10,714
edits
Changes
From Peckham Vision
→January 2023 plans dropped?
==Introduction==
Peckham is a major shopping centre in Southwark, thronging with shoppers and visitors. The lack of public toilets creates serious problems. Local residents have for many years campaigned for public toilets. Local residents and traders presented a petition with over 4000 signatures to the Council in September 2013. The petition asked that the provision of public toilets should be part of the redesign of the area in front of Peckham Rye station, in addition to the toilets to be installed on each of the 4 platforms inside the station, because they will be accessible only to rail travellers and the holders of freedom passes. This was included in the brief for the Peckham CoDesign process between August and October 2014. Planning permission was granted in 2016 on the Council's own planning application for the station square works, including an arch reserved for the public toilets. These works are scheduled to start in 2024 to be completed in 2026. We need public discussion now about the design and management of the new public toilets.
[[Image:Public toilets in central Rye Lane A4.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Leaflet]]
==Latest News 2024==
===February 2024 Public toilets disappearing===
[https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/anxious-britains-public-toilets-disappeared-2903257 Independent February 14, 2024] “I was too anxious to leave my house – because Britain’s public toilets have disappeared” Local authorities and government should recognise that public-accessible toilets are a fundamental pillar of public health, say the British Toilet Association
===January 2024 Meeting Cabinet Member Cllr Akoto===
===January 2023 plans dropped?===
The work in phase 1 in Blenheim Grove should be completed soon. Phases 2 & 3 on the new square will begin when Phase 1 is complete. '''[https://www.southwark.gov.uk/regeneration/peckham-and-nunhead/peckham-rye-station-square Details are on Council's website.]''' The work to provide public toilets was scheduled for Phase 3 of the works starting this year. '''Recent questions, in August 2022, to the Council by Peckham Vision about the plans for the new public toilets - design and operation, and the timing of public consultation on them, elicited, only after a long delay, that public toilets will be provided in the redevelopment of the Aylesham site. '''[https://www.southwark.gov.uk/assets/attach/7514/Gateway-to-Peckham-FAQ-GB.docx See the last paragraph in the FAQs here.]''' This appears to mean that the Council agreement for public toilets at the station, and the subsequent granting of planning permission, has been overturned by the Council without any public information or discussion. Further information is being sought about this decision. ''' <br>
The Aylesham redevelopment plans are at very early stages of consultation. '''[https://www.ayleshamcommunityaction.co.uk/ See more information on the issues already being raised by the plans.] Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/StandupForPeckham''' . Clearly that proposed plan has a long way to go before planning permission can even be applied for. Berkeley Group, the developers who own the site, have said that the whole development could take many years to be completed. Even if implemented, those public toilets will be little use in central Rye Lane before and after retail shopping hours in a location at least 10 minutes walk away from central Rye Lane, which is where the greatest need was expressed. There has been no information released to the public about this change of plan on an urgent public health issue.