Topic Paper Group
Meeting 6 June 2001
Attendees
Built Environment
Local and National Policy Context.
National - Towards an Urban Renaissance
The Urban Task Forces executive summary "Towards an Urban Renaissance" states that "…achieving renaissance is not only about numbers and percentages…It is about creating the quality of life and vitality that makes urban living desirable". The relevant key themes and measures concern:
Making use of derelict, under-used or vacant land.
Achieve and maintain high quality of design. Improve movement. Create compact, mixed-use developments. Provide better public transport. Ensure density is commensurate with issues of lifestyle sustainability. |
Devolve power to the community through a more autonomous, empowered local authority. Local authorities need to become leaders, that is, need to become proactive and flexible to changing global, national, regional and local context.
Facilitate investment by promoting empathy in the private sector with local regeneration initiatives |
Local – Southwark’s UDP Review
A new Unitary Development Plan is being produced in Southwark called the Southwark Plan. Southwark Council has set out ideas about what Southwark could look like over the next ten years and how it could change. The development plan can make a big difference to Canada Water as it influences planning decisions on whether buildings and spaces should be changes and where new ones should be built. There are also decisions about how many car parking spaces should exist, how roads can be improved for public transport and whether parks should change or stay as they are. The Council has produced a key issues paper for consultation on the strategic issues, the closing date for comments is the 20th July. A local issues paper will then be produced for area 2 (Rotherhithe and Bermondsey) for September, this will be consulted on until the end of November. Planning policies will then be produced and the draft UDP will be put "on deposit" for official consultation and review in March 2002.
London Wide - Mayor For London Spatial Development Strategy
At the same time as Southwark is preparing the Southwark Plan, the Mayor of London is preparing a strategic plan for the whole of London: the London Plan. The main purpose of the London Plan is to ensure that all of the individual detailed plans (UDPs) prepare by the boroughs work together to meet the priorities that are agreed for the whole London region. The Mayor has identified the following 6 challenges as a first stage in consultations and discussion about what his strategic plan for the whole of London should say:- economic and demographic growth, creating a prosperous city, increasing the supply of housing, ensuring an accessible city, promoting a green city and creating a city for people.
The Southwark Plan will, eventually, be guided by the London Plan but, during the course of the preparation of both documents, Southwark Council hope there will be a dialogue between the local needs as expressed by people in Southwark and the regional needs so that we in Southwark can influence the final shape of the London Plan.
Uses
The Council in conjunction with the Canada Water Consultative Forum wish to see a mix of uses, including retail, leisure, community, commercial and residential. The retail element and leisure elements should provide local people with a broader choice than is currently available.
Not only should there be a mix of uses, there should be an appropriate balance of uses, reducing the developments reliance on one particular sector.
Any residential element should be mixed in terms of tenure (private, key worker, social rented) but also in terms of unit size. (see housing topic paper).
Built Form/Design
The environment to be developed around Canada Water should achieve the Buildings should consider the following :-
Connections
Connections within, to and from and with existing communities are important with regard to any new development. Consideration should be given to:-
Car Parking
Due to the location of Canada Water, adjacent to the Jubilee Line Tube Station it is anticipated that development can be car free. Consideration should be given to alternatives to the car including provision for the bicycle and car clubs/sharing.
See also Transport Paper and the need for Community "Hopper" bus
Environment/Ecology
This development should aim to be a leader in green construction, achieving high levels of environmental conservation and reducing the operating costs of buildings through low energy and water usage, environmentally sound waste disposal and effective usage of open space. All buildings, open spaces and public realm should embrace green principles in terms of their construction, design, maintenance and energy usage. Development should discourage car usage and encourage the use of public transport, pedestrian links and bicycles. Car clubs and cycle storage facilities should be encouraged. Green routes to and from existing developments are to be maintained and developed. Trolley parks should be considered at the tube station and adjacent to residential developments to reduce the need to carry shopping in cars.
Ecology
There should be no loss of a long term habitat for all current species, with current water features and habitats maintained and enhanced. Linkages between current and future habitats should be considered.
Community Safety
Any development should embrace the principles of secure by design and take into consideration the following:-
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