Monday 21 March 2011

Forum meeting 7 April 2011 in Vauxhall

The next Forum will be held on Thursday 7 April, 6.30 for 7.00 pm, at St Anne's Resettlement Hall, 40-46 Harleyford Road. Please note the entrance is in Vauxhall Grove, at SW8 1TD. Free refreshments (catering provided by the Kennington Lane Cafe) available from 6.30.

Further details will be circulated nearer the time; we hope to have the latest on:

* Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area,
* the Black Prince Trust being created to run the part of the former Lilian Baylis
school site which is for community use,
* the latest news on Lambeth as a Co-operative Council, together with
* local news.

Digital Bazaar - Tate South Lambeth Library, 26 March 10.00 - 12.00

DON'T FORGET!

Digital Bazaar for the digitally challenged! Sat 26 March, 10-12am.

Baffled by your computer, mobile phone, digital camera – or anything else digital that you want to use, but somehow can't? Wonder if you could benefit from email, internet shopping, Facebook, Skype etc?

Or can you help explain some of these baffling subjects to your neighbours?
Come to our Digital Bazaar, Saturday 26 March, 10-12am, at Tate South Lambeth Library, South Lambeth Road, SW8

A friendly, informal gathering of local people who between them can probably answer your questions, and will help you try out some of these very useful - but often baffling - inventions.

Just drop in!

Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park Public meeting 28 March 7.00

If you value Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, surrounding the Imperial War Museum, please sign the petition to keep our Ranger/Gardeners.
Southwark Council wish to remove them.

The petition can be found in the Sports Pavillion.

Public Meeting 28th March 7 – 9 p.m.
The Crypt, St Jude’s
St George’s Road, SE1

PLEASE COME

For further information contact either Nicola.barton@indigopi.co.uk or tmtjohnston@hotmail.com

Vauxhall Square - Architects' Designs on website

KOV Forum has been informed that designs from each of the five shortlisted architects are now available on www.vauxhallsquare.co.uk. One design is in two phases. The CLS (developers) judging panel may make their preferred recommendation by the end of this month, subject to discussions with the various public bodies.

Police Operation Hannah

Lambeth Police have introduced Local Policing Teams (LPT), each consisting of at least 16 Police Officers, who directly police a cluster of ward areas. Lambeth has been divided into 6 clusters, each led by an Inspector. Response Teams continue to provide 24 hours cover to answer emergency calls, and Safer Neighbourhoods Teams (SNT) still police ward priorities as set by their panel.

LPTs are responsible for most of the non urgent calls from the public, assisting the SNTs with problem solving, policing and supporting the response teams when required. In addition to existing SNT ward panel arrangements, which we have been assured remain the same, public cluster meetings will be held every three months to identify priorities within the clusters.

For more information, please visit www.met.police.uk/lambeth

Friday 11 March 2011

New Covent Garden Market - Three developers taken forward

Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) has today announced the completion of the next stage of its OJEU procurement process to select a private development partner to lead the regeneration of the site and create modern new market facilities for its 200 tenant businesses.

The 57 acre site next to Vauxhall Cross forms a key part of the Nine Elms area and is one of London’s largest development opportunities.

The news follows the launch of the final stage of pre-application community consultation on 3 March, where new images and details of The Garden at New Covent Garden Market were displayed to key stakeholders and the public. An outline planning application covering the entire site will be submitted to Wandsworth Council this Summer.

The Garden will be developed at no expense to the tax payer and will be entirely self financing from CGMA’s land assets, with the potential to generate a gross development value of around £1 billion.

The three developers are:
- Barratt Developments plc & Kier Group plc
- Bouygues UK Ltd
- St. Modwen Properties plc & Vinci plc


Baroness Brenda Dean, Chairman of Covent Garden Market Authority said:

“We were delighted with the calibre of our original shortlist and this interest has been borne out in the high standard of outline solutions which were submitted.

“The three short-listed parties are all committed to this process and able to deliver. It has given us great confidence in the deliverability of the project as a whole and our ability to create modern new facilities for our tenants and their customers whilst also contributing to the wider regeneration of the Nine Elms area.

“This is one of the most exciting development opportunities anywhere in Europe right now and we look forward to engaging further and selecting a preferred partner later in the year.”


Jan Lloyd, Chief Executive of Covent Garden Market Authority said:

“This is a significant milestone for the project and we will now be working through the design and financial details with each bidder, as part of a competitive process to arrive at the right outcome for the Authority.


“Our priority rightly remains the Market itself and with the expertise of those on the short list we are confident we will get a Market we can all be proud of, delivered without any call on Treasury Funds.

“Coming so soon as it does following the start of the final phase of pre-application consultation, our momentum is building as we also work towards the submission of a planning application to Wandsworth Council this Summer.


Nigel Durman, Director of Drivers Jonas Deloitte said:

“The evaluation process has been rigorous as we considered each of the outline solutions against our detailed criteria and the quality of bids submitted has re-enforced the real desire which exists from the development sector to partner with CGMA to deliver this project.”


The competitive partner selection process is being undertaken in accordance with the competitive dialogue procedure under the Public Contracts Regulations 2006. CGMA is being advised on the procurement process by Drivers Jonas Deloitte (Property), Turner & Townsend (Project Manager), KPMG LLP (Financial) and Eversheds LLP (Legal).


For further information, please contact:· Suzi Lawrence, London Communications Agency, 020 7612 8480, sl@londoncommuniations.co.uk · Jonny Popper, London Communications Agency, 020 7612 8480, jp@londoncommuniations.co.uk · Helen Evans, Covent Garden Market Authority, 020 7501 3487, Helen.Evans@cgma.co.uk
· Nigel Durman, Drivers Jonas Deloitte, 020 7303 3573, ndurman@djdeloitte.co.uk.

The current anticipated timetable for the procurement process is:
· March 2011: Short list of developers reduced to enter final stage
· Summer 2011: Final tenders by the shortlisted potential private development partners
· Summer 2011: Planning application to be submitted to London Borough of Wandsworth
· Summer - Winter 2011: Planning application negotiations
· Autumn 2011: Final selection of private development partner
· Winter 2011: Planning application considered at Planning Committee Meeting
· Early / Spring 2012: Planning application decision by London Borough of Wandsworth
· Early/ Spring 2012: Private development partner awarded contract

About The Garden at New Covent Garden Market
· The plans consolidate all market activities onto the main market site, in a phased redevelopment which aims to move tenants only once. By redeveloping – rather than refurbishing the existing 1970’s buildings – a much more efficient site layout can be achieved with more space in the new market than is currently let.
· It will deliver five new buildings for wholesale and catering distributors, alongside a dedicated new flower market building, relocated from its current location at the Northern Site.
· Plans also include a new building, called The Garden Heart as a new Centre for new food and flowers in London. This will be a hub of activity outside of the Market, open to the public and providing a base for a host of facilities such as exhibition space, education facilities, cafes and possibly a public market.
· Four development plots are freed up by these plans with the money raised by CGMA releasing this land to be used to deliver the new market and facilities.
· The largest is the Northern site, 400 yards from Vauxhall Cross, which will include 1,750 new homes arranged around a new park which will also act as the start of the new ‘linear park’ for the area connecting Vauxhall at one end to the Entrance Site and Battersea Power Station at the other, linking with the proposed US Embassy public plaza along the way. Alongside the new homes will also be a hotel, serviced apartments, commercial space, shops including a new supermarket, cafes and restaurants.
· Along Thessaly Road – the South-Western boundary of the Market – there are currently homes on only side of the street, with a large brick wall on the other side. CGMA proposes to move this market boundary further back from the road, removing the current brick wall and building around 200 new apartments built around communal gardens and play spaces.
· At the College site, at the South Eastern end and opposite Lambeth College, around 100 new apartments are proposed arranged in four main blocks with improved pedestrian access from Wandsworth Road.
· At the current entrance to the Market along Nine Elms Lane, a further 450 homes are proposed arranged in three new buildings ranging from 9 - 11 storeys, including one new landmark 19 storey building to act as a marker for the site opposite Battersea Power Station. These would also be located at the Western end of the new linear park.

About New Covent Garden Market
· New Covent Garden Market is the largest fresh produce market in the UK. It plays a vital role in supplying London’s hospitality and food service sectors with fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers.
· New Covent Garden Market annual turnover is some £584 million, broken down as follows between the different trading areas:
- £154 million fruit & vegetable wholesale
- £183 million food service & wholesale distribution
- £47 million flower wholesale
- £80 million other food related activity
- £120 million (estimated) importer, agents and other services
· Over 350 varieties of fruit and vegetables are sold along with flowers and foliage from around the world.
· Its customers include leading chefs, restaurants and hotels in London and throughout the UK.
· Over 2,500 people are employed across 200 companies and the central location provides ready access to the West End, City and all parts of the Capital.
· New Covent Garden Market has over 800 years of history and has been located at Vauxhall since 1974.

About Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA)· CGMA is a statutory corporation responsible for running New Covent Garden Market and made.
· CGMA is responsible to Defra for the ownership and operation of New Covent Garden Market.

About the redevelopment project
· Launched in September 2006 by former Food & Farming Minister Jeff Rooker, the redevelopment of New Covent Garden Market is being led by CGMA with full Defra and Government support.
· Initial tenant consultation and design conception took place to establish a base case model for the Market. This was tested in summer 2007 and established as financially and functionally viable.
· CGMA recognised that private sector involvement will be needed to develop the new market and secure maximum value from any surrounding development.
· In October 2008 Government approved the business case for the redevelopment allowing CGMA to proceed with more detailed work that will lead to the selection of a private development partner.
· This procurement process, which is being conducted via the OJEU process, began in March 2010 and will provide one of the largest development opportunities in London. It will be complete later this year with the selection of a preferred partner.
· The Garden is located within the Vauxhall / Nine Elms / Battersea Opportunity Area (VNEBOA), identified in the London Plan as an area of potential growth and regeneration.
· The planning framework for the VNEBOA area specifically supports the delivery of a new market as well as homes, jobs and open spaces. This document was published for consultation in November 2009 and it is anticipated that the final version of the OAPF will be published later this spring.

Kylun Towers / Vauxhall Cross Island Site Development

Planning Application 10/02060/FUL
· Plot Bounded By Parry Street And Bondway And 7 To 93 Wandsworth Road

KOV has just been notified by Lambeth Planning that the planning application (ref: 10/02060/FUL) has been taken off the agenda of the Planning Applications Committee of Tuesday night (15 March 2011) at the request of Councillor Steve Reed and Councillor Morris. The site visit planned for Saturday 12 March will proceed (see earlier news item for details.

Lambeth Case Officer contact details:
David Smith
Planning Officer, (Majors Team)
Development Control
Planning Division - Housing, Regeneration & Environment
London Borough of Lambeth
phone: 020 7926 1256
fax: 020 7926 1171
email: dsmith1@lambeth.gov.uk
website: http://www.lambeth.gov.uk

Lambeth Planning
Phoenix House
10 Wandsworth Road
London SW8 2LL

Thursday 10 March 2011

Lambeth Freegive

The goal of Lambeth Freegive is to reduce waste by connecting people in the London Borough of Lambeth who are giving and getting unwanted items for free in their own community. It's all about reuse, recycle and keeping good stuff out of streets and landfills. Whether you're looking to discard or acquire an item, Lambeth Freegive is the place to do it. Working or easily repairable goods such as furniture, clothes,appliances, computers, toys, televisions, beds, books, baby stuffs, sofas or anything that is taking up space can be passed on to someone else in your community. This group is open to all residents of Lambeth in London who want to recycle their unwanted items. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself. It's completely free to join and everything posted must be free. Lambeth Freegive Website Link: http://www.freegive.co.uk/p/lambeth.htm

How Lambeth freegive group works:
1. You have a television or clothes or furniture or printer or toys you were going to throw out.
2. You join Lambeth Freegive group.
3. You post an offer on Lambeth Freegive group.
4. People respond to you if they are interested.
5. You pick a recipient and arrange for them to collect the item.
6. They take the item away.
7. You let Lambeth freegive group know that the item is no longer available by posting an item TAKEN message to the group.
8. If you need an item you can request one on your local freegive group in the same way by posting an item WANTED message to the group and if someone has what you’re looking for they will contact you to offer it.

This is a great idea. Encouraging people to reuse and recycle things by giving them away and not sending them to the rubbish bins, streets and landfills. If we all try to recycle, we will make a difference.

Saturday 5 March 2011

Football leagues in/near Kennington: 5, 6 and 7-a-side

Football 567 has got some spaces in their local floodlit football 5, 6 and 7-a-side football leagues. You can join as a team or as an individual, and they provide bibs, balls and FA qualified referees. There are charges but Football 567 says it tries to make them as competitive as possible.

Locations in Stockwell and Kennington include:

Kennington 6s – Wednesdays (6th April 2011) – 2 spaces left (Team Reg) (Individual Reg)
at Archbishop Sumner School on Reedworth Street, Kennington

Stockwell 7s – Saturdays Women's (26 March 2011) – 3 spaces left (Team Reg) (Individual Reg)
at Durand Academy on Hackford Road, Stockwell

Stockwell 7s – Sundays (27 March 2011) – 2 spaces left (Team Reg) (Individual Reg)
at Durand Academy on Hackford Road, Stockwell

Stockwell Park 5s – Mondays (Spring 2011) – 5 spaces left (Team Reg) (Individual Reg)
at Stockwell Park School on Stockwell Park Road

Please find more information at www.football567.com

Kylun Development - Site visit 12 March 2011, 10.15

Kylun Development/Vauxhall Triangle/Island site. There is to be a site visit on Saturday 12 March 2011 at 10.15, meeting outside Phoenix House, 10 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2LL.

The planning application will go to the Planning Committee on 15th March at 7p.m. in Room 8, Ground Floor, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, SW2 1RW (Acre Lane entrance). Recommendation at the moment is: Pending Consideration.

Prince's Ward Safer Neighbourhood Panel Meeting

The Prince's Ward Safer Neighbourhood Panel Meeting is on Thursday
17th March 2011 at 6.30 p.m. It will be held at the Riverbank Plaza Hotel, Albert Embankment. If you have any issues to raise but cannot attend, please contact the team on 020 8721 2627

Thursday 3 March 2011

The Garden at New Covent Garden Market

NEW IMAGES AND SCHEME DESIGNS RELEASED AS FINAL

PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION GETS UNDERWAY - Press release from Covent Garden Market Authority:

· Covent Garden Market Authority leading the regeneration of 57 acre site, a core part of the Vauxhall / Nine Elms / Battersea Opportunity Area

· Planning application to be submitted to Wandsworth Council this Summer

· Market plans will deliver a modern new market and new Centre for food and flowers (the Garden Heart)

· Development plans for 2,500 new homes alongside shops, cafes, restaurants and commercial space

· Major public open spaces proposed to begin and end the ‘linear park’ to run across the whole opportunity area


Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) has today launched its third pre-application public exhibition for its regeneration of The Garden at New Covent Garden Market, displaying designs prepared by Foster + Partners and Neil Tomlinson Architects for the 57 acre central London site.

Following the positive response received to the first public exhibitions held in November 2009 and February 2010, CGMA has undertaken further technical studies, detailed consultation with tenants and work with neighbouring landowners as well as with planners from the GLA and Wandsworth Council.

The plans on display today show a detailed layout for the entire site, with a modern new market providing increased trading space built onto a single site and four development plots, the most significant of which is the Northern Site next to Vauxhall interchange where the current flower market is located.

Speaking about the public consultation, Baroness Brenda Dean, Chairman of Covent Garden Market Authority said:

“We are delighted to be presenting our updated plans today which will provide the beating heart for Nine Elms and create a new city quarter, centred around a magnificent new park.

“For too long New Covent Garden Market has lacked investment in its facilities and these plans will allow us to create a modern new market for our traders and their customers alike and hugely strengthen London’s food supply.

“We also have the capacity to turn our vision into reality, with the procurement process for a private development partner well underway and our planning application to be submitted to Wandsworth Council later this year.”

Jan Lloyd, Chief Executive of Covent Garden Market Authority said:

“Our priority has always been the delivery of a new market for our tenants, but our vision is much broader than this.

“The Garden at New Covent Garden Market will become a new centre for food and flowers in London. Alongside the Market itself we are looking to encourage the provision of cafes, restaurants, education facilities, training rooms, business support initiatives and possibly a public market as well.

“We will help open up the site to the local community, and the Northern Site will act as the gateway to the wider Nine Elms area and the start of a magnificent new London Park throughout the area.

“I would encourage people to take the opportunity to engage with our plans and let us have their views.”

The plans for The Garden at New Covent Garden Market consolidate all market activities onto the main market site, in a phased redevelopment which aims to move tenants only once. It will deliver five new buildings for wholesale and catering distributors, alongside a dedicated new flower market building, relocated from its current location at the Northern Site.

By redeveloping – rather than refurbishing the existing 1970’s buildings – a much more efficient site layout can be achieved with flexible trading units created taking into account practical issue like standard pallet sizes, loading, unloading, utilities, food hygiene standards, storage and cooling. Tenants will be able to chose their own fit out requirements from a catalogue of interchangeable components.

The Garden Heart will be a new building, closest to Vauxhall interchange, as a new Centre for new food and flowers in London. This will be a hub of activity outside of the Market but provide a base for a host of facilities supporting the Market and be open to the public with exhibition space, cafes and possibly a public market.

Development plots are freed up by these plans and the money raised by CGMA releasing this land will be used to deliver the new market and facilities. CGMA is therefore currently in middle of an OJEU procurement process to select a private development partner to deliver the works in return for the surplus land. The initial short list of six parties will be reduced down to two or three within the coming weeks, with a selected partner identified later this year. This process is being led by Drivers Jonas Deloitte on behalf of CGMA.

The development plans at the Northern site will include 1,750 new homes arranged around a new park which will run throughout the site, with seating areas, play areas and other amenities. This will act as the start of the new ‘linear park’ for the area connecting Vauxhall at one end to the Entrance Site and Battersea Power Station at the other, linking with the proposed US Embassy public plaza along the way.

Around the parkland will be six new residential buildings ranging from 8-15 storeys, with three buildings of between 25-46 storeys to the East of the site, where planning policy specifically supports taller buildings. The tallest of these will include a hotel and service apartments on the lower floors with residential apartments above.

Alongside new shops, cafes and restaurants, a new supermarket is also proposed with access off Wandsworth Road offering more choice for local people and to support the growing population in this area. Two new junctions will help traffic move into and out of the site, linking to both Nine Elms Lane and Wandsworth Road.

Three smaller development plots are also proposed.

· Along Thessaly Road – the South-Western boundary of the Market – there are currently homes on only side of the street, with a large brick wall on the other side. CGMA proposes to move this market boundary further back from the road, removing the current brick wall and building around 200 new apartments built around communal gardens and play spaces.

· At the College site, at the South Eastern end and opposite Lambeth College, around 100 new apartments are proposed arranged in four main blocks with improved pedestrian access from Wandsworth Road.

· At the current entrance to the Market along Nine Elms Lane, a further 450 homes are proposed arranged in three new buildings ranging from 9 - 11 storeys, including one new landmark 19 storey building to act as a marker for the site opposite Battersea Power Station. These would also be located at the Western end of the new linear park.