Say hello to Barratt Homes' 'Brixton Square' on Coldharbour Lane (old Cooltan site)

[cuppa tee]

Letting agents spew rubbish.

Tbf the mews bit is pure bollocks for sure, I don't know how anyone can fool themselves into thinking a big steel gate is not going to influence at least some punters to take the plunge when they'd be more at home in Parsons Green.

 

[Strangerdanger]

Tbf the mews bit is pure bollocks for sure, I don't know how anyone can fool themselves into thinking a big steel gate is not going to influence at least some punters to take the plunge when they'd be more at home in Parsons Green.

When I first moved here I stayed with a friend in Parsons Green. Beautiful house and neighbourhood, but having just stepped "fresh off the boat" from the Caribbean, 23 and skint, it was eye opening. That's a completely different world, I can't see how this BS would be aimed at that demographic.

 

[cuppa tee]

When I first moved here I stayed with a friend in Parsons Green. Beautiful house and neighbourhood, but having just stepped "fresh off the boat" from the Caribbean, 23 and skint, it was eye opening. That's a completely different world, I can't see how this BS would be aimed at that demographic.

I wasn't really referring to a demographic, more of a mindset, and that mindset would probably struggle with the old brixton, or the more lurid aspects of it that used to be flung around, without the rebranding maybe it still would, even with the rebranding enough of the old is still around to make some people nervous hence the attractions of a big steel gate.

 

[Strangerdanger]

I wasn't really referring to a demographic, more of a mindset, and that mindset would probably struggle with the old brixton, or the more lurid aspects of it that used to be flung around, without the rebranding maybe it still would, even with the rebranding enough of the old is still around to make some people nervous hence the attractions of a big steel gate.

You know what, I can actually agree with you there. I think that's exactly why they marketed it as such. I also think that its needless and if they hadn't and there were no gate, it would have made no difference for the people who bought. The chance to buy a new modern flat in zone 2, in an area like Brixton with lots going on, is more than enough to make bs marketable.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Oh yes, you can tell a dedicated stickler for accuracy by their unquestioning acceptance of the authority of estate agents and internet bloggers.

And yet we all know that were the argument reversed, you'd be proferring those same sources as authoritative in support of your case.

 

[ViolentPanda]

My old flat was advertised as charming with a garden. It was cupboard sized with a shared garden which was about a mile away from the flat (and down 2 flights of stairs). Letting agents spew rubbish.

TBF "charming" has always meant "poky, with the possibility of mice".

 

[ViolentPanda]

You know what, I can actually agree with you there. I think that's exactly why they marketed it as such. I also think that its needless and if they hadn't and there were no gate, it would have made no difference for the people who bought. The chance to buy a new modern flat in zone 2, in an area like Brixton with lots going on, is more than enough to make bs marketable.

Except to Mr Bim, who's openly stated that the presence of a fuck-off big gate influenced him.

 

[Strangerdanger]

Except to Mr Bim, who's openly stated that the presence of a fuck-off big gate influenced him.

Well he lived in Brixton before, not sure what his experiences were. I know Lou Lou wrote about being burgled several times. I could see someone wanting a gate after that traumatic experience. So I think cuppa tee is right, that's why it was marketed as such AND I can see how a gate would appeal to some people. Still doesn't make it a gated community though, and I maintain that the majority of people probably wouldnt care if there were no gate.

And actually Valentia place next door has a square in the middle of the flats as well, with arguably more "community space" than BS. But it gets a pass because there's a door instead of a gate? Ok....

 

[editor]

And actually Valentia place next door has a square in the middle of the flats as well, with arguably more "community space" than BS. But it gets a pass because there's a door instead of a gate? Ok....

I think you mean The Viaduct, yes?

It's a shoddy development for sure, but at least it presents a less daunting face to Coldharbour Lane, being set much further back from the road, and not having a massive steel gate as its only entrance. Surely you can see the difference?

 

[fogbat]

My flat is a Doored Community

 

[Strangerdanger]

I think you mean The Viaduct, yes?

It's a shoddy development for sure, but at least it presents a less daunting face to Coldharbour Lane, being set much further back from the road, and not having a massive steel gate as its only entrance. Surely you can see the difference?

Less daunting? Really? How is bs daunting anyway? It's a brick building with a very wide pavement in the front and a hedge thats about to be planted. It's not as though its in the street.

 

[editor]

Less daunting? Really? How is bs daunting anyway? It's a brick building with a very wide pavement in the front and a hedge thats about to be planted. It's not as though its in the street.

Oh come on. One building is set back from the street and has a normal glass door for its entrance and the other has a massive metal gate.

 

[AKA pseudonym]

If you ever get the chance to get chatting to some of the 'security/concierges' there, they will tell you how many empty properties lie vacant, owned by investors/speculators who will never live there...
Bounce into the sales office next door and they will tell you they have sold almost all 'residentials' there...
People need homes... Homes need people....
Brixton square highlights all that is wrong with the 'housing crisis' in Brixton and beyond...
End of....

 

[ViolentPanda]

Well he lived in Brixton before...

Brixton Hill, I believe. Not quite the "frontline" that Coldharbour Lane etc are.

...not sure what his experiences were. I know Lou Lou wrote about being burgled several times. I could see someone wanting a gate after that traumatic experience. So I think cuppa tee is right, that's why it was marketed as such AND I can see how a gate would appeal to some people. Still doesn't make it a gated community though, and I maintain that the majority of people probably wouldnt care if there were no gate.

I think that you're under-estimating how much of a "selling point" even the idea of a gate implies for personal safety, especially a gate where access is "managed". It implies that only "permitted" persons gain access to any part of the development, even before they're able to gain access to individual dwellings. For some people, that's a big attraction.

And actually Valentia place next door has a square in the middle of the flats as well, with arguably more "community space" than BS. But it gets a pass because there's a door instead of a gate? Ok....

I wouldn't know, but isn't the ground floor of Valentia Place commercial units? If that's the case then having a door or gate makes good insurance sense, given how pernickety commercial insurers can be.

 

[ViolentPanda]

My flat is a Doored Community

Protected by a mystical feline.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Less daunting? Really? How is bs daunting anyway? It's a brick building with a very wide pavement in the front and a hedge thats about to be planted. It's not as though its in the street.

TBF, I have a similar reaction to the ed when I pass Brixton Square, or when I pass the controlled gates at Brockwell Gate, just down the road from me. A large gate or gates set in a deep shadowy arch come across to me as nothing so much as the entrance to a fort or castle, down to the bloke letting people in and out. The only thing that's missing is a pikestaff!

 

[Strangerdanger]

Oh come on. One building is set back from the street and has a normal glass door for its entrance and the other has a massive metal gate.

The period flat I lived in before was set closer to the road than BS is, and I would hardly call a gate that people are constantly coming and going out of daunting. The gate is open half the time quite frankly. I get that you think BS represents something bigger and you don't like it - I can empathise with that... but the place is not daunting in anyway.

 

[Strangerdanger]

TBF, I have a similar reaction to the ed when I pass Brixton Square, or when I pass the controlled gates at Brockwell Gate, just down the road from me. A large gate or gates set in a deep shadowy arch come across to me as nothing so much as the entrance to a fort or castle, down to the bloke letting people in and out. The only thing that's missing is a pikestaff!

I dunno, perhaps it's a personal thing then. I just don't see it that way at all.

 

[Belushi]

I don't know about daunting, it's certainly ugly.

 

[teuchter]

And yet we all know that were the argument reversed, you'd be proferring those same sources as authoritative in support of your case.

Absolute nonsense; in the last few pages I've written a couple of quite lengthy posts trying to explain clearly my point of view, one explaining why I don't think BS comes under the definition of a "gated community" and one trying to explain why it is probably necessary for BS to have a gated rather than a glazed entrance, and neither of these posts resorted to flimsy links from external sources. Which is why it's a little irritating for Editor to come back with his petulant remarks about "sticklers for accuracy" and suchlike instead of actually trying to reply to the various points I have made. Of course, that is entirely business as usual as is your post above. And weren't you going to come back to us with some more details on these studies you talked about, which looked at the effects of gated communities? I believe you had been asked if you could explain what definition of "gated communities" had been assumed in these studies. Apologies if you replied to that and I missed it.

 

[editor]

Absolute nonsense; in the last few pages I've written a couple of quite lengthy posts trying to explain clearly my point of view, one explaining why I don't think BS comes under the definition of a "gated community" ...

Whatever your personal opinion is, it's still being widely advertised by multiple estate agents as being a 'gated development' or a 'gated mews' though.

I haven't heard of any renters expressing dissatisfaction with the supposed lack of gated-ness. Maybe they think it's a gated development too.

 

[editor]

The gate is open half the time quite frankly.

For the record, I've never seen it left open whenever I've passed.

 

[teuchter]

Whatever your personal opinion is, it's still being widely advertised by multiple estate agents as being a 'gated development' or a 'gated mews' though.

I haven't heard of any renters expressing dissatisfaction with the supposed lack of gated-ness. Maybe they think it's a gated development too.

So what?

 

[Manter]

TBF, I have a similar reaction to the ed when I pass Brixton Square, or when I pass the controlled gates at Brockwell Gate, just down the road from me. A large gate or gates set in a deep shadowy arch come across to me as nothing so much as the entrance to a fort or castle, down to the bloke letting people in and out. The only thing that's missing is a pikestaff!

I just love the fact that at Brockwell gate they have big spiky gates, half of which have to stay open for access t the park. There's a logic fail in there somewhere

 

[editor]

So what?

So quit banging on and on about it.

 

[teuchter]

What exactly are you telling me to stop "banging on about"?

So quit banging on and on about it.

 

[quimcunx]

I wasn't really referring to a demographic, more of a mindset, and that mindset would probably struggle with the old brixton, or the more lurid aspects of it that used to be flung around, without the rebranding maybe it still would, even with the rebranding enough of the old is still around to make some people nervous hence the attractions of a big steel gate.

We used to have a car gate that anyone could duck under. Now we have a big steel gate. 20 years in brixton without struggling with the 'more lurid aspects of it that used to be flung around' but I have to say I prefer not lying in my bed at 2am listening to prostitutes and punters as used to happen.

Say it loud, say it proud. My name is quimcunx and I live in a 'gated development'. As do many people in period blocks of flats and in council blocks.

I might start calling it a mews.

 

[editor]

We used to have a car gate that anyone could duck under. Now we have a big steel gate. 20 years in brixton without struggling with the 'more lurid aspects of it that used to be flung around' but I have to say I prefer not lying in my bed at 2am listening to prostitutes and punters as used to happen.

Say it loud, say it proud. My name is quimcunx and I live in a 'gated development'. As do many people in period blocks of flats and in council blocks.

I might start calling it a mews.

I'd wager that's far more to do with massively changing demographics than a bigger gate.

 

[quimcunx]

I'd wager I know more about what was done at that time at the block of flats where I live to make the change. It wasn't just about a gate but it wasn't because the demographics of the area changed over night.

 

[Strangerdanger]

For the record, I've never seen it left open whenever I've passed.

They've had to put a sign up reminding people to close it behind them.