Future Brixton

Category Archives: Brixton Central


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A challenge to all of us

by Jack Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Growth

On Monday we set 20 young people from Brixton a challenge about the future of their town centre.

We asked them how to get young people involved in decisions about the regeneration of Brixton. Decisions about employment, affordable space for new enterprise, housing and the kind of developments they’d like to see.

We asked them to think, not only about the options that should be considered, but also where they would live and work in 5 – 10 years’ time.

Lambeth is changing. It’s growing and it’s attracting millions of pounds worth of investment. Our commitment is to make sure that everyone gets a fair crack at the jobs, homes, cultural and business opportunities this brings.

But communities need to fight for their share in the proceeds of growth too, particularly young people who really are the future of Lambeth.

The Youth Council and the National Citizenship Service, who held the challenge, are planning similar across the borough from Waterloo and Vauxhall to Streatham and Norwood. The idea is that young people are better at engaging with their peers (provided they have the right support) than old geezers like me.

Since I took on the cabinet post for growth and jobs last month, I’ve been struck by the different attitudes towards growth. Those who see opportunity and ambition and those who fear change will leave them behind.

Regeneration is often seen through the eyes of cynics who are quick to criticise ‘gentrification’ but ignore the benefits. If ‘gentrification’ means cleaner streets and safer estates then I’m all for it.

But, there is a deafening silence from those who stand to benefit most; people in need of affordable housing, access to jobs and business opportunities, safer public spaces and more culture and leisure.

This comment, from a Vauxhall resident, says it all: “those jobs won’t be for us, those businesses won’t be for us.”

We have to work together to make sure that’s not the case. But we also need to shout about the good stuff happening now – like Block Workout and all at Number 6, Steadman Scott’s boxing at the Rec, Ovalhouse coming soon, grow:brixton, the list goes on.

My challenge to you is find out what’s going on, make sure your voice is heard or sit back and let it pass you by. It’s your future.

Some ways to get involved


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Sowing the seeds for Grow Brixton

Back in April we saw a team of award-winning architects, urban designers and food growers won the chance to transform empty space at the former ice rink site in Pope’s Road.

Grow Brixton has now submitted a planning application for the scheme and you have until Wednesday 13 August to make any comments.

There’s a number of ways you can find out more and have your say and you can talk to the team if you’re interested in renting space:

  • Read all about the scheme at the Carl Turner website here.
  • Read more on our Meanwhile at Pope’s Road page, including the Grow Brixton Design and Access Statement from the planning application.
  • Visit the team and see the display at the former skate shop, at 53 Brixton Station Road, between 2pm and 5pm on Friday 25 July, 1 August, 8 August, 15 August, 22 August and 29 August.
  • Visit the Grow Brixton stall on Brixton Station Road Market on Saturday 26 July


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Hundreds getting involved in the Brixton Central masterplan

Local people have helped to come up with a number of ideas about how the Brixton Central area could change for the better. Now, we need to know what you think.

So far more than 30 people came to the Community Reference Group workshop and we’ve spoken with hundreds of local businesses, residents and shoppers during three pop-up events this week. We were on Brixton Station Road market (Sat), Windrush Square (Tues) and at Brixton Village (Wed) so thanks to everyone who came and shared their views.

What have people been talking about?

  • Car parking has come through as a key issue, especially from local businesses.
  • There has also been a good debate about the height of buildings, with different views on how high buildings should be and where the tall buildings could be located.
  • People have told us affordable homes and the potential for affordable workspace are important and they want a mix of independent shop.
  • Lots of people have also talked about the need for public realm improvements.

Join the debate

We’ll be at the fantastic Lambeth Country Show this weekend (stand 27 in the Picnic Area) and then next week we’ll be hosting an exhibition in one of the units underneath the train station on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (see calendar opposite for details).

More details about the proposals, including exhibition boards, a presentation and a questionnaire are on the Brixton Central masterplan page. Please take a look at the ideas so far and let us know what you think. The closing date to feed back is Friday 8 August.


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Young people have their say on Brixton Central masterplan

Students of all ages from Evelyn Grace Academy got involved with the Brixton Central masterplan during a workshop run by Fluid on Thursday 26 June. We’d like to thank all the students who took part and the Stephen Lawrence Trust for its help on the day.

During a series of group exercises, we asked the young people a number of questions to understand how they felt about Brixton now and what they wanted to see in the future. It’s important that young people play their part in writing the masterplan and here’s an overview of some of their responses.

Can you describe Brixton? The words “multicultural” and “diverse” featured most. “Lively”, “vibrant” and “unique” were also popular.

Where do you like going in Brixton? The library, shops (clothes and food) and parks were mentioned. Brixton Rec Centre and the cinema also featured. The market was the place that students said they avoided and “overcrowding” was one of the reasons given.

What does Brixton Central need less of? “Restaurants, cafes and bars” were mentioned most, with “phone shops” also featuring.

If you had three wishes for Brixton? Students wanted “more police and less crime”. They also wanted sports facilities and things for young people to get involved with.

What is your hope for Brixton Central?

  • “for the crime rate to decrease and for the reputation of the area to be more positive”
  • “more beneficial towards youths, elders and others that are challenged”
  • ” hope for change, but not for an unrecognisable Brixton”
  • “that it is suitable for the current population of Brixton and everyone feels comfortable in it”
  • “change to benefit our generation and the next generation of Brixton”
  • “facilities for a wide range of people of all ethnicities, rather than one specific group”
  • “that is does not become overcrowded and that everyone knows each other with a family environment”
  • “that Brixton can develop while keeping its originality and diversity”
  • “for it to become safer and gang free, and affordable”

How you can get involved

There are a number of events this month and the calendar on the right lists all of these:

  • Thursday 10 July, Community Reference Group meets - 7.30-9.30 at the Impact Hub (please register)
  • Saturday 12 July, Pop-up stall - 10am-4pm at Brixton Station Road Market
  • Tuesday 15 July, Pop-up stall - 11am-5pm at Windrush Square
  • Wednesday 16 July, Pop-up stall - 11am-5pm at Brixton Village
  • Saturday 19 July, Lambeth Country Show - 11am-5pm at Brockwell park
  • Sunday 20 July, Lambeth Country Show - 11am-5pm at Brockwell Park
  • Tuesday 22 July-Thursday 24 July, Drop-in Exhibition - 1-4pm at Brixton Station


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Grow:Brixton pop up at Pope’s Road

Grow:Brixton is coming soon to the old ice rink site. Come along to this FREE event to meet the team and see what’s in store.

There will be live music from Pangaea Steelband, prior to the film starting at 9:30pm. On sale will be local brewed beer from Brixton Brewery, a selection from DVine Wines and food will be available and deckchairs will be provided.

  • Saturday 7 June, 6-11pm
  • Music from 7.15pm
  • 9:30pm Cycle Powered Cinema showing ‘Grow Your Own’ (license pending)

Rather than leave space unloved in Brixton town centre, Grow Brixton will transform the old ice rink site on Pope’s Road into a verdant community growing space and vibrant cultural and educational hub. It will offer valuable opportunities to start up businesses, makers, doers and out of the box thinkers…. and it will grow strawberries, what’s there not to love?

Grow Brixton pop-up event


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Brixton Central - Local Reference Group workshops

The Brixton Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) sets out an area called Brixton Central as a major area for growth and investment in the town centre. We now want local people to help set out proposals for the long-term future of this part of the town centre.

The two major landowners in the area, Lambeth Council and Network Rail, have jointly appointed AECOM and Fluid Architects to work with local people on a masterplan development brief for Brixton Central. This will be used to establish in more detail the type of development and public space in the area, its scale and how it should be delivered.

The Local Reference Group

The Local Reference Group will act as a sounding board for the development of the Brixton Central Masterplan Development Brief. The reference group has grown out of a series of individual and group meetings that Fluid held with local people and organisations to understand people’s priorities for the town centre.

Two Reference Group meetings have followed, with workshops exploring themes around potential land use, viability considerations and community benefits, as well as potential locations for different town centre activities across the Brixton Central area.

Presentations from the workshops can be downloaded here: Presentation_080414_reduced size

These events have involved many passionate and exciting discussions and you can read about some of the issues in the comments on this blog. We’ll review what people have said and feed this in to the development of the masterplan proposals, which we’ll bring back for further discussion in the summer.

 

Grow:Brixton


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Meanwhile, the winner is … grow:brixton

A team of award winning architects, guerrilla gardeners, cooks and food producers has won the chance to transform empty space at Pope’s Road in Brixton.

Lambeth council and the Market Traders’ Federation ran a competition that would see the site where the ice rink used to be transformed for the next 2 years.

The competition captured public imagination at events, in the press and on social media and the last stage was to choose between two locally based finalists.

The grow:brixton team consists of award-winning Carl Turner Architects, The Edible Bus Stop - guerilla gardeners and landscape experts - Canteen – socially minded food organisation – and Engineers Structure Workshop, all based in Lambeth.

Meanwhile at Pope's road public event


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Lots of local interest in Meanwhile at Pope’s Road

It was great to see a packed house for the Meanwhile at Pope’s Road event last night. The two shortlisted bid teams pitched their exciting ideas to more than fifty local people.

The questions showed residents were interested in the lasting impact of the project, how it would interact with the rest of the town centre, as well as the employment and business opportunities.

We’ve had lots of detailed feedback and the Steering Group will be looking through it all when they meet to decide between the two. Clearly it won’t be an easy decision but, as one attendee last night put it:

“Whichever proposal wins, it would be a welcomed change from us! We would like to be kept up to date and be involved and help in anyway we can.”

More information about Meanwhile at Pope’s Road can be found here.

young people listening to finalists bidding for Meanwhile at Pope's Road


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Young people preview the Meanwhile bids

Last Wednesday about 25 young people had the first chance to meet the two finalists bidding to use the space at Pope’s Road where the temporary ice rink used to be.

The youth mayor, The Grow:Brixton team give their presentationJacqueline Goves Nemes welcomed people and stressed how important it was to have young people involved in the project, which was a great opportunity to shape what happens in the centre of Brixton. The evening was hosted by local spoken word poet, Dean Atta, who started us off with a special performance. Then came the pitches…

Both Grow: Brixton and Brixton Toolbox kept the audience interested with their exciting ideas for the space. It was impossible to tell on the night whether there was a preferred bid as both led to a number of thought provoking questions.

About Grow:Brixton: “Amazing, I was excited by the great work they’d done already”

About Brixton Toolbox: “Open concept that allows ideas to feed in. Diverse and keeps young people in mind.”

It was Brixton Toolbox answering questionsclear that the young people present had some great ideas themselves and wanted to see the space well-used by their peers. The conversation continues on social media so please join in @futurebrixton using #meanwhilebrixton and at facebook.com/futurebrixton

This Wednesday there is an opportunity for all ages to meet the bidders and you can register to attend here. You can also comment on the blog here.

 

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Shortlisted bidders announced for Meanwhile at Pope’s Road

Rather than put up with an empty space at Pope’s Road, where the ice rink used to be, we have worked with the Market Traders’ Federation to hold a competition for someone to use the space.

Two bids, both led by Brixton-based design practices have made it through the shorlisting. They are:

Shortlisting was undertaken by the ‘Meanwhile at Pope’s Road’ steering group, which includes Councillor Imogen Walker and members of the Brixton Market Traders’ Federation. You can find out more information about the two finalists below and by coming to one of our events to meet the bidders in person:

You can let us know what you think about the shortlisted bids in the following ways:

For more information about the shortlisted bids and the competition.

Don’t forget to sign up to the Future Brixton emailing list to keep up to date with what’s happening.

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