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Southwark’s cabinet has endorsed plans for a £12 million redevelopment of Albion Primary School as part of a wider programme of developments in and around Albion Street.

“The regeneration of Albion Street is a priority for this council and we recognise the concern of local residents about the future of this street as a commercial and retail centre,” said Cllr Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transport.

“It is key that neighbouring regeneration schemes, in particular at Canada Water and Surrey Quays, complement and enhance our plans for Albion Street.

“We will re-invigorate Albion Street by looking at several connected areas, including Albion Primary School; the former Library and improving the public realm.”

He added: We will continue to work with members of the local community, local residents and businesses as we now move forward to drawing up detailed plans and designs for each of these schemes. This is an exciting time for this part of Rotherhithe and the schemes set out in this report will better connect Albion Street with both the River Thames and Canada Water.”

Listen to the audio of the cabinet discussion on Albion Street:

crane

The leader of Southwark Council has suggested that parts of the red crane at Odessa Street could be turned into a work of public art when the site is redeveloped.

Plans – reported here last week – to extend the Thames Path and build new homes on the site of the derelict nightclub and youth club at Odessa Street – were endorsed by the borough’s cabinet on Tuesday.

Surrey Docks ward councillor David Hubber addressed the meeting and called for affordable housing to be provided on-site as part of the proposed development by Hollybrook Homes.

He described the red crane as ‘nothing more than a perch for pigeons’ but asked for heritage concerns to be taken on board.

Listen to the full audio of the cabinet discussion below:

On Sunday the Blue Bermondsey Business Improvement District hosted a Christmas event at the Blue.

Sponsors included Biscuit Factory developer Grosvenor.

“The BID already seems to be doing a fantastic job of uniting the surrounding communities, and we’re only too happy to support its efforts,” said Katherine Rodgers, project director at Grosvenor.

“We feel lucky to have such active neighbours, and look forward to celebrating Christmas together for many years to come.”

Photos courtesy of Grosvenor

With consultation on the draft Canada Water Master Plan starting this weekend it’s timely that this footage from ITV regional news programme Thames News of the opening of Surrey Quays Shopping Centre in 1988 has appeared on YouTube today.

The Underground ticket office at Bermondsey will close in April 2015 and Canada Water station will lose its ticket windows between July and September, Transport for London has announced.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “With major line upgrades continuing apace, a new 24-hour Tube service and more staff out and about to help customers at stations, it’s clear that 2015 will be a key chapter in the history of our iconic Tube. The network is carrying a staggering number of people each day and as our population grows we are continuing to invest to ensure the Tube’s future success. Our plans are all about giving the Tube the tools it needs to keep London and its economy moving in the 21st century.”

Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, said: “A year ago the Mayor and I set out our vision for a Tube network and service that is truly fit for London and our customers in the 21st century: a better face-to-face service at our stations, a 24-hour service at weekends, modern trains and stations and facilities that reflect what our customers want.”

Plans for a new riverboat pier in Rotherhithe to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower have received a favourable mention – but no promise of funds – from the Government in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

The government will also discuss plans for a Growth Zone in Croydon, subject to value for money, and continues to support flourishing culture funded through local channels, including the proposal to construct a new pier in Rotherhithe.

“Our campaign to build a new pier in Rotherhithe is gathering momentum,” said Simon Hughes MP – who first went public with the proposal back in March.

“I was pleased to see the Chancellor of the Exchequer mention it in today’s Autumn Statement. Although we are six years away from the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower from England to America, if we are going to have a significant lasting memorial then it is important that plans are in place soon, so that the pier can be in use by commuters, local residents and visitors.

“The Mayflower sailed from Rotherhithe, and its crew came from the area – so it is absolutely right that Rotherhithe be a central part of the celebrations in 2020 and I will keep working to make this happen.”

crane

Next week Southwark’s cabinet will discuss plans to complete a ‘missing link’ in the Thames Path in Rotherhithe.

The council is proposing a deal with Hollybrook Homes for the redevelopment of the run-down former youth centre and nightclub in Odessa Street.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson recently agreed to lift a restrictive covenant dating back to the days of the London Docklands Development Corporation which required the former youth centre site to be used as open space.

Under the plans, the large dockside crane which dominates the site will be removed. The council claims it’s a safety risk because it is often used as a climbing frame and pigeon roost.

Hollybrook Homes will try to find a new home for the crane elsewhere, but if that fails it will be broken up.

When new homes are built on the site, the Thames Path will be extended along the riverside to connect with the closed section at New Caledonian Wharf.

The council report acknowledges that some New Caledonian Wharf residents may object to the Thames Path being reinstated in front of their homes.

Introducing the report to next week’s Southwark cabinet meeting, Cllr Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transport, writes:

The proposal set out in this report will bring together an empty night club and a redundant youth club and subject to the planning process, will deliver a key link in the Thames Footbath, enhanced public realm, much needed housing and generate a capital receipt to be invested back into the borough. The river footpath has been a long standing initiative that is extremely successful enabling local residents and visitors to experience and benefit from the fantastic asset that is the River Thames. This proposal will result in the removal of a blockage in the path in this part of Rotherhithe. Not only that, it will provide a café where walkers will be able to enjoy unique views, and in turn encourage further use of the path.

There will be public consultation both as part of the statutory planning process and in designing the new public realm. This will enable the proposed regeneration to include the views of the local community. The former youth facility that is proposed to be included in the regeneration is being reprovided to a modern and better standard in the new Dockland Settlement facility on Salter Road, so local youth provision will be enhanced.

This proposal is good news not only for the people of Surrey Docks but for the people of Southwark and visitors from across the world – I commend this report to cabinet.

DSCF0121 — The dead-end section of the Thames Path in front of New Caledonian Wharf will be reopened if the Odessa Street development goes ahead

The government has called for further investigation into plans for a new bridge across the Thames between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf.

The National Infrastructure Plan – published by the Treasury on Tuesday – contains this sentence:

An interesting proposal made by Sustrans, and worth looking at in more detail, would be a new pedestrian and cycle bridge from Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf – which could be called the Brunel Bridge in tribute to one of the great figures in the history of UK infrastructure.

Southwark Council recently gave its in-principle backing to the proposed bridge, and Mayor of London Boris Johnson has also expressed interest in the scheme.

Simon Hughes MP said: “It is clear to me that a river crossing between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf is long overdue.

“This is a project which I have championed, and which will make a real difference to the lives of a great many local people.

“The government has now made a commitment to take an interest in the proposal for a new cycle and pedestrian bridge, named the Brunel Bridge in tribute to the great father and son pioneers of UK infrastructure.

“This is great progress – and I will keep fighting to deliver the Brunel Bridge for the people of Bermondsey, Rotherhithe and the rest of London.”

Just over three years since the theft of the statue of Dr Alfred Salter from Bermondsey Wall East, the whole family – including a new statue of Ada Salter – is now returned to the riverside.

The new statues have been created by the original artist Diane Gorvin.

Sunday afternoon’s unveiling ceremony featured speeches by Southwark’s deputy mayor Cllr Neil Coyle, council leader Cllr Peter John and Rt Hon Simon Hughes MP.

According to the council leader, the new Ada Salter statue is the first statue of a female politician to be erected in London.

In his speech, Simon Hughes MP called for Southwark Council to name a new school in the borough after Ada Salter to complement the existing Alfred Salter Primary School.

Johanna Crawshaw, Dr Salter’s grandniece, unveiled the replacement statue of the legendary Bermondsey MP.

Ada Salter’s statue was unveiled by Nick Hudson and Janet Kendall, grandnephew and grandniece of Bermondsey’s first woman Mayor.

Dr Ruth Wallis, director of public health for Lambeth and Southwark, removed the cover from the statue of young Joyce Salter which has been in storage since the theft of her father’s statue three years ago.

Maisie Carter and her grandson Archie unveiled the sculpture of the Salter family cat which has been returned to its place on the river wall.

Other guests at the event included peace campaigner Bruce Kent and the deputy lieutenant for Southwark, Jenny Bianco.

An exhibition of photographs of the Salters was displayed after the ceremony in the nearby church of St Peter & the Guardian Angels.