A planning application has been submitted by developer Pocket Living to Lambeth Council for a new residential project on a site in Streatham, South London, comprising the former synagogue at 35-37 Leigham Court Road, an adjacent public car park, and nearby land. The proposal would see the demolition of existing structures to make way for 92 homes, including social rented, discounted market rent, and private units. More notably, among these are 'pocket' homes measuring just 38 square metres, barely above the government's minimum legal size for a one-bedroom dwelling with a shower, raising serious questions about the quality and value of such developments.
Since its founding in 2005, Pocket Living has positioned itself as a champion of small, affordable homes, primarily targeting first-time buyers and renters pushed out of the traditional property market. The company’s model of offering units at 80% of local market values seems a noble effort to address housing shortages, but in reality, these so-called 'pocket' homes often prioritize quantity over quality, pushing the boundaries of comfortable living spaces in the name of "efficient use of space." The current Streatham plan includes 15 social rented homes, 31 discounted market rent units, and 46 private homes, with the 'Pocket Rent Homes' aimed at single occupants in tiny 38sqm flats. The private 'Pocket Sharer' units offer marginally larger living spaces, but still come with en-suite bathrooms and communal areas designed to maximise density rather than quality.
The proposed buildings, standing between three and six storeys, threaten to create a monotonous streetscape that prioritizes profit and density over community feel or aesthetic quality. Lambeth Council's planning officers have recommended approval, claiming the development offers a "good-quality environment", a questionable assertion given that the units only just meet policy standards in size and design. Alarmingly, only nine of the homes will be wheelchair-accessible, a paltry figure in a borough supposedly committed to inclusive housing. Public reactions have been deeply divided, supporters praise the project for providing "affordable" housing, yet critics warn that the scheme falls woefully short on genuine affordability and overlooks the broader need for quality homes.
This development continues Pocket Living’s pattern of over-reliance on small, dense units that often compromise more than they provide. Past projects, such as the Mountearl Gardens estate, have faced criticism for their minimal space and the model of factory-built modular homes aimed at speed rather than sustainability. Despite claims of offering discounts of 20% to local residents, such homes are often unaffordable for many, effectively deepening the housing crisis instead of alleviating it.
In March 2025, Lambeth Council and Pocket Living signed an agreement to transform the Leigham Court Road car park into a mixed-tenure development, with a purported 35% affordable housing component. Yet, critics argue that these figures still fall below what is necessary to meet the borough’s growing demand for genuinely affordable, decent homes. After commitments to deliver 127 affordable units across various sites, such as Wynne Road and Sail Street, the reality on the ground continues to point to piecemeal solutions that do little to address the systemic failures in housing policy.
While supporters laud the Streatham development as a step forward for local affordable housing, many see it as an extension of the problematic policy trend: prioritizing density and profit over standards and community needs. The concern remains that such projects merely paper over the cracks of London's housing crisis while embedding poor-quality living conditions in the fabric of our neighbourhoods. As decision time approaches at Lambeth’s planning committee, it’s clear that only a wholesale reevaluation of what constitutes genuinely affordable and humane housing will do. The question is: will local authorities continue to rubber-stamp these minimal-space schemes, or will they finally stand up for quality over quantity? The future of housing in Lambeth depends on it.
Source: Noah Wire Services