PARK ROYAL - OLD OAK COMMON - KENSAL: February 2017

2017-02-26

The Guardian: "The joy of living on top of one another"

"At a time when we need to make better use of space, a new book celebrates the world’s best apartment blocks"

Link to web site

"What better use could there be for an architect’s skills than the design of a block of flats?

"To make a place where lives will be lived, loves lost and found, families raised, friendships made, plotlines developed for unwritten novels and screenplays, all within limitations of space that mean it actually requires some competence to stack up the units in better rather than worse ways – this surely is more worthwhile than to turn out another iconic museum or singular private house.

"It's a particularly pressing question in those parts of Britain where the urgent need for homes encounters the refusal to contemplate building, as previous generations would have done, on any piece of land designated 'green'.

"Instead, more people have to inhabit space formerly occupied by fewer people, which could and should be a good thing, with better use of resources, opportunities for sociability and so on, but it takes thought and care to do it well. It used to be said that Britain is not a nation of flat-dwellers: well, now we are, whether we like it or not, and we had better make the best of it."

2017-02-15

First Crossrail train runs into Liverpool Street station

The public service starts in May, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

2017-02-09

BBC: "QPR discuss building new home on site of Linford Christie Stadium"

Back of the net

"Championship side QPR have confirmed they are looking into the possibility of building a new ground on the site of the Linford Christie Stadium.

"Following delays to the proposed regeneration of Old Oak, where the club had been seeking to build a stadium, they are now assessing alternatives.

"One option could be a partnership with athletics club Thames Valley Harriers."

2017-02-07

Evening Standard: "Tens of thousands of homes will be built in London suburbs to tackle housing crisis"

Link to web site

"Tens of thousands of homes are to be built in London’s suburbs under a blueprint to tackle the housing crisis blighting the capital, the Standard can reveal.

"... The Government's long-awaited housing white paper, published today, highlighted how housing density in London, relative to its population, was far below levels in Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, and lower than in Berlin and Milan.

The document said: “'London is a relatively low-density city, especially in its suburbs. When people picture high-density housing, they tend to think of unattractive tower blocks, but some of the most desirable places to live in the capital are in areas of higher density mansion blocks, mews houses and terraced streets'."

2017-02-02

London Civic Forum: Shaking up the OPDC

"The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), the second Mayoral Development Corporation, has been in preparation since 2014. (see various Newsfoums) It is intended to secure the benefits of the regeneration and development of Old Oak and Park Royal. The 1,600-acre site in west London has been earmarked for 25,000 homes, the depot and stations for Crossrail and the HS2 high-speed train line.

"In June the new Mayor of London commissioned the Greater London Authority (GLA) to undertake a review of the strategic direction and work programme of the OPDC. The Mayor was reported to have said that 'it has been left in a mess by my predecessor'.

"The review found that:

A memorandum of understanding agreed by mayor Boris Johnson and the government was hastily entered into and should have been agreed on more favourable terms
That the deal was on terms less favourable than other similar previous land transfers
The detail of the deal is too unclear and the risks inherent to the land are also uncertain and unquantified. Significant work is therefore required to understand the land's development potential and problems
The OPDC staff resource does not have the capacity to take forward the land deal work and expert help will be needed.

"A series of recommendations have been made, including:

Better terms on the land deal that are in the best interests of London such as those offered when Greenwich Peninsula was transferred to the GLA in 2012
A review of the nature of the development being proposed, including the level of affordable housing
A proposal that the new Homes for Londoners team at City Hall, set up by the Mayor in August to oversee homebuilding in the capital and boost the delivery of new and affordable homes, should work on the project
A revision of the funding arrangements: although discussions with Whitehall about more money had 'so far proved fruitless' a strong case must be made to Government to provide financial support, new powers and value capture mechanisms to meet the cost of infrastructure funding
It is vital that a credible longer-term plan be put in place for bringing forward a new commercial centre at Old Oak South
That the OPDC, working with the GLA, investigates the feasibility and implications of redrawing the Corporation’s boundary so as to exclude Wormwood Scrubs
The DCLG, DfT, Network Rail and HS2 public officials should be asked to step down from the Board and offered observer status instead. The resulting vacancies on the Board should be used to recruit experts with property and commercial knowledge and experience – and also local knowledge."