Referral of the proposed subsidy to Besson Street LLP by Lewisham London Borough Council
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-10)

The Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) has published a report providing advice to Lewisham London Borough Council (Lewisham Council) concerning its proposed subsidy to Besson Street LLP.

Administrative timetable

Final report

10 July 2025: The SAU has published its report providing advice to Lewisham Council concerning the proposed subsidy to Besson Street LLP. The report sets out the SAU’s evaluation of Lewisham Council’s Assessment of Compliance of its proposed subsidy with the requirements set out in the Subsidy Control Act 2022.
- Final report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-the-proposed-subsidy-to-besson-street-llp-by-lewisham-london-borough-council) (10.7.25)
Request from Lewisham Council

30 May 2025: The SAU has accepted a request for a report from Lewisham Council concerning its proposed subsidy to Besson Street LLP. This request relates to a Subsidy of Particular Interest.

The SAU will prepare a report, which will provide an evaluation of Lewisham Council’s assessment of whether the subsidy complies with the subsidy control requirements (Assessment of Compliance). The SAU will complete its report within 30 working days.

Information about the subsidy provided by Lewisham Council

The proposed subsidy for the Besson Street development is in the form of Right to Buy receipts (RTBRs) funding up to the value of £12,020,000 (c. £10,385,778 discounted value) to enable the delivery of 114 new affordable homes within the London Borough of Lewisham. The beneficiary will be Besson Street LLP, which is a Joint Venture between Lewisham Council and Grainger Plc.

The Besson Street development will provide a number of benefits, including 324 new homes, a new NHS GP surgery and pharmacy, improvements to the public realm and new community facilities. The subsidy is specifically for the provision of 114 new affordable homes. The affordable housing element of the development aims to:
- deliver the homes that Lewisham need
- prevent homelessness and meet housing need
- improve the quality, standard and safety of housing
- support Lewisham residents to live safe, independent and active lives
- strengthen communities and embrace diversity
The desired outcome of the Subsidy is the provision of affordable housing. Lewisham Council sets out that without the Subsidy this would either not be supplied in an appropriate way, or not be supplied at all by the market.

Information for third parties

If you wish to comment on matters relevant to the SAU’s evaluation of the Assessment of Compliance concerning the subsidy to Besson Street LLP, please send your comments on the date stipulated in the timetable above. For guidance on representations relevant to the Assessment of Compliance, see the section on reporting period and transparency in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.

Please send your submissions to the public authority: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Please also provide a contact address and explain in what capacity you are making the submission (for example, as an individual or a representative of a business or organisation).

Notes to third parties wishing to make a submission

The SAU will only take your submission into account if it can be shared with the Lewisham Council. The SAU will send a copy of your submission to the Lewisham Council together with its report. This is to allow the public authority to take account of the submission in its decision as to whether to make or modify the subsidy or its assessment. We therefore ask that you provide express consent for your full and unredacted submission to be shared. We also encourage you to share your submission directly with the Lewisham Council using the email address provided above.

The SAU may use the information you provide in its published report. Therefore, you should indicate in your submission whether any specified parts of it are commercially confidential. If the SAU wishes to refer in its published report to material identified as confidential, it will contact you in advance.

For further details on confidentiality of third party submissions, see identifying confidential information in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-the-operation-of-the-subsidy-control-functions-of-the-subsidy-advice-unit/operation-of-the-subsidy-control-functions-of-the-subsidy-advice-unit).

Contacts
- CMA press team: xx-xxxx-xxxx or xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)