Submitted Materials - 2003 Proposal

South Kensington - protected for the moment

Background

In 2003, London Underground's plans for an 11 storey glass and steel tower with 260,000 sq ft of office space and a 37,000 sq ft retail complex towering over the South Kensington Tube Station shocked Londoners and visitors alike.

In reaction to this threat, the South Kensington Underground Development (SKUD) Action Group was formed. SKUD obtained professional evaluations of the scheme's impact on the local area, including traffic, daylight and views. It mobilised local residents and interested parties, involved local societies in opposing the scheme, and spoke with political representatives and planning officials to explain our concerns.

On the back of SKUD's detailed planning and expert legal advice, as well as the work of other interested parties, both the 2003 proposal and a refiled 1999 proposal have now been withdrawn.

New Developments - December 2005 Update

Sir Stuart Lipton's Stanhope Plc and its architect, Sir Terry Farrell, made two presentations to RBKC and English Heritage - one in June and the other in September.

SKUD became aware of these presentations and asked for a meeting with Stanhope and Farrell's. The meeting was held on 16 November 2005. Other local associations attended as well.

Farrell's exhibited a new design which called for:

1. Substantial rebuilding of the whole site;
2. Two areas of decking;
3. A 3 storey building at the bullnose and along most of Pelham Street
4. A nominally 5 but effectively 6 or 7 storey tower at the junction of Pelham Street and Thurloe Bridge with a similar height block along Thurloe Bridge and a rebuilt terrace along Thurloe Street, again of effectively 6 or 7 stories;
5. A substantial food store in the middle of the site, serviced from Pelham Street; and
6. There was to be no provision for car parking spaces and an unmanned eastern entrance to the station.

While there was general recognition that these plans were an improvement over Farrell's 2003 proposal, there was also criticism of this new proposal by the various residents associations present.

It was also noted that in a key strategy document prepared for London Transport in June 2004, Stanhope had recommended that Terry Farrell should be replaced as architects.

It also became known that Stanhope's exclusivity contract with London Underground had expired two years ago.

At the meeting on 16 November, Stanhope stated that the Farrell proposals would, nevertheless, be submitted to English Heritage and to RBKC.

But shortly before the planned meeting, Farrell's resigned as Stanhope's architects.

London Transport was asked why exclusivity in relation to a major public asset, namely the underground station, should continue to be granted to a private property developer whose contract had expired and whose architect had resigned.

On 19 December a senior official at London Transport wrote that London Transport had informed Stanhope that they could no longer work with them exclusively.

London Transport intends, over the next two to three months, to assess the operational requirements, to undertake surveys of the structural rafts, to hold further discussions with both English Heritage and RBKC to assess potential schemes and their viability.

Finally, LT hopes to produce a new brief for potential redevelopment at the station. It is then London Transport's intention to bring the opportunity to the open market later next year if "they can see a clear indication of viability in such a development".