A 16-storey tower block has been approved for Lewisham Town Centre, after being given the green light by Lewisham Council’s strategic planning committee.

The scheme will see Axion House on Silver Road demolished to make way for 141 flats across three buildings ranging between 5 to 16 storeys.

A similar scheme was refused by the committee last year.

The application would have seen 136 flats – 20 per cent of which would have been let at affordable rent levels.

But the new application increased the number of flats to 141, including a new social rent flat and six intermediate flats – bumping up the affordable housing to 25 per cent.

Lewisham Council has a strategic target of 50 per cent affordable housing in developments.

But this is the maximum affordable housing developer London Square Development can provide, according to a viability report.

A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: “The Strategic Planning Committee approved the application for 1 Silver Road in Lewisham town centre, where there is significant demand for new homes and a growing population.

“Our priority is to deliver the maximum level of affordable homes in private developments, and we will challenge developers at every stage of the planning process to increase their offer.

“Through extensive negotiations with the development, we have been able to increase the affordable housing from 20 per cent to 25 per cent at Silver Road. Viability assessments have confirmed that this is the maximum level of affordable homes possible on this site.”

 The development is close to a number of significant strategic development sites along Loampit Vale.

This includes the 536-flat development at the Lewisham Retail Park across towers four to 24 storeys high, approved in October 2017, and the Carpetright site  development for two buildings up to 35 storeys in height for student accommodation approved in July.

Other recently completed developments in Lewisham Town Centre include the Renaissance, with 794 flats, the Glassmill leisure centre, retail and office space in buildings up to 24 storeys high. This development is now complete and occupied.

It also includes the Thurston Point development, with retail space and 406 flats in buildings up to 17 storeys which is now complete and occupied, according to a council report.