Wandsworth Council has approved plans to bring Balham’s Grade II-listed “Drum” back into public view.
The Drum is a circular ‘pill box’ building on Balham Hill which provides access to a deep-level air raid shelter below.
The underground shelter, which lies deeper than the Northern Line, stretches north to Clapham Common where a second access Drum is located. The structure is one of 11 deep level shelters built during World War II in response to German bombing raids. Currently, the Balham Hill Drum is hidden from view behind a high block wall and is in a poor state of decorative repair. The surrounding site is largely derelict except for two small storage buildings. The new proposal includes removing the site’s boundary wall to expose the Drum to the street and restoring the Grade II Listed building’s appearance.
The scheme would also create new homes for sale and social rent on the surrounding site which is fenced off and disused. One eight-storey and one four-storey building would be constructed on the land to the rear of the Drum to provide a total of 62 new flats. More than a third would be made available for social rent. A cycle store with space for 62 bikes would also be created as well as communal garden.
The underground shelter would continue its current use as a private archive.
Planning applications committee chairman Cllr Nick Cuff said:
“This scheme would bring a fascinating piece of wartime history back into public view and make good use of the surrounding site which has been largely derelict for decades. Twenty-one of the new flats would be reserved for social rent to help meet the borough’s growing need for affordable housing.”
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