Southbank skateboard park - proposed re-location

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

It's not even going to be a 'cultural' space, it will be MORE riverfront retail and coffee shops, all of the proposed cultural investment is around the back of the building on Upper Ground.

Going for the complete set of chain restaurants? Obviously what's lacking is a Strada, or whatever they don't have now.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

There's a lot of building going on around the area at the moment with lots of high rise flats and renovations of existing buildings. There will be a lot of luxury flats (Southbank tower and some of the building around Blacfriars Bridge too I believe) with little to no social of affordable housing, the local bank has closed down and there are plans to bring more shops, supermarkets and cafes into the area around Blackfriars and Stamford Street. The sense of neighbourhood around there is fast being eroded and while residents are trying to get together and form neighbourhood groups to try to influence decisions, the might of the developers is a lot to contend with. It's saddening to think that in little time it will become a riverside shopping destination but that's the way it looks.

Urgh, another thing: the new Jubilee Gardens landscaping around the London Eye looks lovely doesn't it?
It does look inviting but it's an entirely unusable as you're not allowed to scoot, skate, cycle or let dogs off a lead at any time. Any fun at all is quickly curtailed by an over zealous security man who gruffly reprimands you for throwing a frisbee near a flower bed. You've also got to take a longer route around the grass to go across it because woe betide you if you dare try to cut across it and jump over the flowers...If it is supposed to be an ornamental garden, I can't imagine why they didn't just make an impressive ornamental garden. At present the children's area is fenced off and they are not allowed to do anything but sit outside of that area. It sucks.

 

[Pickman's model]

Going for the complete set of chain restaurants? Obviously what's lacking is a Strada, or whatever they don't have now.

there's no taco bell

e2a there's only 3 taco bells in the country http://www.tacobelluk.co.uk/contact.html

 

[cesare]

That's very unlikely. And it'll be sanitised and organised beyond usefulness.

My daughter and her friends spent lots of time playing in the "woods" behind the city farm, creeping through the branches, making dens to hide in, having weird make-believe games that I didn't understand at all. When the farm noticed this, they trimmed the branches to give more space to play - so no creeping; put in a ready-made den - so no building; and put up signs about woods in fairy stories - so no making up your own. They also put up signs directing visitors to it, so grown-ups go there with their toddlers rather than kids playing on their own with parents nearish.

They meant well but they sucked all the fun out of it. That's what I imagine happening to the new skate park.

That's similar to what they're proposing to do with part of the plague pits in Blackheath. At the moment they're adventure informal play area used by kids - but they want to pave it and put swings etc. Dire.

 

[shygirl]

not necessarily an anathema - purpose built skate parks give a better skate and would quite easily be preferable on those terms - i tend to agree with g forces link http://www.huckmagazine.com/features/farewell-southbank/
whats sad is that people walk up and down southbank and get to stop and watch - is the new proposed spot still visible from the thames path? if so then its not that bad really and might even be an improvement?

Most of post 20 was a letter from my friend which got published in 'Building Design'. I think people are saying one of the problems with the proposed site is that it is square and smaller and will result in more collisions.

 

[ska invita]

Sounds a bit rubbish

 

[Winot]

It's not even going to be a 'cultural' space, it will be MORE riverfront retail and coffee shops, all of the proposed cultural investment is around the back of the building on Upper Ground.

The commercial units are funding the rest though.

Overall it's a pretty impressive development IMO. It would have been even more impressive however if they'd managed to preserve the skatepark.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

The commercial units are funding the rest though.

Overall it's a pretty impressive development IMO. It would have been even more impressive however if they'd managed to preserve the skatepark.

We don't need more commercial units though, it is the only stretch of space that is not a commercial unit....

 

[Winot]

We don't need more commercial units though, it is the only stretch of space that is not a commercial unit....

I've got sympathy with that pov but:

- the South Bank Centre is one of the most important cultural centres in the UK

- at the moment it is under-utilised due to disadvantages of original design

- it's also not good at all for pedestrians approaching from south

- the development is a great improvement in both respects

- the quid pro quo is the hiving off of some space for commercial lets

So overall IMO it's worth it, although I do have a lot of sympathy with the views expressed concerning the skatepark.

Also, there's an argument that more restaurants/cafes are in fact needed - those that are there are often packed.

 

[scifisam]

You're not working for the developers are you, winot?

 

[Winot]

You're not working for the developers are you, winot?

No!

ETA - For anyone with an interest in this, I'd recommend a look at the development details in the RFH.

 

[Crispy]

There's also extensive information in the planning application linked in the OP. you want the first Design Statement document.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Last chance to object here on Lambeth's site.

I'd have more sympathy with the SBC if they were going to knock QEH & Hayward down and start again. Given they are retaining the original structures it's unfair to move on the skate park folks who reclaimed the dysfunctional architecture.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

I've lodged my objection and scrolling through the comments I see that they haven't consulted very widely about it, no comments from lots of big local organisations.

English Heritage say this

We are broadly content that the proposals to infill the undercroft will not result in adverse effects on the aesthetic value of the South Bank Conservation Area. However
we note the volume of representations from the skateboarding community in regards
to this application, who value the undercroft and feel it is part of their cultural identity.
English Heritage's primary role is to assess the physical affects of proposed
development on the historic environment, but we feel further analysis of the communal
value of the undercroft is necessary to ascertain the impact on recent cultural heritage.

 

[Me76]

I've lodged my objection and scrolling through the comments I see that they haven't consulted very widely about it, no comments from lots of big local organisations.

English Heritage say this

Is that likely to have any affect do you reckon?

I was quite surprised to see it comes under Lambeth. I never realised Lambeth went all the way to the river :blush:

 

[clicker]

That's similar to what they're proposing to do with part of the plague pits in Blackheath. At the moment they're adventure informal play area used by kids - but they want to pave it and put swings etc. Dire.

i didnt know that....travesty! As a kid that area to us was 'cowboy land' - hours of grazed knees and nettle rash pelting through it on our bikes....was it originally bomb craters?

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

Is that likely to have any affect do you reckon?

I was quite surprised to see it comes under Lambeth. I never realised Lambeth went all the way to the river :blush:

I hope so as it is external, independent recognition of the cultural significance of the area but im afraid that a part of me, a cynical part, thinks it won't make much of a difference.

 

[g force]

Small victory - long way to go: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk-news/2013/jul/04/southbank-centre-skateboarders-campaign-redevelopment

Nicholas Hytner, in atypical style, wrote a 2k word objection letter that made for some fine points: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jul/03/nicholas-hytner-southbank-centre

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Missed this news, great stuff, English Heritage was in favour but got behind the skate boarders as well and acknowledged the huge outcry from that community.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

bump, I see Billy Bragg has waded in over at the Guardian. I found the original designs on the table from Richard Rogers back in '94. No skateboarders there either. This was shelved in the end because those involved couldn't agree There was outcry at the time because of the millions thrown at it to achieve nothing.

(not sure the plan was exactly to open up the RFH )

 

[Pickman's model]

bump, I see Billy Bragg has waded in over at the Guardian. I found the original designs on the table from Richard Rogers back in '94. No skateboarders there either. This was shelved in the end because those involved couldn't agree There was outcry at the time because of the millions thrown at it to achieve nothing.

(not sure the plan was exactly to open up the RFH )

the thames will never be that calm

 

[andysays]

the thames will never be that calm

Or that blue

 

[craigxcraig]

There is a petition here, fwiw (I think responses to the Council are far more imporant and effective at this stage):

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitio...op-the-relocation-of-the-southbank-skate-park

(50,000 signatures so far).

Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/sosresistance

Just signed this and says they need a further 14,000 sigs.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

The Southbank Centre have now released some design proposals for the new skating venue they seemed determined to create, as well as a nice slick video about their plans to relocate the skating community and how this is a good thing which they ought to be grateful for.
http://www.southbankforall.org

 

[RedDragon]

I know fuck all about skateboarding but I know enough to know the Southbank Centre really don't 'get it' do they?

 

[joustmaster]

I know fuck all about skateboarding but I know enough to know the Southbank Centre really don't 'get it' do they?

I like that in the comments section, people have down voted the comments made by the southbank centre so much, that the comments are hidden.

 

[cesare]

i didnt know that....travesty! As a kid that area to us was 'cowboy land' - hours of grazed knees and nettle rash pelting through it on our bikes....was it originally bomb craters?

I'm not sure what they were originally, I've always known them as the plague pits.

 

[editor]

What does Billy Bragg think?

 

[sim667]

The stupid thing is that skateboarding is about challenging and pushing what your able to do, as skate park or area is meant to be a fluid change that the users of the area can update or move stuff about in.

So a bunch of fucking developers in suits will never get it right.

 

[RedDragon]

I wouldn't be surprised if the ramps had hidden foldaway seats for the odd impromptu aria.