Asheville council OKs 252 apartments on London Road

A vacant lot on London Road near Biltmore Village can now take a seven-story building with 252 apartments. The Asheville City Council approved the change 4-3 on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The vote amends a conditional zoning the council granted in May 2024. That approval allowed six stories and 208 apartments on the same 2.63-acre site at 21 London Road. The new version adds one story and 44 homes. The city recorded the 4-3 result in its summary of actions at the Oct. 27 meeting. The summary does not say which council members voted each way.

What changed from 2024

The city’s staff report to council sets out the differences. The owner of record is London Asheville LLC.

Staff said the building’s footprint, access, landscaping, open space and tree preservation are largely unchanged from 2024.

What the building includes

The plan is five floors of apartments over two floors of structured parking. The project conditions council approved require:

• no more than 252 apartments and seven stories
• both garage entrances on London Road
• a new bus stop and shelter next to the project, at a spot to be agreed with city staff
• at least 1.3 acres of open space
• bicycle parking, with some spaces open to the public

The staff report says the plan has 89 bicycle spaces, against 25 required. It also proposes a 12.5-foot sidewalk along London Road.

The nearest bus stop today is at Sweeten Creek and London roads, about 150 feet north of the site. It is served by Asheville Rides Transit route S1, according to the staff report.

Rules the project is allowed to break

The site is zoned Residential Expansion. Under conditional zoning, a developer can ask for exceptions to the normal standards. This project has several:

• height of 81 feet instead of the 60-foot limit
• 97 homes an acre instead of 20, or 50 with affordable units
• no front setback, 5-foot side setbacks and a 10-foot rear setback, instead of 15 feet on every side
• 5-foot sidewalks inside the site instead of 10 feet
• no sidewalk on its short stretch of Sweeten Creek Road

The staff report and conditions do not commit the project to any affordable units.

City staff recommended approval. Staff said the project adds homes in a growth area, fills a gap in the sidewalk network and improves a bus stop.

Flood questions

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission backed the change 6-0 on Oct. 7. According to its draft action minutes, the commission recommended that the applicant work with city staff on resilience measures for soil, flooding, ground-floor uses and debris flow on and around the site. The applicant discussed an emergency action plan for future floods, the minutes say. No one spoke during public comment at that meeting.

The final conditions allow up to 4 more feet of height “if needed, to enhance flood safety and resilience.”

What happens next

The project still needs a final review by the city’s Technical Review Committee before any permits are issued. The zoning is valid for five years. If the owner has not moved to get building permits by then, the city’s planning director can start the process to rezone the land. No construction date has been announced.

What it means for you

• If you live nearby: the building would rise to 81 feet on London Road, close to Sweeten Creek Road and Biltmore Village. Garage traffic would enter and leave on London Road.
• If you ride the bus: the S1 stop is due to move next to the project and gain a shelter.
• If you want to follow it: the site’s file is under PIN 9647-89-2135. Our building permits and zoning guide explains how to look up applications and when the city takes public comment.

More on the area: Biltmore Village neighborhood guide and home prices in Asheville.