Last Updated on 31 May 2023
Plans have been submitted to add an extra three storeys on to Wimbledon Bridge House, popularly known as the “Fridge on the Bridge”. This would increase its height to 10 storeys.
We consider that these plans are inappropriate for four reasons:
- The height is excessive. It would dominate the view from Hartfield Road and contribute to the “canyonisation” of that road. We consider that the height of the CIPD Building in the Broadway should be the benchmark for the town centre and that no building should exceeds its height of 22 metres.
- The carbon footprint of the building does not seem to have been adequately addressed bearing in mind the Climate Emergency declared by the Council.
- Biodiversity is touched upon in the Ecology Report filed with the application, but only as an aspiration. We think that firm proposals should have been made now.
- Future requirements for offices – Covid-19 has had a dramatic effect on working from home and therefore we question whether more town centre offices are needed.
You can read our letter to Merton’s Planning Department here.
