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February 2005: The Sydenham Society released this
imaginative set of ideas to transform the western entry to our Town from the
the current chaotic mess. We would like to thank the Society for permission to
reprint this Urban Design Initiative. If you want to support or challenge these
ideas please do visit the Sydenham Society Website -
www.sydenhamsociety.com - better still - JOIN!
History
Three years ago the Sydenham Society presented ideas
for a modernised Sydenham station to a meeting of the Sydenham Road
Regeneration Partnership. Our plan proposed entry to the station from the
railway bridge with a concourse built across the railway line and access to
both platforms by extended ramps - similar to those at East Croydon. Although
greeted enthusiastically by the local community, the Council’s age-old
argument "sorry, no money" meant that the plan was shelved.
A comprehensive plan
Following this, over the past year the Sydenham Society
have been working on a comprehensive plan to improve the area from Cobbs Corner
to Station Approach/Venner Road, including the station and its immediate
environs. The aim was to develop a series of ideas proposing the creation of
new urban spaces, wider pavements, better and safer pedestrian flows and a
modern transport interchange linked to a new station. Confirmation in July 2004
that the East London Line Extension would go ahead and would be coming to
Sydenham by 2010 lent impetus to our plan and resulted in the Sydenham Society
seeking a meeting with senior officers in Lewisham's Planning and Highways
departments to discuss our ideas.
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Spring Hill
Closed to make a pedestrian
refuge?
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Venner Road
A new green oasis?
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Presentation to council
Sketch drawings describing our proposals were presented
to Council officials at a meeting in early September 2004. These were met with
an encouragingly positive reaction by both the Council's Planning Department
and their Highways Department. Since then we have been in regular contact with
the Council and at the end of November 2004 we issued a document entitled
Sydenham Gateway: An Urban Design Initiative.
Funding remains a problem
This again was enthusiastically received however
funding. especially in relation to the station proposals remains a major
problem. We understand that Darien Goodwin, Head of Transport has engaged
directly in discussions with the rail authorities and we will be exploring
further possibilities ourselves. In the meantime we understand that Pat Hayes,
Executive Director of Regeneration. has commissioned consultants to cost our
ideas for a new station. It is clear to all that the station, in its present
state, will struggle to cope with the extra traffic, trains and passengers
likely to be generated by the East London Line Extension, presently forecast to
result in an additional 8 trains per hour.
In addition major works will be required to ensure that
the station complies with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination
Act. Whilst the railway companies are exempt from immediate compliance with the
Act they are nonetheless expected to produce a rolling programme of station
improvements over the next twenty years. Our argument is that Sydenham, as one
of the busiest stations on the South Central Line, should be at the top of the
list for urgent improvements.
The Sydenham Society wants to ensure an imaginative,
high quality and major re-vitalisation of the area in question. We want our
Council, and the other bodies that will be involved, to create a new gateway to
Sydenham of which we can all be proud.
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The construction of a
new station building with high street entrance and bridge links to the London
platform, to include new retail, wc and staff facilities and top quality access
for the disabled.
Works to Cobb’s
Corner giving greater priority to pedestrians, with schemes for the separation
of traffic and pedestrian flows and safer crossing points.
The creation of a new
south-facing pedestrian space at Spring Hill.
Defined areas for waste
storage and recycling.
A new public space at
Venner Road and provision of bus stops either side of the road outside the
station. |
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Council looking at the practicalities
Darien Goodwin has now told us that the Council is
looking very seriously at the practicalities of incorporating the urban design
proposals suggested by the Sydenham Society and will be working up a bid for
funding two public open spaces during 2006/7. Mayor Ken Livingstone has stated
he wishes to procure 100 such spaces created throughout London within the next
3 years, so with luck Sydenham should get at least one!
What do you think?
We would welcome your comments on these adventurous
proposals either on our website
www.sydenhamsociety.com or by emailing to our editor using
the box below.
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Things can only get
better?
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Tubeway to
heaven?
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(upper) South
towards Croydon - North towards London Bridge (lower)
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