Brixton Rec/central Brixton consultation and the 'Rec Quarter' proposals

[OvalhouseDB]

Lambeth have, in the past, commissioned Bureau Of Silly Ideas to create work for times and places when building disruption is taking place.....hard if it is their own workshop being rebuilt.....

BOSI are fab.

 

[boohoo]

Do we need more retail spaces?

 

[Greebo]

Do we need more retail spaces?

Capitalism does.

 

[Gramsci]

Just checked the Future Brixton website and its been updated.

You can comment on these proposals:

Brixton Central
The Brixton Central area includes the former ice rink site, the Rec and International House, the train station, Brixton Station Road, Atlantic Road and the land between the viaducts off Valentia Place. It is a major area for investment in the town centre. Local people are helping set out proposals for the long-term future of this part of the town centre.

These will help to create local jobs and bring about improved town centre facilities – such as affordable workspace, space for retail and leisure, along with an opportunity for town centre parking.

We now want your views on the emerging masterplan proposal that has been developed with local residents and businesses. Read and comment on the latest proposal online by Monday 8 December. You are also invited to the Brixton Central ‘masterplan’ workshop on Tuesday 2 December.

 

[Gramsci]

If you click on images they enlarge.

 

[Gramsci]

The latest proposal – extending the town centre
We now have a preferred set of ideas which aim to balance the aspirations and priorities of local people with attracting investment. These plans include:

New homes

• - Over 250 new homes, 40% of which should be affordable

• - Bringing in an extra £1 million annual spend into the local economy.

Working and living

• - Potential Network Rail-led investment to the arches along Atlantic Road and Brixton Station Road, between Brixton Road and Pope’s Road

• - Around 6,000 square metres of new commercial space. This includes development above the staion, on the former ice rink site and a new covered space in-between the viaducts, alongside investment in the associated railway arches between Pope’s Road and Gresham Road and off Valentia Place.

• - This commercial space has the potential to include new workspace, shops, a hotel, market storage and provide an additional 500 jobs.

• - A refurbished and enhanced Brixton Rec.

Getting around

• - Major improvements to public spaces along Pope’s Road and Brixton Station Road and improvement to the street market in those areas.

• - The potential for a refurbished train station, with a new entrance on to Pope’s Road and lift access

• - The potential for a connection through from Brixton Village to Brixton Station Road

• - an opportunity for an off-street car park for market traders and the public as part of the development of the former ice rink, subject to a sustainable business plan.

 

[editor]

What the fuck is this and why would we want it?

 

[Tricky Skills]

Here's the BBuzz piece.

Quite a lot to take in. Everything seems to have 'potential.' This includes the 9 storey hotel above the mainline station, a refurbished train station, a high rise car park, converting International House to accommodation and connecting the Village with Brixton Station Road.

There is yet another workshop session scheduled for 2 December. You need to reserve a place. The link isn't working

Architectural pics are always rubbish anyway. The poor little fella at the bottom is so 'vibrant' he has had his arm sliced off.

 

[boohoo]

All these new high rises will supposedly bring in those who can afford them and will want more shops. I'm just not sure where all these people are who can afford to buy these properties. There is a housing shortage but it is for affordable homes - and that's properly affordable not the marketplace affordability.

 

[editor]

How many more fucking boutique shops and trendy arcades do we need?
And Brixton doesn't need swanky unaffordable 'affordable' homes: it's needs homes for ordinary workers, most of whom are struggling on shit pay.

 

[boohoo]

How many more fucking boutique shops and trendy arcades do we need?
And Brixton doesn't need swanky unaffordable 'affordable' homes: it's needs homes for ordinary workers, most of whom are struggling on shit pay.

I don't know who can afford these homes. With restrictions on the amount of money being lent to people wanting mortgages in London, then I can see more people heading towards the 'affordable' homes option even if it seems poor value because they don't want to be at the mercy of the private landlords and London housing even in the suburbs is unaffordable (yes -even the shitty places)

 

[editor]

I don't know who can afford these homes. With restrictions on the amount of money being lent to people wanting mortgages in London, then I can see more people heading towards the 'affordable' homes option even if it seems poor value because they don't want to be at the mercy of the private landlords and London housing even in the suburbs is unaffordable (yes -even the shitty places)

It'll probably provide another investment for the smart money set.

 

[boohoo]

It'll probably provide another investment for the smart money set.

But who are all these people?

 

[editor]

But who are all these people?

Rich people who don't give a fuck about Brixton. They're only here for the money.

 

[boohoo]

Rich people who don't give a fuck about Brixton. They're only here for the money.

Do you see them all buying as an investment? Brixton is central, has good transport, good night life, not far from dulwich to send the kids to school and is on the up.

Stockwell has had very wealthy people for a long time and they do care quite a lot for their area (of course often for their benefit) so (I slightly can't believe I can hear myself saying it) rich people can be a positive influence in the area.

 

[High Definition]

What the fuck is this and why would we want it?

View attachment 64223

It's what some of us thought Network Rail have been dreaming of all along. Get rid of the artist's workshops in the arches off Valentia Place and replace them with up-market shops which will bring in top of the market rents.

Had careful look at the image and I think the tea parlour and the twee shop labelled "Ecoge" are in the arches which are currently leased to the Bureau of Silly Ideas.

Feel very fed up about this, as many of those involved in the earlier round of Masterplan consultations asked Lambeth and Network Rail to keep the Valentia Place studio space. Instead, they've gone for an extension of the covered market, which means we stand to lose yet another tranche of studio/workshop space in Central Brixton.

However, as Lambeth and Network Rail say they are still "consulting" on the plans, we have to assume there's still time to push for something else.

The Bureau of Silly Ideas have an alternative plan for the Valentia Place arches which they'll be putting to LB Lambeth and Network Rail as part of their response to the Masterplan. This is for the arches to be leased to a not-for-profit artist-led company.

The arches would be refurbished and fitted providing, market stall holder storage, workshop space for heavy making, rehearsal space for performance artists, studio space for dance and circus, desk space for people in creative industries hot desks and a café area (which would help cross subsidies other activities).

The Bureau of Silly Ideas are in dialogue with Arts Council who have expressed interest in the this project and suggested it could be part of the planned £6m on the strategic outdoor arts spend before 2017.

Lambeth and Network Rail know about this plan - it was discussed with them in September - but no mention in the latest Masterplan proposals.

 

[cuppa tee]

How many more fucking boutique shops and trendy arcades do we need?
And Brixton doesn't need swanky unaffordable 'affordable' homes: it's needs homes for ordinary workers, most of whom are struggling on shit pay.

the bit I don't get is how much these master plans cost to produce, i imagine architects and global corporations time don't come cheap and the council are always talking about being skint, shouldn't they be concentrating on matters closer to home than "prestige developments" that only cater for the minority, I reckon the new embassy at vauxhall looms large in this and south of the river is like the Klondike for developers and their associates as global cash comes pouring into the area , the radio was talking this morning about a elongated trampoline along which yuppies could bounce merrily to work this being up for serious consideration

 

[CH1]

But who are all these people?

Given that the Oval Quarter was marketed in Penang, Hong Kong and Singapore foreign buy-to-let investors one assumes.

An alternative theory favoured by the Telegraph is that these flats are easily managed buy-to-lets being bought by expatriate British executives stationed in Singapore etc but worried they do not have a British property to return home to in due course.

Neither explanation offers any hope for ordinary local people.

 

[CH1]

Stockwell has had very wealthy people for a long time and they do care quite a lot for their area (of course often for their benefit) so (I slightly can't believe I can hear myself saying it) rich people can be a positive influence in the area.

Do you think there same would apply if those people were in gated campuses where interaction with local people was actively discouraged?

 

[boohoo]

Given that the Oval Quarter was marketed in Penang, Hong Kong and Singapore foreign buy-to-let investors one assumes.

An alternative theory favoured by the Telegraph is that these flats are easily managed buy-to-lets being bought by expatriate British executives stationed in Singapore etc but worried they do not have a British property to return home to in due course.

Neither explanation offers any hope for ordinary local people.

It is depressing as this affects all the surrounding house prices, pushes people out of the central areas and into the suburbs and doesn't really solve the housing problem.

 

[boohoo]

Do you think there same would apply if those people were in gated campuses where interaction with local people was actively discouraged?

Who knows. I never suggested they interacted with the local community but that they did things that benefited the local community as a whole.

 

[CH1]

the bit I don't get is how much these master plans cost to produce, i imagine architects and global corporations time don't come cheap and the council are always talking about being skint, shouldn't they be concentrating on matters closer to home than "prestige developments" that only cater for the minority, I reckon the new embassy at vauxhall looms large in this and south of the river is like the Klondike for developers and their associates as global cash comes pouring into the area , the radio was talking this morning about a elongated trampoline along which yuppies could bounce merrily to work this being up for serious consideration

Actually I had a naughty but positive thought today.
If they're going to throw money around why not incorporate the long muted railway interchange as part of the nine story hotel - and have a mega-yuppy travelator to link it all to Brixton Tube à la Chatalet-Les Halles (on the Paris Metro)

 

[Twattor]

Given that the Oval Quarter was marketed in Penang, Hong Kong and Singapore foreign buy-to-let investors one assumes.

An alternative theory favoured by the Telegraph is that these flats are easily managed buy-to-lets being bought by expatriate British executives stationed in Singapore etc but worried they do not have a British property to return home to in due course.

Neither explanation offers any hope for ordinary local people.

You wouldn't believe it. I worked on a scheme in north london where Malaysian investors turned up in a bus and bought a whole block for £16m. It was like a tour - it exists, we will buy. Absolutely staggering. (For the avoidance of doubt, the affordable was safe)

 

[editor]

There's an absolutely brilliant analysis of Brixton's plight here:
Future Brixton and its failure to address the affordable housing crisis

 

[leanderman]

There's an absolutely brilliant analysis of Brixton's plight here:
Future Brixton and its failure to address the affordable housing crisis

It's really good despite the occasional sentence like this:

''Sadly, this will all go to benefit the new people moving to Brixton, replacing all of those who participated in this community process in the first place.''

 

[editor]

It's really good despite the occasional sentence like this:

''Sadly, this will all go to benefit the new people moving to Brixton, replacing all of those who participated in this community process in the first place.''

That's completely correct, no? Ask Gramsci .

 

[leanderman]

That's completely correct, no? Ask Gramsci .

Dunno. Not sure what the sentence means really. Or what specific 'community process' it refers too.

 

[editor]

Dunno. Not sure what the sentence means really. Or what specific 'community process' it refers too.

I would have thought it meant going to all the meetings and then finding out the decisions that are made are the very ones that lead to you being priced out/excluded/evicted out of your own neighbourhood.

 

[leanderman]

I would have thought it meant going to all the meetings and then finding out the decisions that are made are the very ones that lead to you being priced out/excluded/evicted out of your own neighbourhood.

It says 'all': that everyone who went to consultation events is or has been carted out of Brixton. I find this unlikely.

 

[editor]

It says 'all': that everyone who went to consultation events is or has been carted out of Brixton. I find this unlikely.

Perhaps so, but it's also unlikely that the future nu-residents will have attended the consultation events either.