Plans to redevelop derelict Stoke Newington mansion St Mary’s Lodge to be displayed for public

Fresh plans to redevelop the dilapidated Stoke Newington mansion St Mary’s Lodge are to be displayed this weekend so the public can have their say on them.

The building has been left to rot since it was gutted in a fire in 2005 but now renowned firm John Stebbing Architects has drawn up proposals.

The architects have spent 18 months working with the owners to restore the building and build a new school for the Viznitz community.

Pre-application discussions have already taken place with the town hall, which earlier this year published a brief outlining the options.

The Hackney Society, which scrutinises planning applications across the borough, has already had a look at the plans.

Chair Nick Perry has welcomed the applicant’s enthusiasm for engaging with the community, but says the plans are too ambitious.

He said: “The site has remained derelict, and in a state of decay for too long and like the many proposals before it, the latest scheme is still seemingly much more ambitious than this highly sensitive and constrained site can tolerate.

“Recent site-specific policy adopted by Hackney lays out what might be both acceptable and viable on the site and we’re keen to see this scheme move much closer to that policy brief – and sooner rather than later.”

The consultation takes place at Belz Seminary in Lordship Road from 4pm to 6pm on Sunday.