What were Lewisham planners thinking of? Is it just me or is it a great loss to Ladywell now that the Art Deco factory by the railway has been pulled down. I saw no warning or planning notices - one week it was there, the next it was gone. What is going to replace it? - Some cheap and tacky looking "design'n'build" effort I suppose. Anyone know?

Yes, I was sad to see the old "Tickitape" building go too.

I was glad when it got new occupants a couple of years back, but they didn't last. Since then it's been empty for ages. It's not blessed with the most ideal of locations right there by the railway. Makes one wonder whether the housing they'll undoubtedly build in its place will be successful either.

I'm surprised it wasn't locally listed, but hey ho, no one stepped in to save it at the time and now it's gone. Spilled milk and life goes on. Hopefully, the former gym opposite will be sympathetically restored.

I've had a look on Lewisham's planning application site. The building was locally listed (it was also in a conservation area) and the original planning application was put in in 2006. Lewisham didn't decide in time (although it states they would have refused, but because of issues with the proposed design not the demolition of the existing building) so the applicant appealed and it was the Planning Inspector who granted the application. See report here.

Apparently additions were made to the building in the late 1980s to give it a more Art Deco appearance, so it wasn't actually an original Art Deco building.

But, earlier this year the applicant applied to renew the planning permission and Conservation Area demolition consent and Lewisham refused, on the grounds that the proposed development didn't provide affordable housing in line with housing policy introduced in 2008.

So how come the building has now been demolished? The Planning Inspector's report states that planning permission would expire 3 years from the date of the planning decision, ie 14 August 2010. Development has to begin (but not necessarily be finished) before the expiration date, so if the building was demolished before 14 August 2010 then the developer would be doing so under the original planning permission.

The proposed development is for 14 2-bedroom flats and a ground-floor workshop.