Vanishing view from Nunhead Cemetery ?

[KidKruger]

At the top of Nunhead cemetery there is a lookout point from which you can look through the maintained gap in the trees across London to Saint Pauls cathedral.

I noticed recently that in the foreground there is a “rogue“ building gradually being constructed and increasing in height, floor by floor.

If a few more floors are added the view of Saint Pauls will be deleted, or at least significantly reduced.

Does anybody know anything about it, I have no way of knowing where the building is or how far from Nunhead?

I’m not trying to start a campaign or anything (I wouldn’t know which building to address) but I wondered whether it had ever been a consideration to maintain the view, I imagine not as it may not have been obvious to developers or the council.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I thought it was a protected view, but this website shows otherwise:

London's Protected Views — Richard Gower

This site may be of interest:

Protected views and tall buildings - City of London

Very sad, I always plonk on the bench and admire the view on the few occasions I go to the cemetery.

 

[Sue]

Oh no! I always thought it was a protected view as well.

That's awful 😢

[Kathleen Olander]

I thought it was a protected view too, perhaps the building isn't going to be any taller than at present?

[LurkyMcLurker]

You're looking at the developments on Glengall Road.

I'm pretty sure it's the development with the contractors HG for Southern Housing

Unfortunately it's not a protected view so it wouldn't have been a consideration at the time of application to the council.

 

[Kathleen Olander]

According to Southwark Council consultation report from 2023 it is a protected view:-

"The view of St Pauls Cathedral from Nunhead Cemetery is a protected view within the Southwark Plan and this is acknowledged within the CMP. The CMP contains an ‘action plan’, which states that the view should continue to be maintained within the cemetery by cutting back tree growth. Some residents were concerned that this was not happening regularly enough to retain this view. Unfortunately, the regularity of maintenance is limited by our maintenance budget. Should visitors notice that the view has become obscured, it would be helpful if they could inform council staff."

[ianr]

There's a set of what seem to be statutory directions pertaining to a set of specific protected  vistas, from points such as Greenwich, Primrose Hill, Kenwood, Richmond, at https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/LVMF Directions 16 March 2012.pdf, and I don't find Nunhead mentioned in it; though I don't know that it's the only set of such directions.  I do doubt that a "protected view within the Southwark Plan" is a creature of the same species.  Perhaps someone can find it.

Edited February 17, 2024 by ianr

[east-of-the-Rye]

The trees in the cemetery are kept maintained (trimmed) by the Council to preserve the view of St Pauls, they were there 2 - 3 months ago. Same Southwark Council team also trimmed the trees in One Tree Hill.

[CPR Dave]

Protected view includes the backdrop too. So if this spoiled the view of St Paul's from a protected view in the North (Primose Hill) etc this would be a problem.

This issue came up in the DHFV stadium application which itself has no view of St Paul's but might have impacted other protected views if the the housing tower blocks were too tall.

[LurkyMcLurker]

9 hours ago, ianr said:

There's a set of what seem to be statutory directions pertaining to a set of specific protected  vistas, from points such as Greenwich, Primrose Hill, Kenwood, Richmond, at https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/LVMF Directions 16 March 2012.pdf, and I don't find Nunhead mentioned in it; though I don't know that it's the only set of such directions.  I do doubt that a "protected view within the Southwark Plan" is a creature of the same species.  Perhaps someone can find it.

A quick google search found it. "New Southwark Plan - Borough Views" is what you want. Also, you could search something like "Southwark Council Protected Views" and it comes up.

Anyways, The council's taken this upon themselves to protect a few views of St Pauls from within the council's boundaries. It's not the same as the protected views that result in the designs of properties in the city like The Cheesegrater and The Scalpel.

The most important part is this: "Development that exceeds a Threshold Plane is likely to harm a viewer’s ability to recognise and appreciate St Paul’s Cathedral and is therefore likely to be refused."

It doesn't seem that the development in the photo harms both the viewer's ability to recognise and appreciate the cathedral therefore it was given permission. It does look like for it's gone right up to the line of what is acceptable and stayed there.

[KidKruger]

The cranes are still there so I’d guess it’s still going upwards!

Thanks for info.

[Sue]

6 hours ago, KidKruger said:

The cranes are still there so I’d guess it’s still going upwards!

Thanks for info.

😭

[peckhambog]

The Southern website says they've had the topping off ceremony on August 22nd for the 6th floor. Completion due 2025.

https://www.southernhousing.org.uk/latest-news/2023/milestone-at-our-southwark-development

Although the HG website has a picture of a building with 11 levels.

https://www.hgconstruction.co.uk/new-scheme-at-glengall-road/