Merton Council approved the development in the centre of Mitcham last week, but opponents argue the decision went against the council’s own planning guidelines
Merton Council has declined to comment on a letter from a Mitcham community group calling for an emergency review of its planning policies following the approval of the controversial 249-home Majestic Way redevelopment.
Mitcham Cricket Green Community and Heritage (MCGCH) said the implications of last week’s (July 30) planning decision “go well beyond Mitcham”, warning it could pave the way for tall buildings across parts of the borough not earmarked for them.
Their letter follows the council’s decision to approve Clarion Housing’s plans to redevelop the vacant Morrisons site and car park on Majestic Way, in the heart of Mitcham town centre. The scheme will deliver 249 affordable homes in buildings of up to 11 storeys – the tallest in Mitcham – alongside new commercial and community space by 2029.
Clarion said the development would create a “stronger high street” and help meet the borough’s housing need. Merton currently has more than 10,000 households on the social housing waiting list.
However, opponents including MCGCH and the Mitcham Society argue the approval conflicts with the council’s Local Plan, which sets out design policies, including limits on the height and scale of buildings. After the meeting, MCGCH secretary Tony Burton described it as “a sad day”, adding: “By ignoring their own Local Plan, councillors have left the whole of Merton exposed to developer ambitions to erect tall buildings.”
In a letter to Merton Council leader Ross Garrod last week, MCGCH said it was writing “in dismay” following the decision. The group reminded Garrod of his previous statement that “any plans for Majestic Way should reflect the ambitions of the Local Plan, delivering high-quality design that is in keeping with the area and its heritage”.
The MCGCH added, “The consequences of the decision go well beyond Mitcham. The reasoning presented to justify a tall building in a location not designated for tall buildings means that swathes of the borough are now at risk from grandiose schemes for tower blocks.”
The group said the approval was “a betrayal” of the seven years officers, councillors and residents spent developing the Local Plan. It is now urging the council to carry out an emergency review, saying the plan should be strengthened to ensure tall buildings are approved only in designated areas and that planning officers apply its policies as intended.
“If we cannot believe that a Local Plan means what it says then we cannot engage in commenting on planning applications with any degree of confidence,” they stated in the letter.
MCGCH also said the decision had undermined public confidence in the planning process and was likely to discourage residents from taking part in future public consultations on the scheme. “The process has no credibility,” the letter states.
MCGCH also criticised the way last week’s meeting was conducted, claiming much of the discussion centred on negotiating planning conditions before councillors had decided whether the development should be approved in principle. “This gave the clear impression that consent was assumed before the decision was made,” the letter states.
Concluding the letter, MCGCH warned the decision could have lasting consequences for public confidence in the planning system. “Public trust is already a scarce resource and it is now at risk of being entirely lost. We look to you to provide the reassurance and initiate the action necessary to ensure this is not the case.”
Despite this call for change from the council and MCGCH’s engagement throughout the planning process, the group has yet to receive a response to the letter. The Labour-led council also refused to provide a comment to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) when asked to explain its position.
Demolition of the existing Majestic Way site is expected to begin in February 2027, with completion expected in 2029.
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