Agenda item

Resolved: that the Committee would share its views with Mayor and Cabinet as follows:

1.    The Committee recommends that the Council produces a communications plan, which details the timetable for consultation with local people and other key stakeholders. The plan should also include regular opportunities for engagement with councillors.

2.    The Committee recommends that officers produce a 3-5 year plan outlining anticipated dates for key decisions relating to Catford. The Committee asks that this be made freely available and updated regularly.

3.    The Committee recommends that, prior to each key decision, the Sustainable Development Select Committee has the opportunity to comment on and review plans as they progress.

4.    The Committee believes that before each key decision is taken options should be considered for: safe cycling and pedestrian provision; the proposed scale of any intended development and; the future viability of the Broadway Theatre.

5.    The Committee has concerns about the height density and massing of potential buildings in Catford and is keen to review any proposals before key decisions are made.

6.    The Committee will closely follow the development of options for the realignment of the A205. The Committee intends to use its influence to encourage TfL to prioritise funding for the scheme.

7.    The Committee believes that the safety of pedestrians and cyclists as well as the provision of segregated cycling lanes should be central to the consideration of all options for the realignment of the A205.

8.    The Committee recommends that, in assessing options for the future of the A205, due regard should be given to the impact of air quality on public health.

7.1      Gavin Plaskitt (Senior Programme Manager) introduced the report, the following key points were noted:

·         The report outlined the next steps of the Catford regeneration.

·         The Mayor had agreed the programme for the next phase of work to regenerate the town centre and to carry out stakeholder engagement.

·         The early interventions to improve the station in Catford and on flood alleviation had been made possible through housing zone funding.

·         Next steps for activity in the town centre had been approved, including the approach to the Broadway theatre.

·         Plans for a stakeholder engagement strategy had also been approved by the Mayor. Work was taking place to develop the strategy.

·         Work with Transport for London was progressing on the modelling to realign the A205.

·         Some additional feasibility studies had been commissioned and completed for the Plassy Island site.

·         A firm of property consultants had been commissioned to assist with the consideration of development viability.

·         Once a decision about the road had been reached, officers would proceed to commission a master planning architect.

·         Opportunities for ‘meanwhile use’ of assets in the town centre were being marketed.

·         Officers would return to brief the Committee about an evaluation of options for the realignment of the A205 at the meeting in March.

7.2      Gavin Plaskitt, Jessie Lea and Deborah Efemini responded to questions from the Committee, the following key points were noted:

·         There were commercial interests that needed to be considered in a private session before all options for the road could be fully evaluated. There was a third option for the road, which might now be viable, subject to further analysis.

·         Each criteria for assessing the viability of the TfL options for the road was made up of a range of other criteria.

·         The consultation with residents would not include options for the realignment of the road, due to commercial sensitivity.

·         There were difficulties with the sequencing of the programme because of the potential impact on landowners in the town centre.

·         Officers would provide an analysis of each of the options proposed by TfL against the criteria set out in appendix 3 for consideration by the Committee before a decision was taken by the Mayor. TfL had its own assessment criteria for each option.

·         Officers were planning to start using the ‘Common Place’ online consultation platform to engage with residents. One of the benefits of this platform was that residents could contribute to the discussion about where the boundaries of the Town Centre should be. A suggested boundary had been proposed by officers, to include anyone who used Catford as their primary town centre.

·         The stakeholders for the Catford scheme were anyone who lived, worked or had an interest in the town centre.

·         St Dunstan’s had submitted a planning application for Canadian Avenue to re-site the access road to their playing field, which might have created some confusion for local residents.

·         The housing zone proposal set out an indicative capacity for about 2500 homes in Catford on the five key remaining development sites in the town centre. 1300 of these were proposed to be on land owned by the Council, 1200 were proposed to be on land in private ownership.

·         The density of development in existing proposals for Catford had been based on London Plan guidelines.

·         Segregated cycling routes could be provided for east west movement through the town centre. North/south segregated cycling provision would be more difficult to provide but further options would be considered at the detailed design phase.

7.3      In Committee discussions, the following key points were also noted:

·         The design of the street scape and environment in any new development would need to be carefully thought through.

·         Pedestrian and cycle safety were of primary importance to the Committee.

·         Street trees should be built into any new scheme to help improve air quality.

·         Members of the Committee believed that the design options for the town centre should aim to make Catford ‘lovable, liveable, joyful and iconic’.

·         Officers were commended on the work that had been done to develop meanwhile use in the Catford centre.

·         The Committee would consider its options for lobbying Mike Brown (the Chief Executive of TfL) to push forward the options for the realignment of the South Circular.

·         Members were concerned about the management of refuse in Catford and the general appearance of the Catford Broadway.

·         Consultation with stakeholders should lead the decision making about the plans for the town centre. Any key decisions should first take into account meaningful engagement with stakeholders.

·         Concern was expressed about the potential scale, density and quality of design of any proposed development for the town centre.

Resolved: that the Committee would share its views with Mayor and Cabinet as follows:

1.    The Committee recommends that the Council produces a communications plan, which details the timetable for consultation with local people and other key stakeholders. The plan should also include regular opportunities for engagement with councillors.

2.    The Committee recommends that officers produce a 3-5 year plan outlining anticipated dates for key decisions relating to Catford. The Committee asks that this be made freely available and updated regularly.

3.    The Committee recommends that, prior to each key decision, the Sustainable Development Select Committee has the opportunity to comment on and review plans as they progress.

4.    The Committee believes that before each key decision is taken options should be considered for: safe cycling and pedestrian provision; the proposed scale of any intended development and; the future viability of the Broadway Theatre.

5.    The Committee has concerns about the height density and massing of potential buildings in Catford and is keen to review any proposals before key decisions are made.

6.    The Committee will closely follow the development of options for the realignment of the A205. The Committee intends to use its influence to encourage TfL to prioritise funding for the scheme.

7.    The Committee believes that the safety of pedestrians and cyclists as well as the provision of segregated cycling lanes should be central to the consideration of all options for the realignment of the A205.

8.    The Committee recommends that, in assessing options for the future of the A205, due regard should be given to the impact of air quality on public health.