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

[Gramsci]

I went to a BRUG meeting (Brixton Rec Users Group) meeting last Saturday.

BRUG were set up as independent voice for those who use the Rec.

Will try to post up more about that later.

The issue of (yet more) consultation came up.

The Council are going to do a survey of the Rec and also consult about further improvements.

Also the Council have hired architectural consultations to do ( yet more) consultation on the central Brixton area.

As some of you may remember the Council did consult locals several years ago and there is a Brixton Masterplan agreed by Cabinet that was the basis of the Brixton SPD.

The area that is to be consulted about is the area around the Rec, the old Ice Rink site and the arches covering Atlantic road.

The consultants are called "Soundings"

Who are set up by Fluid Architects. Fluid Architects have piece here.

Piece here on the Future Brixton website.

 

[Gramsci]

Future Brixton says:

Lambeth Council and Network Rail have jointly appointed AECOM and Fluid Architects to work with local people on a masterplan development brief for Brixton Central. This area was identified in the Brixton Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) as a major area for growth and investment in the town centre.

Lambeth Council and Network Rail are the major landowners in this area and we want local people to help with proposals for its long-term future. The masterplan development brief will detail the type of development and public space we want in the area, as well as how it should be delivered.

The first stage of this work will be to set up a local reference group that will help us to involve the whole community later in 2014. Members of the Fluid team will be speaking to and meeting with key Brixton based groups and individuals they hope will join this group. If you are interested in finding out more about joining the reference group, please get in touch via the Future Brixton email address.

Working closely with the Brixton Rec User Group (BRUG), the council is commissioning additional survey and capacity work for Brixton Rec, to understand the nature and scale of improvements needed. This will include looking at how the building could be further modernised to meet future leisure demand in the area, as well as the potential to improve its energy efficiency. The findings from this work will be consulted on in the summer/autumn of 2014.

Wider engagement with local people will take place in the summer, with the study finishing in the autumn of 2014. More information at Brixton Central.

 

[Gramsci]

The area covered is this:

 

[quimcunx]

Is it that they are going to keep 'consulting' on Brixton Rec until they can persuade people to let them sell it off (too cheaply) in exchange for a smaller, crappier facility in a less central location?

/cynical]

Or is it protected?

 

[CH1]

Is it that they are going to keep 'consulting' on Brixton Rec until they can persuade people to let them sell it off (too cheaply) in exchange for a smaller, crappier facility in a less central location?

/cynical]

Or is it protected?

I'm thinking of standing in the council in elections as Independent - sack all consultants!

 

[Gramsci]

Is it that they are going to keep 'consulting' on Brixton Rec until they can persuade people to let them sell it off (too cheaply) in exchange for a smaller, crappier facility in a less central location?

/cynical]

Or is it protected?

From what I have been told there are no plans to get rid of the Rec now.

 

[MAD-T-REX]

It's interesting that Network Rail is involved. I won't be surprised if this plan doesn't amount to anything, but if it does then this will probably be the only real chance to rebuild Brixton station and incorporate access to the Overground.

 

[leanderman]

It's interesting that Network Rail is involved. I won't be surprised if this plan doesn't amount to anything, but if it does then this will probably be the only real chance to rebuild Brixton station and incorporate access to the Overground.

You'd hope so - but Johnson at City Hall seems to have ruled out the possibility of a new rail connection - in central Brixton at least.

 

[Crispy]

You'd hope so - but Johnson at City Hall seems to have ruled out the possibility of a new rail connection - in central Brixton at least.

That's a shame. An Overground station is in the Future Brixton masterplan. They'd be foolish not to at least include passive provision.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Is it that they are going to keep 'consulting' on Brixton Rec until they can persuade people to let them sell it off (too cheaply) in exchange for a smaller, crappier facility in a less central location?

/cynical]

Or is it protected?

Well, Cllr Lib Peck promised - in virtually her first meeting as Leader of the Council - to a packed public meeting just over a year ago that the Rec would not be sold/demolished. So it's on her head. Keeping the Rec is also in the Future Brixton masterplan from 2009 (though that didn't stop the council proposing its sale towards the end of 2012.)

I think some in the council would have liked to have done what you suggest (sell it off and re-use the space, relocating the leisure facilities) but the community stopped them.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

It's interesting that Network Rail is involved. I won't be surprised if this plan doesn't amount to anything, but if it does then this will probably be the only real chance to rebuild Brixton station and incorporate access to the Overground.

Network Rail own all the railway arches, which Lambeth see as part of the development. Lambeth seem particularly interested in the rail arches to the east of the overground station (along Brixton Station Road on one side and the back of Granville Arcade/Brixton Square on the other) and the space in between them. This map will help:

 

[leanderman]

Network Rail own all the railway arches, which Lambeth see as part of the development. Lambeth seem particularly interested in the rail arches to the east of the overground station (along Brixton Station Road on one side and the back of Granville Arcade/Brixton Square on the other) and the space in between them. This map will help:

Smartening up the railway station would be a start.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Smartening up the railway station would be a start.

Yeah…(though surely that's Network Rail's job, rather than the job of the Lambeth taxpayer.) I'd like to see alternative access to the rail station…eg a lift and stairs from Popes Road.

 

[editor]

Smartening up the railway station would be a start.

The big fenced off triangle on the southbound platform really is quite an eyesore..

 

[RubyToogood]

Got this through from the council this morning, online survey is in the link:
http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/consultations/the-future-services-of-brixton-recreation-centre

Dear all

The future of services at Brixton Rec – Healthier for longer

Lambeth boasts some fantastic leisure centres and we want to hear your views on local leisure facilities so we can make sure that what’s on offer suits the local community and is flexible to change and grow. That way, all of us in Lambeth can be healthier for longer.

Consultation on services and facilities at Brixton Recreation Centre is now underway.

Lambeth Council is working cooperatively with Brixton Rec User Group and GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited - the company running Brixton Rec for the council) to carry out the consultation. We really welcome your views on how we can make the Rec a better place for everyone to use.

We want to know what you think about activities and services available at the centre, what you would like to see more of, what you think should be improved, and how you would like to get more involved.

Please do take the time to tell us what you think.

How can people get involved?
There are a number of ways that you can get involved:

1.You can complete a questionnaire
You can complete either a long version or short version of the questionnaire which are both available on the council’s website:
www.lambeth.gov.uk/brixtonrecsurvey
Paper copies are currently available on request, or from Brixton Rec and all of our libraries.

2. Other ways you can tell us your comments, or get further information about the consultation:
· Send an email to: acs-consultation@lambeth.gov.uk
· Phone us on: Freephone 0800 013 1497 (this is not free from a mobile phone)
· Write to us at:
Freepost RSKJ-YSKA-AUSA
ACS Consultation
Lambeth Adults' and Community Services
Phoenix House
10 Wandsworth Road
London SW8 2LL

3. Come along to a public meeting
We are holding a meeting on Monday 12 May 2014 from 7.00pm to 8.30pm at Brixton Recreation centre. Everyone is welcome.

4. Children and young peopleWe have separate questionnaires for children aged 9 -12 and young people aged 13-15. We will distribute these through schools and youth groups. If you would like us to send you a copy, do let us know.

Please let us have your feedback by Friday 30 May 2014 at 5pm.

 

[Greebo]

Again???????

Why does this reek to me of "We don't want to take your previous answers seriously"?

 

[snowy_again]

Quite a loaded set of questions too

 

[nagapie]

I just filled it in, it didn't actually give me an option for where I live so I just ticked Brixton.

 

[High Definition]

I attended the first of the Brixton Masterplan Workshops at the end of March and have spoken since to people who attended the second workshop in early April. I and other attendees I've been able to discuss this with were very unhappy about the organisation of the workshops.

My main criticism is that, instead of being shown plans or asked for our views on Central Brixton, we were asked to play a card game which is designed on the assumption that Brixton Central is an underdeveloped vacant space and can be filled with anything Lambeth Council, Railtrack or other developers decide to put in it.

The reality is that most of the area within the boundaries of the "Brixton Central Masterplan" is occupied and there is very little vacant space. The only vacant development site in the Masterplan area is the former ice rink site.

The rest is pretty much occupied right now by businesses and small enterprises which give Brixton its distinctive character - from the arches in the section of Station Road between Popes Road and Gresham Road which provide invaluable storage space to stallholders in Brixton Market to the railway arches on the south side of Valentia Place which are used as studio space by the Bureau of Silly Ideas and other creative enterprises.

Those of us who live and work in Brixton need to get our act together and tell Lambeth Council and Network Rail that Brixton Central is NOT an empty space. and that we need to start .

This issue is going to be discussed at the next meeting of the Brixton Neighbourhood Forum. The Forum brings together a wide range of local community representatives, from residents groups to the Market Traders, but meetings are open to all who live or work in Brixton. The meeting is on Friday 2nd May at 7 pm at the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun Road SW2.

 

[Gramsci]

I attended the first of the Brixton Masterplan Workshops at the end of March and have spoken since to people who attended the second workshop in early April. I and other attendees I've been able to discuss this with were very unhappy about the organisation of the workshops.

My main criticism is that, instead of being shown plans or asked for our views on Central Brixton, we were asked to play a card game which is designed on the assumption that Brixton Central is an underdeveloped vacant space and can be filled with anything Lambeth Council, Railtrack or other developers decide to put in it.
.

I went to both workshops on behalf of the Brixton Rec Users Group.

At the second workshop I raised the issue of the "card game" at the beginning of the workshop. I said that I was not happy. I did not mind it as an exercise but it should not be taken as my views.

Also the local community/ residents/ existing small business owners are there to lobby the Council in order to get the most benefit out of redevelopment for the local community.

Below is the feedback I gave to BRUG after the first meeting:


I was not happy with the group work. Fluid have developed this pack of cards which we used to balance commercial and community benefits for possible redevelopment brief for the site.

Each "playing card" have scores for commercial viability and community benefit. Not surprising that community benefits all got minus points.

The idea of the "game" was to balance community benefits with commercial viability. So housing for sale at market prices ( out of reach to most people) got a high score.

Fluids idea was that this is what "Co-production" is. To get us the local residents and small business owners to see how difficult it is to make a feasible scheme. To show us the hard decisions that have to be made. And to get us to take responsibility for some of it.

I was in hindsight very uncomfortable about this. There is danger that we, the local community, are going to be put in a position that we agree to things we are not that happy with because we have been persuaded that only a financially feasible scheme can be done.

To go back to when the Rec was under threat. We were all told how expensive the Rec was to run. How it would be better to look at the idea of a new up to date Rec for the "21st Century". etc etc. This was a political and ideological argument. Saving the Rec was symbolic. It was preserving a public owned resource built in a time when providing good facilities for all was politically acceptable.

I am concerned that Fluid have been briefed to get the local community to buy into and support a scheme which will attract a "development partner". ie a scheme that produces commercial profit for a developer.

I noticed that many of the work groups ( there were different tables of people doing the same exercise) preferred options that produced a lot of community benefit ( affordable housing being a big one) but not commercial profit.

IMO its not the role of local community to help Council produce a brief which is financially sell-able to a developer. Its the local community role to lobby for the benefits to the area. Will not mean everything sought will be obtained but I am not keen on what I have seen of "Co-production".

From what was said to me the brief produced will go out to tender for a development partner. As has happened with the Town Hall scheme.

 

[Gramsci]

At the second meeting there was a Q&A at beginning with Council officers and Fluid the consultants.

I also raised the issue of how the redevelopment of "Brixton Central" would be done ( ie partner wiht a developers or some other model) The senior Regen officer there said that this was not yet decided. So there is scope for discussion here.

I said there needs to be local community input as the scheme progresses not only consultation being done now.

 

[nagapie]

I thought BRUG were quite on the ball when it comes to threats to the Rec?

 

[editor]

I told them at the meeting I had with them that I wasn't interested in planning along with those ridiculous cards because I felt it was just their way of shoehorning opinions into a compromised format that suited their needs over everyone else's.

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

I get the feeling it's all about building profit centres rather than strong communities, i've long had that feeling what irks me more now is the pretence of consulation conducted in such a patronising manner; of ticking boxes and doing things by their book. Everything by their book, fuck that.

I'm going to get more involved in this and will be at the next meeting.

 

[Gramsci]

I thought BRUG were quite on the ball when it comes to threats to the Rec?

There is no threat to the Rec. Its future is guaranteed in the Brixton SPD.

As the Rec is part of the Brixton Central site they are one of the groups contacted. Any plans for the the Brixton Central site need to be coherent so BRUGs involvement is necessary.

A survey is being done of the Rec to see what works could be done to improve it. Its a large underused space. Any redevelopment of the "Brixton Central" area could also involve using the Rec building in a better way. It could be a more publicly used space. As it was envisioned when it was first designed.Through the work of the stalwarts of BRUG the Council is consulting them into the Rec future.

To give the consultants "Fluid" there due they were interested in the Rec building. I do think the "playing cards" was a mistake. I am not the only one not happy with that approach.

I do think that the site is so complicated ( railway lines cross it, different owners of land, existing business in place in the area) that I am not at all clear how it would be possible to develop this site without major disruption. The Market traders rep at the first meeting said he was concerned that two years of disruption in that area could destroy the street market.

The only section of the site that is a clear area is the old car park/ ice rink site.

BRUG does contain people who have a lot of knowledge of the area. Many of them are concerned about what is happening to Brixton as well as protecting the Rec. ( gentrification , affordable housing , protecting the markets etc. A lot of the issues that get raised on these boards. Goes to show that U75 is not out of touch). So there input is important imo.

 

[boohoo]

Some of these post need to be copied into the Brixton chitter-chatter thread - I think sometimes people feel this stuff won't affect them or the facilities they use so they aren't looking at these threads about consultation and potential development yet if you told them some of the possible outcomes they would be interested.

 

[Gramsci]

Brixton is changing. Not all the local business have the same interests.

The head of the street market traders gave an impassioned speech, at the first meeting, that there is a danger that the street market, which provides affordable products for the working class ( his words), could be pushed out of Brixton.

Two of the businesses from Brixton Village ( two restaurants) , however , were keen to bring more people in who would spend more.

 

[Gramsci]

Some of these post need to be copied into the Brixton chitter-chatter thread - I think sometimes people feel this stuff won't affect them or the facilities they use so they aren't looking at these threads about consultation and potential development yet if you told them some of the possible outcomes they would be interested.

You have a point.

This thread has low number of hits.

This is bread and butter boring planning issues. But its what really matters to all those concerned about what is happening to Brixton.

 

[nagapie]

There is no threat to the Rec. Its future is guaranteed in the Brixton SPD.

As the Rec is part of the Brixton Central site they are one of the groups contacted. Any plans for the the Brixton Central site need to be coherent so BRUGs involvement is necessary.

A survey is being done of the Rec to see what works could be done to improve it. Its a large underused space. Any redevelopment of the "Brixton Central" area could also involve using the Rec building in a better way. It could be a more publicly used space. As it was envisioned when it was first designed.Through the work of the stalwarts of BRUG the Council is consulting them into the Rec future.

To give the consultants "Fluid" there due they were interested in the Rec building. I do think the "playing cards" was a mistake. I am not the only one not happy with that approach.

I do think that the site is so complicated ( railway lines cross it, different owners of land, existing business in place in the area) that I am not at all clear how it would be possible to develop this site without major disruption. The Market traders rep at the first meeting said he was concerned that two years of disruption in that area could destroy the street market.

The only section of the site that is a clear area is the old car park/ ice rink site.

BRUG does contain people who have a lot of knowledge of the area. Many of them are concerned about what is happening to Brixton as well as protecting the Rec. ( gentrification , affordable housing , protecting the markets etc. A lot of the issues that get raised on these boards. Goes to show that U75 is not out of touch). So there input is important imo.

Ah, so that is what I thought about BRUG and glad it is so. I got the impression that the consultation was perhaps a threat to the Rec again, despite the promises in the SPD (we all know about politicians and promises) so I'm glad to hear that I misinterpreted that.

As an aside, my 4 year old started football at the Rec yesterday morning. There were also martial arts and bowling going on that I could see from where we were, a total cross section of people. It reminded me why I like it so much and how lucky I am to have one place that offers so many activities for me and my family.

 

[Winot]

Which parts are underused Gramsci?