Urban Design Task Force
The Plough Lane Redevelopment.
at the Hall of Christ the King off Arthur Road, London SW19 8AW
Thursday 8th July 2004

A lively forum workshop with 80 delegates [list] considered plans being presented for the site. Panellists included head of planning Steve Clark, London Borough of Merton, and John Terry of developers David Wilson Homes, together with the architects, transport and environmental specialists. Chaired by Marcus Beale RIBA of the WCF Urban Design Task Force, with Roger Casale MP.

Plenary session: introduction: The proposal is for the old Wimbledon football ground, which has been fallow for over a decade. A proposal for a supermarket was refused . A proposal for developing the site for 170 dwellings was approved. The current proposal is for 570 flats of which 30% is social housing. In addition there is 36,000 sq. ft of commercial space including workshops, and 2 acres of open land including a public park next to the Wandle river. The application was made in October 2003 and the committee will consider it in August or September 2004. The proposal is acceptable in principle.

Issues identified were
Transport
Density
Height
Education
Investment
Power Lines
Recreation
Landscape: trees river
Pollution
Phone masts
Regeneration of Haydons Road
Policing
Housing and local people

We split into workshops considering the following topics:

Transport
The crossroads at Plough Lane will need widening to cater for an increased volume of traffic, and a new bus lane for 2 new bus routes.
Dedicated traffic signal required for buses to turn right - would this work?
Car hire club could be introduced (cost £4-5K pa to own) - starts with 15 but need more
Cycle lane provision?
Walk to school scheme should be used
Oyster card an incentive for people to use railways (note ThamesLink trains are in process of upgrading, which should increase capability)
If measures to encourage use of public transport are not effective David Wilson homes will supply further funds

Density and Height
7 storeys is too high (8 storeys in centre), 570 homes too dense
Residents are strongly against this density of development
No masts should be on the building
Unanimous agreement that housing is preferable to industrial development
Proposed development not felt to be in keeping with the surrounding area
Height of building should be reduced at front

Pollution
Concern about power lines and mobile masts
Power lines: are out of balance in the area because of a sub-station in Wimbledon - this causes strong pulsing not allowed anywhere else in Europe
Power lines are only 20m from the development. In other countries development would need to be 160m away.
Kites in public park area - close to power lines
30 mobile masts proposed on building - lower masts more dangerous
NRPB allows 100 microtesslars vs 4.5 measured in this area. Childhood leukaemia proved at level 0.4. Other countries have much lower levels allowed (Switzerland 1 microtesslar, Italy 0.2, California 0.01 near schools)
Environmental Impact Assessment should be performed

Regeneration, education, investment, prosperity of surrounding area
Schools: £200K contribution not felt sufficient since school building development needed and additional pupils catered for
Nursery facilities required - none planned but a crèche wants to be on site
Youth facilities needed
Commercial development should add to shops not duplicate existing shops
local bar and restaurant preferred to ‘big loud pub’
GPs surgery, pharmacy & offices should be incorporated into plans

Landscape
Walkway beside river and bridge across should be provided
Mix of formal flower beds & wild flowers
Benches & play/recreation facilities required
parapet in Plough Lane to reduce noise levels with barrier plants
Note 100 year old poplar tree