Kennington Association

Saturday, 8th March 2008

Anita Turner

Network Development Manager

Post Office Ltd

c/- National Consultation Team

FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM

Dear Ms Turner

The government have given the Post Office two remits – a remit of service provision and a business remit to be commercial. We recognize it is difficult for a business to go forward in two directions at the same time.

The Community have made a strong case for the retention of a Post Office at this site. 

This short paper looks at the Business case for the retention of the Lambeth Walk Post Office.

1.              The Post Office received 6 months ago, from Lambeth Council, the current figures for planning consents in the immediate area. These figures do not take into account several key factors.

A.        The mayor’s definition of the area as a major centre for high rise development.  Already in response to that, and anticipating the new secondary development plan for the area, developers are proposing an additional 1,200 new residential units and at least another 300,000 sq ft of commercial space in towers along the river.  Lambeth have already approved the Hampton site with flats including 32% social provision, a 167 room hotel apartment  and 20,000  sq ft of commercial space.  We are also aware of the proposal for the 100 Vauxhall Walk site, for another 60,000 sq ft of commercial space.  All this is on top of the known developments in the area which will add another 1,000 families to the customer base.

B.         Existing local businesses are also expanding.  Both Walker and City Wire Ltd are expanding with the latter planning to double their number to over 100 in this year.

C.         There are proposals going forward to create a new 300-place Academy School on the adjacent Beaufoy Institute site alongside two new museums, the Cinema Museum, and a new Museum for the Arts & Crafts.  These will have a significant impact on both the passing trade and the Business trade of the post office.

D.        Further developments are planned by the Anglican Churches in the area on their sites at Lambeth mission and St Anselm’s. The mission site development will see a significant increase in student numbers.

E.         To bring all this within a development framework the council, as part of the new SDP, are developing an approach to a new town centre in the area.  This framework will act as a spur to further economic development in the area.  The retention of the Post Office is an essential ingredient in ensuring the new town centre is able to support all the community.

2.              We have looked at the two alternative locations the post office has put forward, by drawing markets circles of ½ mile radius around them.  Both have in our view serious limitations.

2.1      Neither have an equivalent quality of catchment and neither have the growth prospects of Lambeth Walk.

2.2      Both are adjacent to major Banks who also compete for a range of service provision.

2.3      Both are severely restricted in parking provision.

2.4      There are no public transport connections to either from the Lambeth Walk area.

2.5      Neither are major shopping parades, which add to footfall.

There is an obvious pressure from the government on the post offices to rescale to meet changing market conditions.  However each case must beexamined in all its merits and must reflect both the current situation facing each post office and their future prospects.  We are aware that the post office is also trying to reposition itself in the market place.  We believe that the Lambeth Walk site is the best location for that process, offering an increasing service customer lease, a growing business market and an increasing opportunity in financial services.  We would be happy to work with the post office to ensure it maximises its opportunities at Lambeth Walk.

Yours sincerely

Angus Aagaard                                                   Anna Tapsell

Chairperson                                                        Deputy Chairperson

For and on behalf of the Kennington Association