hospital."

CGI of the proposals for more homes at Springfield Village. Credit: Farrells London LLP/BDW Trading Limited/STEP Springfield Village Limited, provided in Wandsworth Council planning documents

It says the development will add benefits to the scheme, including more affordable homes on a brownfield site, the creation of a "truly mixed and balanced community" with one, two and three-bed homes, fewer trees being removed and delivering the remaining 2.4 acres of Springfield Park in a "more useable" form with the reorientation of development plots.

But 249 people have written to Wandsworth Council objecting to the plans. Albert Brown wrote: "The proposed changes will place further unacceptable burden on the surrounding community and infrastructure. The adjacent roads do not have the capacity to cope with the huge increase in traffic."

James Kelley said the development is "ridiculously bigger than the originally consulted plans". He commented: "The local infrastructure is already at breaking point, especially the traffic issues which would result from another 400 households accessing the area via residential roads. The park area, which was the only positive to come out of this development will also be blighted by this monstrous construction."

Tracy Gordon said: "This will be a nightmare for the existing local residents as the infrastructure is not available to support this many new homes." Lee Ann Thompson added: "Without increase in bus and other forms of public transportation we do not have room for this."

Four letters have been sent in support of the plans. Rob Hicks wrote: "This area is in desperate need of more housing, along with the whole of London. The development represents a positive redevelopment of under-utilised space in an appropriate location for public transport."

A further statement with the application says it will "create vibrant new gardens, public realm and complete the park". It adds: "The proposed residential neighbourhood will retain and enhance historic settings, optimise site permeability, connect to the wider area of Tooting and provide new homes."

It says there are Underground and National Rail stations nearby and other ways to access the site, including car parking for wheelchair users, while the development "proposes to reduce vehicular movement by making roads only a destination route and not a circulation route".

A transport statement says the scheme is in line with the London Plan with a suitable level of parking, the proposed pedestrian and cycle routes are suitable and a "modest increase" in people using public transport would be accommodated.

Discussing Springfield Park at the council's health committee on November 14, Phillip Murray, director of finance and performance at the trust, said: "There will be a 32-acre park, so other than the Olympic Village opening I think this will be the biggest park that's been opened in London in time immemorial – certainly for people my age, we won't know any other parks that have opened of this size." The park is expected to open in phases between 2023 and 2025.

Wandsworth Council will make a decision on the application for more homes at a later date.

Pictures one and two: CGI of the proposals for more homes at Springfield Village. Credit: Farrells London LLP/BDW Trading Limited/STEP Springfield Village Limited, provided in Wandsworth Council planning documents