Matilda House, Higbrow Road (formerly Upfield)
12 August 2025
Proposed new trees approved. This case is so long running that the planning documents refer to the site's old name - Upfield. The trees must be planted by 7 February 2026. Sadly, no auto-watering system required so good chance new trees will die in their first summer. They would need to be replanted 'immediately' or there will be another Breach of Condition.
6 December 2024
We are fed up that the developer of Matilda House has not fulfilled their obligation to plant some trees to soften the street scene so we have asked a question to be answered on 12 December of the Council's Development Control Committee:-
"In respect of the very outstanding enforcement case ENF/19/00344 and two refused retrospective attempts to regularise the situation (16/00295/CONDT2 and 16/00295/RECON1) would the Council now promptly issue an Enforcement Notice to ensure promised landscaping is finally implemented?"
Update 7 November 2024
We have not updated this page for a long time and quite a few things have happened. The short story is that the developer did not plant 2 trees (and other minor issues) which he promised to as part of the planning conditions. We have been campaigning for 5 years to get these trees planted. Yesterday, the Council refused the latest attempt to wiggle out of these promises by refusing planning application 16/00295/RECON1. We are hopeful that the Council will now decide to issue an Enforcement Notice to finally get this sorted.
Update - 18 February 2017
Planning permission has been granted on the revised application, ref. No. 16/04910/FULL1, for the demolition of the existing four-bedroom detached dwelling and redevelopment of the site to provide 6 two-bedroom apartments and 1 bedsit at Upfield, Hillbrow Road Bromley BR1 4JL.
The Delegation Report and Decision dated 20 January 2017 are available.
Local residents have commented that Hillbrow Road is a single unmade track which does not have a pedestrian walkway and, furthermore, that the road is in a poor state of repair and unsuitable for heavy construction vehicles. Further comments have also been provided stating that the cumulative impact from traffic generated from the neighbouring Sunset Hill Development and the application site would result in additional pressure on the road. These concerns have been considered by the Council’s highways officer; however no objections have been raised in this respect.
The planning officer has stated that given the status of Hillbrow Road as an unadopted street, the applicant should be advised via an informative attached to any permission that the condition of the section of the street to which the proposed development has a frontage should, at the end of development, be at least commensurate with that which existed prior to commencement of the development. The applicant should, therefore, also be advised that before any works connected with the proposed development are undertaken within the limits of the street, it will be necessary for them to obtain the agreement of the owner(s) of the sub-soil upon which Hillbrow Road is laid out.
One of members has asked:
Could somebody please explain who are "the owner(s) of the sub-soil upon which Hillbrow Road is laid out"?
Please contact us if you know!
Update - 15 December 2016
Indicative street scene
The following documents are now available on the revised application, ref. No. 16/04910/FULL1, for the demolition of the existing four-bedroom detached dwelling and redevelopment of the site to provide 6 two-bedroom apartments and 1 bedsit at Upfield, Hillbrow Road Bromley BR1 4JL:
Conditions Decision Notice
Road Condition Report (7)
Code of Construction Practice & Method Statement
Below Ground Drainage Layout
Micro Drainage Table
Maintenance Guidelines
Private Manhole Schedule
Private Manhole Schedule
Private Drainage Construction Details
Drainage Maintenance
Surface Water Calculation Sheet
Trench Soakaway Design
Upfield Road 1
Proposed Site Plan, Site Location Plan and Indicative Street Scene
Proposed Elevations and Section
Proposed Floor Plans
The road condition report is the same as the well-illustrated road condition report from North Star 2000 Ltd supporting pre-commencement condition 11 on application, ref. No. 16/00295/FULL1. Actually, it is possible that the road is now in better condition than it was – the weight of construction traffic has squashed it flat!
The latest neighbour consultation date was on Friday 9 December 2016. The neighbour consultation expiry date is Friday 30 December 2016.
Update - 2 November 2016
A revised application, ref. No. 16/04910/FULL1, has been made for the demolition of the existing four-bedroom detached dwelling and redevelopment of the site to provide 6 two-bedroom apartments and 1 bedsit at Upfield, Hillbrow Road, Bromley BR1 4JL.
The following documents are available:
Acknowledgement Letter
Existing/Proposed Site Layout
Proposed Floor Plans
CIL Questions
Design and Access Statement
Tree Survey or Arboricultural Implications
How the fee was calculated
Proposed Elevations and Section
Existing Plans and Elevations
CIL Questions
Proposed Site Plan
Tree Survey or Arboricultural Implications
A Summary of the Attachments in the Proposal
Application Form – without personal data
Existing Site Layout
Update - 1 November 2016
A decision has been issued on the conditions submitted in relation to the application for demolition of the existing four bedroom detached dwelling and the redevelopment to provide 6 two bedroom flats. The following conditions have been approved on the application, ref. No. 16/00295/CONDIT,:
Condition 3 - Details of materials
As per “Material schedule” received 4th July 2016
As per brick sample “Camtech – Bromo/Fuji Blend” updated 4th October 2016Condition 5 – Details of windows
As per Drwg No: 5462/PD_010 Rev A titled “Typical door, window, parapet, balcony and privacy screen detail drawing” received 14th October 2016Condition 8 – Storage of refuse and recyclable materials
As per Drwg No: 5462-01 Rev E titled “Proposed Site Plan, Site Location Plan” received 14th October 2016Condition 9 – Bicycle parking
As per Drwg No: 5462-01 Rev E titled “Proposed Site Plan, Site Location Plan” received 14th October 2016Condition 10 – Light scheme
As per Drwg No: 5462-01 Rev A titled “Proposed Site Plan, Site Location Plan” received 6th July 2016Condition 19 – Landscaping
As per Drwg No: 5462-01 Rev E titled “Proposed Site Plan, Site Location Plan” received 14th October 2016Condition 20 – Slab levels
As per Drwg No: 5462-23 Rev D titled “Elevations Sheet 1 of 2” received 14th October 2016
As per Drwg No: 5462-24 Rev D titled “Elevations Sheet 2 of 2” received 14th October 2016
As per Drwg No: 5462-01 Rev E titled “Proposed Site Plan, Site Location Plan” received 14th October 2016Condition 21 – Privacy screening
As per Drwg No: 5462/PD_010 Rev A titled “Typical door, window, parapet, balcony and privacy screen detail drawing” received 14th October 2016Condition 22 – Sample elevations and sections
As per Drwg No: 5462-23 Rev D titled “Elevations Sheet 1 of 2” received 14th October 2016
As per Drwg No: 5462-24 Rev D titled “Elevations Sheet 2 of 2” received 14th October 2016
As per Drwg No: 5462/PD_010 Rev A titled “Typical door, window, parapet, balcony and privacy screen detail drawing” received 14th October 2016Condition 24 – Boundary enclosures
As per Drwg No: 5462-01 Rev E titled “Proposed Site Plan, Site Location Plan” received 14th October 2016
Update - 4 October 2016
The following conditions, submitted in relation to the application for demolition of the existing four bedroom detached dwelling and the redevelopment to provide 6 two bedroom flats, have been approved:
Condition 11 - Existing road condition survey
As per "Road Condition Report" received 22nd July 2016Condition 12 - Construction Management Plan
As per "Code of Construction Practice and Method Statement" received 22nd July 2016Condition 13 - Surface water discharge
As per Drwg No: 0096/007/16/C.01P titled "Below Ground Drainage Layout" dated July 2016Condition 16 - Surface water drainage
As per Drwg No: 0096/007/16/C.01P titled "Below Ground Drainage Layout" dated July 2016
As per Drwg No: 0096/007/16/C.02P titled "Private Drainage Construction Details" dated July 2016Condition 17 - Drainage design
As per Drwg No: 0096/007/16/C.01P titled "Below Ground Drainage Layout" dated July 2016
As per Drwg No: 0096/007/16/C.02P titled "Private Drainage Construction Details" dated July 2016
As per associated calculations received 22nd July 2016.
See the decision dated 9 September 2016 on the application, ref. No. 16/00295/CONDIT1,
Update - 29 July 2016
A further application, ref. No. 16/00295/CONDIT1, has been submitted with further conditions in relation to the application for demolition of the existing four bedroom detached dwelling and the redevelopment to provide 6 two bedroom flats:
Condition 11 - Existing road condition survey
Condition 12 - Construction Management Plan
Condition 13 - Surface water discharge
Front elevation of Upfield and the neighbouring garages of Romany Ridge
Condition 11 in the permitted application specified:
Prior to the commencement of the development hereby permitted, a survey of the condition of the road shall be submitted and agreed by the Local Planning Authority and any damage caused to the surface of the road during the construction phase of the development will be reinstated to a standard at least commensurate with its condition prior to the commencement of the development.
The further application includes a well-illustrated road condition report from North Star 2000 Ltd supporting pre-commencement condition 11 for the proposed development at Upfield, Hillbrow Road, Bromley BR1 4JL. Reasonably enough, the developers say:
Hillbrow Road is an un-adopted road in the London Borough of Bromley servicing mainly residential properties. The road is currently in poor condition with an uneven and broken surface.
The majority of the road is composed of small loose stones with small areas which have been treated with tarmac.
The road is currently being used by residents, visitors and the building contractors conducting works at Sunset Hill, the neighbouring plot. On the day of the survey, the building works at Sunset Hill were observed to be well under way, with the foundation works complete and works to the super structure imminent.
Update - 17 July 2016
A further application, ref. No. 16/00295/CONDIT, has been submitted with some conditions in relation to the application for demolition of the existing four bedroom detached dwelling and the redevelopment to provide 6 two bedroom flats. The application itself has been permitted.
As with Sunset Hill, planning conditions will be important especially regarding landscaping – otherwise there will be a car park at the front of these two properties (Upfield and Sunset Hill) for seventeen cars, and it will look terrible.
Update - 3 June 2016
The application, reference 16/00295, for the demolition of the existing four-bedroom detached dwelling at Upfield, Hillbrow Road, Bromley BR1 4JL and the redevelopment to provide six two-bedroom flats has been permitted. The decision is available.
Update - 3 March 2016
A new application for the demolition of the existing four-bedroom detached dwelling at Upfield, Hillbrow Road, Bromley BR1 4JL and the redevelopment to provide six two-bedroom flats has now appeared, reference 16/00295
The following documents are available:
17 June 2014
We have recently learned of an intention to develop the front garden of Upfield in Hillbrow Road. The various documents related to this can be found below, and in particular we would draw your attention to documents numbered 2, 3 and 4 and the commentary by Peter Town Consulting entitled ‘New house at Upfield’. These drawings have been prepared for a pre-planning meeting between the developer and the Council. A formal planning application may or may not be submitted in due course – only time will tell.
We discussed the situation at our meeting on 3 July 2014 at the Bromley Court Hotel. If you are not already a member and would like to support us in considering this matter please join us here. In the meantime, the developer’s agent can be contacted here should anyone wish to liaise directly.
A plan view
Upfield, Hillbrow Road - planning documents
Commentary - new house at Upfield - Peter Town Consulting