Stage 1 Report MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION Stage 1 Report MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report MURPHYS YARD CONSULTATION STAGE 1 This document details the activities undertaken in A total of 188 people attended the consultation the first stage of the public consultation process for drop-in events across the two days they were held. the redevelopment of the Murphy’s Yard site, from April to July 2019. These included the following: • 16th July: 112 • 20th July: 76 • Individual letters addressed to local politicians and stakeholder groups Community Events • Leaflet sent to 6769 addresses in July inviting residents to attend the first public consultation Members of the project team attended local events later that month community events to speak with residents and • The following public consultation drop-in events display the first public consultation exhibition were held: boards. These events took place on Sunday 15th o Tuesday the 16th of July from 3pm-7pm – The September at: O2 Forum Kentish Town o Saturday the 20th of July from 10am-2pm – • Lady Somerset Road Street Party Gospel Oak Primary School • Camden Community Makers Film Festival at the • Provision of feedback forms at the consultation Parliament Hill Street Party drop-in events, which could be filled in on-site or returned via Freepost We have also met with the following stakeholders : • Supply and management of a dedicated email inbox for project enquiries, as well as a website • Kentish Town Neighbourhood Forum providing updates on the consultation • (KTNF) (15th July 2019) • Dartmouth Park Neighbourhoold Forum (DPNF) (15th July 2019) • Camden Community Makers (8th July 2019) Exhibition Attendance - colours used are non-specific 2 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report Attendance Map Dark Green = Site Light Green = Distribution Area Blue = Attendee Attendance Map 3 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report QUANTITATIVE FEEDBACK This early quantitative feedback has helped the forums. This will help inform the next steps in the project team understand the local communities consultation. Overwhelmingly, residents backed interpretation of the consultation’s key themes. the scheme’s two main themes that have emerged Importantly, this includes how residents would so far: the creation of the Heath Line, and the like to be consulted, what their concerns and continued use of the site as Murphy HQ. priorities are for the area, and whether or not they participated in shaping the neighbourhood I have found it useful to be consulted on these Have you previously engaged with the local proposals planning framework or neighbourhood forums? 4 2 7 11 88 89 45 19 Responses Responses 57 25 5 1 Yes No A Small Strongly Strongly Amount Agree Disgree I am pleased to see Murphy’s remain as part of The Heath Line is a positive inclusion of the site’s the community redevelopment 4 2 2 3 2 11 6 88 88 Responses Responses 17 75 54 4 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report FEEDBACK FORM - RESPONSE THEMES What is the best thing about the local What is the local area lacking? area? 40 40 35 35 30 30 25 25 20 20 15 15 10 10 5 5 0 0 Diversity Transport Nature Uses Green Affordable Transport Retail, Food, Space Housing Infrastructure Workspace What are your top priorities for the What are your main concerns Murphy’s Yard site? regarding the development of Murphy’s Yard? 40 40 35 35 30 30 25 25 20 20 15 15 10 10 5 5 0 0 Health Affordable Heritage Employment Height Traffic Insufficient Noise & Line Housing Affordable Pollution Housing 5 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report Interactive Priorities Board - colours are non-specific 80 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION PIORITIES 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Housing Play Area Green Space Sustainability Public Realm Health Space Retail Space Cultural Space Cycle Parking Fitness Space Industrial Space Cafe / Restaurant Education Space New Access Routes Employment Space Yes Maybe No 6 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report QUANTITATIVE FEEDBACK VERBAL + FEEDBACK FORMS COMMENTS Uses A desire to preserve this diversity and community spirit can be seen to have partially informed the It was interesting to see the apathy toward the concerns of some attendees as to the nature provision of education and health space in the of the proposed development. Regarding priorities exercise, despite attendees raising those residential development on the site, there were, concerns in person and via the feedback form. The unsurprisingly, several calls for affordable housing objections to retail space were usually cited as catering to local people as opposed to luxury flats worries over competition with existing Kentish Town or investment properties. More widely, residents Road and Highgate Road shops. expressed a desire for a development that served the community rather than commercial interests The provision of workspace or jobs on site and that worked in concert with other local became more popular under ‘employment space’ initiatives. rather than ‘industrial space’. This may be due to the subjectivity of the definition, or attendees Height & Density preference of seeing office-based jobs in a future development rather than those similar to the There were several inquiries from residents into existing site. the potential height of any new development on Murphy’s Yard. Given the early nature of the Evidently, green infrastructure remains the most consultation and unfamiliarity with the site, this popular priority, in guises such as public realm, was to be expected, as at this stage it is premature green space, new access routes and sustainability. to be proposing any heights or density for the scheme. Some respondents were concerned Green/Open Space that viewing corridors would be impeded by height, whilst excessive density would place local Proximity to green and open spaces (particularly infrastructure under strain. Hampstead Heath) was one of the most common responses given when residents were asked Just over half of respondents who completed a to name the best things about the local area. feedback form engaged with the height exercise. Simultaneously, however, green space was Of these, almost half wrote that it would be identified by many of the same respondents acceptable ‘nowhere’ or indicated that they were as something the area was lacking. There unable to answer the question, either because was significant support for the inclusion of the they were unfamiliar with the site or the definition Heath Line in the proposals and this was the of ‘height’. While there is no consensus, a plurality most common ‘top priority’ for the site identified indicated the middle of site’s southern border at in attendees’ feedback responses. Specific the cross-section of railway lines. A few responses suggestions for new green space included the indicated the south-eastern edge of the site, planting of additional trees, park space and towards Kentish Town, while others placed marks allotments. in the northern area of the site, closer to Gospel Oak. Community Mix and Integration The diversity of the local community was consistently cited by residents as one of the best things about the area, with many adding that there was a strong sense of community locally. A substantial number of attendees also commented in positive terms about the diverse mix of uses across the area. 7 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report Sustainability Infrastructure Support for the principle of sustainability as part It was common for attendees to question how of the development was near-universal and can the development will impact local services such be seen to have contributed, at least in part, to as schools and hospitals as well as transport some of the concerns about height and density accessibility at Kentish Town and Gospel Oak outlined above. Many residents raised the stations. prospect of ‘overdevelopment’ of the site, with some commenting on potential noise and pollution A transport assessment is being undertaken to impacts. Some responses identified opportunities analyse the impact of any number of new residents to enhance local biodiversity through the on capacity for Kentish Town and Gospel Oak development and/or called for a carbon-neutral stations, whereas different avenues of alleviating scheme. pressures on health and education are being explored and the development will generate CIL The news that the heavy construction vehicles Payments. currently used on the site are due to be moved elsewhere was well received by close neighbours of the site, who reported on the disruption caused by such vehicles to their daily lives. 20th July Gospel Oak Event 8 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report 16th July Kentish Town Event 9 MURPHY’S YARD CONSULTATION | Stage 1 Report OTHER MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS We met with Kentish Town Neighbourhood Forum We also met with Camden Community Makers (KTNF) and Dartmouth Park Neighbourhoold Forum on 8th July. In this meeting they explained the (DPNF) on 15th July. extensive work that they have already undertaken with local school children and said they could The key points of discussion were taking them share. through the exhibition boards which were being presented later that month and to answer They were of the view that the consultation questions. process is a partnership process. Ideas they had for the site, from local chuldren, included a splash DPNF expressed their desire for low-rise high- park, a tram across the site, zip wire/getting density housing and to include some houses. across the site in a creative way, using water as transportation and a river going from one end of KTNF welcomed the design approach and were the site to the other, Felden Kars exercise class encouraged by the vision set out. for people at any age, artist space, work and play space. KTNF mentioned some areas which they felt the public would likely ask through the consultation: Murphy’s have long ongoing relationships with each of the above, over the past few years and • The viewing cone have been meeting with them regularly to discuss • Affordable housing and what is meant by the now adopted KTNP and the draft DPNP.