Plans for the regeneration of Church Street have taken a big step with the appointment of design and consultancy company Arcadis to develop options.
Working with Westminster City Council, Arcadis will listen to residents and assess a range of options for the sites called A, B and C in the masterplan.
These options, which range from ‘no change’ to full redevelopment, will be evaluated against the vision of the Church Street masterplan and the main drivers for the local community to create a better neighbourhood.
Councillor Rachael Robathan, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration, said: “We’re committed to delivering the most ambitious house-building programme in the city for a generation, and are on course to provide at least 1,850 new affordable homes by 2023 as part of our vision for a City for All.
“Our priority is to create the right options for these three sites, and we’re committed to making sure the local community are at the heart of discussions throughout this process.”
“Our extensive housing renewal programme will mean more social and affordable homes for local people, so we continue to take genuine pride in our diverse communities.”
The sites currently provide mixed-use residential and retail. The vision in the masterplan for the three sites is to:
- Deliver around 1,000 new homes, including more affordable homes, and improved public space.
- Improve the retail and service offer at ground-floor level to enhance the public space.
- Provide better storage and van parking for Church Street Market traders.
- Create a community hub and enterprise spaces.
- Create a gateway to Church Street from Edgware Road to attract more visitors to the area.
Tim Preston, programme director for Arcadis, said:
“Creating places that provide for the long-term needs of the local community is paramount. The scale and location of the Church Street regeneration area makes this a complex project, but the blend of housing and community facilities offer an exciting opportunity to help improve quality of life now and in the future.”
Once the options have been assessed against the criteria and tested to see how deliverable and viable they are, Westminster City Council and Arcadis will then engage with residents and the wider community. Their views will be taken on board before the preferred options for the sites are presented. Proposals will then be further developed, before the local community is consulted again on the detail of the preferred option.
