Harry Lauder’s House Threatened By Development

One of the few houses in Tooting with a Blue Plaque is threatened by highly inappropriate development. The house at 46-48 Longley Road was home to Harry Lauder, the famous music-hall star between 1903 and 1911. The house includes an auditorium built at the rear for private performances. The only other house with a Blue Plaque in Tooting is Thomas Hardy’s residence on Trinity Road.

The application is for five three storey houses to be built in the rear garden. Tooting History Group has objected along with at least 20 other local residents. You can see the application and make objections here . The application is open for comments until 30th November 2018. Below is a photo after the developers hoardings went up recently, along with the THG objection.

PLANNING APPLICATION 2018/4762

I am writing  on behalf of Tooting History Group to object to the above application to build a terrace of five 3-storey houses in the rear garden of 46-48 Longley Road, SW17 9LL.

No. 46 is the former home of the world-renowned musical hall singer and comedian, Sir Harry Lauder. A blue plaque on the building records that he lived there between 1903-11.  At the back, adjoining the property, is an auditorium built for his private performances.

These premises, in their entirety, were nominated by THG  for local listing in the most recent borough-wide review.  The nomination was approved (though the Planning Portal has yet to be updated).  Apart from its connection with Lauder, the property is a fine example of the architecture of this part of Tooting Graveney.

Indeed, No.46 is one of five locally listed residences on Longley Road;  the Gospel Hall, at the other end, is also locally listed.  We therfore do not agree that ‘no statutorily or locally listed buildings exist within the site for which this application is made or in its immediate vicinity.’

The Design and Access Statement states that  ‘shallow front gardens and deep rear gardens are common features of almost all buildings along Longley Road’.  Regrettably, many of the front gardens have been converted to hard-standing for cars. This makes it all the more important that the long rear gardens should be retained to provide much-needed open space for residents and a haven for wildlife – particularly in an area which is chronically short of green space.

Until recently, the gardens at No.46 were kept in good order with well-tended mature trees offering some seclusion and an agreeable outlook for neighbouring properties.  Since the property changed hands, the garden and many of its features have been neglected.

The Design and Access Statement refers to ‘precedents for back-land developments in the area such as the houses at the rear gardens of Nos. 50 and 52 as well as the Marlborough House Lodge at No. 42’.

We acknowledge that there are detached developments In the rear gardens of Nos. 50 and 52 but these are small, single dwellings. Similarly, at No. 42, Marlborough House Lodge is a simple Victorian coach-house. These are in no  way comparable to the proposed terrace of five 3-storey houses.

Our understanding is that Wandsworth Council has a borough-wide policy opposing garden development. We see no reason why an exception should be made for 46-48 Longley Road, Furthermore, should this application be approved, it will set a precedent for further garden development, not only in Longley Road but across the borough.

Yours sincerely,

Janet Smith

Chair, Tooting History Group

Sir Harry Lauder Will Be Smiling!

We recently reported on a planning application at 46, Longley Road, Tooting for 5 terraced  houses, each of three storeys, to be built in the rear garden. This is the house with a blue plaque on the front celebrating the fact that Sir Harry Lauder lived here between 1903 and 1911.  THG lodged an objection, along with 30 other individuals. Wandsworth Council planners have now decided to refuse the application. The decision notice gives four reasons for the refusal. You can read our original report and objection here. You can see the planning application and decision notice here.

Sir Harry Lauder House: Wandsworth Takes Enforcement Action

Tooting History Group has been concerned about the redevelopment of 46,Longley Road, Tooting for 10 years. The house is one of the most historic in Tooting, having once been lived in by the world-famous music hall and radio star, Sir Harry Lauder. The developer has flouted the agreed planning permission and ignored conditions agreed by Wandsworth Council in 2020. Despite numerous complaints from THG and local residents, no enforcement action has been taken by the Council until now.

At the Planning Applications Committee on 23rd October, Planning Enforcement Officers are recommending the developer takes remedial action to rectify the breeches of planning permission. It is extremely disappointing to THG that our previous complaints were ignored and investigations were closed. We are asking that the remedial work will take less than the 14 months outlined in the report.

You can read the 29 page Planning Enforcement Report here

You can view the live webcast of the Planning Applications Committee on 23rd October at 7.30 here

You can read more about Sir Harry Lauder here

The full THG response to the proposed Planning Enforcement action is as follows:

London Borough of Wandsworth

Planning Applications Committee

23rd October 2025

Committee Paper 25-349 Proposed Enforcement Action At 46 Longley Road, Tooting

Tooting History Group Response

Tooting History Group is pleased to see that planning enforcement action is finally proposed regarding the development at 46 Longley Road, SW17 9LL. However, it is extremely concerning that this action is only being put forward after 8 years of repeated representations to Wandsworth planning authority by ourselves, local residents and local Councillors.

46 Longley Road was a fine Victorian villa and garden with important historic significance having once been the residence of Sir Harry Lauder. This is recognised by the LCC blue plaque on the building and its local listing. It has been subjected to an appalling combination of neglect, abuse, inappropriate “design” and poor quality development far beyond the scope of the plans agreed by this authority.

There was a protracted period where inappropriate plans were rejected by the PAC or withdrawn by the applicant. The property was meanwhile used to store and dump waste from other developments. THG was relieved to consider application 2020/1405. This was a more modest, proportionate proposal sensitive to the architectural and historic integrity of the building. We were reassured by conditions including requirements relating to external materials used (Condition 3); a Construction management strategy (Condition 4) and agreed landscaping of the surrounding areas (Condition 6). To our immense concern and dismay, none of these conditions have been met.

Since this application was approved, no less than six enforcement actions were opened but closed without any meaningful action being taken to require the developer to adhere to the agreed plans 2020/1405 and the conditions attached thereto. We have read the 29 page Enforcement Report and believe it essential that all 6 remedial actions detailed in Paragraph 14.3 are agreed and actioned as a minimum to repair and restore no. 46. We suggest that the developer is given less than the 14 months proposed to rectify the breaches outlined in the report, given the long-running abuse of the planning process outlined therein.

WBC must signal to future property developers and owners in Tooting and elsewhere in the borough that it will not tolerate such levels of disregard for the planning process and that it is fully committed to ensure a better maintained and built environment for residents and visitors.

Libby Lawson

Conservation Officer

Tooting History Group