“Our ambitious West End Project will transform the Tottenham Court Road area into one of London's premier commercial, cultural and academic districts” (Councillor Phil Jones)
On Monday morning Iceni Projects hosted its very first Breakfast Seminar at the Paramount on the 32nd floor of Centre Point. A select group of property industry representatives, which include landed estates, developers and investors were invited to discuss the proposed £26 million regeneration of the Tottenham Court Road area directly with Councillor Phil Jones Camden’s Cabinet member for Regeneration, Transport & Planning,.
The West End project is set to transform the space within and surrounding Tottenham Court Road. The catalyst is Crossrail which has accelerated plans to reduce traffic, create enhanced public spaces for local residents, provide cycle lanes, tree lined streets and implement a two way system along Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court Road.
An insight
The key points to be drawn from the morning can be summarised as follows:
Transport at the heart of the project
Over 30 different transport options have already been considered. Changes in traffic flow, traffic reduction along the main corridors, wider cycle lanes, faster and more reliable bus journeys and pedestrianized public realms will all amount to a significantly improved West End.
Potential for future residential development
Housing is a priority land use for Camden Council and the availability of residential properties is an ongoing issue. Indeed, Camden Council seem to set a precedence for housing, specifically affordable housing. Camden’s concerns are not particularly geared towards the retail and commercial sector, and it will be interesting to see if this has any effect on how the scheme progresses.
Engagement with all interested parties
There has been an overall positive response to proposals so far, with the creation of public open space particularly well received. However it was emphasised that the opinions of various interested parties differed considerably, for example, cyclists want for more radical cycle changes, whilst taxi drivers are concerned about the restrictions to be imposed upon them.
Consideration of the effects on other areas
Camden and Westminster City Council have been working closely throughout the process. The proposals consider the entire of Central London, and the impact that the changes to the transport system will have on the city.
Kieron Hodgson, who heads up Iceni’s Central London Planning team said:
“The proposals are a huge positive for this important area of Central London. It’s truly mind boggling to comprehend that the new Crossrail station at Tottenham Court Road will accommodate more daily passengers (300,000) than Heathrow. It would be impossible to accommodate that level of activity without a dramatic change in the physical environment and transport infrastructure. The challenge, as was highlighted in this morning’s seminar, will be to balance the competing interests of transport operators, retailers, businesses, landowners and local residents. If implemented successfully I firmly believe that this could be an exemplar of how in the future the public and the private sector can work together effectively to deliver lasting benefits to both business and community interests.”
Next steps
Results of the public consultation (which ran from 09 June to 01 August 2014) will be presented to a Council Cabinet meeting later this year, where a decision will be made on the project. If approved construction will begin in early 2015, to be completed by 2018.
To keep up to date with the plans, please visit https://www.wearecamden.org/westendproject/