Redeveloping the Megabowl and Caesars - Streatham

[Pieface]

Got a council planning thingy through the door last night - they're going to turn the old Megabowl and Caesars into an (up to) ten story high redevelopment on Streatham High St. Business and commerce on the bottom floor and over 250 flats with underground parking spaces. 10% affordable housing.

I can't see it being much taller than the existing buildings so I'm not against it per se but you lot know more about potential planning nightmares than me.

Any thoughts? Apart from the disruption to one of the busiest high streets in S London potentially

 

[Crispy]

10% is the legal minimum (although ken wants to raise it to 20 IIRC)

 

[g force]

Megabowl can;t be more than 5/6 storeys at most so it could potentially be twice the height and no doubt some hideous glass building too. Business/commerce might be okay but I suspect it will be a shite restaurant chain. At least they're doing underground parking for the development...bet a 1-bedder is at least £220k

 

[Pieface]

Yeah - Dub mentioned that about affordable housing - they only ever do the minimum don't they? I was asking how you get a look in on that but do you reckon it'll be council housing?

 

[Crispy]

It'll be housing association - no new "proper" council housing is allowed right now.

 

[Pieface]

Megabowl can;t be more than 5/6 storeys at most so it could potentially be twice the height and no doubt some hideous glass building too. Business/commerce might be okay but I suspect it will be a shite restaurant chain. At least they're doing underground parking for the development...bet a 1-bedder is at least £220k

Thing is - any commerce could rejuvenate that high street - as long as it wasn't something that could put the wonderful Meditteranean shop out of business.

 

[zenie]

It'll be housing association - no new "proper" council housing is allowed right now.

Or shared ownership

 

[tarannau]

Someone declared to LQ, with great joy and gentrifying glee, that it was going to hold a Waitrose as well. Any truth in that?

 

[Pieface]

what's that zenie? Is that where you own a percentage of the property and pay a mortgage on that? May mate has one of those in Vauxhall - it's killing her financially...

 

[Pieface]

Someone declared to LQ, with great joy and gentrifying glee, that it was going to hold a Waitrose as well. Any truth in that?

I've skimmed the plans and not seen mention of any actual businesses - I don't know if a Waitrose would be a success round there - there's a Tesco down the road, a mini Sainsbury's and a Morrisons already. Isn't Waitrose really expensive too?

 

[quimcunx]

Well the megabowl is somewhere kids and teenagers can go, I'm not really in favour of taking that away.

 

[tarannau]

Yep, that's New Build HomeBuy, or shared ownership as it used to be called - you buy a share of the property and pay subsidised rent on the rest.

HAs nearly always offer the NBHB as their affordable housing option,

 

[Pieface]

Well the megabowl is somewhere kids and teenagers can go, I'm not really in favour of taking that away.

It's been gone for months.

 

[zenie]

what's that zenie? Is that where you own a percentage of the property and pay a mortgage on that? May mate has one of those in Vauxhall - it's killing her financially...

Yeh they say it's affordable housing but in reality who the fuck can afford shared ownership, I know I wouldn't be able to.

 

[Pieface]

Also - isn't there something about when you sell, the amount of money you need to have to lay down a deposit on a house has gone up so much in the interim that you still cannot get on the housing ladder? So you're back at square one with a bit more cash.

 

[quimcunx]

It's been gone for months.

I'm still not in favour of it.

 

[Belushi]

Isn't Waitrose really expensive too?

Quite expensive, but theres probably a market for it around Streatham.

My main concern is will the new development increase traffic on the High St, one of the most congested in the country.

 

[tarannau]

I've skimmed the plans and not seen mention of any actual businesses - I don't know if a Waitrose would be a success round there - there's a Tesco down the road, a mini Sainsbury's and a Morrisons already. Isn't Waitrose really expensive too?

Well, I suspect that town planners are trying to claim the John Lewis partnership back, after muffed attempts to keep Pratts, the awesomely named department store which once made Streatham a real shopping destination. When it went the high street largely imploded, going rapidly downhill.

Waitrose is bleeding costly, but amongst the sea of poncey bars and coffes shops that are rising up, it'll probably fit in just fine. Streatham seems to be coming more and more of a dormitory town and the shops are increasingly reflecting that. It'd certainly be a blow to places like the Mediterranean deli and the fine grocers up there.

 

[Pieface]

I suspect if something that size opened over the road it would kill the med shop.

The ONLY 2 good shops on that high st are the Med and Streatham Fruiterers/Grocers who seem to stock everything under the sun. In fact, that must be what is working in their favour because the Sainsbury's doesn't actually have much in it! All it has over the med shop is frozen produce and wine.

 

[g force]

Isn't the new Tescos going where the Leisure Centre/Got Kart track/Bus depot is currently? Can't see the need for another supermarket...although ASDA were rumoured to be interested at one point in this site.

I also worry that replacing a bowling alley with a shop/housing isn't exactly encouraging.

Shared ownership is a bit of scam IMO...it's not really any better than renting because you get very little when you come to sell due to all sorts of restrictions and fess involved in the process.

 

[Pieface]

God - is there another supermarket opening? There's already a massive Tesco down past the common! Or is it a Sainsbury's?

What the fuck is the point? How much bloody food shopping do we need?!

 

[Belushi]

Isn't the new Tescos going where the Leisure Centre/Got Kart track/Bus depot is currently?

Is it, that would be handy for me!

Didnt there used to be Safeways by the side of the train station?

 

[Pieface]

The sign is still there but I don't know if it's still open.

Belushi - is that supermarket down near the common not handy enough?

 

[Belushi]

The sign is still there but I don't know if it's still open.

Belushi - is that supermarket down near the common not handy enough?

One where the bus station is would be even handier.

Its okay, it wont be compulsory to shop there

 

[g force]

Yep Sainsbury's is by the Common. No idea what's happening with the Safeway building...assume a lack of parking did for it the end cos you have that crappy left hand trun after the lights byt the station that they've re-designed.

It's still a big-ish site though shame to let it go to waste.

BTW - the Tesco development includes a new Ice Rink, Lesiure Centre and Bus terminus, with approx 250 flats on top so that whole stretch would be re-developed causing even further disruption! No idea what stage the plans are at, only that the Council has approved the site's development.

 

[Belushi]

BTW - the Tesco development includes a new Ice Rink, Lesiure Centre and Bus terminus, with approx 250 flats on top so that whole stretch would be re-developed causing even further disruption! No idea what stage the plans are at, only that the Council has approved the site's development.

Wow, thats a big development.

 

[gaijingirl]

According to all the council bumpf we've had delivered through the door it's just Tesco - not Waitrose opening up. My flatmate works in HR in Sainsbury's and once a week or so goes to their Streatham Offices - she always knows what's opening where - she's only mentioned Tesco too.

 

[Pieface]

It's like supermarket wars....

 

[tarannau]

Well I know that Tescos have finally got permission to wipe out the Skating Rink and surrounds, albeit with promises to rebuild them next to their whopping new store. The Waitrose rumour was told to us by someone who recently moved to StReatham - I"m guessing they meant in the old Caesar's site, which the council were trying to hawk to various department stores. I suspect this is wishful thinking or rapid backtracking from the council.

 

[g force]

Ah yes...probably the same people who think Jamie Oliver is opening a restaurant in the old cinema complex that's now crappy, small and over-priced flats

So why would Tesco spend years on the Streatham Common site only to move to a smaller, less convenient one up the road? Can't see them bothering as there's a Tesco Express where the exhaust/rims shop used to be.