What’s happening to Brixton
This is the first of an occasional series where residents of Lambeth can give their views on important issues in the Borough for an answer from the Council.
In January 1974 the Council approved the choice of Ravenseft Properties Limited as developers for Brixton Town Centre and in, an Exhibition “New Heart for Lambeth” made the plans available for the public to comment upon. In the months that followed, the Council, took the necessary steps to prepare the way for development but in March this year, Ravenseft withdrew from the scheme because of the changing economic situation.
The Joint Lambeth Council Greater London Council steering committee, set up to consider the future of Brixton Town Centre, has been urgently exploring alternative possibilities. Here the Brixton Society and Lambeth Chamber of Commerce and Trade join forces to put their views on this vital issue, and the council explains its position.
On 9 July 1969 Lambeth Council launched plans for the redevelopment of Brixton Town Centre - just 11 days later the Americans lauded the first manned space-craft on the moon. Those were heady days. Advances in techno1ogy and a booming economy seemed to offer limitless possibilities for the future. In 1975 the on1y things that seem to go up are the prices in the shops.
The town centre redevelopment was not a unique project. Throughout the ‘60s just about every Council approved simi1ar p1ans. Times have changed however. The withdrawal of the powerful Ravenseft Properties Ltd., who were to build a large shopping complex south of Co1dharbour Lane, emphasised the need to reappraise the very basis of the plans for Brixton.
If the centre is to survive it must quickly regain a large home market. Until this has been achieved we must ensure that it retains the assets of its existing shops and their established trade.
If Brixton is to have more than local significance again it must be seen to offer an alternative to the stereotyped solution of modern shopping centres. This is still possible. Flexibility might have enablked Brixton to keep pace with other centres, but the very lack of change has left the framework of Brixton’s uniquely burlesque character intact for the future.
The first initiative must be to remove the planning blight. Once a decision has been taken to retain
The first initiative must be to remove the planning blight. Once a decision has been taken to retain the basic structure we will on1y need plans for work to be done for each coming financial year making it easier to al1ow for a fluctuating economy. This would enable many residents to get grants for improvements to their homes, and encourage new investment in commercial activity.
Shopping – where the action is to be?
The second initiative requires a positive new policy. Until now there have been sufficient shops north of the railway to draw shoppers. Brixton Road is becoming a barrier, severing shops on the-western-Bon Marche side. Traders must be assured that they will remain distributed about a focal point at the railway viaducts and not be encouraged to drift south east leaving shops isolated beyond the periphery of a largely self-sufficient “environmental area” bounded by Brixton Road and the railway beside Atlantic Road.
Brixton Road provides some of Brixton’s bustle and excitement and brings passing trade, but we urgently need several more ground level crossings, shifting the priority to pedestrians.
If shops. now empty are to be re-let then traders must be secure from fear’ of future upheavals. Lambeth Council’s new planning role must be to encourage rejuvenation whilst keeping an eye on the character of the area.
When there is money we must first use the empty sites. Some industrial re-location would enable environmental improvements to be made. It is important that in future the locally unemployed be kept in mind and new manual jobs provided. Offices should on1y be for local firms. When building on empty sites has provided an increased home market for the shops and somewhere to re-house tenants, the time will come to deal with housing that has not been improved with grants.
We should take existing fine buildings and open spaces as centres from which to start environment improvements. The rehabilitation of Council property could progress house by house from these centres setting an example of a new trend to residents. Trinity Gardens and Electric Avenue are proposed Conservation Areas, but there are other areas where this approach could be used. To guarantee real progress we .must build onto what we have, not hope to start again from scratch only to make new mistakes. or find nothing happens at all.
The Brixton Society provides a forum about Brixton. Meetings are on-the last Tuesday each month at Lambeth Town Hall. All are welcome.
Further details from: The Secretary. The Brixton Society, 212 Acre Lane, London SW2 SUQ (733 8398)-. -
Lambeth Chamber at Commerce and Trade .aims to promote the interest of people, professions and businesses in Lambeth. For further information contact Mr~ L. J. Winchester. 5 Rhodesia Road. SW9 (274 3049).
AT THE HEART of Lambeth is Brixton, the main shopping centre for more than 200,000 local people who live within two miles of the centre.
Despite the closure of the profitable Bon Marche store, Brixton retains most of the big names in modern shopping such as Woolworths, Marks & Spencer, Boots, British Home Stores Littlewoods, Tescos, the Co-op and others. With the street markets and the covered arcades, which, when they were built, were the most modern shopping in London, Brixton is quite unique. In fact, Electric Avenue got its name from being the first electrically lit shopping street.
Diversion
opposed
A shopper’s hazard is the main London-Brighton road which cuts the shopping centre in two. Modem traffic moves fast and has increased considerably, presenting great difficulties to shoppers on the narrow pavements, especially when they want to cross the road. Lambeth Council considered building a new by-pass but rejected it because it would have involved knocking down good housing. Traffic could have been diverted into other routes but this would have meant more commuter traffic going through residential areas such as King’s Avenue and Loughborough Road so the Council rejected the idea. Instead the Council has approved a new bridge with a travellator and is awaiting approval from the GLC, who will have to pay for it.
Shoppers in Brixton Station Road may wonder what is going on behind the hoardings. Apart from the new HQ building for Tarmac Ltd., Lambeth Council is building a new recreation and social centre complete with two swimming pools and facilities for football, judo, basket-ball, badminton (you name it . . . !). For those who just want to relax there will sauna baths, a restaurant and a public house.
Parking is chaotic at present, largely due to the commuters using the Brixton tube. In Spring next year, parking meters will be introduced, following earlier consultation with traders and local residents. Shoppers who come by car will find easy, cheap and ample car-parking in Popes Road multi-storey car park. But most people who use Brixton do not have a car (FACT - 63 percent of households in Lambeth do not have a car .1971 census).
The street market area. around Electric Avenue is to become a traffic-free area, and the Council has voted the money to get the work started. In fact the Council proposed eighteen months ago that this area should become a CONSERVATION AREA - it is hoped that other traders will now get on with modernising their shops as some have done already, and the Council is willing to help other firms who want to expand.
The biggest eyesore in Brixton is the area of slum housing and cramped tenement blocks south of Coldharbour Lane. It is this area which the Council would like to see redeveloped, to provide an increase in housing together with modern shops and some offices..
Lambeth Local hopes to bring you details in a later edition.
If you have any views on the future of Brixton please write to Lambeth Local, Lambeth Town Hall and we will pass them on to the people concerned.