Kennington Association

Elizabeth Scott reports on behalf of the KA Planning Sub-Group:

Hampton House, Albert Embankment

The proposed redevelopment of an existing office site is to provide three blocks between 13 and 27 storeys high to accommodate commercial units, a 167-room apart-hotel and 242 residential units of which only 32% would be affordable housing when the Mayor’s target is 40%.  We met representatives of the developer and heard that Section 106 had been agreed by them with the Council, (i.e. a financial contribution to projects identified by the Council) without reference to the local community who would be most affected by this development.  Members of the Planning Sub-Group drafted a response which went to the Planning Committee, the local councillors, and MP, stating that though this planning application was generally acceptable, these high towers along the river set a precedent and that an early warning system was desirable so that there could be a more trusting relationship between the effected community and the Council.

Section 106 Planning Obligations

Lambeth Council sent outa consultation document, which indicated how moneys could be spent under the Lambeth Local Development Framework (LDF), which was studied and commented on.

The Beaufoy Institute, Black Prince Road

Jeffe Jeffers writes, “At a recent meeting Lambeth Council welcomed the two proposals for the future use of the Beaufoy site.  Lady Margaret Hall Settlement has established a partnership with the The Prince's Charities and The Young Foundation to create an artisan school for three hundred 13-19 year olds to be trained in high-level hand skills. In May, proposals will go to the government, which will release the funding to develop this proposal, which is supported by Lambeth Education who joined the committee.  The next steering committee meeting will be in May in Clarence House. The Council have also agreed to support the proposal to create a museum of the Arts and Crafts movement on the site, bringing together a group of collections from around London.  The school and the museum hope to develop close joint working. The site will also house workshops for well-known craftsmen.”

The proposed closing of the Lambeth Walk Post Office in Vauxhall Street

We received a call for help from KA member, Oladapo Habeeb, of Lambeth Walk post office on Vauxhall Street, to say that the PO was one of the many ear-marked for closure. We had just six weeks to campaign to save it with the consultation period ending on 2nd April. The Vauxhall Gardens Estate TRA organised a public meeting on 12th March where we were joined by representatives from Postwatch and Royal Mail, and our MP Kate Hoey. The KA Planning Subgroup wrote a letter to Post Office Ltd listing commercial reasons for our objection to the closure. We circulated photos of long queues outside the Kennington Road post office before the threatened closure of our Vauxhall PO! Along with hardcopy petition signatures that Habeeb was gathering at the PO, we set up an online petition to appeal to Downing Street, which was signed by more than 200 neighbours, thereby ensuring it be passed to officials for a response from government. As the South London Press reported, (“Lambeth Walk appeal”) ‘now it’s in the lap of the gods, or maybe the Prime Minister’.

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