|
|
|
WIMBLEDON TOWN CENTRE
URBAN DESIGN WORKSHOP - THE LONDON PLAN
chaired by Roger Casale MP THURSDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2002
at Drake House St George's Road London SW19
The London plan was described, the main document and a summary provided. We split into three groups of 10-12 people, looking at:
Social inclusiveness and low cost housing
Transport and commuting
Intensification and density.
Polarisation between rich and poor is a real problem, leading to lack of diversity and richness of texture.
Education segregation compounds the differences.
Affordable housing to be accommodated in new developments - this is welcomed.
But how to buck the economic trend - houses in this part of London demand incomes of £90,000 plus. There has been a movement towards wealth at the expense of quality of life and richness of diversity.
Prevent gated developments.
Promote community centres and attractions.
Promote affordable housing - local authority housing and employer owned housing, integrated into the community.
Crossrail2 ( the Hackney to Wimbledon link) is not adequately discussed in the plan - it should be a metro-underground style service stopping at all stations day and night - one management and one control - avoid long distance trains taking over.
Cycle and pedestrian routes should be developed.
Cars - too much use of cars locally for short journeys.
Promote better bus services and support school bus .
Tax fuel. Public transport in London is expensive, yet subsidies disrupt self regulation.
Aircraft noise is a problem.
Transport links inter-borough in the south and west should be developed.
Integrate methods of transport.
Live and work locally, develop satellite sub centres within London.
Acknowledge mobility of employment, self employment, spreading of commuting time
teleworking, flexibility.
Higher density round transport centres is accepted.
Outside of centre - the dense Victorian housing works well .
Back land development is not liked.
Prefer to build up than along.
Adapt rather than demolish - sustainable.
New buildings in Wimbledon are generally of poor quality compared to the 1880s first development - educate developers.
Discourage idle building land.
Preserve open space
People attending came from:
Somerset Road [2]
Compton Road [2]
Toynbee Road [2]
Arthur Road
Stroud Road
Lauriston Road
Henfield Road
Graham Road [3]
Melrose Road
Sandbourne Avenue
Manor Gardens
St George's Road
Quicks Road
Watery Lane
Vineyard Hill Road
Worple Avenue
Queens Road
Lower Morden
Botsford Road
Compton Road
Home Park Road
Old House Close
Sydenham Road
Stanton Road
Haydon Park Road
Morden Road
www.wimbledoncivicforum.org.uk
020905 MB
COMMENTS
--------------------------
Do we really want more people in London? Do we want more in Wimbledon?
If we encouraged people to move out, by encouraging jobs to move out, for
instance, the strain on housing, transport systems, hospitals -
infrastructure of all sorts would be lessened.
My own and friends experience who have moved away from London shows
that life in smaller conurbations is pleasanter, while those of us who
stayed put would also benefit from a reduction of stress that a smaller
population would provide.
In the short term the reduced growth in rates, housing values, job opportunities and other economic effects might cause problems, in the long term reversing London's growth might be the only worthwhile solution.
Stephen Ashcroft By e-mail 2 Sep 02
|
|
|
|
