Well, to be fair, the new house occupies a corner plot and matches its immediate property in architectural style, but not the other house leading off down Sunderland Road.
That’s why I put forward the opinion that corner plots/stand alone sites can ‘break the mould’ of simple, architectural conformity and allow architects of today to bring something fresh. Especially when there is a mix of architectural styles already present and within plain view of this site.
I believe that Lewisham Council’s planning decision to support a conformist development was a poor one and safe option [even though the house looks well built].
The roundabout next to the new build means that this site should have attracted the eye to an architecturally inspired home - just as the old Fire Station building by the next roundabout by Woolstone Road attracts positive, visual attention.
Instead, it’s bland, it’s just going to blend and I’m really annoyed about it.
It’s not Lewisham’s place to put forward their preference of architectural style, merely to make an objective decision based on their own planning policies as to whether or not the application in front of them is compliant, which, presumably, it was - as could have been a modern house.
Your comments regarding the style are a matter of taste, which the local planners don’t normally get too involved with on small scale developments like this (except in Conservation Areas) so your beef should be aimed at the owner or the architect, who, I agree, had a great opportunity to put something well designed and more contemporary there (that would look nothing like Shifford Path opposite - YUCK!)
The Shifford Path development was approved by the same London Borough Of Lewisham’s Planning Department. In my view, Lewisham’s planning department got it wrong with approving Lewisham Council’s own addition to its social housing on Shiffold Path [the blandest box type architecture] and has got wrong now with approving a conformist, private housing stock addition on Perry Vale, which simply reinforces the ongoing perception of ‘them and us’ on either side of Perry Vale.
I don’t believe that Lewisham Council’s jarring architectural social housing stock on Shifford Path is best matched with a conformist new build. This new build simply reinforces negative, social/economic divides in our community.
Interestingly, further North up Perry Vale there is an “architecturally interesting” house on a corner plot. It has remained uninhabited since it was built. So personally, I think building a “conformist” 5 bedroom house that will actually be used is preferable to that. As for reinforcing social / economic divides, whoever owns that land has the right to build whatever they like on it, if they can obtain planning permission for it. Are you seriously arguing that they should have designed something that would make people in social housing opposite feel less envious?!
I’m suggesting that any private landowner has every right to apply to build anything they want. But, it is for Lewisham’s Planning Department to assess the merits. On this highly visible, corner plot site located directly opposite social housing stock of poor architectural quality, which continues to provoke negative emotions, then approving an ‘in your face’, privately owned 5 bed ‘conformist’ house on the other side of the road will not assist in bridging the social/economic divide on either side of Perry Vale.
In fact, I believe that it will act negatively on the locality for many years to come.
Basically, if you live on this side of Perry Vale - you are better off than those who don’t due to architectural separation.
I feel we should be looking for Shifford Path to be improved to be at least as good as, if not better than the housing around, rather than trying to build to the lowest common denominator.
Note Shifford Path redevelopment had been discussed here before, but nothing has happened yet: Shifford and Witney Path redevelopment?
Shiffold Path will never be uplifted architecturally - either it is knocked down and rebuilt, or nothing will happen. We all know this. Lewisham’s social housing build here failed our community for all since it effectively divided the community in obvious social/economic respects due to obvious architectural failures between poorly built social housing and well built private homes on Perry Vale and beyond.
I would like to pick up on anyone who thinks that what I’ve suggested means that I would have preferred an architecturally, lower grade newbuild on Perry Vale in order to ‘link’ both sides of the road and beyond - That is not what I would have preferred to have seen here on this corner site.
I would have preferred a modern, multiple occupation building which would have captured the eye in architectural terms to blend traditional housing on this side of Perry Vale and the brutalist architecture on view from this site.
By ‘modern, multiple occupation building’ you have to mean flats. Definitely not what that side of the road needs. The houses already there were built long before Shiffold Path and regardless of the erroneous ‘them and us’ argument (there will always be ‘them and us’), what has been built is entirely sympathetic to the area. Those style of houses carry on up Perry Vale with Ted Christmas’ row, so for me anything else would stick out like a sore thumb.
Also, the new house is not the corner plot. That belongs to the last house on Sunderland Road.
No - I mean a Home in Multiple Occupation [an ‘H.M.O’] as opposed to Flats.
@Austen_Jones - I’ve moved your post and @Mac_SE23 to moderator actions (nothing wrong with your post @Mac_SE23 but it made no sense leaving it there after I moved Austen’s).
Austen please show your fellow members on this site some respect. That’s not up for debate.
Thanks - makes total sense.
Haha, couldnt remember what was there before and was arguing over whehter it was a new build or they’d just been cleaning the bricks.
Hi Forest Hull. L&Q decided not to redevelop and to do up the houses so as you will see all the L&Q homes got new roofs and guttering and a lick of paint. A victory for the residents who campaigned very hard to keep their homes and protect the green space and trees. 
Oh and from what I’ve heard there are lots of improvements inside as well as L&Q were bringing their properties up to decent homes standards. about half of the homes on this estate are privately owned. quite a few have changed hands recently and lots are being redone inside. They are enormous inside, with lots of light and of course bigger rooms than you would get in a new build today. Some people aren’t keen on the ‘boxy’ style but that’s OK, it would be boring if we all liked the same thing.
That’s great to hear things have been improved on Shifford Path. I’m fully aware these are homes for people and not just ‘houses’ that can be remodelled on a whim.
You are right that the green areas would probably be first to be sacrificed to any new build 
Drove past it today; looks good.
Traditional looking house with all the benefits of a new build. Dreamy.
Yes, it blands in nicely.