Help us stop developers from turning our historical, much loved local pub and becoming 3 storey high, with nine 1-bedroom flats, and infilled on all three sides.
The Railway Bell served as a much loved community pub for decades, and as local residents we are concerned that its demolition will erase a 19th Century building of real character and local historic legacy, knocking the existing building down and replacing with flats. The pub is locally listed by Lambeth as a rare “Two-storey ‘cottage’ PH.“
The proposed block will dwarf the current façade and fill the space either side and above of the current Railway Bell, as well as directly overlooking the playground of Paxton Primary school and neighbouring houses.
Our first – and most urgent – priority as a group is to object to the planning application, lodging as many oppositions to Lambeth Council as possible before the deadline on the 11th April 2026. This is where we need your help…
We have outlined a template objection covering the main points below. You can use this as your objection if you are short on time, but it’s also very powerful and effective for people to share their personal reasons/observations for an objection.
Please feel free to take elements of the template and key planning grounds to object, and add your own thoughts and concerns. We have included some summarised policy points so you don’t have to trawl all of the documentation, but all of this information has been uploaded to the portal if you want to double check anything in the developer’s application. Read the full objection by the Friends of the Railway Bell here.
DEADLINE FOR OBJECTIONS 11 APRIL 2026
MAKE A PLANNING OBJECTION: click here now!
If the Lambeth planning portal is down, you can also send objections to planning@lambeth.gov.uk, and ensure you add the planning app reference number 26/00528/FUL, add your name, and your address are included in the email.
Find out more and get involved to help: railwaybellfriends@gmail.com and on facebook.
I object to the proposal due to the unjustified loss of a long-established community pub, significant heritage harm to a locally listed building, poor housing mix, amenity impacts, and unresolved technical risks, all contrary to adopted planning policy. Summary below are my further grounds for objecting:
1. Loss of Public House & Community Facility
- Loss of a historic old pub with clear social, cultural, and community value
- Fails 24-month marketing requirement (only ~14 months provided)
- No robust evidence that continued pub use is unviable
- Loss of detached function room on ground floor (community events space) not assessed by applicant. Ideally for families and children not needing go into the main pub. With temporary ramps can be made step free accessible. No similar pub ground floor function rooms locally.
- No needs assessment or replacement provision for social infrastructure
- Conflicts with:
- London Plan Policy HC7
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy ED9
- London Plan Policy S1
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy S2
- National Planning Policy Framework (paras 96 & 98)
2. Heritage Harm to Locally Listed Building
- Proposal amounts to façade retention with demolition behind
- Combined three storey side extension, plus single storey side extension, and third story mansard extension are not subservient and overwhelm original building
- Loss of locally listed “two storey cottage PH” character, setting, and street presence. Significant heritage harm in extensions on each side and above.
- Removal of historic 1892 Young & Co plaque on rear stables
- Harm to significance of a non-designated heritage asset
- No clear justification; public benefits do not outweigh harm and loss of social infrastructure.
- Conflicts with:
- London Plan Policy HC1
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy Q23
- Lambeth Design Guide SPD 2023 (discourages facadism)
3. Poor Design Quality, Failure to Respond to Local Context and Contextual Integration
- The proposal’s design, involving facade retention and rear extensions, fails to achieve high-quality place-making.
- The design approach appears to prioritise development yield over contextual design.
- Conflicts with:
- London Plan Policy D1 – London’s Form and Character
- London Plan Policy D3 – Design-Led Approach
- London Plan Policy D4 – Delivering Good Design
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy Q5 – Local Distinctiveness
3. Poor Housing Mix
- Scheme provides 9 x 1-bed units only
- Fails to meet local need for family housing
- Does not contribute to a balanced housing mix
- Limits public benefits used to justify heritage harm
- Conflicts with:
- London Plan Policy H10
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy H2
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy H4
4. Amenity & Parking Impacts
- Intensification likely to increase parking pressure and congestion
- Overspill onto surrounding streets, including a School Street
- Potential safety risks for children and pedestrians
- Harm to residential amenity
- Conflicts with:
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy Q2
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy T6 (Parking):
5. Basement & Flood Risk
- Basement report identifies unresolved risks:
- Groundwater conditions
- Flooding potential
- Ground stability concerns
- Further investigation required but not completed
- Premature to grant permission with uncertainties
- Risk to building structure and surroundings
- Conflicts with:
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy Q27
- Lambeth Local Plan Policy EN5
Friends of the Railway Bell contact: railwaybellfriends@gmail.com and on or facebook.
Friends of the Railway Bell 