- Crime/anti-social behaviour and local safety issues

Discussion with local Neighbourhood Watch Representative

- The Vauxhall Gyratory & the VNEB

Vote: “We in VV are prepared to support developments in Vauxhall once the gyratory is calmed and made into a safe and pleasant environment for pedestrians and cyclists.”

-The Northern Line Extension (NLE)

Should VV oppose the NLE swallowing up the lion’s share of planning gain generated by developments in Vauxhall? Presentation by a representative of Development And Transport Action (DATA), a local transport initiative, followed by a discussion and vote.

- Kylun Towers

We need representatives from local community groups to speak at the inquiry in March

- 30-60 South Lambeth Road

Controversial student tower opposite Vauxhall Park.

- Club Fire

Club Fire and other clubs in the area.

- Pedestrianisation of Grove/Square between the Cafe & Vine Lodge

Giving priority to pedestrians between the Cafe and Vine Lodge.

Date: Friday 24th February Time: 4pm to 7pm Date: Saturday 25th February Time: 10am to 2pm Venue: Ground Floor, Market Towers, 1 Nine Elms Lane, London SW8 5NQ

Lambeth’s now calling for comments from community groups on CLS’s Vauxhall Square, the current deadline is 27 February. The main thing is, for or against, to have your say.

More details: www.vauxhallsquare.co.uk

http://www.vauxhallcivicsociety.org.uk/2012/01/vauxhall-square-project-bat/

Submit your comments by email to lambethplanning@lambeth.gov.uk, quoting reference number 11/04428/FUL

Queries: Case Officer Gavin Chinniah, Lambeth Planning 020 7926 0705. Email: GChinniah@lambeth.gov.uk

“I attach here, a copy of an email that was sent to the Mayor of London

Dear Sir,

I am a resident in Vauxhall and have recently been researching an issue that raises concern.

Having some knowledge and living experience, of the change in conditions that tall structures can bring to a vicinity, I have been wondering if there has been an assessment of the overall influence on wind conditions that may occur, downwind of the cluster of proposed tall buildings in and around the Vauxhall one way system, or gyratory, as it is also known.

When wind conditions are mild, there should no consequence. However, when we experience the seasonal gales that are known to bring down roof tiles, break thick branches of trees, or even bring down street signage, I am concerned that the overall effect of the cluster of tall buildings that is proposed for Vauxhall, may reach far enough to have an effect on the KiaOval Cricket ground, an internationally renowned sporting venue.

The KiaOval Cricket ground is located in a direction, directly downwind of the tall buildings cluster, when the strong westerly winds blow and is located at a distance of a mere 500-to-700 meters away, from the nearest proposed tall building, that of 30-60 South Lambeth Road.  Playing conditions at the venue, could be dramatcaly altered, by turbulence and gusts or swirling wind, or the grandstands may not have been designed to withstand the newly introduced wind conditions, for example.

Existing housing and buildings within the downwind zone, could potentially experience a change in wind conditions such that roof damage may become a frequent occurrence, or windows may be blown out of their frames. Also, personal injury could result from such falling materials.

The point being, that there appears to be no evidence that this issue of overall wind effect, has ever been considered since thus far, I have been unable to find any report or assessment, of the impact on wind conditions in the area located downwind of a cluster of tall buildings.  The science has been around for a decade, at least. It is known that the cumulative effect of a cluster of tall buildings, may be more than that of the individual buildings, during strong wind conditions, or that the interaction of structures determines the resulting conditions.

Here, I stand to be corrected, in my perception that, for the accuracy of simulation or modelling to be improved upon, or the margin of error, to be refined and reduced to a minimum, the regulations should require that actual wind speed measurements are obtained over a period of all four seasons, for a duration of one year at least. Using wind speed data that has been measured at remote sites, does not include any local effect on the wind, prior to it reaching any proposed site of a development.

Actual wind speed measurements should be taken from any proposed sites for talll buildings and from various locations within the areas that are downwind from the location of the proposed building. Accurate, real wind speed measurements should take place at multiple sites within the downwind area of any planning applications for the purposes of the simulation and trials in the wind tunnel. Furthermore, after completion of construction, a verification of the simulation results should occur. The changes in wind conditions should be measured again at the same locations, in order to correlate and correct for any margin of error that is inherent in simulation models.

The present planning application requirements require a Wind Assessment report and rightly so, however, the limitation thereof, is that the terms of these assessments are confined to the loadings upon the structure itself and the effect on pedestrian comfort, only within the immediate vicinity of the building location, nothing more.  The wind effect of tall buildings and more so, clusters of tall buildings, should be given a priority equal to that of the protection of the visual impact of a tall building or the protection of heritage views.

With regard to the quality of input data for the simulations, I am concerned, that by excluding durations less than one hour and by averaging wind speed data, the true, peak, wind speeds of gusts during gales, are not represented. A margin of error is therefore, inherent in the results and conclusions of a Wind Assessment.  The reports I have read in this regard, have not specified the margin of error, or degree of confidence in the results

A few queries follow:

1. I would appreciate receiving any information regarding which authority should be responsible for the assessment of the wind effect on an entire area that forms part of an urban strategic policy, for developments such as the cluster of tall buildings proposed in Vauxhall.

2. If any research into this particular area has been commissioned, I would be delighted to hear.

3. Does a Wind Assessment report exist, for the overalll scope of the cluster of tall buildings, as proposed for Vauxhall by the VNEB OAPF policy/plan?

I hope to receive information that will go some way towards allaying the concerns I have.

Sincerely,

Brian Vos”

Since Brian’s letter (to which the Mayor did not reply) the following articles (see links below) regarding unexpected wind speeds since the building of Bridgwater Place (110 m) in Leeds have come to our attention:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-12717762

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16968325 

Also see related article on the Vauxhall Society website:

 http://www.vauxhallcivicsociety.org.uk/2012/02/damage-can-skyscraper-air-turbulence/

It is reported: The traffic at Vauxhall Cross may get a lot heavier if Wandsworth Council has its way, according to Vauxhall Society affiliate the Fentiman Road and Richborne Terrace Residents Association.

The cause? The skyscraper developments Wandsworth Council is giving the OK to along Nine Elms Lane. Wandsworth Council (it is reported but not yet confirmed) is insisting that all the traffic leaving the new Nine Elms developments should be forced to turn towards Vauxhall Cross so as to avoid adding to the volume of traffic crossing Chelsea Bridge.

Lambeth Council is seemingly not involved in the key decisions concerning Nine Elms, as the only part of Lambeth in Nine Elms is the Vauxhall Cross end.

Map: www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/AboutLambeth/LambethStreetMap.htm

More Here

“As part of the ongoing action plan to make Vauxhall safer, I am pleased to inform you that I have been successful in my bid for a temporary petard camera which has been installed onto a lamp post on the traffic island opposite the Royal Vauxhall Tavern.

This camera will assist in detecting and monitoring crime and anti-social behaviour around the night-time economy, Kennington Lane, Harleyford Road, Vauxhall Station and into Spring Gardens, with the hope of taking further action against problematic individuals and in reassuring the community.

For the camera to work to its full capacity, we need your help to ensure the camera is pointing in the correct direction when an incident or any suspicious activity occurs. That way it can be recorded and used for further action.

If you witness or are the victim of any activity that you think should be recorded, monitored or would be useful as evidence please call the Lambeth CCTV suite on 020 7926 0494. You can leave a voicemail message which will be picked up by a monitoring officer. In the event of an emergency always dial 999.

Please feel free to pass this information to your staff, neighbours and/or community groups.

Thank you for your continued support and please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss any matters further.”

Consultation period for 32 storey student tower ends 18 January!

The planning application for 30-60 South Lambeth Road was submitted in late November.
“Redevelopment of the existing site to provide a 32 storey mixed-use building comprising new leisure uses (swimming pool & gymnasium) and 572 units for student residential accommodation.

Provision of refuse and cycle storage, disabled parking and associated landscaping.

Local concern about this development: height (97 m) and density opposite Vauxhall Park and Park Mansion( five times higher than Park mansions); the large number of additional students in Vauxhall. There are already 92 student rooms planned in Langley lane, and most of the other proposed developments also include large student contingents. Students are by nature transient and don’t tend to become part of the fabric of the local community.

Vauxhall is set to become London’s largest campus! There are also concerns about overshadowing of Vauxhall Park and architectural winds that will be created by the new tower and bear down on the park and residential areas.

The architectural drafts created by the growing St George Tower is altready quite noticeable.

If you don’t agree with the proposed tower in spite of gym & pool accessible to the public sweetener the entry fees & conditions of use are as yer not unknown and they can be withdrawn at a later stage).

Info here: http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/planningdatabase

REF NO: 11/04181/FUL

Make your point at: lambethplanning@lambeth.gov.uk 

Arrests
Two suspects have been arrested for the linked series of gun enabled robberies around Bonnington Square.

Local neighborhood watch – Marie ecossemarie@hotmail.com

Robbery Taskforce – direct mobile number are on duty and they work from 0800hrs to 0200hrs every day – 07867 501112

More Numbers Here: http://vivavauxhall.wordpress.com/useful-local-contacts/