Somerleyton Road site runs from Carlton Mansions on Coldharbour Lane (opposite the entrance to Brixton Village) and runs along the railway tracks on the western side of the road to just beyond Somerleyton Passage. It is on partly vacant land of around 15,000sqm and is largely, but not wholly, owned by the council.
Below we outline some of the key features of the site from south to north.
The depot is located at the southern end of the Somerleyton Road and it currently used by the council to maintain and clean refuse trucks. The depot is willing to move as long as a suitable alternative location can be found and the moving costs are covered by the Somerleyton Road project.
Once an alternative location for the depot is found the land will be freed up and the site could be used for new housing.
Somerleyton Road Passage has been identified as an important route for local people but it is one which doesn’t feel particularly safe. One of the key aspirations for the project is to put new uses alongside the passage which would reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour by providing natural surveillance.
It is unlikely that any major changes could be made to the passage itself such as widening or raising the height of the bridge. However, people have said they would like to see better signposting so that it is clear what is on the other side and there is the potential to add in a cycle route to increase the flow of people through the passage.
Transport for London own the substation which is used for the London Underground. The substation needs to be retained and access maintained.
The front of the substation is seen as unattractive and any new homes built here may have to be single aspect i.e. only windows on the Somerleyton Road side.
The temporary school is on council land and was built to help house schools temporarily whilst new improved premises are being built. The requirement for the temporary school is expected to end before work commences on site at Somerleyton Road.
Carlton Mansions is a locally listed building with the Nuclear Dawn mural on one side. The importance of the building and its cultural role in Brixton needs to be reflected and supported.
Surveys have shown the building to be a serious fire risk for anyone living there and that is why anyone living in the building had to move out. Whilst more detailed surveys are required the building is expected to need extensive refurbishment.
Rather than leave the building empty until work starts on site, we are working with Ovalhouse to look at how we can use Carlton Mansions to benefit the community in the short term.
Any long term proposal would retain and renovate the mural as well as bring the façade back to former glories.
There has been a long term aspiration to relocate Ovalhouse to Brixton. We have looked at a number of suitable locations across Brixton and this is the site preferred by both the Council and Ovalhouse. This is a key location within Brixton and therefore demands that the theatre is designed to very high standards.
The juxtaposition of the new theatre and Carlton Mansions, the old and the new, has the potential to create a very interesting design. The new theatre shouldn’t disrupt views of the mural and so attention will be given to designing the front of the theatre in a way which, rather than detracting from the mural, will actually benefit it.
As the Victoria Line has an access tunnel running under the site; it may not be possible or commercially viable to build above the theatre.