Lambeth Council agrees ten-year plan for Vauxhall

While Vauxhall is a popular area for those who want to live close to the heart of London, there is arguably less community spirit to be found there than in many other parts of the capital.

But that could be set to change, as Lambeth Council has just unveiled a ten-year plan for the area to transform it from a major traffic interchange to a lovely riverside town centre.

Vauxhall Nine Elms is already undergoing major regeneration, with numerous new homes and amenities being built for existing and new residents seeking property to rent in Vauxhall.

Around 16,000 residential properties are being constructed and the London Underground's Northern Line is being extended from Kennington to Battersea, providing a much-needed public transport link.

But it's not enough to just build new homes, as communities need places to gather, and bustling high streets filled with shops and local businesses are usually at their heart.

That's what Lambeth Council intends to create with a supplementary planning document that will now be subject to a consultation period.

"We want to breathe new life into the area by restoring a proper high street with thriving shops and businesses, dominated by people not traffic," said Lib Peck, cabinet member for regeneration.

"We have a once in a generation opportunity to transform this often overlooked area of the city and to tackle long standing issues, such as unemployment, poverty and inequality."

Outlined in the document are plans to attract an "eclectic mix" of independent retailers to the new town centre by offering affordable retail units.

Its publication comes after it was announced that the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station within the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area is to begin next year.

Phase one will involve the construction of 800 new homes on the site, which will stand above a commercial podium containing retail outlets, a restaurant, a gym, a pool, a spa, a cinema and a number of offices.

Posted by Charles Mackay
 

Published 28th September, 2012

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