Mitcham Gasworks development hits fresh stumbling block due to firefighters' evacuation concerns

Plans for the Mitcham Gasworks redevelopment have faced more controversy as the London Fire Brigade (LFB) expressed doubts over the safety of the five-hectare site. The plans, which propose tower blocks up to nine storeys containing 579 new flats, have already faced fierce local opposition.

In an official objection made to Merton Council’s planning department, LFB outlined a list of concerns regarding St William’s (the applicant) current fire strategy. The strategy, designed to keep potential residents safe from fire risk, was criticised due to the inadequacy of the building’s escape routes.

Lifts, or a lack thereof, were a particular sticking point for LFB. Under the current plans, they pointed out that both firefighters and occupants would be competing for the use of the lift in an emergency and that such a situation would impede a proper evacuation.

Read more: Mitcham gasworks site could have 579 homes built on it in tower blocks as revised plans slammed

In the letter published last Friday (May 10), Fire Engineer Alice Gane said: “A sufficient number of lifts should therefore be available at all times for both firefighters use and occupant evacuation. This number should also include a redundancy to ensure that there is at least one lift still available for use from all areas of the building, in the event of the lift being out of service (e.g., as a result of breakdown or maintenance).”

LFB also pointed to the risks arising from the second stair provision in the plans as another reason for objection to the current plans. Since late last year, second staircases have become an essential safety requirement in all buildings over 18m.

According to the Royal Institute of British Architects, “A second staircase in residential buildings over six storeys gives residents alternative escape routes and fire-fighters the option of a dedicated fire-fighting stair.”

While the revised plans make space for the inclusion of a second staircase, LFB fears they are not separated enough from another staircase in the building and thus would place occupants at risk during evacuation.

Gane added: “We are of the opinion that occupants should be provided with an appropriate route to either escape stair without having to move via a lobby or pass another stair to reach an alternate stair.”

The LFB also commented that plans for escape through the communal gardens via the evacuation corridors are confusing and would also prove problematic in reality. As a result, they requested more “details of the use and the proposed occupancy numbers within the amenity spaces and details of how these areas will be effectively managed.”

Electric vehicle (EV) charging points are another feature of the plans that LFB asked for more information on. This comes following growing public concern around the fire risks relating to EV charging.

The criticism was targeted at a set of revised plans published by St William, following the rejection of the previous plans released in February 2023. The revised plans, released last month, only 16 fewer homes than the 595 initially planned.

While Mitcham locals acknowledged that some changes had been made by St Wiliam, groups like Mitcham Cricket Green Community and Heritage (MCGCH) felt the development was still too high. Tony Burton, chair of the MCGCH, believes the LFB’s recent disapproval is emblematic of the development’s wider failings.

Speaking to the local democracy reporting service (LDRS), Burton said: "The red light from the LFB on fire safety is a shocking indictment of the tower blocks planned for Mitcham Gasworks. It joins the growing list of reasons why the plans need to be thrown out by Merton Council.

“The development will damage Mitcham's village character, fail to tackle the crying need for truly affordable homes, create new flats that fall below the basic standards expected of a place to live, fail to meet official greening standards, and leave uncrossable fences that prevent people walking through the site or using adjacent green space.

“The developers should come back with more modest plans conceived as a street-based natural extension of Mitcham Village and providing a mix of truly affordable houses and flats in buildings that respect Mitcham's low-rise character and provide new green spaces and public access."

Another local conservation group, the Mitcham Society, also expressed shock over the fire safety revelations. Posting on X, they said: “It is impossible to see how this planning application can be given the go ahead after such condemnation.”

The MCGCH has scrutinised the Gasworks plans since they were revealed last February. They have already created an e-petition attracting hundreds of signatories and plan to hold a public protest alongside Siobhain McDonagh MP in the coming weeks.

The gasworks site on Western Road closed in 1960 after 93 years of operation and was demolished at the end of 2021. St William, along with architect Rolfe Judd, took over the large brownfield site in 2022.

Accompanying the planned 579 flats will be 2,000 square metres of play space for children as well as new public green spaces. St William has also committed to improving biodiversity levels on the site.

The plans include ground floor shop space fronting Western Road. 158 parking spaces are also detailed in the plans, this is up from 135 promised previously.

St William were approached for comment but said they couldn’t comment on live applications.

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