Gateway comments
2014
Alternatives to total redevelopment and demolition
Contributions from local people will be posted here.
Feedback responses to Gateway design proposals 26th January 2014
2013
Public conversation about the design of the station developments
Because the Council did not release any information about the conceptual discussions, Peckham Vision has encouraged a public conversation about these aspects:
- Front of station: A new square is being created in front of the station. What kind of square? What would you like to see there..?
- Back of station: The plan is to create a new area at the back, linked to the new front square. What would you like to see there..?
- Blenheim Grove: What would you like to see happen in the arches with fronts on Blenheim Grove..?
These different areas of the station development site are explained in the map here.
This page is being used to collect and paste comments received from local people about the Gateway project and its potential and its impact. If you wish to comment on these points or have anything to add to this collection, please email info@peckhamvision.org, and we will paste yr comment up here.
Comments on the Peckham Rye Station Gateway project
At community fairs
Over the summer of 2013 Peckham Vision took its mobile exhibition to several community events and talked to hundreds of local people about the plans for the town centre especially the developments in central Rye Lane around the station. We encouraged people to put up their comments about the station Gateway developments on post it notes and in comment books. About 120 comments have been transcribed and are recorded here in Gateway comments.
2013 PV summer events - PRS Gateway comments.pdf
The comments covered small details through to generalisations and are not amenable to simple summary. There is wide support for the re-creation of the square. There is a feeling that there is a special nature to Peckham town centre which needs to be nurtured and protected while it is adjusting to changes in the wider economy and to the developments around the station. Small organic change favouring small independents rather than national chains is preferred rather than large developments at once. There was concern at the potential loss of independent small businesses, including creative enterprises, if rents became unaffordable. A variety and mix of retail shops is wanted rather than more of the same kinds of shops which is viewed as an unwelcome current feature, with the multiple hair, nail, meat and phone shops. More business responsibility is wanted for the effects of their businesses. The storage facilities of the arches behind the station are valued by town centre businesses. Some locals value the mix of light industry and commerce behind the station, and are concerned at the loss of residential amenity with the expansion of the night economy. There were pleas for newsagent, letter box, coffee shop and public toilets near the station.
By email:
- We need to campaign for a replacement for WHSmith. Where can you buy a paper or a book in Peckham now? Need a newsagent near the station.
- We need
- to keep our Arches artistic community there in the thin sliver at the west end, preferably separated by the existing brick partition from the main market area development nearer the station; they were there through thick and thin and if we lose them we just have another generic retail area and nothing that celebrates Peckham's unique creativity.
- ensure the council treat our street with consideration for residents if it is to have this night life element, especially with regard to reducing noise, making sure the entry/exit to the station is the main one, and organising nightly street cleaning at least as far as the Choumert Grove junction. I am aware that bottles lying around, public urination and drug taking are already in more evidence since the Rye Lane and Bar Story night life picked up, and clearly the state of the east end of our street and the station entry areas cannot continue like this, it's out of control.
- ensure that the business 'backs' which might face Blenheim Grove (assuming the fronts are facing into the inner courtyard) are sightly and not simply full of exposed dustbins and extractor fans for the servicing of the units.
On Peckham Vision Facebook:
- The biggest issue for the station and rye lane is cleanliness. The issue of maintenance and cleanliness should be built into any plans. I'm in favour of a Market. Restaurants, cafes, shops and bars(no later than 11) in the Market Space at the back. More allocation of arches for non drinking focused evening activities such as performance, cinema , recording studios, dance studios, The front arches on Blenheim grove should be more focused on day time activities, cafes shops etc. Perhaps the arches could be allocated to create a balanced high street. Eg: a bakery, greengrocer, an off-license, a butcher, 5 assorted retail units. There could be a few allocated to local producers: we have a Peckham gin called bluebird which is produced in bermondsey, there is already supposed to be a brewery opening up in the end arch. The existing arches with Potters, metal workers etc should be protected. In the same way that there is affordable housing there should be affordable commercial space for people who can't compete with the 'tax exempt corporations'. By allocating certain arches for certain uses, it may be possible to prevent what (in my opinion and rather a lot of other local people) we have too much of on rye lane- betting shops, stinky fish mongers, the hair dressers that sweep their 'tumble weave' into the street and unhealthy takeaways. Finally the art deco buildings on Blenheim grove and Holy Grove should be refurbished with roof top gardens. They are lovely buildings which need some attention.
From East Dulwich web Forum discussions:
There is an intermittent discussion on the East Dulwich Forum about the station developments.
From tweets
24 September:
- will new businesses be compelled to have wheelchair access? Especially these trendy cafe's..
- a friend's buisiness has a lot of outside financial backing to open up in Peckham. What will the goverment do for locals?
- will local people get a lookin? I notice the hairdressers 'Blue Tit', are a chain!
- love these: tropical fruit stalls, streets like colourful African markets, burgeoning arts community, almost no chainstores.
Context for the Peckham Rye Station Gateway project
The Gateway project is planned to transform the pedestrian and visitor experience to a major entry point to Peckham town centre. It deals however only with Network Rail land between Rye Lane and the area west of there towards Bellenden Road. Other work which is relevant to improving the Station site and areas adjacent to it,and which are gathering comments from local people, include:
- The Council supported Sustrans Pocket Places project which, in collaboration with local people, is creating ideas for the improvement of the important adjacent area to the immediate north of the Gateway site at the Rye Lane end of Holly Grove and Elm Grove and across Rye Lane into the area in front of the Cinema, and the cobbled area around the Network Rail building opposite the new station square.
- The local campaign for the provision of well managed pubic toilets in Central Rye Lane to be part of the work in taking forward the Station Gateway project.
- Peckham Vision's work on the transformation of Central Rye Lane, including the 'masterplan' which shows how local aspirations fit together in the physical infrastructure around the Gateway site.
- Peckham Town Centre Forum events facilitated by Peckham Vision. See the notes from recent meetings.
- Recent Peckham Vision workshop on Peckham's Parallel Economies, and report.