586 Homes Approved for Motspur Park Gasholders Site, South London 2026

Key Points

• Plans to demolish three gasholders in Motspur Park, south London, and build five apartment blocks containing 586 homes have been approved.
• The scheme includes 175 affordable homes, with buildings ranging from eight to 16 storeys tall.
• The site is designated as Metropolitan Open Land (MOL), which sparked fierce opposition from local residents and politicians.
• London Mayor Sadiq Khan called in the plans, citing their potential to make a “significant and positive contribution” towards London’s housing targets.
• Jules Pipe, London’s Deputy Mayor for Planning, approved the scheme, ruling it “would not result in substantial harm to the openness of the MOL”.
• The development is a joint proposal from gas firm SGN and developer Berkeley Homes.
• Similar gasholder redevelopment projects have been approved in other parts of London, including East London’s Bromley-by-Bow and Bethnal Green.

Motspur Park (South London News) July 23, 2026 — Controversial plans to bulldoze three south London gasholders for apartment blocks up to 16 storeys tall have been approved.The approval grants permission for a major residential development on protected land in Motspur Park, straddling the boroughs of Kingston upon Thames and Merton. As reported by Thomas Smith of the London Evening Standard, the application would demolish the three gasholders on protected land in Motspur Park and build five apartment blocks containing 586 homes. The plans from gas firm SGN and developer Berkeley Homes will see three gasholders on protected land in Motspur Park demolished for five blocks with 586 homes – including 175 affordable – with the buildings ranging from eight to 16 storeys tall.

Why was the development controversial?

The scheme drew fierce opposition from local politicians and residents, particularly over the site’s designation as Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) – meaning it should be protected from “inappropriate development”. Planning documents contend that the site qualifies as previously developed land due to its history as a gasworks. While the proposed changes would significantly alter the openness of the MOL, the documents assert that the impact would not be overwhelming.

A letter from London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he had called in the plans as they could make a ‘significant and positive contribution’ towards London’s housing targets.

Who approved the plans and on what grounds?

Jules Pipe, London’s Deputy Mayor for Planning, approved the scheme on Tuesday after ruling it

“would not result in substantial harm to the openness of the MOL”.

Similar planning applications have been lodged with both Kingston and Merton councils, as the site straddles both boroughs, although a majority lies within Kingston. Each council will make an independent decision on the application in due course.

How does this fit into wider London gasholder redevelopment trends?

Similar gasholder redevelopment projects have been approved in other parts of London in recent years. In East London, Tower Hamlets Council voted seven to one to approve an application for five cylindrical buildings ranging from six to 13 storeys at the former Marian Place gas storage site in Bethnal Green.

The site is being developed by St William, a joint venture between Berkeley Group and the National Grid, and will have 35 per cent affordable housing by habitable room, as well as some commercial space.

In Newham, the London Borough of Newham’s Strategic Development Committee approved RSHP’s design proposal for the Bromley-By-Bow Gasworks regeneration project.

The mixed-use scheme for Berkeley’s regeneration arm St William will eventually see seven Grade II-listed gasholders removed, restored and reinstalled on the 9.2ha site.

The first phase comprises 549 private market homes with 168 studios, 129 one-bed units, 223 two-bed units, and 29 three-bed units. Of these, 83 homes are earmarked as affordable.

The Newham council has approved the redevelopment of the Bromley-by-Bow gasworks, which is expected to generate more than 2,000 residences. Berkeley Group’s subsidiary, St William, will partner with Historic England, investing £72 million to transform the 23-acre former industrial site into a mixed-use residential area and public space.

The development plan incorporates 13 residential structures, with several designed to fit within the existing gasholder frames, alongside a 4.2-acre public park.

In Hammersmith & Fulham, plans to restore and repurpose the Grade II* listed Gasholder No.2 at King’s Road Park were approved, ensuring the restoration of a highly significant heritage structure in time for its 200th anniversary.

The development is transforming a once-derelict former gasworks into a welcoming mixed-use new neighbourhood, delivering around 1,800 private and affordable homes and six acres of public open space.

What do planning documents say about the Motspur Park site?

Planning documents contend that the site qualifies as previously developed land due to its history as a gasworks.

While the proposed changes would significantly alter the openness of the MOL, the documents assert that the impact would not be overwhelming. Among the proposed 586 homes, 174 are designated as affordable housing.

This location is classified as Metropolitan Open Land (MOL), indicating it should be safeguarded from ‘inappropriate development.’

Background of the particular development

The Motspur Park gasholders site has been the subject of prolonged planning debate due to its protected status as Metropolitan Open Land. The site’s industrial heritage as a gasworks has been central to arguments that it qualifies as previously developed land, a classification that can permit residential development even on protected land.

Local opposition has focused on the potential loss of open space and the visual impact of buildings up to 16 storeys tall in a area previously dominated by low-rise industrial structures. The involvement of the Mayor of London, who called in the plans, underscores the strategic importance of the site to London’s wider housing delivery targets.

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Prediction: How this development can affect local residents and London’s housing strategy

The approval of 586 homes, including 175 affordable units, is likely to increase housing supply in south London, potentially easing pressure on local rental and purchase markets. For existing residents, the construction of high-rise blocks may alter the character of the neighbourhood and raise concerns about infrastructure capacity, including transport, schools, and health services.

The precedent set by this approval could encourage similar applications on other Metropolitan Open Land sites with industrial histories, accelerating London’s housing delivery but also intensifying debates over the protection of open space.

For London’s strategic planning, the decision signals a willingness to prioritise housing targets over strict preservation of open land where sites are deemed previously developed, a approach that may be replicated in other boroughs facing housing shortages.