LOSS OF PAVEMENT
The developer wants to massively reduce the pavement area – they say they want to ‘improve the pedestrian experience’ but it’s impossible to see how.
Historic maps 1893 also show the Horns Tavern set back. The developers claim that the building line was forward is questionable when reviewing historic maps.
Over half the pavement on Kennington Road would be lost.
A bigger loading bay, longer and wider, and the edge of the building would be brought forward, reducing the pavement on Kennington Park Road.
There would be less space next to the Kennington Park Road bus stop.
And there would be even more cyclists mounting the pavement due to 190 students accessing the building.
The developer says it will ‘Redefine the road junction’ as a positive thing, but it isn’t true.
At present the angle and building line opens towards the park from Kennington Road. This provides views in and out of the park entrance. It makes crossing safer and currently makes the bus stop and Kennington Green easy to see.
As it’s a main crossing point there are lots of pedestrians and cyclists on the pavement due to the park cycle path and lack of turning points (from as far back as Kennington Lane)
There is only one pedestrian crossing for each major road – Oval and Kennington stations have multiple crossing points. This means we always see a lot of people and cyclists waiting to cross. Elderly people, mobility scooters, prams, young families, and dog walkers all congregate at this point because it’s the main crossing in both directions.
There are many cyclists and electric scooter riders on the pavements, because there is no obvious right-turn for cyclists from as far back as Kennington Lane.
Adding entry-and-exit for a busy office and rooms for 190+ students puts a lot of extra pressure on a reduced pavement.
There is no route for cyclists using the cycle path to travel west-east across the park except by mounting the pavement. This is a constantly busy and potentially very dangerous pedestrian junction where wide pavements are essential. Reducing them to ‘improve the pedestrian experience’ is a nonsense.
Developers should improve the pedestrian experience and environment, not jeopardise it
The angle of the building line opens towards the entrance to Kennington Park, providing symmetry on both sides of the road. This enhances safety and the views into and out of the Park down the street.
Developers should be improving the pedestrian experience and environment, not jeopardising it. If you think their proposal worsens the pavement space at this busy crossing it’s important to say so.
LAMBETH POLICY - ‘Development proposals should deliver an improved environment for pedestrians’ & ‘Reduction in footway space will not be permitted’
For anyone who likes official details here are some of Lambeth’s very own policies. There may be additional relevant Policies do check Lambeth’s Local Plan
Transport and communications
Policy T2 Walking C (page 139, Lambeth Local Plan)
+‘Development proposals should deliver an improved environment for pedestrians, …. Development proposals should facilitate the improvement of footways to minimum standards where these are not currently met, including through the provision of land for adoption as highway, and enable footway widening where increased footfall is expected. Reductions in footway space will not be permitted.’
Quality of the built environment
Policy Q6 Urban design: public realm (page 187, Lambeth Local Plan)
The council supports development that provides:
iv) a building line that maintains or improves upon the prevailing building line (forward encroachment of established building lines will only be supported where it is fully justified and where no unacceptable change to amenity or local character will result)
