Morden Sub Area Neighbourhoods 1 14 MordenDRAFT Neighbourhood Morden Local Neighbourhood Origins and General station was opened in September house workers from inner London. Character 1926. The arrival of the Underground Part of the estate is located in this The Tramlink light rail line from led to a huge expanse of farmland neighbourhood; it was the largest local Wimbledon to Croydon runs through being developed as residential authority development in South the northern part of Morden Hall Park suburbs. Uniquely Morden is the only London. In order to preserve some which forms the northern boundary of example of the ‘Metroland’ type of green space the owner of Morden Hall this neighbourhood. The railway line suburb in South London. To Park namely Gilliat Hatfeild sold the adjacent to the Baitul Futuh mosque complement the new station, a garage freehold to Merton and Morden District defines the southern boundary. To the was constructed on the other side of Council in 1936 as a permanent open south east the St. Helier estate London Road, adjacent to the railway space. When he died in 1941 he left straddles the boundary onto cutting and, in 1932; Morden Cinema his Morden Hall estate to the National Central Road and the western was built next to it on the corner of Trust. Building halted in 1939 but after boundary roughly follows the route Aberconway Road. Around the station the war further council houses were a new commercial centre grew quickly built in the surrounding area. The 2 from London Road onto Crown Lane. Both London Road and Aberconway as shops sprang up along London Crown public house was demolished Road serve as gateways into the Road and Crown Lane. During the in the early 1960s to make way for the neighbourhood. The present A24 1930s Morden transformed from fourteen-storey office block, Crown (London Road) follows a similar route village to suburb as the town centre House, and a large supermarket (the of a Roman road between London and and surrounding housing estates were supermarket was in turn demolished Chichester which passed through rapidly developed. Further transport in the 1980s and replaced by the Civic Morden later known as Stane Street. improvements came with the Centre/Library). The Crown pub was The area of Morden was estate construction of a new Southern incorporated into the new building. The property of Westminster Abbey until Railway branch line from Wimbledon largest store, the Royal Arsenal the 16th century. Around 1750 Morden to Sutton via stations at South Co-operative Society (RACS) closed Hall was built. Ordnance survey maps Merton and Morden South. The new in 1979, and it, the cinema and the from 1865 show that the area was line opened in January 1930. As a garage were all demolished in the rural in character and used for result of the new transport links, the 1980s/1990s. Supermarkets such as farming as the land was subdivided population of Morden increased Sainsbury’s, Iceland and Lidl are now into fields. The original Morden village rapidly. In the next fifteen years, the located in these sites. Modern offices is located around St Lawrence Church population continued to grow, as most were built over the top of the one mile away from the present town of the area was covered in new underground station building centre. There were isolated pockets of suburban homes. One of the main during the 1960s and London Road development in the 19th century such residential developments in the 1930s was slightly widened. The Baitul Futuh as corrugated iron clad cottages built was the St. Helier estate, built by mosque which is a local landmark the London County Council (LCC) to opened in 2003. in Crown Lane. Morden underground View of Morden town centre Merton borough character study: 14 Morden Local Neighbourhood Morden Local Neighbourhood Built Form used in houses to the southeast are The figure ground adjacent illustrates predominantly red brick, red roof tiles, the predominantly open grain of this simple fenestration, features such as neighbourhood. A concentration of door canopies and brackets. To the large footprints indicate Morden west of the town centre the houses shopping centre which lies around the have motifs such as full bays, red brick underground station at the junction of at ground floor, render at first, red tile Crown Lane and London Road. The hangings on bay windows, half core of the area consists of larger timbering on front gables and footprints which are retail units and originally would have had leaded offices some with residential on upper windows. There is also a pocket of floors. These buildings range from 2-5 19th century brick terraces along storey and are generally red brick or Crown Road. The built form is rendered modest horizontal blocks punctuated by major movement 3 some with art deco motifs. Central to corridors such as London Road, this is the art deco style tube station Morden Hall Road and Aberconway and the 14 storey civic centre building Road. Voids running along the which is a landmark that is visible from southern and northern boundary are the surrounding area. The civic centre Wimbledon to Sutton Railway and building is a curved slab on a two Tramlink respectively. In addition the storey podium with shops on ground underground railway and garage cuts floor. Beyond the town centre the built through the centre of the form is predominantly residential neighbourhood creating a barrier estates of 2-3 storey modest between east and west of the suburban housing. The suburbs are neighbourhood. The large footprints to overwhelmingly dominated by medium the south of the area are the sized family houses however there is underground garage and adjacent to a concentration of 4 storey apartment this the Baitul Futuh mosque which buildings to the west of the town is a local landmark and example of centre. The housing estates follow a Islamic architecture. A large void to the formal layout, with those to the west north of the area is the open space of the town centre displaying a denser of Morden Hall Park and a number of grid layout whilst to the south of the buildings scattered to the south include town centre the St. Helier Estate has those from the 1770s such as Morden Hall Park and its watermills. a more open grain. The materials Figure ground of Morden neighbourhood Merton borough character study: 14 Morden Local Neighbourhood Morden Local Neighbourhood Land Use the surrounding area. Adjacent to the the area to London and beyond. The Land use concentrated around the southeast boundary of the Tramlink light rail line from Wimbledon town centre is retail, restaurants and neighbourhood is the Abbotsbury to Croydon runs through the northern offices with some residential on Primary School. To the north of the part of Morden Hall Park, and Phipps upper floors. Morden has a mix of high area is Morden Hall Park which covers Bridge and Morden Road tram stops street chains and independent over 50 hectares of parkland with the give access to the park. There are retailers which are located along river Wandle running through it. Within also pedestrian/cycle routes running London Road, Crown Lane and the the park boundaries there are former through the park which form part of the northern end of Abbotsbury Road. Morden Hall estate buildings which are Wandle Trail and more informal desire Central to the town centre is the Civic open to the public as a local history paths. Centre building and two storey resource. forecourt building which house London Open Space Borough of Merton offices, council Movement Morden Hall Park is a large parkland 4 chamber and Morden Library. Morden Road, London and Morden located to the north which is the Hall Road are strategic roads which remnant of a former estate. This The underground station, railway are part of the Transport for London tranquil park is one of the few land and associated rail depot Road Network and as such are busy remaining estates that lined the River termination point which cuts across traffic corridors. The junction of these Wandle during its industrial past. The centre of the area but is subterranean three traffic corridors forms the river meanders through the park which across London Road and at Kenley gateway into Morden Town where includes former estate buildings. There Road. In addition to the rear of the traffic moves around a one way are also small areas of open space town centre there is car parking space system. scattered throughout the St. Helier and a multi storey carpark off Kenley estate which were originally integrated Road and another car park off York At the centre of the town centre is into the layout of the housing estate as Close. Morden Underground Station which is a landscape setting for the buildings. the southern terminus of the Northern Low rise residential is the predominant Line which runs directly into central use to the west and southeast of the London. The forecourt of the centre. Baitul Futuh mosque is a large underground station is the departure complex which is a focal point for the point for numerous bus routes Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, connecting suburban south London facilities include prayer halls, library, and northern Surrey. To the south crèche and studios. The Baptist of the neighbourhood is the Morden Church is located off Crown Lane South railway station which is on the and provides community facilities for Wimbledon to Sutton line and links View of Morden Hall Park Merton borough character study: 14 Morden Local Neighbourhood Morden Local Neighbourhood Neighbourhood Analysis General