Agenda item

·  Val Shawcross, AM

·  Mat Jarman / Melissa Creber, TfL

·  Kim Humphreys, Carvil Ventures Limited/Delancey

·  Ed Mayes/Iain Smith, Lendlease  

Introduction

Val Shawcross, AM addressed the meeting saying that there were many changes happening in terms of transport in the north of Southwark. The most important of these for this community council area were:

·  The Elephant and Castle redevelopment

·  Tube improvements

·  Cycling

The Elephant and Castle redevelopment was aiming to improve the junctions, which had once been listed among the worst in London. The redesign, which was currently underway, would bring many future improvements, but would also cause short-term disruptions such as delays to buses and traffic tailing back.

The Northern Line extension connecting Kennington and Battersea also affected the area and would provide transport improvements after initial disruptions. The introduction of the night tube, although delayed for the time being, would lead to a reduction in the frequency of some night bus services, as Transport for London (TfL) did not want to double up services.

Cycling Quietways were moving ahead. These were routes through the quieter back streets, designed to encourage those people to cycle who were put off by traffic. A consultation for the Quietway from Blackfriars via Tower Bridge to Canada Water was currently underway, and there was scope for changes to the proposed scheme.

The meeting heard that there were issues around pedestrian crossings at Abbey Street and Tower Bridge Road, as well as at Blackfriars Road and Stamford Street.

Val Shawcross agreed with a comment from the floor that the southern roundabout would look a bit old-fashioned, but said she hoped there would be further changes to it in the future. She asked people to email in the junctions that were problematic in terms of pedestrian crossing times. There was a national issue around statutory crossing times. Pedestrians’ rights needed to be factored into all traffic schemes. Walking was important as part of overall good health. She went on to say that she would be happy to come back to a future meeting.   

Elephant and Castle works

Mat Jarman, senior communications manager at Transport for London, introduced this item about the road modernisation plan, specifically about the works at Elephant and Castle. London was experiencing a growth in population, which would lead to more journeys and so improvements to the road network, including safer junctions and more cycling, were needed.

In his presentation (see appendix to these minutes) he set out the changes to the northern Elephant and Castle roundabout and the key dates for the completion of the different stages, as well as other projects, which were taking place in the wider area. He advised people to check for delays on the TfL website and to avoid travelling in the morning peak hours. Mat confirmed the Elephant and Castle project was on schedule. 

Responding to questions from the floor, Mat explained that on the cycle superhighways there would be raised tables, which would require cyclists to slow down and allow pedestrians to cross. Delays, including those which were cause by TfL’s traffic management system, were shown on the TfL website. Buses queuing at bus stops in Borough High Street and at Elephant and Castle were a consequence of the works currently undertaken at the Elephant and Castle roundabouts. He advised that if bus drivers did not make buses keel when required, passengers should report this to TfL. From Easter 2016 to May 2018 the section of Tooley Street/Duke Street Hill between Bermondsey Street and Borough High Street would be open to westbound traffic only, as part of the London Bridge Station redevelopment. He also suggested inviting a colleague from TfL’s bus section to a future meeting.

The meeting heard that residents did not like cycle lanes being referred to as cycle tracks. Space for pedestrians was sometimes very limited at the cycle superhighway construction sites, making it difficult for people with buggies or wheelchairs. Mat said that each site had a contact. For enquiries about the superhighway that ran from Elephant and Castle to Stonecutter Street via St George’s Road, Lambeth Road and Blackfriars Road, people should contact:

Nula Tobin

Public Liaison Officer

CS5 Inner & North South

Mobile: 07469 414 927

E-mail: nula.tobin@cvu.co.uk

Mat said he would provide written responses to questions from the floor about:

·  The closure of Tower Bridge

·  Providing more seats at bus stops

·  Why bus lanes could not be opened up to drivers when buses weren’t using them

·  Problems at the cycle superhighway site on St George’s Road

·  Security vans obstructing bus lanes at Elephant and Castle.

The meeting heard that residents and the council should continue to lobby the Mayor of London for the Bakerloo line extension.

Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre

Kim Humphreys, from Carville Ventures, informed the meeting about the consultation event that had taken place at the shopping centre over three days in July. Roughly 800 people had attended, with over 400 questionnaires filled in. The feedback on the proposals had been 78% positive about creating a new town centre, and 94% positive about creating public spaces that would improve pedestrian access. There had been strong support for leisure and cultural uses, restaurants and especially for a cinema. 70% of respondents had been positive about the proposed buildings, although the locations, forms and massing were not set in stone. One of the challenges highlighted by the consultation was helping current traders find retail space for the time after the shopping centre shuts.

There would be a series of workshops, plus public meetings, for example with tenants and residents associations. A further public exhibition of the proposals would take place in January 2016. The planning application was scheduled to be submitted at the end of March 2016, with works commencing in 2017. 

ArturCarulla, an architect at a local practice who works for Delancey, highlighted the history of the site, the changes to the road layout, the new tube station and the new leisure centre; and how the proposals would tie in with these. There would be a new site and headquarters for the London College of Communication, which would house its collections and the Stanley Kubrick archive. There would be pedestrian routes through the site along the shop fronts and residential buildings, as well as three levels of shops, cinemas and convenience stores.

In answer to questions from the floor, the representatives from Delancey said that there would be cycle facilities and more limited car parking, primarily for disabled drivers (as demanded by policy). In terms of the Coronet Theatre, its retention was not part of the proposal, but there would be a mix of arts and cultural facilities. Delancey would work with the current occupiers of the shopping centre, but would also try to attract new businesses to the site, including through the provision of small office suites. The plans had been drawn up with daylight and wind conditions being key considerations. This town centre would evolve over time. Deliveries and servicing would take place in the basements - below ground and off-street. The development would be accessible for disability scooters on the ground and upper floors. Delancey were working with the businesses, Southwark, Network Rail and Lendlease, to coordinate help for relocating the existing businesses when the shopping centre closed. Additional retail spaces were going to be coming on-stream.

For further information contact Kim Humphreys at kim.humphreys@carvil-ventures.co.uk or on 020 8673 9535.

Lendlease / Elephant Park

Ed Mayes and Ian Smith from Lendlease updated the meeting on the elements of the project:

• Trafalgar Place (235 residential units and one retail unit) was now almost fully occupied. There had been recent “meet your neighbours” and green events. The retail unit in Trafalgar Place is being marketed to local businesses in the next 12 months. Residents were encouraged to let local businesses know about this opportunity.
• 1 The Elephant - when finished next year, this high-rise would put Elephant and Castle on the map. The retail units were already being marketed actively.
• South Gardens, consisting of 350 residential properties, was under construction for the next nine months.
• West Grove consisting of 593 homes would also include a new civic square “Walworth Place”. The first part of this would be completed in 2017, the second in 2018.
• An energy hub was currently in planning. This would provide hot water and heating in Elephant Park and 2,000 homes outside the site, in an environmentally friendly way. The building would have a café, a community hall, and a nursery. The works would require new pipes to be laid under Heygate Street and Rodney Road. During the 9-month works Heygate Street would remain two-way, but Rodney Road would have only one lane open in some places, managed by traffic lights. This might cause delays to bus routes.

In terms of the transport element of the new development, there would be cycling, pedestrian routes and a new 24-hour public park. 45% of the footprint of the site was public space. In terms of local employment, Lendlease’s “Be on-site” charity focused on helping employing local, long-term unemployed people, who were invited to apply for jobs on the site. For further information about construction activity, or jobs in construction, office jobs or apprenticeships contact: ele-ask@lendlease.com or call 020 3600 0001. In response to questions from the floor, the meeting heard Southwark youth games and artworks were being sponsored by Lendlease, they also created new shops and other facilities for young people.

The chair thanked all the speakers for attending.