A new development was approved and granted planning permission some time ago. 1-4 Poppy Mews and 105  & 107 Barry Road. Its hasjust finished and lots of viewings from potential new East Dulwich residents. Welcome.

It was one of the few local planning meetings I missed and I was surprised at council officials recommending off-street parking. This section of Underhill Road had sufficient of on-street parking and proposed carports permanently remove on-street parking to make way for drives. As a consequence the gardens were planned to be very small with what space was left.

This picture shows the pickle we now have. Off-street car parking so small you can’t park a car and get in and our of it. Most cars are wider than the space allowed. But the drive crossovers mean no on-street parking. The worst possible combination.

I’ve asked officers how this happened. Surely someone has a model of a car in the planning transport team and tried ‘driving’ this scale model across the plans. It appears not.