Higgs Triangle Loughborough Junction redevelopment

[teuchter]

I'll never forgive or forget the devious bullshit that Barratt Homes came up with to get their affordable housing obligations reduced at Brixton Square.

I think some of the response to what happened there may have influenced things with this project, both in terms of what was proposed and how the committee voted.

Proportion of affordable housing was mentioned a fair bit.

There were some pointed comments about it not being a "gated community" made by the developers at the meeting.

However one thing that the committee picked up on was the fact that each block would have its own "play area" only accessible to residents of that block, and this would mean that the affordable housing and private housing would have segregated play areas (one of the councillors actualy referred specifically to "social segregation" I think). This put quite a dent in the developers talk about inclusivess and communal amenity.

Suggestions from the developer that the communal courtyard would also be available as play area were met with scpeticism however, with councillors saying that people probably wouldn't want their kids playing in an area fully open to the public etc.

Maybe a gate-controlled communal area with playspace could provide for the social mixing between blocks and housing tenure types whilst still assuaging parents' security fears?

*re-ignites gated-community-gate*

 

[editor]

The idea of separate play areas for the well-heeled and affordable residents is obscene.
Most kids seem happy to play in public parks without sections all being gated off by virtue of the parents' wealth.

 

[teuchter]

Not necessarily much different from the segregation bewteen kids whose parents can afford houses with leafy back gardens for them to play in and those whose parents can't.

 

[editor]

Not necessarily much different from the segregation bewteen kids whose parents can afford houses with leafy back gardens for them to play in and those whose parents can't.

If we were talking about suburban homes with big leafy back gardens and green space all around and not new high rise builds in the middle of Loughborough Junction, perhaps.

 

[Lizzy Mac]

Massive relief. Thanks to anyone to contributed.

 

[CH1]

There was some discussion about density...various figures being mentioned in the context of the London Plan and Lambeth policies.

I might have misunderstood but it seemed that the London Plan designation of the site had changed during the pre-application process - from "urban" to "central" (on account of being less than 800m from Brixton centre), the "central" designation being used to justify the more intensive development and building heights. (CH1 if you were there too maybe you can confirm whether I got that right)

I was there, but right at the back so I could not see who was speaking most of the time.

Teuchter I think you are correct about what was said at the meeting vis a vis Urban/Central zoning of the site.

It was certainly disputed on the objectors side that this was a sensible interpretation of policy, but I have subsequently been unable to find the any reference to the policy - my Googling just produced loads of maps from a London Plan dated 2008 which had Brixton marked as an Urban Centre (the only other Urban Centre in Lambeth being Streatham). Things must have moved on since then.

Can anyone else help on where to locate London Plan designations for particular sites - and the implications thereof?

 

[Bobzillard]

Parritt Leng, the developers, have distributed to local addresses a letter, dated 28 Nov 2014, inviting residents to review their revised proposals at meetings
on Mon 8 Dec, Wed 10 Dec and Mon 15 Dec, all at the Sureway Church, 1 Higgs Estate, Herne Hill Road from 6pm-8pm.
"After a short presentation there will be an opportunity to ask questions and express views on the revised project".

 

[editor]

Parritt Leng, the developers, have distributed to local addresses a letter, dated 28 Nov 2014, inviting residents to review their revised proposals at meetings
on Mon 8 Dec, Wed 10 Dec and Mon 15 Dec, all at the Sureway Church, 1 Higgs Estate, Herne Hill Road from 6pm-8pm.
"After a short presentation there will be an opportunity to ask questions and express views on the revised project".

Cheers for the update. I've posted up on B Buzz about the meetings.

http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2014/12/...-for-higgs-triangle-in-loughborough-junction/

Good to make sure people get to hear about it as Parrit Leng don't seem very good on publicising their own meetings.

 

[CH1]

Parritt Leng, the developers, have distributed to local addresses a letter, dated 28 Nov 2014, inviting residents to review their revised proposals at meetings
on Mon 8 Dec, Wed 10 Dec and Mon 15 Dec, all at the Sureway Church, 1 Higgs Estate, Herne Hill Road from 6pm-8pm.
"After a short presentation there will be an opportunity to ask questions and express views on the revised project".

Maybe interested parties who wish to attend should note the previous incident where visitors names were quoted as "supporters" in the planning application.

 

[teuchter]

That was very quick. I wonder if they had a "revised" scheme waiting in the wings in anticipation of a refusal. If not, I'd be a bit concerned that they've only spent about a week coming up with a new design. It wouldn't suggest that it had been thought through very carefully.

 

[Crispy]

I predict fiddling round the edges

 

[prunus]

I predict fiddling round the edges

Much as I'd enjoy having violinists serenading us on the borders of the development, I'm not sure this'll be enough to address the concerns of the locals.

 

[goldengraham]

That was very quick. I wonder if they had a "revised" scheme waiting in the wings in anticipation of a refusal. If not, I'd be a bit concerned that they've only spent about a week coming up with a new design. It wouldn't suggest that it had been thought through very carefully.

They would definitely have anticipated rejection at the first stage.

I know some people who have been affected by a large residential planning scheme in a totally different part of the country (they are actually in negotiations to sell their land to the developers and so have had direct discussions with them). The development was rejected by local planning at first hearing but my friends say the developers had seen that coming from way before the ruling and were clearly playing a long game ... I'd imagine this is no different.

 

[teuchter]

They would definitely have anticipated rejection at the first stage.

I know some people who have been affected by a large residential planning scheme in a totally different part of the country (they are actually in negotiations to sell their land to the developers and so have had direct discussions with them). The development was rejected by local planning at first hearing but my friends say the developers had seen that coming from way before the ruling and were clearly playing a long game ... I'd imagine this is no different.

Yes, not unusual strategy.

 

[ChrisSouth]

I may well go. Any thoughts from people on specific questions it would be useful to ask?

 

[prunus]

I may well go. Any thoughts from people on specific questions it would be useful to ask?

I am going to try to go too; I don't know if I will make it though.

My plan is to get the list of reasons they were rejected last time and ask, one by one, how this new proposal addresses each one. Please feel free to do the same

 

[prunus]

Parritt Leng, the developers, have distributed to local addresses a letter, dated 28 Nov 2014, inviting residents to review their revised proposals at meetings
on Mon 8 Dec, Wed 10 Dec and Mon 15 Dec, all at the Sureway Church, 1 Higgs Estate, Herne Hill Road from 6pm-8pm.
"After a short presentation there will be an opportunity to ask questions and express views on the revised project".

Did anyone get to any of these? What's the story?

 

[Twattor]

Had an interesting chat with one of the developer's partners earlier this week. They were genuinely surprised that the scheme didn't get approved as they thought the developer had ticked all the necessary boxes. Not sure I agree with the advice they've been given thus far, but opinions were exchanged.

 

[CH1]

Had an interesting chat with one of the developer's partners earlier this week. They were genuinely surprised that the scheme didn't get approved as they thought the developer had ticked all the necessary boxes. Not sure I agree with the advice they've been given thus far, but opinions were exchanged.

Does that mean you went to one of those sessions - and if you did, were Parritt Leng showing their modifications to the proposals which had been turned down?

Or was it just a chat "What changes would you like to see?"

 

[teuchter]

I meant to go to one of those sessions, and then failed to.

I've just recieved emails with the decision notices though.

They mention a "reconsulaton [sic] for an amended scheme". The amendments that are mentioned appear to be very minor. But maybe they are amendments that were made prior to the committee hearing, rather than amendments being proposed now?

Main site:



Corner (sureways church) site:

 

[Twattor]

Does that mean you went to one of those sessions - and if you did, were Parritt Leng showing their modifications to the proposals which had been turned down?

Or was it just a chat "What changes would you like to see?"

No, stricly a pint and a chat. Although i was surprised the the first thing i was asked was whether i had objected. Happy to meet over a pint with you and teuchter to discuss

 

[goldengraham]

Had an interesting chat with one of the developer's partners earlier this week. They were genuinely surprised that the scheme didn't get approved as they thought the developer had ticked all the necessary boxes. Not sure I agree with the advice they've been given thus far, but opinions were exchanged.

Whatever reasons about pavement width etc the developers were eventually given for refusal, the real situation is obviously that they failed to consult the local community to any meaningful extent and/or take into account the area master plan, which it seems they are still very keen to bypass. So I'm concluding the surprise for them is that people round here actually give a shit about this stuff?

 

[CH1]

No, stricly a pint and a chat. Although i was surprised the the first thing i was asked was whether i had objected. Happy to meet over a pint with you and teuchter to discuss

I am happy to meet you - but I did not want to attend the latest Parritt Leng consultation meetings in case that was taken to imply my agreement to any changes they have made to the plans.

My attitude is this - it is not in my back yard - so let the directly interested parties debate. My own concern is over the de-industrialisation of Brixton, which is bad for jobs and turning the area into a dormitory with attendant infrastructure issues - as noted with overcrowding on the Thameslink service from Loughborough Junction.

 

[teuchter]

Seems like some kind of consultation again now. Door a bit up herne hill road with sign next to it. Today and weds 5-8pm. Again very little notice given, not sure when the sign went up. Certainly I didn't get anything in the post despite living very close by.

 

[teuchter]

 

[prunus]

Seems like some kind of consultation again now. Door a bit up herne hill road with sign next to it. Today and weds 5-8pm. Again very little notice given, not sure when the sign went up. Certainly I didn't get anything in the post despite living very close by.

Well I walk past that door every day. That sign was not there this morning I'm pretty sure.

 

[editor]

Could someone be so kind as to post up/mail me some info about this consultation so I can put it on B Buzz?

 

[teuchter]

Well I walk past that door every day. That sign was not there this morning I'm pretty sure.

It was there at the weekend actually. Saw it when legging it for the train on either saturday or sunday but didn't get round to taking a photo until today.

 

[prunus]

It was there at the weekend actually. Saw it when legging it for the train on either saturday or sunday but didn't get round to taking a photo until today.

Oh Well, not as observant as I thought then.....

 

[goldengraham]

I'm pretty sure the sign has been up since last week at least. But it's not easy to see from the west-side pavement, which most people use as it's at a high elevation on a wall which is very close to the pavement.

I popped into the consultation last night but didn't take any detailed notes. If memory serves me right though I can summarise thus:

• fewer flats (c120 as opposed to c150)
• 10-floor office block reduced to 8 floors
• pavement widened by 1m around the Sureways church corner & Coldharbour Lane (reclaimed from the building, not the road)
• entrances to development widened by 2m; slightly bigger 'public space' bit in the middle; private access route from flats onto Coldharbour Lane

A smiley woman from Parrit Leng asked me if I had any questions, so I asked how it now dovetailed with the LJ masterplan. She said she had no idea, which I thought was quite telling. The architect with the hipster beard was there again and was obviously discussing the same subject in depth with someone else. Afraid I had to leave in a hurry so couldn't really pick up much of the conversation ...