Council approves Civic Centre demolition for flats

Bromley Council has approved plans to demolish most of its former home to make way for housing.

The majority of the old Civic Centre site in Bromley town centre will be knocked down to make way for 222 apartments within six new tower blocks.

Bromley Palace will also be converted into 11 flats as part of the plans, with a commercial unit occupying part of the ground floor of the Grade II listed heritage building.

The council approved the Bishop's Place proposal at a meeting on Monday night. The Civic Centre plans received 138 objections and three letters of support.

Developer Galliard Homes purchased the 6.74-acre Stockwell Close site from Bromley Council for £13.5m last year, and put forward the plans.

The council moved to its new home at Churchill Court on Bromley High Street in late 2024.

Julie Ireland, one of Bromley Town's ward councillors, said the Civic Centre site could have been "an ideal location for family homes" and lamented the decision to build flats, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Ireland said: "Residents didn't want blocks of flats on this site, but that decision was effectively made when the council sold the land."

About 10% of the units will be affordable, but the committee was told that Galliard was doing "everything in its power" to increase that.

The developer added that it was in discussions with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to secure grant funding for more affordable housing.

The 222-unit development will be accompanied by 38 parking spaces.

The developer also plans to convert two of the former office buildings into more housing, but is yet to submit a planning application for that.

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