Wandsworth Council has scrapped controversial plans to build a 14-storey tower block at the centre of the Lennox Estate in Roehampton, following the Conservative victory in the local elections in May. The decision was announced in a leaflet sent to residents by Wandsworth Conservatives, who now lead the council as a minority administration.
Plans for 81 new council homes cancelled
The previous Labour-controlled council had submitted plans to build two apartment blocks on the estate, including a 14-storey block with 56 homes and a six-storey block with 25 homes, totalling 81 new council homes. The blocks were to be arranged around a new games court, replacing the existing one on the estate. The planning application remained undecided when the local elections took place in May, and the Conservatives had pledged to cancel the scheme if they won.
The leaflet from Wandsworth Conservatives, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), states that plans to build a "huge tower on the green won't now happen." However, the council declined to comment on whether all 81 homes are scrapped or just the taller tower block.
Residents' concerns and objections
Tenants and leaseholders had raised multiple concerns about the proposals, filing 134 written objections. They argued that the 14-storey block was too tall and would overshadow neighbouring homes, and that the already crowded estate, congested local roads, and overstretched services would be under too much strain. Residents also objected to proposed traffic arrangements, which would have closed part of Arabella Drive to vehicles and rerouted traffic along Ludovick Walk, as well as concerns over limited parking spaces despite the introduction of controlled parking for existing residents.
While the council had pledged to provide new and replacement open space to ensure no net loss, residents did not want the existing green space to be cut up.
Housing need and the Homes for Wandsworth programme
The estate was part of the previous Labour administration's 1,000 homes programme, known as Homes for Wandsworth, which aimed to build 1,000 new council homes in the borough by 2029. Planning documents stated an urgent need for new homes, with more than 11,000 households on Wandsworth's housing waiting list as of March 2025, including 3,771 homeless households. The documents described the scheme as playing "a vital role in addressing this housing crisis while delivering long-term community benefits."
According to the documents, "Given the pressing demand for new affordable housing in Wandsworth and in the context of making efficient use of available land, the Lennox Estate provides a unique opportunity to deliver much-needed affordable housing whilst also improving the public green spaces, play spaces and community use in line with the objectives of the Homes for Wandsworth programme."
Political shift and future of the estate
Labour lost control of Wandsworth Council in the May elections, and it is now led by a Conservative minority, which fell one seat short of the 30 needed for a majority. The cancellation of the tower block plan marks a significant shift in housing policy on the estate, though the council has not clarified the fate of the remaining 25 homes in the six-storey block.
