Just in case you've missed the news on the other local blogs, the proposed Bondway development will not go ahead thanks to some quite inspirational grass roots organisation by local residents.
I'm quite heartened to know that it is possible to get a major planning application defeated where there is a good argument for doing so. I may even have lost a little cynicism. I wish I had gone to the meeting but I was working late.
Another application will no doubt be on the table soon and something will eventually be built there which is a shame as that beautiful Victorian building - one of the few old buildings of any merit around the bus station - will be knocked down. I looked briefly at the likelihood of getting it listed but it would probably take some doing. If anyone knows of a tame architect/planner/historian who might be interested in supporting an appeal to English Heritage, do let me know.
On a related note, I have had a great (by my standards) idea for making Vauxhall Cross look less of an industrial wasteland on a roundabout: remove the advertising hoardings that grace the grassland next to the bus station. It will make it look less cluttered, less derelict and more park- like. I don't know whose land it it and who rents it out to the sign owners but I'll add it to the list of things to look into.
I read somewhere, a few years ago, that the ad hoardings are worth a couple of million per year in revenue, and are one of the reasons that the other tower which was supposed to be built on the grassy knoll at the bus station hasn't been built yet....
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Worth it to whom? Is the land owned by Lambeth?
ReplyDeleteThis was the thing I read - someone has updated it since so maybe they have more answers..
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vauxhallandkennington.org.uk/news.shtml
Woohoo! Just when I was losing faith that the Planning Committee was underserving of its name and should change it to "Approving Committe", I am really encouraged to see this.
ReplyDeletemy view, which I think is a fairly common one, is that it will be great to see the site developed, if it is done in a sensible way that takes the surrounding environment and transportation into account, and with luck preserves some of the existing architecture. There are some really attractive new buildings that incorprate features of older buildings into the design; it seems like pure achitectural laziness not to do so.
The last I heard, the island site was owned by london & Regional properties: http://www.lrp.co.uk/uk/press_releases2.php?pressno=31
ReplyDeleteI'd agree with rjs though, the hoardings at Lassco alone were alleged to bring in £1m + per annum, I imagine the island site rakes in even more.