Camberwell’s Historic Youth Club Set for Demolition to Make Way for 39 New Apartments

Plans to demolish a former youth club in Camberwell and construct 39 new residential flats have received unanimous approval. Comber Grove Estates submitted a proposal to replace the old Hollington Youth Club on Comber Grove with a six-storey residential building. The Southwark Council’s Planning Committee endorsed the initiative during a meeting held last Wednesday.

The Hollington Youth Club, which closed its doors in 2017, has remained unused since. Once managed by the DMC Hollington Trust, the facility featured a boxing gym, a sports hall, and several offices, smaller rooms, and changing facilities. Established in the 1890s, the club initially operated on nearby Hollington Road, which has since been demolished, and served approximately 200 boys from the economically challenged area of Camberwell. It relocated to its current site in the 1950s, coinciding with the development of the estate.

New Housing Development Details

The newly approved development will consist of 39 flats, with 40 per cent designated as ‘affordable housing.’ This includes nine homes for social rent, five properties available for shared ownership, and 25 private residences. The social rent category will comprise five one-bedroom flats, one two-bedroom flat, and three three-bedroom flats. The shared ownership properties will be divided into two two-bedroom and three three-bedroom flats, while the private market homes will feature 10 one-bedroom, 11 two-bedroom, and four three-bedroom flats.

Planning officers from the council expressed that the transition from community space to residential housing, particularly with the inclusion of 40 per cent affordable units, was deemed acceptable. Additionally, the development will offer facilities such as cycle storage, refuse storage, and a communal roof terrace designed to accommodate play space for children under five, along with communal and private amenity areas.

Community Support and Historical Context

During the committee meeting, representatives from DCM Hollington Trust conveyed their support for the new plans, stating they present an “excellent way” to further their mission of assisting local communities in Southwark. John Murray, speaking on behalf of the Trust’s Chairman, detailed the financial challenges that led to the youth club’s closure in 2015 and 2016. He explained, “Eventually, maintaining the club and ensuring it met necessary standards became financially unfeasible, and it was clear that without intervention, it would have to be liquidated within a year or two.”

He continued, “The decision was made to explore options for recapitalising by developing a fit-for-purpose youth club alongside residential flats.” However, the project faced setbacks due to the COVID pandemic and rising costs, which forced the original developer to withdraw. In response, DCM Hollington Trust sought alternatives to aid the local community, leading to discussions with the council and various local organisations, ultimately resulting in the proposed social housing scheme that has been sorely needed in the borough.

Community Concerns and Planning Process

Murray remarked that the Trust has struggled to provide support for Southwark’s youth over the past decade without a sustainable plan. However, he expressed optimism that the new scheme will enable the Trust to operate effectively for over a century, thanks to the interest generated from the development.

Despite receiving nine objections from local residents, who raised concerns that the new building would be “out of character” with its surroundings and perceived it as overly “bulky,” planning officers maintained that the proposal had undergone a thorough pre-application process. They concluded that the design quality and layout were acceptable. Upon granting approval, the committee included additional conditions to ensure the maintenance of the site’s green spaces.

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