Electric Avenue, Brixton - news and discussion
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editor
hiraethified
The idea is that we look like every other vibrant nu-market and present a familiar face to the people buying the same stuff that they can buy in every other vibrant nu-market across the land.
http://www.vitabri.co.uk/
BigMoaner
What A Load of Old Bollocks
fuck sake, give the place a lick of paint, repair the brick work, clear the rubbish stuffed in the corners, put in a new system of rubbish disposal, repair what needs repairing, but don't try and engineer from above some wanky "vision" - i actually think those trendy pictures showing (what appears to be) a trendy market, a bit disrespectful to the users and sellers of the market.
Twattor
Well-Known Member
There was a consultation stall on Station Road for a few weekends in June run by the architects. I posted about it on the June thread and i believe CH1 also went down to have a look.
Generally I thought the Electric Avenue proposals made sense in terms of improving circulation, although I wasn't sure about their proposals to make the junction of electric avenue and electric lane into an amenity area with benches - with the hustle and bustle of the market all around I can't see it as that sort of space.
The bit i didn't agree with was the Popes Road side of the plan, which would see the widening of the road and the removal of the toilets, south american butcher, and shop that sells useful stuff.
Generally I thought the Electric Avenue proposals made sense in terms of improving circulation, although I wasn't sure about their proposals to make the junction of electric avenue and electric lane into an amenity area with benches - with the hustle and bustle of the market all around I can't see it as that sort of space.
The bit i didn't agree with was the Popes Road side of the plan, which would see the widening of the road and the removal of the toilets, south american butcher, and shop that sells useful stuff.
BigMoaner
What A Load of Old Bollocks
funny enough, the mighty thornton heath has just recieved abotu the same to tart up its high street. everyone delighted. but literally just tidying shop fronts, more bins, better lighting, lots of painting, trees planted, etc. everyone really welcoming it.
but this seems different
lambeth getting more and more obsessed by this sort of "regeneration" when "regeneration" serves who exactly?
but this seems different
lambeth getting more and more obsessed by this sort of "regeneration" when "regeneration" serves who exactly?
editor
hiraethified
I could be wrong, but it seems that very nature of the changes proposed in these plans will lead directly to a reduction in market hustle and bustle, thus making way of the all-important al fresco coffee drinking spaces.
Twattor
Well-Known Member
Short of evicting the tenants of all of the shop units on Electric and kicking off all the market traders to replace them all with artisanal stuff and arts and crafts i don't see it. Much as i like the chinese supermarket i can't see myself wanting to sit down with a coffee and read a paper outside it.
editor
hiraethified
Twattor
Well-Known Member
I think you're reading too much into this. If you ignore the architects' artist's impressions and the fact that they are suggesting a different type of stall, the fundamentals of what they are proposing for much of the market comes down to some resurfacing and some different size pitches being marked-up in a different layout. Of coourse there's also the introduction of the strange "circus" at the intersection with some hard landscaping and seating to stop traffic and break the pedestrian flow.
SpamMisery
Pretty comfortable here right under your skin
I agree. I think this is potentially a positive thing. Far better than leaving it as it is.
Twattor
Well-Known Member
But it's in the drawing!
*orders artisan coffee
*unfolds style mag
*sucks on pipe
Do you think they'll have free wifi and somewhere to plug in the laptop? You may have found your new workspace!
editor
hiraethified
Those canopies aren't ever coming back.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
If memory serves that consultation was on so-called Brixton Central - which currently seems to have gone into hiding.
I think the reason it is on the back burner is the current non-co-operation of Network Rail whilst they concentrate on their rent-hikes for occupants of railway arches (except for Eckovision perhaps).
The Electric Avenue scheme is a separate issue - funded by Townscape Heritage Initiative. That is only supposed to apply to the triangle containing Electric Avenue (bounded by Coldharbour Lane, Atlantic Road and Brixton Road), and the funding is supposed to be seed-type funding, getting some of the more decrepit buildings back into shape pour encourager les autres (or so I was led to believe).
Tricky Skills
Well-Known Member
Does this footprint also include Pope's Road? £121,000 is going towards Carl Turner Architects [pdf] to help 'facilitate' Impact Hub setting up at Pop Brixton. Or maybe this is covered geographically by the Brixton Road current location of Impact Hub at the Town Hall?
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
That is a different programme altogether, see the description here: http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/thi/thi.htm
Carl Turner's grant is coming from the GLA/Mayor whereas THI is a lottery scheme for restoring historic or noteworthy buildings.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
On closer inspection it looks from the document you posted that in Electric Avenue there are two things going on:
Building repairs/bringing upper floors back into useable condition (THI-Lottery)
"Upgrading" stalls & modifying market layout (Brixton High Street/GLA)
Maybe we should ask TED Brixton to invite a Lambeth Council regeneration officer to tell us what on earth they think they're doing (FREE talk of course).
Tricky Skills
Well-Known Member
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Well yes - I've noticed one of the regeneration staff often spends time in the mornings and afternoons chatting to CT just outside the venue as it is.
snowy_again
Slush
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Don't know about that - but in the case of Electric Ave there is an outside consultant/contractor involved, so presumably somebody has to pay for whatever work they do, or have done.
snowy_again
Slush
I think the issue might be that HLF will ask what match funding sources have been secured (e.g. Lambeth continuing to run a street cleaning service) if any funding is to be agreed / released.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Continuing an existing service seems a less than rigorous type of matching. Still the ways things are going it might be the only way to be sure of having the bins emptied.
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