Blow to Canada Water development as TfL drops plans for extra Jubilee line trains

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Canada Water station

Transport for London has postponed plans to build extra trains to add to the Jubilee line fleet which would have enabled more frequent trains to and from Canada Water.

Plans to boost tube capacity are vital to plans by British Land and Southwark Council to build hundreds of new homes, shops and offices at Canada Water.

Cllr Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This major delay is extremely disappointing for us, and for residents, who share our view that the Jubileel line upgrade is central to our plans for positive improvements to the Canada Water area.

“We need these additional trains to meet current and future demand and for residents to easily connect with the rest of London.

“We will be writing to the Mayor of London to outline our concerns and urge consideration for funding to be assigned to this vital upgrade.”

Last chance to fill in council’s Rotherhithe broadband survey

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From Southwark Council:

“We want to hear from you about your experience of broadband in your home.

“Your feedback will help us develop a solution that works for local residents, and build a strong case for central government funding for broadband improvements in both the Rotherhithe area and the borough as a whole.”

Follow this link to the survey – closing date 1 November.

Hawker House retains its licence but boss goes on Twitter rant

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Hawker House Canada Water

Hawker House – the street food emporium in the former WHAT!!! stores building at Canada Water – successfully retained its licence after a hearing at Southwark’s licensing sub-committee on Monday. Read all the committee documents – including neighbour objections – here.

Hawker House is part of Street Feast, whose founder Jonathan Downey has made outspoken comments about the local residents who objected to the licence being renewed.

Southwark Park and Russia Dock Woodland in the running for national parks accolade

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Downtown Pond

The Fields in Trust UK’s Best Park Award is now open for a public vote to select the nation’s favourite local park.

A total of 64 of London’s cherished green spaces – including Russia Dock Woodland and Southwark Park – are featured in the 360 UK-wide nominations each a much-loved part its local community. Now it is time to choose the winners via an online public vote at www.fieldsintrust.org/bestpark/london

Biscuit Factory: Grosvenor goes public with latest plans for 1,350 rental homes

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The latest plans for the redevelopment of the former biscuit factory and college sites in Bermondsey have been revealed by Grosvenor, nearly four years after the Duke of Westminster’s company first became a local landowner.

Grosvenor says that its £500 million plan, designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, incorporates a permanent home for Compass School Southwark, over 10,000m2 of new office space and 10,000m2 of retail, culture, leisure, community and food and drink uses; alongside 25,000m2 of new and improved streetscapes and playspace, 140 new planted trees and 400m2 of new public lawns.

“We are sharing today our detailed ambitions to create one of the capital’s greatest, mixed
neighbourhoods hosting 1,350 new rental homes for locals and Londoners,” said Katherine Rodgers, development firector of Grosvenor Britain & Ireland.

“We want to see a growing district that is inclusive and physically integrated, with historic buildings retained and new commercial spaces, local amenities and public spaces created.

“We have spent four years getting to know Bermondsey, its people and its communities
and want to help knit together the best of Bermondsey with an investment and long-term
legacy that generates local opportunities and can respond to changing demand.”

The proposals are on show for the next three days and a planning application will be submitted to Southwark Council later this month.

Cycle Superhighway 4: TfL launches Jamaica Road consultation

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Transport for London has launched a public consultation on plans for a new segregated cycle route from Tower Bridge to Greenwich via Jamaica Road.

The scheme launched this week includes changes to the Rotherhithe roundabout, but plans for Lower Road won’t be revealed until next year.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m delighted to be able to announce plans to bring more than 4km of segregated cycle lanes to south-east London. We need more Londoners to cycle and walk for the good of their health and our air quality, and that’s why we’re working so hard make cycling safer and easier right across the capital. By bringing this route to an area of such high demand, this superhighway really will open up cycling to thousands more Londoners.”

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “I’m so pleased that we can share our plans for Cycle Superhighway 4 just one week after announcing Cycle Superhighway 9. These new routes are a key part of our work to make cycling more accessible across London and will add more than 10km of segregated lanes to the capital’s roads. South-east London is an area of huge cycling potential so I know that CS4 will make a real difference to so many cyclists and budding riders by providing a safe segregated route that links straight into our growing cycling network.”

The Cycle Superhighway 4 consultation ends on 19 November. Further information can be found at: www.tfl.gov.uk/cs4

Consultation materials are now on show at both Blue Anchor Library and Canada Water Library, and public exhibitions will be held at the Finnish Church in Albion Street on  Wednesday 25 October and Saturday 4 November.

Royal visit to Rotherhithe: Princess Astrid opens St Olav’s Square

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Princess Astrid, sister of King Harald V of Norway, opened the new St Olav’s Square in Albion Street on Sunday 17 September.

St Olav’s Norwegian church, which stands near the entrance to the Rotherhithe tunnel, formerly a mission to sailors in nearby Surrey Docks, now serves Norwegians living throughout the UK.

The church has worked over several years with Southwark Council to improve the area in front of the church. This involved the removal of the disused public toilets and a car park and opening up the space in front of the landmark church, newly visible to traffic approaching from Jamaica Road.

After a church service led by The Revd Torbjorn Holt, the Princess and invited guests gathered in the new square for the unveiling of a new bust of King Haakon VII, which is based on a full length statue in Oslo. Haakon’s biographer, Tor Bomann Larsen, spoke about the King’s life in wartime London when having refused to abdicate in face of demands from Germany, regularly attended St Olav’s Norwegian church and attended to Norwegian government business in exile.

Leader of the council Peter John, past mayor and local councillor Kath Whittam and cabinet member for regeneration Mark Williams were presented to the Princess in recognition of Southwark’s partnership in the creation of a new public open space as part as the ongoing regeneration of the Albion Street.

Wreaths at a restored war memorial were laid by veterans of the wartime Norwegian shipping fleets, including Donald Hunter who served as radio officer on three Norwegian merchant ships carrying dangerous cargoes to allied forces.

The small fountain in the garden was donated by a Norwegian family in memory of their daughter.

Free retail & hospitality training for young people at Surrey Quays

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Surrey Quays is giving 16 to 24-year-olds the chance to embark on a free five-week training programme, designed to provide them with the skills they need to build a successful career in retail or hospitality.

The ‘Bright Lights Starting Out in Retail and Hospitality’ programme gets under way in October and will combine classroom teaching alongside work placements at one of Surrey Quays’ retail, food and beverage or leisure brands. At the end of the scheme, trainees will receive their formal qualifications at an official celebration event later this year.

Throughout the course, trainees will also get access to training from industry experts, support with interviews and CV writing, as well as a personal mentor.

The new programme will be funded by Surrey Quays’ owner British Land. It will be delivered in partnership with The Source Skills Academy – a leading centre of excellence for retail and customer service training.

To take part, young people need to sign up to the taster session on 4 October, which will provide them with a flavour of what the programme will involve and an opportunity to speak to some of the course leaders.

Ian Moore, centre manager at Surrey Quays, said: “The Bright Lights Starting Out in Retail and Hospitality programme is a fantastic way for young, unemployed people in Southwark to discover their potential and gain valuable experience of what it’s like to work in the dynamic retail and hospitality sectors.

“The programme coincides with busy recruitment periods at the centre so we, together with our retailers, can’t wait to welcome the new trainees and offer them on-the-job training and support so they can really kickstart their careers.”

Dianne Wainwright, Head of Operations at The Source Skills Academy, said: “We’re giving local young people the chance to obtain nationally recognised qualifications and work experience at some of the country’s biggest retail and hospitality brands.

“We urge Southwark’s young jobseekers to sign up to attend our taster session on 4thOctober, where they’ll get the chance to learn more about the course and hear about our many success stories first-hand.”

To find out more information or sign up to the taster session, email [email protected] or call 0114 263 5619.

‘Start your Own Enterprise’ – free training for SE16 locals

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Tree Shepherd – Start up and thrive programme from 4 October in Surrey Quays 

This project is offering free support to local businesses through mentoring and the first ‘Start Your Own Enterprise’ programme. The programme will run every Wednesday from 4 October 2017 for eight weeks, and enable budding businesses to explore why they want to run a business, understand their target markets and learn how to price and sell. It’s for anyone with an idea who is interested in taking it further.

The course is free for residents local to the SE16 area (includes nearby SE8 postcodes). Call 0203 948 3023 or email [email protected] for more information or go straight here to register: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SYOEinSE16