Agenda item

Who decides what happens to Catford Shopping centre and drives future regeneration?  With changes to the town centre you have asked to find out more. Representatives of the Lewisham Council Corporate Assets team will attend the meeting to answer your questions and hear your thoughts.

KplomLotsu from corporate asset team came to present to attendees on the Catford Regeneration Partnership Limited. How this body was set up and why. Until there can be a comprehensive redevelopment of the town centre there was a need to manage the centre. Details of the presentation are available in the agenda pack. The presentation given by Kplom stressed the need for shorter leases for stores in order to be ready for the regeneration after the TFL study has been completed on the rerouting if the south circular, which has held regeneration plans up. The re-route was back on the ‘agenda’ following a piece of work TFL recently carried out and the council had commissioned a master planning exercise to look at options. The hope is to bring Catford back as a buzzing hub and heart of Lewisham.

There followed a couple of questions from the floor on the Holbeach car park and the cost of parking in Lewisham compared to Beckenham for example. What does the regeneration has to offer with regard car parking. Cllr Stamirowski pointed out the cuts have influenced car parking costs. Cllr Amrani felt that if parking was of particular interest to the room the assembly would endeavour to bring an appropriate council officer to address any issues you have.

Q. How can the community input to the vision being created by this team. How can the community feed into these plans. It feels piecemeal and not strategic regarding units or the mix. This is not clear to the community – how can we shape the future. I would like to see more cleaner greener spaces. What are the amenities for the new development at the Catford stadium site. What are the timescales?

Q. we would like decent shops. Right now unless you want all the same it is not worth going there.

A. There will be consultation and the community will have a chance to comment on the plans. The master planner will be doing detailed work on the future plans.

There is no realistic expectation that Catford regeneration to be completed within 10 years. With regard the quality of shops. Nationwide agents are employed to promote the shopping centre to businesses. They have good Calibre clients. The issue is also around the size of the units. The length of leases being offered to shops, so that the council is able to access them when the time comes to regenerate, means that these are short leases and larger businesses are less likely to want to take out short term leases with a break clause. Need to maintain flexibility.

Timescales regeneration takes a long time by its nature, with several partners.

Discussion was had around buses not stopping in the centre, the roads and pinch points such as widening Catford Bridge Kplom felt he couldn’t comment on buses as that was an issue for TFL. But feels the master planners working with TFL would help with this. Apparently very expensive to widen a road bridge. The road layout will be looked at by Network rail will be taking some action but not sure what this will be and don’t think a complete redesign will be on the cards due to costs.

Catford Town centre has so many assets, there is a big opportunity to bring in money into Lewisham. There are problems however with having anywhere to go in the evenings. Consultation is all well and good nut it is about commenting on ideas already there not hearing ideas in the first place. There are current issues of it being safe and clean which can be tackled now there are real issues with refuse collection on the Broadway – it is supposed to be pedestrian and it isn’t. There are so many ideas from the community and trying to engage with the CRPL, how do you involve the community in these decisions. Corbett RA have done a great deal of work improving the Sandhurst Parade shopping hub over the last 3 years. You would be amazed what the community has to offer if given an opportunity to engage with CRPL and the master planners, we have expertise, we are here to help you if afforded the opportunity.

A. The community will be engaged. We cant do it without you.

Q. Clarify where the south circular would go –

A. round the back of Laurence house through the car park

Q . Is the councils position that it will regenerate Catford Town centre regardless of the outcomes of the TFL study.

A. The Council is committed to regenerating the Catford town centre, whether TLF re routing happens or not. Catford being a vibrant place is as big a concern for the council as it is for residents

Cllr Stamirowski stated that she felt lots of people in Catford who are passionate with great ideas a really good opportunity for CRPOL to meet with local people with skills. If that could be arranged that would be amazing.

Is it possible to look online to see the layout of the plans or rerouting. Will check and get back to the assembly

The assembly would like the programme manager, Gavin Plaskitt,  to come and talk to the group.

Cllr Amrani - Thank you so much for agreeing to attend the meeting and for answering the questions so fully