An application to turn a parade of Southfield shops into a residential redevelopment has been blocked after a petition gained more than 5,000 signatures.

Developer’s plans to turn the strip of Southfield shops in Wimbledon Park Road into flats have suffered a setback after council planners blocked an application that would have allowed the scheme to go ahead without planning permission.

Wandsworth Times:

More than 5,000 residents signed a petition to save the street of shops with the campaign receiving the support of MP Justine Greening.

June 7: Save Southfields Village: Residents rally to save shops from flat conversion

In a statement commending the decision, the MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields said: "It is absolutely right that these applications were refused and I very much welcome the planning officer’s decision.

"While this is good news, it is important that this situation is monitored to ensure that any subsequent applications submitted are objected to."

The application was deemed "undesirable" on the grounds that it would "harm the sustainability" of the shopping parade and "reduce the provision of a range of services within the local centre and key shopping area". 

Planning committee chairman Councillor Sarah McDermott said: "Any proposals for significant change here would need to be subject to full and proper public scrutiny and consultation.

"It was certainly not something that we felt would be appropriate under the very general and modest changes allowed under permitted development rights."

Had it been passed the application would have given the developer the ‘in principle’ right to change the development rights of the Wimbledon Park Road from retail to residential with only limited public scrutiny.

Councillor for West Hill ward, Malcolm Grimston, who had campaigned against the development said: "I am encouraged that the council has listened to the strength of local opinion on this - of course the developer might now come back with a formal planning application which we will have to defend but this is something which has really fired up the Southfields community."