What's Happening on Crawthew Grove Project?

[intexasatthe moment]

There are 2 issues here - 1 whether the development is appropriate and should have been approved and 2 the impact of the building works on the neighbours . Nos 2 is worth complaining about .

There is a planning condition that requires the builders to work in a certain way . By the sound of it the builders are not working in a considerate way . This is worth complaining about and it needs to be reported to planning enforcement .http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200500/planning_enforcement/3256/how_to_make_a_complaint

Has this been done ?

[Mustard]

IF you go through the Southwark complaints procedures with no joy, then you can take it to Local Govt. Ombudsman, and they have the power to award compensation. That might prevent a repeat.

[PaulaBianca]

DulwichBnb, Mustard, David Carnell, Intexasatthemoment,Trizza

Wanted to thank you all for your support and advice on pursuing this further. In the last week, after much consideration and further frustrations on other things due to the build, I made a formal complaint to the Council, citing breach of Clause 17 in the revised Planning Permission that was given in August 2012 to the Developer.

There has been no work for 2 weeks. I found out today that PowerDay (second Contractor) will remove all of its materials from the site next Tuesday and is officially finished. There has been no communication at all by the Council or the Developer or existing Contractor to neighbouring residents on the new Contractor that has been apppointed to finish the build or when it is due to finish.

StaferJack - I agree that a formal complaint nearly 2 years in will not get me back the misery of living directly next door to this, but I hope the complaint might result in an acknowledgement or apology that this build never should have been approved, or of maladministration and injustice in that they have failed to ensure it kept to the Planning Conditions agreed, resulting in unreasonable adverse impact. At the very least, I hope it might assist better decisions by Planning in the future, so that other Southwark residents dont have to endure what I have endured and continue to endure!

[intexasatthe moment]

Many ,many sympathies PB . Not sure what else to say .

Worrying that the planning conditions are so easily flouted and that it's up to residents to police them .

[DovertheRoad]

Curious...does anyone know if this project ever finished?

[worldwiser]

Word on the street is that the owner keeps running out of money. He should just sell the place to someone who can actually afford to complete it and put the residents out of their misery. I mean, is he actually going to want to live next door to these poor folks who loathe him so passionately?

[ecfc29]

What is the owner actually building?

[Rosetta]

He spends a lot of time in restaurants here and around the world. Meat Liquor is part owned by him. Find it hard to believe he runs out of money.

[Jeremy]

ecfc29 Wrote:

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> What is the owner actually building?

A house - a real fancy one.

He used to post occasional updates on Instagram (I don't use it, but I know people who follow him on there). I think he excavated several metres down to build an underground swimming pool! But this was years ago.. don't know why progress has stalled. But am quite confident that finances aren't an issue.

[KidKruger]

I'd expect Southwark Council would be receptive to queries about the status of the devt, especially from immediate neighbours. Unless it's a new MI6 base or something, there shouldn't be secrecy around a project which has overrun and been of major concern to neighbours for so long.

[Jeremy]

Well the owner's identity is common knowledge, and he's easy enough to contact via Twitter or whatever. If I was a concerned neighbour, I'd probably try to ask him directly...

[PaulaBianca]

Hi all, as the immediate neighbour, I appreciate the comments, concern and outrage at this project. After nearly 3 years of stop and start build, most of it highly invasive and disruptive due to the lower level excavation, I left East Dulwich. I couldn't suffer the intrusion any more. I rented out the property and moved to Sussex. A new Project Manager was appointed last summer, HOLT, who appear to have a very good reputation. The plans they provided me over 6 months ago, showed a completion date of 1st February. Although quite a lot of work has been done and appears to be of high quality, work stopped again in December. I enquired about the delay with HOLT and was told that this was due to a 'design change'. Apparently there is yet another planning application being approved by the Council. It has now been 4 years since the build started. I have been trying to sell the property for the last year, made quite difficult by the ongoing build, especially one with this reputation. I was lucky enough to be given a tour of the famous basement last year. There is indeed a small swimming pool. It is a bona fide Man Cave. Thank you Mr. Collins and the Council for allowing such a necessity, resulting in 2 years of disruption to the neighbourhood. He hasn't run out of money. And he doesn't care if the neighbours like him or not. This build is area of focus. The Council should have enforced the completion of this build when they were requested to, nearly 2 years ago. I am awaiting a revised completion date from Holt, which I fear is going to Summer 2017. That is of course, if Mr Collins doesn't decide to halt work, fire and engage a new contractor, get shut down by the Council, make a new design change..

[Abe_froeman]

Although there must be some inconvenience the flip side seemed to be that a very near neghbour appeared to benefit from use of the builders' traffic cones every day during the school run to reserve 'their' parking spot outside this development in the mornings. So it hasnt all been awful.

[PaulaBianca]

That is a little consolation for me I'm afraid. Today I finally gained information about the planning application which is the cause of the latest delay. It can be found on Southwark's website at 16/AP/4576. The selfishness and overdevelopment continue. Mr Scott Collins has put in a proposal for a top storey bedroom extension, taking the 3 storey build to a 4 storey one and impacting the view from the rear of my home. I was not consulted at all. This hell has been going on for 4 years and when they are finally nearly finished after I have had to move out for the disruption, he tries to extend his development, further encroaching on my property and those on other side and those behind on Worlingham Rd. It is time for the Council to say NO. It cannot be right that neighbours have to suffer personally and financially at the expense of the over development of one man.

[Jeremy]

Have you appealed the application, Paula?

[PaulaBianca]

I have just objected to it, yes.

[DovertheRoad]

Now wishing I hadn't asked. 4 years? That tops the Dog shambles in Duwlich Village. Genuinely feel sorry for the neighbours.

Small swimming pool you say? Is it like big enough to actually swim in...or more like a lay back with the chicks and a bottle of Krug type set up

[Zebedee Tring]

I may be wrong but I would have thought that if people have had their lives disrupted to the extent that they have had to move out of their home, they could take some form of legal action against this selfish owner and possibly get an injunction preventing him continuing to cause such chaos (using the Human Rights Act?). The fact that someone has planning permission for a development doesn't mean that they can do what they like with impunity

I wouldn't rely on the Southwark Planning Department and Planning Committee who are as useless as a chocolate teapot.

[Earl Aelfheah]

4 years does seem pretty unreasonable for such a project to still be going on. Have you spoken to the owner - what's he say?

[worldwiser]

I believe that the law states that planning permission requires work to begin within 3 years but quite unfairly places no obligation on the owner for a completion date. I presume the owner will have a party wall agreement in place with you for all this work, especially the basement excavations? Can you not object on any failure to adhere to working practices that will have been detailed therein?

I do worry for you as he appears to have gained a verbal assurance from a planning officer about this latest permission which makes it quite unlikely any objection would be upheld. The man is clearly a menace to you and the community.

[PaulaBianca]

HI World Wiser, you are correct that planning premising has dates you must commence by, but none for completion, which is very problematic. There is a Party Wall Agreement in place. I don't see how he can have gained verbal assurance from a Planning Office in the absence of any consultation with neighbours or indeed the Freeholder of my property, who as of yesterday, knew nothing about the application for extension.

Zebedee Tring - thanks for your support I am going to look into the legalities on this situation, namely the negative impact on me but its not just against the developer, its against the Council too, who have not protected my interested and enforced completion on the project. I have no confidence that Southwark Council is acting in my best interest or that of the neighbours or the community with regard to this project.

[DovertheRoad]

Tell us more about the man cave. Is there a mini burger bar in there too?

[PaulaBianca]

Nah, just a little swimming pool and wine cellar I believe. Essential living for East Dulwich yes?

[DovertheRoad]

Sounds perfect for kids.

Genuinely feel for you. horrendous you've felt the need to move out over it all. Hope it finishes soon and that he sends you a big box of steamed patties / craft beer to make amends.

[PaulaBianca]

Appreciate your support. It has been a hellish 4 years. I am looking to sell as soon as it is complete. Have no interest in living next door to such a selfish person with no regard for neighbours or neighbourhood!