Major redevelopment in JMB area:
Consultation meetings
Proposals for major redevelopment of the JMB area will be the subject of consultation meetings at 1pm on Thursday 18 March 2010 and at 7pm on 24 March 2010. Both meetings will be held at the Bermondsey Village Hall, Kirby Grove, SE1 3TD.
These meetings will discuss Southwark Council's Bankside, Borough and London Bridge Planning Framework, which the Council describes as being 'used to decide planning applications in the area to create a world city quarter containing successful business districts, high quality residential neighbourhoods and world class services. There will be 25,000 new jobs and 1,900 new homes by 2026.'
The Council has issued two key documents that cover the JMB area:
- The London Bridge and Guy's Campus Character Area Appraisal (60 pages, pdf 2.6mb)
- Stage 2 Tall Building Study, Part 1 (65 pages, pdf, 1.4mb)
Among key proposals for the area are:
- Redevelopment of the Miller of Mansfield pub (next to Hamilton Square) as a 4-6 storey building
- Redevelopment of the Snowsfields multi-storey car park as a 4-6 storey building
- A 'major landmark building' on the corner of Long Lane and Weston Street - of around 7 stories
- A number of buildings around Crosby Row, including Porlock Hall
- The 'Tall Buildings' document appears to identify the JMB homes at 12-20 Snowsfields as an 'opportunity site' for redevelopment (figure A3.5, page 48)
In addition the 'Character Area Appraisal' makes substantial criticism of the Kipling Estate (which is wrongly referred to as the Lockyer Estate throughout the document).
It says the Estate's buildings are 'mediocre and present negatively to the street edge' adding that 'These buildings are plain and utilitarian and lack interest and vitality'.
The documents suggests that more pedestrians should be encouraged to come through the Kipling Estate and a masterplan should be developed for the Estate's open spaces.
The 'Tall Buildings' document also describes how buildings up to four times taller than Burwash House and Simla House could be considered in the area between London Bridge Station and the river.