Southwark’s planning committee this week resolved to grant outline planning permission for Sellar’s proposed development of a 40-storey tower on the site of the Decathlon store at Canada Water.

The scheme includes a new Decathlon store, more than 1,000 homes, a cinema and other facilities.

Local Lib Dem councillor Lisa Rajan spoke against the scheme at the committee meeting, raising concerns about increased density, impact on traffic and lack of affordable housing.

Cllr Fiona Colley, cabinet member for regeneration and planning, said: “The new homes, with their bold and exciting architecture will replace the lifeless, out-of town, retail-park look the area is associated with.

“The new Decathlon store will be retained as an anchor to the town centre we’re beginning to see emerge. This approval will help to realise the vision of the area action plan to create a new heart for Rotherhithe.”

Local residents and businesses have formed a new group to create a neighbourhood plan for the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks area.

The aim of the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks Neighbourhood Planning Forum is to provide an organisation where local residents and businesses can plan the economic, social and environmental development of the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks area.

The neighbourhood forum has applied to Southwark Council to be recognised as a designated body under the Localism Act.

“This would be a major step forward for local people both council tenants and residents along with businesses to ensure that the local community benefit from the developments currently being planned for the area,” said chair Pauline Adenwalla.

Vice-chair Brian Hodge added: “We have seen a considerable amount of development in the area without the promised community benefits being delivered. Key to the future of the area is affordable housing and jobs not just jobs in retail although they are important the nature of retail is changing so some of the focus needs to be on the provision of other jobs. There is still a lot of development to come and our aim is to give all the local community a major say.”

The neighbourhood forum says that it will be working over the next year to involve as many local people as possible and will hold its first AGM in 2014 when recognised as the formal neighbourhood planning forum for the area.

Anyone interested in getting involved can contact the forum by emailing [email protected]

Workspace Group has announced a £51 million deal for the sale of seven acres of land at the Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey to the Duke of Westminster’s Grosvenor  Britain & Ireland company.

The deal relates to seven acres of the 11-acre site. Workspace obtained planning consent in May 2013 for 800 new homes  together with new business space.

Grosvenor already owns a three acres site at the nearby former Southwark College campus in Keetons Road which was sold by the new LeSoCo college earlier this year.

Peter Vernon, chief executive of Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, said:   “This is a very exciting opportunity for Grosvenor to help transform two currently underused sites in a vibrant London location, through a mix of new homes, community facilities, public spaces, and retail links complemented by Workspace’s innovative business hub.

“In addition to owning and managing great places in central London, our team has delivered large scale place-making projects across the UK for many years.

“We have exciting community developments in Barton, Oxford; Springside, Edinburgh; Liverpool and in Cambridge.   This site in Bermondsey is an opportunity to use these skills to build and manage much needed housing for London too.”

Grosvenor Britain & Ireland says it will now consider the two sites together before consulting the local community on its development plans.

Under the terms of the Biscuit Factory agreement with Grosvenor, Workspace will receive £51 million in cash. £48 million will be payable on a phased basis as vacant possession is achieved on the 7 acres of land being sold for the residential redevelopment.

Full vacant possession is expected to be achieved by January 2016. A further £3 million in cash will be payable on completion of each stage of the redevelopment.

Grosvenor will  construct for Workspace a new commercial building (with 47,000 sq ft of net lettable space) at an estimated cost of £11 million, on the land retained by Workspace. This increases the amount of business space at the Biscuit Factory  to 270,000 sq.ft.

Grosvenor will also be responsible for all required infrastructure improvements, including landscaping and the creation of a community park on a further 1 acre of the site being sold to Grosvenor.

“This is another milestone for Workspace in its redevelopment activity,” said Jamie Hopkins, chief executive officer of Workspace Group.

“We are delighted to have a partner of the calibre and track record of Grosvenor to take forward the residential component of the redevelopment.

“Once completed this will be a thriving residential and business location, providing Southwark with its largest hub for small and growing businesses. This partnership will deliver significant value for our shareholders and considerable benefit to the local community.

“London has the opportunity to become the entrepreneurial capital of the world.  It is important that we continue to redevelop sites like this across London, that will attract people and businesses who are looking to live and work in dynamic locations with good transport links at the centre of the city.”