RESPONSE TO
DRAFT LOCAL PLAN OF
LONDON BOROUGH OF HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM
FEBRUARY 20, 2015
1.
HAMMERSMITHLONDON: WHO WE ARE
1.1 HammersmithLondonis the brand name of the Hammersmith Business Improvement District (BID), a democratically elected, business-led and business-funded body, formed to improve a defined commercial area. First established in 2006, it is one of the oldest BIDs in the country, which has also successfully renewed its mandate in March 2011. Led by member businesses, the BID represents c. 336 businesses with rateable value over £40,000. Since 2006, the BID has already invested over £3.5m in Hammersmith town centre and is investing another £3.7m in its current five year term. 1.2 The team at HammersmithLondon work in close partnership with various public and community organisations including the Hammersmith &FulhamCouncil (the Council), Metropolitan Police and Transport for London (TfL). The BID is a partner in the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy (EDS) for London that places much importance on the BID to ‘place-shape’ local town centres in Partnership with business. Appendix 1 provides a quick overview of the number and type of businesses in Hammersmith town centre along with a list of the major stakeholders and the area covered by the BID. 1.3 The BID also serves as the town centre manager for Hammersmith town centre. It has played an important role in lobbying for the replacement of the flyover since emergency structural repairs caused it to close in December 2011.
2.
RESPONSE TO THE DRAFT LOCAL PLAN
Question 10 - Hammersmith Regeneration Area What are your views on the approach to Hammersmith Town Centre OVERVIEW 2.1 As per the Local Plan, the Hammersmith Regeneration Area (HRA) is centered on King Street and Hammersmith Broadway, with the southern boundary extending to Hammersmith Bridge and the Thames. The HRA includes Hammersmith Town Centre, the A4 and its flyover.
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HammersmithLondon BID: Response to Draft Local Plan
2.2 The central area falls under the Hammersmith BID district (See Appendix 2). HammersmithLondon is working with various stakeholders to link all the developments that are transpiring and being proposed in and around the Hammersmith town centre. The BID has represented the voice of businesses for over 9 years. The feedback gathered from workers, residents and visitors over this period suggests that there is a need to maintainthe regenerative drive. 2.3 Based on our work and the feedback we have gathered from businesses, the BID completely supports the regeneration of Hammersmith Town Centre so that the area can fully realise its potential as a transport, business, retail and cultural hub. This feedback has also given us several project ideas that we would be happy to share and proactively help the Council implement.
SHOPPING OFFER 2.4 Over the last few years Hammersmith has enjoyed a resurgence on the high street as more retailers have opened stores in the area. Despite the knock-on effect of Westfield, Hammersmith’s retail offer has improved and needs a solid foothold to expand upon. As residential and office units are completed, bringing thousands of new people into the area, the retail offer needsto be strengthened further. Empty units need to be utilised and appropriate tenants need to be brought in. Office workers are key to Hammersmith’s economy so ensuring they stay and spend in the Hammersmith area is vital. The BID would support any partnership working with the council to develop a retail strategy that reflects the needs of both residents and office workers. 2.5 The BID does agree with the council’s summation that more attention must be paid to the western side of King Streetand would welcome the opportunity to partner with the council to develop a shopfront& retail strategy.
ARTS & CULTURE 2.6 As the home of the world famous Eventim Apollo and the innovative Lyric Hammersmith, Hammersmith has a strong background in supporting culture and the arts but more effort should be made to increase the offer for visitors.This could be achieved through artist lighting schemes and projections which can invigorate night-time economies, helping to bring aspects of a town or city’s heritage to life. 2.7 As a part of its mandate, the BID offers a wide programming of events designed to enhance the cultural and leisure offer of the town centreand to help reinvigorate the high street. The cultural offer assists place making by adding value to quality design, engaging communities and revealing histories that may otherwise have been overlooked. It can cover a wide spectrum of
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artistic activity as long as it helps to enhance the streetscape and make the town centre an attractive and viable destination.The BID supports the piazza culture of Lyric Square and would welcome an expansion to include the pedestrianisation of King Street. This could present the area with opportunities for more greening and tree planting.
OFFICE 2.8 The BID supports the council’s proposals to encourage the ‘renovation of floorspace with more energy efficient, low carbon and more modern office accommodation’. The BID sees the office sector as a lifeline for the high street and supports further office expansion.
Question 11–Town Hall Extension What are your views on the approach to the Town Hall Extension? 2.9 The Town Hall redevelopment presents an ideal opportunity to improve the western end of King Street. This could be achieved by implementing a retail and shopfront strategy, which the BID would be happy to facilitate. 2.10 In addition, there could be possibilities to join up both east and west ends through a pedestrianised King Street. The King Street East area site is located in the heart of the Hammersmith town centre. Most of the identified regeneration area is part of the Hammersmith BID area.
Question 12–King Street East What are your views on the approach King Street East? 2.11 The BID already works closely with the Council, the Lyric Hammersmith, St Paul’s Church and the EventimApollo to promote the area through initiatives such as events, maps, ambassadors and guided walking tours so that residents, workers and visitors have better knowledge of what is available to them inbetween these key sites. 2.12 The BID fully supports the Council’s plans to improve public transport, cycling and walking infrastructure through the area and to add new linkages and connections especially to the Riverside. 2.13 The addition of new upgraded public realm to King Street East would have a powerful and positive impact. The BID would continue to provide a Transport
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HammersmithLondon BID: Response to Draft Local Plan
Forum for businesses, the Council and Transport for London to inform and discuss transport and infrastructure matters. 2.14 The BID would support and assist in a retail and shopfront strategy for King Street East to help connect it to King Street West and the river.
Question 13 - A4, Hammersmith Flyover and adjoining land What are your views on the approach to Hammersmit Flyover? 3. HammersmithLondon is a founder member of West London Link Design (WLL), which also includes a group of local architects. Together, as a group, we have been exploring alternative solutions/replacements ever since the flyover’s emergency closure in 2011. 3.1 The group was formed to look at how the replacement of a flyover would present an opportunity to build for the economic, social and cultural benefit of all by reconnecting the town centre with the riverside. The BID was involved in and sponsored the Hammersmith contribution to the London Festival of Architecture in the summer of 2012, where on Lyric Square, the architects unveiled their vision for a Hammersmith Flyunder.The tunnelled by-pass is also a popular project among our businesses and a topic which regularly gets brought up in our consultations. 3.2 In March 2014, the BID published an Economic Study exploring the potential benefits of building a road tunnel under the A4 that was submitted to Transport for London alongside the Council’s feasibility study. The BID’s Economic Feasibility study showed just how much potential could be unlocked should a tunneled by-pass replace the flyover. Improved access to the river would be beneficial to all and the diversion of the A4 underground would notonly improve air quality but could help to change the one-way system, which currently causes mass daily delays. The local business environment would undoubtedly change as more land could attract even more of the world’s biggest companies, eager to have an office or branch near the Thames, the city and the airport. What is certain is that a tunnel would present us with fantastic opportunities to transform the area for decades to come. To read the report. (See Appendix 3) 3.3 Given the positive opportunities and innovations for the area, the BID is fully behind plans for a tunneled by-pass and will support the option finally chosen the Council, Transport for London and the Mayor. 3.4 The removal of the flyover would present us with a fantastic and unprecedented opportunity to completely transform the area. The image of
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the area would be enhanced allowing Hammersmith to establish itself as a destination in its own right. 3.5 The air quality would improve, noise emissions would be dramatically reduced and the removal of the flyover would reconnect the centre of Hammersmith back to the riverside allowing us to integrate and improve the urban realm, including the potential pedestrianisation of King Street, and create more open community or public spaces.
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HammersmithLondon BID: Response to Draft Local Plan
APPENDIX 1: QUICK OVERVIEW OF HAMMERSMITH BID Term April 2006 – 2011 (First term) 2011 – 2016 (Current) 2016 – 2021 (Subject to election) Membership 381 Hereditaments 336 businesses with RV’s greater than £40,000 Business Types Offices: 60% Retail: 26% Leisure: 10% Food and beverage: 3% Hotel: 1%
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APPENDIX 2: HAMMERSMITH BID BOUNDARY
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HammersmithLondon BID: Response to Draft Local Plan
APPENDIX 3: HAMMERSMITHLONDON STRATEGIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT HTTP :// HAMMERSMITHLONDONBID . CO . UK/BLOG/ MY -PRODUCT / FLYUNDERREPORT /
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HammersmithLondon BID 4th Floor, 26 - 28 Hammersmith Grove, Hammersmith, W6 7BA Telephone: 020 8834 1307