TfL GOES NATIVE IN SOUTH KEN

 

South Kensington Station Development
 
TfL and Native Land have submitted applications (planning and listed building) for the redevelopment of the surrounding buildings at the South Kensington Station. The overall assessment is the proposal is over-development and harmful to the character of the area all of which outweighs supposed benefits especially without fully step free access.
 
We ask that you join us and the other resident’s associations in objecting.
 
The key issues:
 

• The application claims to “complete delivery of step-free access to the District and Circle Line. This is untrue and misleading. The developers main selling point was to address the safety issues relating to the station capacity and the provision of step free access. This is false. Though the plans show the upgrade of ticket hall, enlargement of the District/Circle Line platform and the lifts to the platforms from the ticket hall, TfL has now withdrawn from their commitment to this part of the development. All this harm and we shall still NOT have step-free and enlarged capacity. 
• Oppose the demolition of the Bullnose with a replacement of an excessively bulky, tall building out of proportion and harmful to the scale of the Grade II listed station arcade, the Ox-blood Piccadilly Line building and the surrounding area. 
•  Impact on streetscape, townscape:
• The proposal for the Bullnose is a 5-storey building 14.5m (48 ft) taller. The Bullnose should not be a tall building; the result will be the loss the distinctive feature of the open space of this site. Currently it complements to the surrounding area. We value the special character of the space and do not see any justification for what the developers call a “landmark” building. It will be an eyesore.
• The oversized and aggressively modern mansard to the Thurloe Street building and
• 4 and 5-storey development of the entire length of Pelham Street enclosing the openness of the street, over dominating the south terraces, and creating a canyon effect. 
• Impact on both listed buildings: The station arcade and the Ox-blood building will be dwarfed by the scale of the proposed 5 storey building Pelham Street, failing to respect the scale and character of these buildings and the conservation area. 
• Impact on setting and views of the South Kensington Museums: Failure to respect the setting of these Grade 1 listed buildings.

 
Please write to oppose this damaging proposal. Development may have to happen, but it must not be what is proposed here in this harmful form.
 
Object here to the planning application

Amanda Frame
Chairman
The Kensington Society