Builders have begun gutting a series of disused blocks at the top of the Alton Estate in Roehampton — despite the fact that the controversial proposal to turn them into temporary housing has not yet been approved by Wandsworth Council.
Putney.news visited the site on Monday morning and found around 10 workers clearing out buildings and filling multiple skips, with heavy equipment and rubble spread across the grass. The flats — formerly student accommodation — are part of the wider Mount Clare campus, now owned by AKA Capability LLP.
The developer’s latest planning submission (2025/0074) claims the conversion will create space for “274 families.” But detailed drawings show that the overwhelming majority of units are tiny one-room bedsits, between 12 and 20 square metres in size, designed for single people. Only a handful of larger, family-sized units appear in Picasso House, while the remaining 210 units span five clusters of 1960s buildings, each subdivided into single en-suite rooms with kitchenettes.
Family Housing or Spin?
Despite public messaging about housing families, the actual layout suggests otherwise. Critics say the plan has been framed to appeal to public sympathy, while in reality providing mostly cramped solo accommodation.
The site sits within the Alton Conservation Area and borders Richmond Park. The developer argues that the buildings are deteriorating and must be brought back into use urgently to prevent further decay — particularly of the Grade I-listed Mount Clare House and the nearby Grade II*-listed Doric Temple, which will remain untouched.
Controversial History
The plan is a slightly revised version of one rejected by Wandsworth Council in September 2024 (2024/2089), when officers warned that it would create an “overconcentration of HMOs and other single-person accommodation,” lacking sufficient transport links and suitable amenities.
But AKA Capability is now pushing forward again — this time citing a 1957 permission for hostel use as a fallback, which it says technically removes the need for new planning consent. Nonetheless, a full application has been submitted on a “without prejudice” basis, while the developer simultaneously seeks a certificate of lawfulness in a separate appeal.
That hasn’t stopped work from beginning. Large skips are already filled, wiring is laid across the grass, and construction waste is being cleared out. The speed of activity has alarmed locals and raised concerns about transparency and process.
What the Plan Includes
According to the planning documents, the scheme proposes:
- 210 individual units providing 274 bedrooms;
- 106 cycle parking spaces;
- Shared facilities in Picasso House, including a laundry, kitchens, dining room and management office;
- A play area with logs and beams between the blocks;
- Internal renovations only — no new buildings or extensions.
Picasso House will include 16 family-sized units, some of which are wheelchair-accessible. The rest of the site will be made up of modular one-bed en-suite rooms with kitchenette facilities.
A small, dilapidated bungalow on the site will be converted into five more temporary bedrooms.
Who Will Live There?
The developer claims the flats will be offered to Wandsworth Council on a “first refusal” basis to help tackle the borough’s rising homelessness crisis. At last count, over 3,700 households were in temporary accommodation — up from 424 in 2010.
However, the application makes clear that only “eligible” households can be placed there — with priority going to those with urgent need and no history of antisocial behaviour. Residents will be required to sign licences, not tenancies, and those breaching rules face immediate eviction.
Security measures include 24/7 on-site staff, CCTV, and a zero-tolerance policy for any illegal activity.
Planning by Stealth?
The Council has not yet brought the new proposal to planning committee. But the developer appears confident, arguing that the hostel use has been in place since the days of Garnett College, and therefore may not need approval at all. Wandsworth planning officers previously rejected that argument in 2024 — but the matter is now the subject of a live appeal.
Meanwhile, neighbours say the sudden clearance work feels premature and risks eroding trust in the planning process.
“They’re acting like this is a done deal,” said one local. “It’s not. The public still needs to have its say.”
If you live near Mount Clare or have concerns about the proposal, get in touch: news@putney.news
