Surveyor: "Hammersmith 'flyunder' plans could be self-financing, council claims"

Link to web site

"Replacing the Hammersmith Flyover with a tunnel could take just three years and in theory might be self financing by releasing around £1bn worth of former highway land, according to the local council's latest study.

"Hammersmith and Fulham LBC’s ‘flyunder’ feasibility study - developed in partnership with Halcrow engineers - has produced three possible options for replacing the elevated section of the A4. The plans vary from being 1 mile to 2.5 miles long and costing between £218m and £1.7bn.

"The council has long been campaigning to replace the aging structure, with the calls increasing in volume in recent years due to the flyover being plagued by lane closures since the Christmas of 2011 when structural weaknesses caused by water damage necessitated major repair works."

SaveOurScrubs: "There's a TfL option we like and want to get behind"

Link to web site

"TfL have shown us three options for the railway station combination around the Old Oak Common (OOC) interchange.

"The good news is that there’s one option which looks good to us for lots of reasons.

"The bad news is that we’ll have to keep fighting to get that one accepted - their preferred option [shown above] continues to be one that takes a big chunk out of the NW corner of the Scrubs."

Independent: "Bombardier wins £1bn Crossrail contract"

Link to web site

"Bombardier has won a £1 billion contract to supply trains for the Crossrail project in a boost for UK manufacturing, the government has announced.

"The contract covers the supply, delivery and maintenance of 65 new trains and the construction of a depot at Old Oak Common in London.

"The deal is set to create 760 jobs and 80 apprenticeships. When fully operational, the depot will provide 80 jobs to maintain the new fleet of trains. Each train will be 200 metres long with capacity for up to 1,500 passengers."

Angela Bray MP: "EATAG - Ealing Acton Transport Action Group"

Link to web site

"Angie has chaired two meetings of her local transport group, EATAG, in the last few weeks to coincide with the consultation on plans for the new Crossrail station at Ealing Broadway and the HS2 Environment Statement consultation.

"At the first meeting, representatives from the Wells House Road Residents' Association (WHR RA) took the opportunity to put questions to representatives from HS2, TfL and Ealing Council about their response to the ongoing HS2 Environment Statement consultation.

"Wells House Road stands to be perhaps the most affected road in Angie's constituency if HS2 - which would include a new station at Old Oak Common - goes ahead as planned."

GetWestLondon: "New rail route could link Hounslow with central London and the north"

"Hounslow Council to petition for a rail link between Hounslow and the proposed Crossrail and HS2 hub at Old Oak Common, providing speedy connections to central London and north England"

Link to web site

"The fight for a new rail route linking Hounslow with central London and north England [and Hendon Thameslink and the RAF Museum!] has been taken up by Hounslow Council.

"Civic Centre chiefs are petitioning for a link between Hounslow and the proposed Crossrail and HS2 hub at Old Oak Common, in Shepherd's Bush.

"They claim the route would lead to a 'step change' in public transport provision and promote regeneration in the borough, particularly along the Golden Mile business district in Brentford."

Municipal Dreams: "The Old Oak Estate: ‘That line of beauty which Hogarth said was in a curve’"

Link to web site

"Imagine a Hampstead Garden Suburb built for working people. Better still, if you’re in London take the Tube and get off at Acton East, and visit the Old Oak Estate where you’ll find just such an estate.

"... Ebenezer Howard’s Garden Cities of To-morrow was published in 1898. The Fabian Society published Cottage Plans and Common Sense – Raymond Unwin’s manifesto addressing how municipalities might best ‘provide for the Housing of the People’ – in 1902. Unwin would be appointed Architect and Surveyor of the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust in 1906.

These currents all directly influenced the Old Oak Estate. And, in fact, one of the LCC architects responsible for the design of the Estate was Archibald Stuart Soutar, the brother of – and sometime collaborator with – JCS Soutar, who replaced Unwin in Hampstead in 1914."

LB of Ealing: "Architects appointed to improve Crossrail stations' design"

"Ealing Council has appointed world-renowned architects HOK and John McAslan and partners to improve the design of the proposed Ealing Broadway and Southall Crossrail stations.

"... The council has been working closely with Crossrail on the emerging designs for all five stations in Ealing and has already secured some significant improvements to the interior designs for Ealing Broadway, including lifts so that the station is fully accessible, as well as the adaption of designs so that retail premises are better located within the station.

"The council recognises this is a difficult site, because the station is not free-standing, built underneath the Villiers House office tower and is hemmed in by other buildings. However, the council is unhappy with the plans for the exterior of the station, and believes that the façade and entrance need to have a more innovative design and use more interesting materials."

The Atlantic: "Crossrail: Tunneling [sic] Beneath London"

Link to web site

"When one digs beneath London, England, one digs through history. Crossrail, the largest construction project in Europe, is tunneling under the British capital to provide a new underground rail link across the city, and has encountered not only a maze of existing modern infrastructure, but historic finds including mammoth bone fragments, Roman roads (with ancient horseshoes embedded in the ruts), Black Plague burial grounds, and 16th century jewelry.

"The $25 billion (15 billion pound) project is due to open in 2018, connecting London's Heathrow airport to the county of Essex -- five tunnel boring machines are creating a kilometer of new tunnel under London every two weeks. The millions of tons of soil from the Crossrail construction are being shipped to Wallasea Island in the Thames Estuary, allowing the island to be transformed from levee-protected farmland into a thriving wetland."

BBC: "HS2 legal bid rejected by Supreme Court"

Link to web site

"The Supreme Court has rejected a legal bid by objectors to the HS2 high-speed rail link to force further scrutiny of the government's plans.

"The challenge had focused on whether the government followed the rules when assessing HS2's environmental impact.

"But the court unanimously rejected the claims against the scheme.

"The BBC understands this is now the end of the first stage of the legal challenges, as there is no right of appeal to Europe.

"But there could be future challenges on the second phase of the scheme - beyond Birmingham - when the exact route is announced."

LBHF: "BBC TV Centre plans approved"

Link to web site

"Plans to regenerate the world famous former BBC Television Centre in White City - preserving the Grade II listed central ring, the famous Studio 1 and other historic features at their heart - have been approved.

"Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council’s Planning Application Committee gave the green light last night (Dec 19) to Stanhope, the new owner of the five-hectare site on Wood Lane, to build more than 1,000 homes, a hotel and new shops.

"The plans - which bring £10 million in community improvements and could create around 2,745 jobs according to the developers - will enable the centre to remain at the heart of the community where it has stood for the past 53 years.

"The scheme involves replacing four television studios, the restaurant and drama blocks, the east tower and connected buildings with up to 1,025 homes, a hotel, cinema, health and leisure club, restaurants, cafes and offices."

Financial Times video: "Crossrail: Europe's biggest infrastructure project"

"Crossrail, London's £14.8bn rail programme, is approaching its halfway mark. Mark Odell reports on the magnitude of an undertaking that will connect the east and west of the city with a line that includes 21km of twin-bore tunnels dug beneath the capital. "

BBC video: "Old Oak Common move for QPR football stadium"

"Plans for regeneration of Old Oak Common in west London include proposals for a football stadium for Queens Park Rangers, and a transport hub for the high-speed rail link HS2.

"But some people are concerned about the impact on the local area.

"BBC London's Sara Orchard spoke to QPR manager Harry Redknapp, Andrew Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith, and David Lindo from Save Our Scrubs campaign group." [And mixes up Crossrail and Crossrail 2.]

BBC Newsnight: "Have ministers landed on Heathrow airport expansion?"

"A key Conservative election manifesto pledge opposing the expansion of Heathrow airport could be broken, BBC Newsnight understands.

"Ahead of Tuesday's interim report into options for expanding capacity in the south-east of England, the programme understands that three of the favoured options include the construction of at least one new runway at Heathrow.

"That could cause problems between Prime Minister David Cameron and some of his own MPs.

"David Grossman looks at the options in the running and Conservative MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston Zac Goldsmith explains why a 'U-turn' over Heathrow by the prime minister would be 'catastrophic' and 'an off-the-scale betrayal'."

Evening Standard: "QPR unveils plan for new 40,000 seat stadium at Old Oak in west London"

Link to web site

"QPR bosses aim to create an 'O2 of the west' rather than a traditional football stadium when the club moves to a new 40,000-seater home.

The 'Superhoops' today announced plans to relocate a mile north of their 18,000-capacity stadium in Loftus Road to Old Oak Common in time for the start of the 2018 season.

"Mayor Boris Johnson said he hoped the move would help spark a £14 billion development of hundreds of acres of industrial wasteland.

"But QPR chief executive Philip Beard, recruited in 2011 from the O2’s US owners AEG, said the stadium could only work financially if it could attract uses other than football."

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QPR:
"NEW STADIUM PLANS ANNOUNCED"

"THE CLUB is delighted to today unveil plans for a new 40,000 seater stadium as part of a major regeneration project in the Old Oak area in West London.

"Queens Park Rangers Football Club and our partners, Stadium Capital Developments, have concluded a letter of collaboration with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham to ‘bring forward an early and very significant private sector investment into the Old Oak Common regeneration area.’

"The news follows Boris Johnson's recent announcement that turning Old Oak into a new world-class city quarter is to be one of his main regeneration priorities, and that a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) is to be set up to promote it.

"The plan is to develop a 40,000 capacity football stadium at the heart of the regeneration area, and for this to be the catalyst that will eventually bring about the creation of a residential and commercial area covering several hundreds of acres – larger than Canary Wharf – ultimately generating 50,000 jobs and 24,000 homes.

"The scheme has the provisional title of New Queens Park.

"R’s Chairman, Tony Fernandes, told www.qpr.co.uk:

“Loftus Road is – and always will be – a special place for the club and our supporters, but we need more than an 18,000 capacity.
 
With no option of expanding here, we have to look elsewhere and we welcome the Mayor’s and Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s commitment to regenerate the area, which includes an option  to develop a new stadium at Old Oak as a key catalyst to bring forward redevelopment, cementing our future in this part of West London.
 
Not only will this give us a top quality stadium to cater for QPR's needs as the club progresses and grows over the years ahead, but we are very excited about being the driving force behind creating one of the best new urban places in the world.
 
This will be the catalyst for the regeneration of a forgotten area – ultimately bringing new transport, 24,000 homes and at least 50,000 jobs.

It will create a vibrant new destination in London, boosting local businesses, attracting new visitors and tourism and creating a thriving community.”

"QPR CEO, Philip Beard, added:

“We look forward to working with the Mayor and local authorities and we will, of course, be consulting our loyal and passionate supporters, as well as the local community, on our exciting plans early next year. We will look to build a stadium QPR fans and local residents can be proud of.

Loftus Road is renowned for its atmosphere and with the help of our supporters, replicating that at our new stadium will be one of our top priorities.”

"Chair of the HS2 Growth Taskforce - which is meeting in London today (December 13) to ensure the capital maximises the benefits from HS2 - Lord Deighton, said:

“Regeneration only happens when the public and private sector work together. We welcome QPR and Stadium Capital Development's commitment to the regeneration plan at Old Oak. Delivering modern transport infrastructure such as HS2 and Crossrail can be a catalyst for regeneration in London. The Government looks forward to working with key stakeholders on this.”

"Antony Spencer, who – alongside Sir Terry Farrell – is developing the master-plan for Old Oak, commented:

“We envisage a new vibrant, mixed-use and high-quality entertainment and leisure development, which will turn this neglected but tremendously well-connected area into a new world-class city quarter. 

We are talking to a number of world-class architects to design iconic tall buildings akin to New York, the Far East and London’s finest, as well as improving and incorporating the waterside environment of the Grand Union Canal. We have assembled a top-class professional team to design tens of thousands of new homes, a 350-bedroom luxury hotel and millions of square feet of entertainment and leisure focused commercial space including: retail, studios and offices, bars and clubs, restaurants, cinemas and other leisure accommodation.”

"The announcement comes after many months of discussions with the Greater London Authority and the Boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Brent and Ealing.

"Spencer added: 

“We know we still have a long way to go in dealing with the planning, infrastructure funding challenges and business relocations but we are now in a position to forge ahead as we have secured strategic land holdings in excess of 100 acres.  We are confident of securing a planning permission by early 2015 and starting development shortly afterwards.

We need, however, to work very closely with the public and private sector bodies, such as TfL and Network Rail, to enable the necessary infrastructure requirements.  We look forward to working with the GLA, Hammersmith & Fulham and the local boroughs in a partnership approach between the public and private sectors.

The potential arrival of the MDC, with its planning and compulsory purchase powers, could dramatically speed up the delivery of this site.”

"Crossrail and HS2 superhub will bring £6bn boost to north-west London"

Link to Evening Standard

"Boris Johnson is to set up an Olympic-style regeneration agency to transform a rundown area into a thriving new district and deliver a £6 billion economic boost to London.

"The Mayor wants to use Crossrail links and the planned HS2 route — which will converge at Old Oak Common — to spur the creation of 80,000 homes and 20,000 jobs.

"By 2025 a 'mini-Manhattan' of skyscrapers and apartments will shoot up around the station in north-west London. The Mayoral Development Corporation in Old Oak Common, known as MDC, will have the same powers that are being used to create a Games legacy in Stratford. It will begin planning work next year at the semi-industrial 195-acre site north of Wormwood Scrubs and Westway. The establishment of an MDC is subject to London Assembly approval." [and the three boroughs involved?]

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(Click for YouTube video!)

"Old Oak confirmed as HS2 hub"

Wednesday November 27, 2013

"A Government bill paving the way for a £50billion high speed rail line (HS2) to be built confirms Old Oak Common, just north of Wormwood Scrubs, as a principal hub station it was revealed this week.

"The high speed hub will connect the HS2 line to Crossrail and the Great Western Main line and provide opportunities for substantial regeneration of the nearby area, according to the council.

"Vast tracts of semi-derelict industrial land, in the north of Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F), could be transformed with up to 19,000 new homes and 90,000 jobs thanks to the major improvement in accessibility that HS2 will bring.

"Supporters of the rapid rail link between London and the north hope to see a new high-speed line running from the capital to Birmingham by 2026. Preliminary contracts worth £60million can now be handed out, although further legal hurdles remain before the actual railway can go ahead. Auditors KPMG say the line would boost the UK economy by £15billion a year.

"Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said:

“HS2 is the most ambitious and important infrastructure project in the UK since we built the M25 30 years ago, and in 30 more it will be just as integral a part of the nation’s prosperity.”

"A second phase, taking the line to north west and north east England, is due for completion by 2033. The cost of the project is now put at £42.6billion with a further £7.5billion for the trains.

"HS2 is set to make Old Oak Common Britain’s best connected railway station as it acts as the main interchange between HS2 and Crossrail. The Government has signalled Old Oak’s vital role in taking pressure off busy central London terminals like Euston, the London terminus of HS2, which could not have coped with the 13,000 extra passengers an hour that HS2 will bring. A new generation of trains, running at speeds of up to 225mph will stop at the new Old Oak hub station.

"Five of the nation’s airports will be linked to the high-speed rail network for the first time through the Old Oak interchange. Central London and Heathrow will be just 10 minutes away, Birmingham will be 40 minutes direct from Old Oak and Luton, Gatwick and City Airport will all be within 45 minutes. In addition, if the Government decide to move Heathrow to a new hub to the east of London, there will be a direct connection from Old Oak via the HS1 link in less than 30 minutes.

"Around half of working age adults within 1.2miles of the station are unemployed. Some parts of the area - which includes a large amount of railway land with train depots, two waste recycling facilities, the Car Giant dealership and other light industrial uses - are in the bottom 1% most deprived nationally.

"Given the regeneration potential HS2 provides, the Government, Mayor of London, TfL and London Boroughs of H&F, Brent and Ealing have developed a 30-year vision to transform the Old Oak area. The Vision spells out how up to 90,000 jobs and 19,000 new homes - in addition to new schools, open spaces, shops and leisure facilities - could transform the area. View the vision at www.london.gov.uk/oldoak

"Cllr Nicholas Botterill, H&F Council Leader, says:

"HS2 has the potential to act as a catalyst to create much-needed new homes, jobs and opportunities in one of London's poorest areas. We have heard a lot about how HS2 will bridge the north-south divide and regenerate parts of northern England and the Midlands, but it has also the potential to transform rundown inner London neighbourhoods right on our doorstep.

We will continue engaging with HS2 and the Government over the coming months, to ensure that the HS2 proposals deliver the optimal benefits for the borough’s residents.”

"There is potential to improve the local road network and provide bus and cycle lanes, linking existing and new stations to the wider area. There is also potential to improve local connections with new bus services to a new bus interchange at the proposed HS2 and Crossrail station, and discussions are on-going with the Government about ways in which the London Overground rail network could be connected to the Old Oak Common station.

"Mr McLoughlin continued:

“The number of passengers on our railways has doubled since 1995, while rail freight traffic has risen by 65 per cent over the same period. The existing rail network is operating at near full capacity, and neither new motorways nor domestic air travel are environmentally sustainable options to meet the mobility requirements of a British population expected to grow by 10 million by 2033.”

For more, visit www.lbhf.gov.uk/hs2

HS2 Hybrid Bill published: Acton homes hemmed in

Link to web site

"The Plans and Sections are part of and support the High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill.

"The Plans show the centre lines and limits of deviation of the proposed works and define the land that will be acquired or used for the purposes of building and operating the railway. A description of the land, together with details of ownership, occupiers and those who have a legal interest in the land is included in the Book of Reference (information for which can be found on the web site)."

The Economist: "Not so boring: How other infrastructure projects can learn from London’s new railway"

Link to web site

"When it is finished in 2018, Crossrail will stretch across London, connecting the south-west suburbs in Berkshire with Essex in the east. The new line will increase the capacity of London’s transport network by 10%. Commuters will be able to zip from Abbey Wood in the south-east to the City of London in 17 minutes (the journey now takes 45). Stations are being extensively rebuilt. [Though not being made step-free.]

Paul Deighton, commercial secretary to the Treasury, who oversees public-sector investment in infrastructure, said:

"It's the perfect example of what infrastructure does for the British economy."

"... Several elements came together to make it possible. The creation of the office of mayor in 2000 made a huge difference, says David Leam of London First, a lobby group. As the mayor’s remit is limited mainly to transport, incumbents badly wanted the railway. And the business case for the project has strengthened."

BBC: "Crossrail unveils its first completed tunnel"

Link to video on web site

"The first completed tunnel in the £14.8bn Crossrail project has been unveiled.

"Tunnel machine Phyllis bored 4.25 miles (7km) between Royal Oak and Farringdon in London in an 18-month operation.

"Crossrail's seven giant tunnelling machines have completed more than nine miles of the 26 miles (42km) of new train tunnels."

Alstom's pitch at building HS2 trains

Ealing Gazette: Old Oak Lane waste incinerator decision deferred again