Loughborough Junction regeneration project, inc. Farm site

[CH1]

he's the one who wanted it to be an outdoor gym , right?

Not sure about "outdoor" gym. That is a fad for OAPs and non-specialists (maybe not for Dame Ninette de Valois - especially in this weather).

I think what Peter said was that the TA wanted a gym for that site, which had been "promised" many years ago and never happened.

I would imagine what he/the TA had in mind might have been more like the Old Flaxman in the days before Greenwich Leisure. It had all the weight training equipment you can eat and the cost was £1, sessions un-timed, no membership required. That was in the mid 1980s.

Old Flaxman - the People's Gym
Don't want to get too technical but I thought you might like to see what went on. There were free weights of course, but very popular was the multi gym machine which allowed safe handling of very heavy weights leading to maximum muscular development. Myself and a BBC actor called Colin found that we were often required to bear down on these guys' shoulders or thighs so they could handle the maxmum possible weight.
Pull-downs

Then there was our Ninette de Valois lady who spent hours doing pliés in an adjoining bay away from all the sweat and groaning of the Multigym
Plié - Australian version

 

[Gramsci]

Is there a model project which can be held up as having been sufficiently well consulted upon?

Probably not.

I am new to LJ. But in my short time here I see divisions that have grown over several years which help explain the opposition to the road closures.

Its the Coldharbour Ward Cllrs who made an issue of how the Council consult people. They said that the Council did this badly.

Yet this project for the Farm site is going ahead without meaningful consultation. The reason being that for whatever reason the deadline for the grant application didnt leave time for this. My Ward Cllrs seem ok about this at this time. Despite criticising the road closure experiment for poor consultation.

Its been voiced here previously that the fact that this is a deprived area was used to get the application for the grant accepted but that those who are the less well off where not asked about it.

So its another case of being told that this will be good for us and a lot of promises about the benefits.

I would advise those on the Loughborough Estate to neither support or oppose this. As they we not consulted , except for the chairs of LETRA and LEMB. I have heard criticism that the head of LETRA should not have endorsed the scheme without taking time to consult the residents more.

So my view is that the residents of the Loughborough Estate should have a wait and see approach.

That is if they take an interest. From what Ive heard anything that LJAG is involved in is treated with suspicion. LJAG is a toxic brand.

 

[Gramsci]

The funding bid was successful

Future Brixton



etc. etc. etc.

The emphasis is on entrepreneurship and setting up small business.

This is not what the people on the Loughborough Estate need.

What the young people really need is proper training. For example there is a shortage of skilled building workers.

There is an obsession with getting people to have business ideas. It cheap to do. Proper training which might lead to a well paid job requires a lot of resources.

One of the complaints of the people on the estate is that the Farm and Platform do not really address the needs of young people on the estate.

 

[Gramsci]

In case anyone wants to "feed in" (is that what they say? I hate myself for even typing it)..
These are the contact details for the man who wrote the successful bid:

View attachment 82466

He gets around a lot. I wonder what talks he has been having with Network Rail here in LJ and Brixton?

 

[Gramsci]

I suppose my views are influenced from where I grew up. Back in Plymouth in the pre Thatcher era.

The boys I went to school with would either get a job in the Naval Dockyard or in the fishing fleet. Usually the fathers had the same job.

If you went to work in Dockyard it was a paid for apprenticeship and if you went to work in fishing you learnt on the job.

Either way you ended up with a skilled job.

Now all thats just about gone.

What happens now is this:

Someone I know whose been unemployed for a while was sent on a course ( or get his benefit stopped) in how to write a business plan. Now its all these mickey mouse schemes to try and get people to be entrepreneurs.

Another person I know son went for a job as an electrician. The firm said they would give him day off to go to college but he would have to pay for training.

I heard the ex Tory MP David Willetts ,who now works for the Resolution Foundation, recently talking about training/ apprenticeships. He said he often gets business leaders complaining about shortage of skilled workers. He asks them what they do to train staff. This draws a blank as business now regards that as not something they do. Its a cost on business so they do not do it. He is a Tory and he thinks industry should do more.

In the absence of this what one gets is schemes like this for the Farm site.

 

[bimble]

Anybody found the architects sketches for the development?

 

[Gramsci]

Anybody found the architects sketches for the development?

I got some sketches at last LJ Neighbourhood Planning Forum.

Tom who did them is ok imo. Said he works for this architectural group now.

At the meeting it was said they were only rough sketches and not the final design. Very much in the line of an urban oasis with work units. Future Brixton is as usual very enthusiastic. As it was of the Grow Brixton Pop Brixton project.

Future Brixton has piece on the project.

Its going to be managed by "Meanwhile" and then in future to be run by a management board made of of local groups.

My scepticism is due to how Pop ended up, lack of meaningful consultation with local community and the vague promises of training and jobs for locals. Its the Council saying its good for you therefore you should support it line that is irritating.

The road fiasco should have meant that the Council ask people on the Loughborough Estate what they want for there area and how they feel about the estate and the local area. Its not happening.

 

[teuchter]

Love Lambeth

LJ:Works is an exciting new affordable workspace project in Loughborough Junction, Lambeth. We’re looking for two new operators to form a community kitchen and commercial makerspace.

 

[bimble]

Long time no news on this massive project, awarded 1.6 million public funding..
I'm more interested in finding out about this, how its taking shape, than in endlessly arguing the toss over Pop.

 

[editor]

Long time no news on this massive project, awarded 1.6 million public funding..
I'm more interested in finding out about this, how its taking shape, than in endlessly arguing the toss over Pop.

True, but it's still good to be aware of what happened at Pop and hopefully learn some lessons to stop people like The Collective getting their paws all over the project.

 

[bimble]

Yes, the doc that teuchter linked to above has a page full of 'precenents', the bottom right one being Pop.
http://love.lambeth.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/151002-LR-LRF-Sup-doc-1-A3-version.pdf

 

[Gramsci]

I was at the LJ Neighbourhood Planning meeting on Wednesday.

One item was the GLA funded project on the farm site.

Some notes from what was said:

Its now called either "LJ Works Project" or "LJ Space Works Project". There is some confusion on what the final name of the project is.

As posted on the LJ thread the architects have been chosen. Public Works and Architecture00

Tom from Public Works was at the meeting. Public Works will work with Architecture00. Architecture00 have more experience of delivering large projects. Public Works will do a lot of the work on the ground consulting people.

Tom said that Public Works will be at the Loughborough Estate Management Board event this Saturday. This is from midday to 6pm at Loughborough Square ( on Loughborough road by the pub where the shops are). There will be free food at the LEMB event. Which is some kind of community day.

Tom said he is keen to start talking to people about the project.

Public Works are talking to LEMB about having office space on the estate. Which will have an open door policy to encourage people on the estate to have there say on how planning of the project progresses. They are looking into employing someone from the estate in the office.

Idea is that the project will be Co produced by wider community ( beyond the Steering Group) and the architects.

Public Works are looking into how locals can be employed in construction of the project and learn skills.

The Council officer who is involved in the project said that the Council had been seeking bids from organisations to run the proposed "Makerspace". But none had been forthcoming. Which surprised me ( Crispy might know ?).

So the Council were looking at alternative uses. ie expanding the foodie bit- kitchen , smaller scale makerspace or Tree Shepherd to do a project around textiles.

 

[Gramsci]

Some of the info on this is on the LJ chitter chat thread. I thought it best to restart this thread. May copy and paste over some of the info from the other thread.

 

[Crispy]

The Council officer who is involved in the project said that the Council had been seeking bids from organisations to run the proposed "Makerspace". But none had been forthcoming. Which surprised me

These sorts of spaces come in two types, the grassroots hobbiests (like us at SLMS) and the more commercial operators which are used by startups and small businesses.
Their brief wasn't really compatible with either type. The rent is too high for a community group and the uncertainty/risk is too high for a commercial organisation.

 

[Gramsci]

Went to the LEMB fun day on Loughborough square. Public Works and Architecture00 were there. Here are a few photos of there display on how they are thinking of proceeding.

They are going to set up a blog dedicated to this project. Public Works have already started talking to groups in the area such as at the Youth Centre.

They are setting up an email list to keep people informed.

 

[Gramsci]

 

[Gramsci]

An idea that Public Works have is to set up a CNC build scheme. This is similar to 3D printing. The design is done on a computer. The design is then cut out by a machine as a kit which is then assembled on site. They want to use this as a training programme for local people who can learn how to use the computers and machine to design and build.

I think the idea is that this can also be used to construct some of the buildings on the project site.

They had small example they were putting together at the Fun Day.

Tables for there display:

 

[Gramsci]

Some ideas for the site. These are just examples. It also up to the steering group for the site to decide in the end which and what groups get space on the project. Public Works are looking on getting feedback on idea for how the site is built and what happens there.

Unlike Pop this is a long term project. Should be 25 year life. So imo the design should be flexible enough to allow changing use of site over time. Hopefully local community focused.

 

[Gramsci]

The full doc proposals for the site by Public Works/ OO Architects. These are ideas for site so they welcome comments. Not sure how will these jpegs will come out. If u click on images they become bigger. I have it on pdf if anyone wants it. May try to put it up here.

 

[Gramsci]

pdf version

 

[bimble]

Not sure whether to stick this in LJ chitchat as well because this seems a bit of an out of the way corner for something which will have such a massive impact on where we live.
This has appeared in the laundrette on CHL. haven;t seen anything else about the event yet just these pages stuck up in the laundrette window.
Afternoon of next Saturday (29th of this month) in "loughborough plaza" :

This is where they are hoping to meet local people who are interested in starting businesses inside the new complex, the people who it says are crucial to its success:

 

[Gramsci]

Got this yesterday:


Hello!

I am emailing you all as you have shown an interest in LJ Works - the affordable workspace project on the Loughborough Farm site!

Whether you envisage yourself as a future tenant, think you can carry out some of the building work or are interested in learning skills and volunteering - WE WILL NEED YOU.

Below is an invite to an event on Saturday the 29th. The future operators of LJ Works will be present so it will be a good chance to come and speak to them about how you would like to be involved.

I hope to see you all there! Should be a great day with some free food and good music - See the poster below for more details and feel free to share it amongst your networks. ____________________________________________

LJ WORKS OPEN DAY

SATURDAY 29th OCT



1PM - 6PM @ LOUGHBOROUGH PLAZA

(outside of the Hero of Switzerland Pub)



+ A NEW AFFORDABLE WORKSPACE PROJECT FOR LOUGHBOROUGH JUNCTION

+ FREE FOOD + MUSIC + FAMILY ACTIVITIES - ALL WELCOME

+ CONTRIBUTE TO THE EMERGING DESIGN AND FIND OUT ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE



A new affordable workspace project funded by the GLA with the potential to include a food business incubator, shared textiles workspace, co-working office and private studios on the Loughborough Farm Site. The Loughborough Farm will remain and will be integrated with this hive of local industry creating an exciting space that brings craft, jobs, cooking and growing together.
The Project is being led by the council in partnership with Meanwhile Space CIC and a steering group made up of local organisations:



Loughborough Estate Management Board, Loughborough Farm, Marcus Lipton Youth Centre, Loughborough Junction Action Group, Loughborough Estate Tenants and Residents Association

SEE POSTER BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS

...COME AND JOIN US TO FIND OUT MORE

 

[Gramsci]

See me and bimble posted up at the same time.

 

[bimble]

Odd that they haven't managed to stick a poster up anywhere apart from the laundrette?
They're right that local people getting involved is what would make it a good thing rather than an unwelcome invasion
£1.6 million of public funding, I'd have thought they could manage a few more posters at least.

 

[Angellic]

Loughborough Plaza?

 

[bimble]

Loughborough Plaza?

Loughborough Square clearly wasn't good enough.

 

[Gramsci]

To be fair having the event on Loughborough Square/ Plaza is in consideration of the complaints from the people on the estate re consultation. The "square" is right in middle of the estate. Near where the actual project will be built. More people from the estate are likely to see the event on that site rather than it being in the so called middle class bit on the other side of the railway line.

Where else could it have been? Not on the hated farm or the "Platform".

 

[bimble]

To be fair having the event on Loughborough Square/ Plaza is in consideration of the complaints from the people on the estate re consultation. The "square" is right in middle of the estate. Near where the actual project will be built.

Where else could it have been? Not on the hated farm or the "Platform".

Location is good. It's just a bit humorous that it's gone from being a square to plaza.

 

[Gramsci]

Location is good. It's just a bit humorous that it's gone from being a square to plaza.

I know what u mean.

This is more likely to be how LEMB would like the site to be called.

 

[Angellic]

Location is good. It's just a bit humorous that it's gone from being a square to plaza.

Yes, it's 'plaza' that I found puzzling. Loughborough Place would have worked fine. Unless there is one already.