18 – 20 Chelsea Manor Street

Pre-2015

Royal Mail closed this sorting office in 2007, transferring the work to premises in Nine Elms Lane (SW8) and World’s End (SW10), and sold the site to a property developer the following year. A planning application was submitted for a large block of flats on the site, but it was refused by the Council in early 2009 in the face of opposition from the Planning Department and residents who objected to the bulk and design of the proposed building.

The site came onto the market again in 2010 in the meantime the parking area reached via Sydney Street (and behind Alameda House) was used as a commercial car park. In early 2011 a second Planning Application was submitted to demolish and build flats. Residents continued to object to aspects of the design of the proposed building felt to be out of character with the street. However, the Council did include the Edwardian brick portico entrance within the Conservation Area so it could not be demolished.

In August 2013 another application was submitted for this site which included the demolition of the buildings at 18-20 Chelsea Manor Street with the retention and alteration of front facade of 18. This proposal also proposed construction of 17 self-contained apartments at garden level, upper ground, first, second and third floors. This proposal was then withdrawn and the developer held a public exhibition of proposals. We encouraged residents to attend and provide comments directly to the developer and architect.