Press report forwarded FYI by:

- Alan (in Brussels)

"Campaigners' joy as station plan is axed

www.hamhigh.co.uk

by Matt Eley, 24 June 2005



A MULTI-MILLION pound development that would have changed the face of Camden
Town has been thrown out by the Deputy Prime Minister.

London Underground chiefs are reeling after their ambitious £130million
plans for the tube station were thrown out.

The scheme would have seen a seven-storey glass office block, houses and
shops rising above Camden Town.

The plan was originally rejected by Camden Council and now John Prescott has
agreed that, although the Northern Line station needs an upgrade, the block
would have ruined the area.

The decision means that landmark buildings that had been earmarked for
demolition, including the Electric Ballroom, Buck Street Market and Trinity
United Reformed Church, are safe, for the immediate future.

Kate Fuller, Electric Ballroom owner, said: "I had no idea what the outcome
was going to be so it came as a complete and utter surprise.

"Hopefully they realised the importance of the Electric Ballroom as a famous
venue and maybe now they will leave us alone. It is a big weight off our
shoulders so we will have a party to celebrate."

A report from the office of the Deputy Prime Minister published this week
states: "The Secretary of State concludes that the proposed above ground
development at an important location would not preserve or enhance the
character and appearance of the conservation area and would have a
detrimental impact on the vitality and viability of Camden Town centre."

Brian Coleman, Camden and Barnet member of the London Assembly, slammed the
decision.

He said: "It's an absolute betrayal by the government of users of the
Northern Line.

"This is the end of the project. We needed that new station, now the users
of the Northern Line face decades of misery."

rest of story SNIPPED

snip

So what are the chances that South Kentish Town (Castle Road) will be
reopened?

"Alan (in Brussels)" wrote in message
...
Press report forwarded FYI by:

- Alan (in Brussels)

"Campaigners' joy as station plan is axed

www.hamhigh.co.uk

"This is the end of the project. We needed that new station,
now the users of the Northern Line face decades of misery."

Rubbish. The solution to Camden Town's problems is to get more people to
switch to Camden Road. I roughly calculated that the money to be spent on
rebuilding Camden Town station would fund a decent service on the North
London Line every day for about a century.

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes

John Rowland wrote:

"Alan (in Brussels)" wrote in message
...
Press report forwarded FYI by:

- Alan (in Brussels)

"Campaigners' joy as station plan is axed

www.hamhigh.co.uk

"This is the end of the project. We needed that new station,
now the users of the Northern Line face decades of misery."

Rubbish. The solution to Camden Town's problems is to get more people to
switch to Camden Road. I roughly calculated that the money to be spent on
rebuilding Camden Town station would fund a decent service on the North
London Line every day for about a century.

But surely there's only a limited number of routes for which Camden
Road would be a viable alternative?

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005, Alan (in Brussels) wrote:

A MULTI-MILLION pound development that would have changed the face of
Camden Town has been thrown out by the Deputy Prime Minister.

The plan was originally rejected by Camden Council and now John Prescott
has agreed that, although the Northern Line station needs an upgrade,
the block would have ruined the area.

Hmm. How exactly you could make Camden any more horrible than it already
is is a bit of a mystery to me. Or would making it a bit smarter ruin it?
That said, the change of use embodied in the plans was awful, so i guess
i'm with Big John on this one.

The ideal plan would be to preserve the buildings, improve the station,
then murder every goth, drug dealer, tourist, tat merchant and other
variety of idiot in a five-mile radius. Now that's what i call urban
renewal!

Brian Coleman, Camden and Barnet member of the London Assembly, slammed
the decision.

He said: "It's an absolute betrayal by the government of users of the
Northern Line.

"This is the end of the project. We needed that new station, now the
users of the Northern Line face decades of misery."

Good to see society's intellectually challenged are being given good homes
in the London Assembly. Does he think LU are just going to give up on
Camden? Surely all they have to do is tone the plans down so they don't
completely destroy the town centre, and they'll be accepted.

tom

--
.... but when you spin it it looks like a dancing foetus!

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005, John Rowland wrote:

"Alan (in Brussels)" wrote in message
...

"the users of the Northern Line face decades of misery."

Rubbish. The solution to Camden Town's problems is to get more people to
switch to Camden Road. I roughly calculated that the money to be spent
on rebuilding Camden Town station would fund a decent service on the
North London Line every day for about a century.

Do explain. Just how does the NLL help people currently using the Northern
line get to where they want to go? Forty thousand trains to Stratford
doesn't someone wanting to get to Waterloo much good.

Now, if you could wangle some sort of North London Decline out of that
money, so you could take trains off the NLL and into King's Cross, or onto
the Thameslink route, i might agree, but if you're just talking about more
trains to Stratford, then sorry, but what?

tom

--
.... but when you spin it it looks like a dancing foetus!

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 16:43:59 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005, Alan (in Brussels) wrote:
Brian Coleman, Camden and Barnet member of the London Assembly, slammed
the decision.

He said: "It's an absolute betrayal by the government of users of the
Northern Line.

"This is the end of the project. We needed that new station, now the
users of the Northern Line face decades of misery."

Good to see society's intellectually challenged are being given good homes
in the London Assembly. Does he think LU are just going to give up on
Camden? Surely all they have to do is tone the plans down so they don't
completely destroy the town centre, and they'll be accepted.

But the plans can't be "toned down" too much or else you'll build
something that is not big enough and which will not comply with today's
safety and capacity requirements. While not fully familiar with the
desired level of capacity for the site the only other options are to dig
a new station that is largely underground thus reducing the surface
property issues. The issue with that is that it will (probably) cost so
much that there is no business case for proceeding. I think it is that
paradox that Mr Coleman might be referring to.

Camden Town station cannot cope properly with the demands made of it -
however it cannot be expanded at any price because there would be an
outcry from taxpayers about LU being profligate with public funds. I'd
call it a catch 22 - which seem to be a speciality of Mr Prescott's
department. First Thameslink and now this. What's he going to stop next
- the ELLX or Crossrail?
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

On 24 Jun 2005 01:38:09 -0700, "TheOneKEA"
wrote:

snip

So what are the chances that South Kentish Town (Castle Road) will be
reopened?

Minimal.


SKT is a fair walk from Camden Tn and has only 50% of the service.

Rob.
--
rob at robertwoolley dot co dot uk

On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 17:13:14 +0100, Robert Woolley
wrote:

On 24 Jun 2005 01:38:09 -0700, "TheOneKEA"
wrote:

snip

So what are the chances that South Kentish Town (Castle Road) will be
reopened?

Minimal.


SKT is a fair walk from Camden Tn

Not so much of an issue for those who live closer to SKT than to
Camden Town (which is who the reopening would be aimed at, thus taking
pressure off Camden Town)

and has only 50% of the service.

Still pretty good if you take the first train and change at CT if
necessary. Since it would take you less time to walk to the station,
that would more than compensate for a slightly longer wait.

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005, Paul Corfield wrote:

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 16:43:59 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005, Alan (in Brussels) wrote:
Brian Coleman, Camden and Barnet member of the London Assembly, slammed
the decision.

He said: "It's an absolute betrayal by the government of users of the
Northern Line.

"This is the end of the project. We needed that new station, now the
users of the Northern Line face decades of misery."

Good to see society's intellectually challenged are being given good homes
in the London Assembly. Does he think LU are just going to give up on
Camden? Surely all they have to do is tone the plans down so they don't
completely destroy the town centre, and they'll be accepted.

But the plans can't be "toned down" too much or else you'll build
something that is not big enough and which will not comply with today's
safety and capacity requirements. While not fully familiar with the
desired level of capacity for the site the only other options are to dig
a new station that is largely underground thus reducing the surface
property issues. The issue with that is that it will (probably) cost so
much that there is no business case for proceeding. I think it is that
paradox that Mr Coleman might be referring to.

How about rebuilding the station above ground, demolishing what's there,
but replacing it with new buildings with the same or similar use? Markets,
venues, public spaces, not shops and flats or whatever. I think that would
address most of the objection.

Or is it that LU can only afford to rebuild if they can recoup some of the
costs through making money off property?

tom

--
Why do we do it? - Exactly!