| WCDG > Projects > Connecting & Renewing Lower Marsh
Connecting
& Renewing Lower Marsh
CIVIX
were commissioned by Circle Waterloo and Waterloo Community Development
Group (WCDG) to prepare proposals to improve the function and
pedestrian accessibility to the local shopping and services centre
based in Lower Marsh. A vision is required which defines how this
may be achieved through improvement to the linkages with the South
Bank and local communities, and how these may affect what the
area should become in the future.
The Policy Context
Waterloo is within London South Central identified in the City Growth Strategy and targeted for funding by the LDA. Lower Marsh is identified in the London Plan and Lambeth's UDP as a District Centre which will be protected and enhanced. The forthcoming Waterloo Development Framework, jointly sponsored by Lambeth Council, the Greater London Authority and Transport for London, will established the urban design context for improvements in the Lower Marsh area. S106 obligations have been agreed to fund specific improvements to Leake Street and surroundings.
The Opportunity
There are good opportunities to implement physical changes which would help transform the fortunes of Lower Marsh area. A clear identity for the place needs to be promoted. There are some 'quick wins' which will make a major contribution to the vitality of the area.
The Retail Strategy
The
2003 Retail Strategy for Lower Marsh argues that improvements
to the quality of urban and landscape design in Lower Marsh are
essential and that they stand equal to the need to improve the
retail offer.
Cross River Partnership's Light at the End of the Tunnel report
This details the 103 viaducts and tunnels under London's biggest built structure - the railway viaduct stretching from Vauxhall to Bermondsey. The Leake Street and Upper Marsh tunnels should be thought of as assets requiring imaginative upgrading, seizing the opportunities for movements and connection, and commercial use and as places in their own right.
Underpass Usage Survey
A survey was undertaken in summer 2004 of pedestrian movement through Leake Street and Upper Marsh tunnels. This evidenced that investment in cleaner and better-lit walkways along these routes will be essential to ensure this consumer group is attracted to the retail attractions in Lower Marsh.
Waterloo Area Development Proposals
Planned developments on the South Bank will bring more spending power to the area, and will be delivered over varying timescales with the staged release of S106 funding. The outputs of Connecting and Renewing Lower Marsh will offer Circle Waterloo and Waterloo Community Development Group the opportunity to take the initiative and by anticipating the changed circumstances prepare an innovative programme of environmental improvements.
Property Markets
Lower Marsh currently lacks a major attraction and its future lies in becoming a specialist retail centre. Effort needs to be expended to improve trading conditions by increasing dwell time, the retail offer and its image and identity. The 55,000 employees in the area form a significant group of customers for Lower Marsh, and this group will increase considerably with the new developments on the South Bank. There is an opportunity for Lower Marsh to be proactive and to adapt to the evolving trading conditions anticipating the South Bank developments of the coming decade.
Transport and Accessibility
Lower Marsh is severed from neighbouring areas by Waterloo International Terminal (WIT) and railway viaducts. The poor route quality of Leake St and Upper Marsh adds to severance problems. Pedestrian desire lines from the South Bank to Lower Marsh are not good enough to facilitate high levels of pedestrian movement to Lower Marsh. The traffic circulation system, particularly taxis using Leake St, exacerbates pedestrian permeability. The planned reduction in Eurostar operations at Waterloo in 2007 provides anopportunity to make a full upgrade of the Leake Street environment and improve the pedestrian connection to Lower Marsh. Physical Fabric
The townscape analysis illustrates the character and human scale of Lower Marsh and the visual connections to its surroundings - such as the proximity of the London Eye to Lower Marsh. There are three open spaces which when improved will offer opportunities for increased 'dwell time' - the land adjacent to Cubana Restaurant, the junction of Leake Street and Lower Marsh, and the land between 135 & 140 Lower Marsh. Lower Marsh should take advantage of its 'user friendly' townscape qualities and help ensure a highly desirable destination for local residents, visitors and investors.
Engineering Context
Due to their configuration the arches to the north of Leake Street could not reasonably be opened up. However, the arches south of Leake Street offer good development opportunities with no structural obstacle to reuse for new purposes. The reuse of these arches would be greatly facilitated by the removal of the access ramp leading to taxi ranks on Station Approach. The area under the Eurostar deck is also available for re-use
Enhancement Strategy
Elements of the Enhancement Strategy are linkage improvements - projects which relate to the objectives of the strategy; and development opportunities - longer term projects which relate to the future vitality and viability of Lower Marsh as a local centre:
Linkage improvements
Nine elements are identified as proposals for linkage improvements; five of which are developed to a higher specification and costed for immediate implementation. The five short-term projects are.
 Leake Street/Lower Marsh junction
Leake Street proper
Leake Street/York Road gateway
Lower Marsh western gateway
Upper Marsh gateway
Longer-term proposals should remove vehicular traffic from Leake Street by re-directing taxis and cars onto York Road and the removal of the taxi access road and ramp on the eastern side of Waterloo Station. Consideration should be given to the reduction of traffic through Upper Marsh.
Development opportunities
The arches and under croft of Waterloo station and the railway viaducts offer particular opportunities for development.
Lower Marsh arches
Leake Street south arches
Upper Marsh arches
In considering the longer-term future of Lower Marsh, the vision for its regeneration may include the identification of several major redevelopment opportunities.
Chariots' and Boots building
Temporary library/Iceland building
Westminster Bridge Road/Leake Street redevelopment
The enhancement strategy for the revitalisation of Lower Marsh is made up of a number of proposals which are phased according to the timing and significance of the constraints identified.
A New Identity for Lower Marsh
It is
now accepted by the project Steering Group and the consultants that
to turn the tide of decline in Lower
Marsh and to regenerate the area as a shopping and
visitor destination a new identity is required. There exists
an unusual, possibly unique, opportunity for Circle Waterloo to
develop a partnership with Solar
Century for the benefit of the BID. Together
they could devise an innovative demonstration project that would
be amongst the first developments of its kind - bringing solar power
to local neighbourhood regeneration.
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