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Northern Line Extension Proposals for the head house and landscaping at Kennington Green Pre-application consultation statement July 2017 Proposals for the head house and landscaping at Kennington Green Pre-application consultation statement July 2017 2 Contents 1 Summary 4 2 Introduction 5 3 Background to the scheme 5 4 Methodology 7 5 Overview of consultation responses 9 6 Analysis of consultation responses 11 7 Responses from stakeholders 23 8 Response to issues raised 24 Appendix A – Consultation letter and distribution area 33 Appendix B – Email to stakeholders 35 Appendix C – List of stakeholders contacted 36 Appendix D – Public Exhibition display boards 38 Appendix E – Questionnaire 51 Appendix F – Diversity monitoring of respondents 60 Appendix G - Updated Computer Generated Images (CGIs) 63 3 1 Summary 1.1 In spring 2017, Transport for London (TfL) ran a four week non-statutory consultation about the detailed designs for the head house and landscaping scheme at Kennington Green. This is part of the Northern Line Extension (NLE), which will extend the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line from Kennington to Battersea via Nine Elms. The consultation ran from 23 March to 20 April 2017. 1.2 Information about the proposals was made available online along with a questionnaire which included both closed and open questions. 1.3 Members of the public and stakeholders were invited to give their views by filling in the questionnaire at a public exhibition, replying online or by post, using a freepost address. The plans could also be viewed and commented upon online, using a website link included in letters and emails. 1.4 We received 113 responses to the engagement. 112 were members of the public and one was a stakeholder, the Woodland Trust. In addition, The Georgian Group were consulted as a statutory stakeholder to ensure all proposals were suitable for the Kennington area. 1.5 A range of responses were received. There were clear preferences for options for the external materials of the head house, as well as the perimeter kerb and tree options for the landscaping. A more varied response was given to the other options. For some of the questions a significant number of respondents stated they did not like any of the options. 4 2 Introduction 2.1 In spring 2017, we conducted a non-statutory consultation asking for the public and stakeholders’ views regarding the updated designs for the shaft and head house at Kennington Green. The programme ran from 23 March to 20 April. 2.2 We invited respondents to give their views on the proposed: • Patterning of the brick fin for the head house facade • Brick type for the head house facade • Patterning of the bricks on the west facade of the head house • Landscaping • Kerb along Kennington Green • Trees on the Green 2.3 Respondents were also able to say if they did not like any of the proposed options. A free text box was also provided for comments regarding the proposals. 2.4 Information about the proposals was available online and consultees were invited to respond using an online survey or by post, as well as filling in a form at the exhibition. 2.5 We consulted with The Georgian Group and liaised with Lambeth Council during this process. 3 Background to the scheme 3.1 Construction work is currently ongoing for the extension of the Northern line (Charing Cross branch) from Kennington to Battersea with new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea. 3.2 As part of the Northern Line Extension’s Transport & Works Act Order (TWAO), we have planning consent to build a shaft and head house at Kennington Green, which will provide ventilation and emergency access to the Tube once operational. This also includes reinstatement of the landscaping of the Green once the construction works are complete and the Green is no longer required as a construction site. 3.3 An outline reference design for the head house was submitted as part of the TWAO application. The current design developed differs in external appearance and, to a limited extent, scale from the reference design. The design is within TWAO Limits of Deviation; minor changes such as these are common as designs develop, and can be formalised through the discharging of a planning condition. 3.4 A detailed engineering study was undertaken to establish whether the design could be altered so as to more closely match the reference design. This study concluded that the fundamental size and shape (massing) of the head house could not change without compromising its function in some way (e.g. increasing noise levels beyond acceptable limits, restricting fire evacuation paths). 3.5 We attempted to discharge the planning condition last year by submitting plans for the head house to LB Lambeth. The application was refused by the planning committee in November 2016, despite a recommendation for approval from London Borough of Lambeth planning officers in their Committee report. The decision notice highlighted 5 brick colour and detail around the ventilation louvers as reasons for the rejection which formed the basis of the non-statutory consultation in Spring 2017. The size was accepted by the planning committee. Previous consultations • Consultations in summer 2010 and 2011 asked for feedback on four proposed routes for the NLE and on the preferred route including the locations for permanent shafts. Leaflets were sent to over 40,000 households and businesses along the route with an invitation to complete paper or online questionnaires. In addition, public exhibitions and meetings were held for local residents, businesses and community groups • In autumn 2011, 2,500 households and businesses were asked for their preferences on proposed locations for temporary shafts in the Kennington area. Meetings were held with residents and community groups close to the potential sites • In 2012, TfL conducted a non-statutory eight week public engagement on the proposal to extend the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line from Kennington to Battersea via Nine Elms. The engagement ran from 7 November to 30 December. • In September 2015, TfL held a meeting with residents to discuss options for landscaping at Kennington Green • From July to November 2016, the London Borough of Lambeth ran a statutory consultation on TfL’s submission to discharge the planning condition on the detailed head house designs 6 4 Methodology Scope of consultation 4.1 The purpose of the consultation was to seek views on detailed designs for the head house and landscaping of Kennington Green, using the points made in the London Borough of Lambeth planning decision notice as the basis. We ran this consultation to gain feedback from residents before submitting a new application to discharge the planning condition about the head house to the London Borough of Lambeth. 4.2 We gave particular consideration to residents and businesses around Kennington Green. We also consulted with key local stakeholders including Oval And Kennington Residents Association (OAKRA) and The Georgian Group. However this did not preclude any other stakeholder or member of the public with a view on the proposals from participating in the consultation. Outside the scope of this consultation 4.3 The following issues were outside the scope of this consultation: • Whether to build a head house or not at Kennington Green • The location where the head house will be built • Size of the head house Consultation objectives 4.5 The Council’s Statement of Community Involvement (https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pl-statement-of-community- involvement-sep-2015_0.pdf ) encourages all applicants to consult local communities before they submit a planning application, and states the benefits associated with early engagement. 4.6 Pre-application engagement provides an opportunity for neighbours, local communities and stakeholders to discuss any proposals with us so any issues can be reviewed before our proposals are finalised. 4.7 We discussed and agreed our proposals for the pre-application consultation and engagement with officers from the London Borough of Lambeth. This included proposals for engagement with groups before commencing the pre-application consultation. Consultation tools 4.8 We used a range of methods to ensure that members of the public and stakeholders were aware of the consultation and how to respond. The consultation was hosted on our online Consultation Portal. Paper copies of the consultation and a questionnaire were also available by request. (Appendix E). 7 4.9 We carried out a number of activities to support the consultation and let people know how they could participate: • 4,875 letters sent out to local residents and businesses (Appendix A) • Letters were sent to owners of properties who are immediate neighbours of the proposed work site. We also walked around Kennington Green and Montford Place and spoke to residents about the consultation (Appendix C) • Letters and emails were sent to local, London wide and national statutory/ non- statutory stakeholder groups and individuals (Appendix B) • Public exhibition over three days, where people could speak to the project team • Meeting with residents, where we took them through the Building Information Model (BIM) which demonstrates engineering requirements 4.11 A public exhibition was held at Henry Fawcett Primary School, Bowling Green Street, London, SE11 5BZ on: • Thursday 23 March 2017, 17:00-20:00 • Friday 24 March 2017, 17:00-20:00 • Saturday 25 March 2017, 10:00-13:00 4.12 The public exhibition included the opportunity to meet with the scheme architects as well as the project team. 4.13 In total 64 people came along to the exhibition. The boards displayed at the exhibition and available on our website are shown in Appendix D. 8 5 Overview of consultation responses Who responded? 5.1.