As the Council would like us to believe that there is only one choice:
- either the construction of the 2 skyscrapers of 42 storey each + refurbishment of the station,
- or nothing at all for the next 30 years,
we have already shown that there are already commitments on station improvement, independently of tower block construction.
I have also received some alternative suggestions for the development of the surroundings of Clapham Junction area.
Peter Deakins, a local resident, rightly pointed out that the new proposals are likely to be no better for the wider Community than what already exists, but could in fact be very damaging to existing businesses. At the same time rights that the public has had the benefit of for very, very many years are noted as being removed.
He has published a document, with his Architectural Practice, to add to proposals that are currently being discussed and present his view to upgrade the major part of the surroundings of the vicinity. The document has been widely distributed throughout Battersea and Wandsworth including to many members of the Wandsworth, Battersea and Clapham Amenity Societies, and additionally to many local businesses – particularly those around the Junction and members of business groups such as the Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce.
According to him, the feedback that he has received so far has been very supportive indeed, both for the major issues that were illustrated in the leaflet of a) vastly improving and reducing dangerous aspects of the current traffic circulation by making much better use of roads that are already in the public domain as ‘public rights of way’, whilst also b) making the barrier between North and South Battersea formed by the Railway Lines and the Station itself to be much less overwhelming.
Stating that Clapham Junction Station is currently very rundown and needs upgrading as long as the surrounding areas, and that the station also forms a formidable barrier between North and South Battersea, the ideas outlined in the plan suggest solutions to help to reverse continuing decay.
A presentation of the proposal is shown in the picture below:
