Author: Cyril Richert
This analysis intends to complement the very poor attention given to the site allocation sections in the draft local plan proposed by the Council. For a full information, read our presentation with the list of site allocations that we are describing.
CJ4 Land at Clapham Junction Station, SW11
It is worth mentioning that a concept proposal was published in 2019 for the full redevelopment of Clapham Junction station and wider area. The plans were developed by consultants Mott MacDonald, contractor Laing O’Rourke and architect Hawkins Brown, and is at this early stage more of a concept of how things could look, rather than the final masterplan of what will be built, according to the well informed ianVisits blog.
According to their own statement, their aim is “to encourage in depth debate with other industry experts and stakeholders on how to translate enthusiasm for oversite development into deliverable plans.”
This proposal includes really tall building, especially towards Grant Road. The main idea is to erect a deck above the tracks with buildings above. Any building on such deck will start already at 6-8 floors and therefore will be immediately considered as a tall building. Therefore, it is very important that in order to assess the size of any building above the tracks, the distance from the ground will be added, which will trigger the consideration on tall buildings and impact on the vicinity.
It should also be specifically written that tall buildings facing St Johns Hill will be unappropriated and therefore prevented as it will have detrimental impact of historical assets of the Junction and the character of the area.
The Battersea Society commented:
“With large-scale mixed-use development on top of the station, this would be significantly larger in scale than the recent redevelopment of London Bridge Station, and Government support for such a development is uncertain.”
In addition, the Society is even more critical on the description found on the draft Local Plan, doubting that the officers have even discussed about the feasibility of their vision:
“It is not clear whether the Council has discussed the feasibility of this proposal with Network Rail, nor what kind of development is envisaged. Would the sidings and carriage sheds be removed, or would they be retained, with development on top of them? Nor is it clear how any development might inter-relate with the CJ2 proposal for the station approach, which is more than 100 metres distant, across at least eight railway tracks, and with the Brighton Yard entrance to the station in the middle. We have severe reservations as to whether anything like what is suggested in the site allocation is feasible.”
Again, a total lack of concertation in the initial phases of the Local Plan revamp.
