Lambeth Council will be hosting a drop in event on the Myatt’s South estate where residents can give their views about proposals for a new rain garden near St Lawrence Way and Lord Holland Lane.
The proposals are part of a sustainable drainage programme being rolled out across the borough, in partnership with Thames Water. This aims to relieve pressure on ageing sewage system locally by mimicking natural drainage features including trees and wetland areas. Proposals for Myatt’s South include new rain gardens, with a pop up event being held to let resident’s give their feedback about the plans. Details of the drop in are:
When: Tuesday 25 July 2023
Where: St Lawrence Way
(near the ping pong court)
What time: 11am to 7pm
If you are unable to make this date, but would like to know more about these works or the larger programme, please contact:
Lambeth Council has started work on a series of major upgrades to sections of Loughborough Road as part of a new £1.4 million “Healthy Route” programme.
Improvements are being carried out on an area which stretches from Loughborough Road South, between Ridgway Road and the Fiveways junction, and leads directly into key roads into Myatt’s Fields, including Lilford Road, Akerman Road and Loughborough Road North. .
Lambeth Council says The Healthy Routes project aims to “create a safe, accessible and pleasant route for people who are walking, cycling and using the bus”. This is the first phase of improvements as part of the Loughborough Road route. It involves the creation of:
Improved, new cycle lanes
Raised bus stops
Traffic calming measures
New pedestrian crossings
New planted areas to reduce the risk of local flooding
This part of Loughborough Road is receiving the improvements following a consultation with local residents, and because the wider Loughborough Junction neighbourhood suffers from particularly poor local air quality; the surrounding streets are in the top 20 per cent for N02 and particulate matter pollution across London.
Talking about the investment, Cllr Rezina Choudhary, Deputy Leader of Lambeth Council, said:
“We want to bring fairness to our neighbourhoods, reducing high air pollution which impacts most of those with least, help people embrace the opportunity to be healthier by walking or cycling and ensure they can make the trips they need to by better supporting local bus services.
“Lambeth Council is a leading local authority when it comes doing it all it can to make its neighbourhoods fairer and fit for the future, with a big transformation programme underway. Projects such as this support that aim and contribute to our Net Zero by 2030 ambitions.”
Myatt’s Fields councillors are lobbying for further traffic-related funding to be directed at Loughborough Road North which is beset by high levels of congestion and problems caused by traffic. Recently, Lambeth Council announced a substantial funding package for the ward after a campaign by Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop to reduce speeding and make local streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as cut levels of pollution.
Works on the road, which began in June, are expected to continue until 30 November, with the P5 bus diverted until the end of August. Please see the below letter from Lambeth with details of these diversions.
Local residents in Myatt’s Fields will have their opportunity to quiz their area’s local police team at this month’s Safer Neighbourhood Panel meeting.
The gathering is held regularly by local police officers to update the community on the most recent community safety issues in the area: it also provides a platform for residents to be able to put their questions and views to the frontline police team. The meeting is open to all local residents.
Details of the meeting for this month are:
Location: CHURCH MANOR ESTATE OFFICE, (Training Room) VASSALL ROAD, SW9
Lambeth’s Youth Council has announced plans for this year’s Youth Summit which aims to bring together young people, businesses and youth organisation’s to drive positive change in the borough.
The Summit’s organisers said:
“Coming this 12th July at the Lambeth Town Hall,our event will be packed with exciting activities, from interactive stalls to free food and a photo booth. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re into sports, arts, politics or just having a good time with friends.Our lineup features very special headliners from all over the UK (TBA),spoken word artists etc.
“But that’s not all – we’re also providing a platform for young people to share their thoughts and ideas about issues that matter to them. We’ll have a range of engaging and interactive activities, from panel discussions to creative workshops, where young people can speak out and have their voices heard. It’s a chance to make connections, learn new skills, and be inspired by the ideas of others.
“So mark your calendars and don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to be a part of Lambeth Youth Summit. It’s a day to celebrate youth, creativity, and community – and we can’t wait to see you there!“
You can sign up for the event on the 12 July here – and learn more about the work of the Youth Council here.
A range of restrictions has been imposed on the proposed controversial redevelopment of the Lilford Road Business Centre following lobbying by local residents and Myatt’s Fields’ Labour team.
The development is likely to bring new jobs to the area and create a fresh start for the dilapidated buildings at the business centre. There are also proposals to create new green landscaping around the site and install sustainable travel infrastructure for employees, like bike storage sheds.
But many residents were concerned that the original proposals would have allowed delivery vehicles to move to and from the site for more than 100 hours each week which could mean a huge increase in traffic in the heart of a residential area that Lambeth Council has acknowledged is a congestion and pollution hotspot.
The restrictions were imposed by the Council’s Planning Committee at its most recent meeting. Cllr Paul Gadsby told the committee:
“I want to focus my comments tonight on a real concern in the community about an increase in traffic from this application.
“The applicant is proposing a window of 16 hours every weekday when vehicles can move to and from the site: the Council’s transport assessment suggests that peak hour movements will increase by 60%, this will result in hundreds of extra vehicle movements to and from the site each month, perhaps thousands over the course of a year. And while the developer has ruled out pleasingly the use of takeaway deliver firms in response to the community’s concerns, it hasn’t ruled out grocery or other high intensity delivery outfits: this model being pushed by developers across London is causing chaos in other residential areas, like Lilford Road, where residents are subject to increased noise, congestion and pollution, especially from speeding motorbikes.
As a result of the campaign by the community and councillors, the committee approved the application but placed more than 30 conditions on the development to address the community’s concerns.
They included:
Tough monitoring procedures to ensure the applicant abides by the delivery hours approved by the committee.
A requirement for the developer to appoint a “community liaison officer” who would be on call to answer any concerns raised by local residents.
The conditions also confirmed that delivery hours would be limited to 7am to 11pm weekdays – down from the 24 hour delivery window originally proposed.
So called “dark kitchens” (takeway food outlets) would be barred from operating on the premises.
Responding to the outcome of the meeting, Cllr Gadsby said:
“Cllr Gallop and I want to thank local residents, MPs and community groups, including the Lilford Road Action Group and the Brixton Society, for the huge amount of effort they have put into improving these proposals.
“We did not get everything we wanted and would have liked to have seen further reductions in delivery times to and from the site, however, the plans have undergone a lot of change from the original proposals from the developers last year. This includes tougher traffic restrictions on the businesses using the site to rule out the very worst high delivery businesses which are unsuitable in a residential neighbourhood. We acknowledge that the developer has also listened to local residents, with a number of the changes made voluntarily by them following a lengthy period of discussion in the past six months.
“However, we will be watching the development as it progresses. The planning committee spent more than two hours debating the traffic points made by residents and councillors: it is now over to the developer and Lambeth’s Building Control Team to make sure the promises made at the committee are upheld, especially those relating to ensuring there no adverse effects on local roads and pollution from the site.”
Roaside parking spaces in Myatt’s Fields are set to be handed over to residents to be converted into an outdoor community area.
Local neighbourhoods are being asked for their ideas to make streets greener and cleaner as part of Lambeth council’s new ‘parklet’ programme, supported by the Big Shift development fund.
Parklets are car parking bays that are repurposed to become public spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone. Each Ward in the Borough will get one, including Myatt’s Fields.
Residents can submit their designs for their own local community parklet, which they would help to maintain. They could include creating new social spaces with tables and seating, extra cycle storage or new green space. Residents are also being asked to nominate areas where they would like to see a parklet.
Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, cabinet member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said:
“Parklets are a great way to create spaces where people can meet, socialise, and make neighbourhoods more pleasant by increasing greenery.
“Parklets can play a huge role in bringing people together whether it’s to sit down and have a chat or work together to tend new community gardens.
“We want as many local people as possible to tell us why their areas could benefit from new public space.”
Local councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop said:
“Myatt’s Fields has a rich history of the community driving forward gardening, bio-diversity projects and green space improvements. Across our neighbourhood we have many parks, allotments, planters and gardens that are there because local people care and invest in them – with Myatt’s Fields Park being a particularly shining example.
“We encourage residents to come forward with ideas and suggestions for the parklet project: in 2021 we successfully lobbied the Council to refurbish the Cowley Road and Vassall Road junction with new cycle paths, green planters and level accessways. This is the kind of seemingly small scale transformation that can make a real difference to the local area. So, please get your ideas in to the Council!”
Find out more about the Community Parklet Scheme and submit your designs before the deadline on May 28.
Substantial changes to controversial plans to redevelop an industrial site in Myatt’s Fields are being demanded by our local Labour councillors.
The old Lilford Road Business Centre has been the subject of plans for redevelopment from a company, AG Bloom.
While welcoming the idea of bringing new jobs to the area and creating a fresh start for the dilapidated buildings at the business centre, local councillors have been concerned that the proposals to let 24 hour delivery vehicles move to and from the site could result in a huge increase in traffic in the heart of a residential area that Lambeth Council has itself acknowledged is a congestion and pollution hotspot.
The developer has already been forced to make significant changes following a campaign by councillors and local residents.
The threat of a high-intensity food delivery service – condemned as “madness”– has already been headed off. The developer has submitted a revised application that bars these so called dark kitchen outfits from operating out of the new commercial units, and restricts delivery times to 7am to 11pm – a significant change to the original proposals which would have allowed 24-hour weekday deliveries.
But Councillors Gadsby and Gallop say the compromises don’t go far enough and will press their case at next week’s Lambeth Council Planning Committee meeting.
They want further assurances that businesses which move into the Lilford Road Business Centre won’t damage the local environment or leave the local community with a nightmare of high traffic and pollution. They insist that operational hours should be restricted further. They will also urge the council to ensure that landscaping and greening plans are part of the development.
“We will be attending the Lambeth planning committee meeting on Tuesday, 9 May to ask for further restrictions on delivery hours from the site. There are other improvements we would like to see, including more effort from the developer to work with local community groups to enhance the landscaping and greening plans attached to the development.”
The Lambeth planning committee will be taking place on Tuesday, 9 May from 7pm: the agenda for the meeting is here.
A private, for-profit company which is trying to take over some local council homes in Myatt’s Fields has still to provide vital information on how it would run vital services including repairs, according to Lambeth Council.
After almost six months, Vision Homes (Lambeth) LTD and PACCA TMO LTD, are still yet to produce key details of their plans that would allow a consultation and then ballot to take place on their proposals to grab the ownership of more than 200 council tenant properties on the Lothian estate.
The claim was made in a letter from the Interim Cabinet Member for Better Homes and Reducing Homelessness, Cllr Tim Windle, to residents last week.
A date for the proposed ballot has still not yet been set. Council tenant and leaseholder properties affected by these proposals are on the following streets — unfortunately, owing to national legislation, leaseholders are barred from voting despite facing their leases being transferred to Vision Homes should there be a Yes vote:
Lothian Road (Dalkeith House, Silverburn House and Bathgate House)
Myatt's Fields Labour 