Important workshop for North Lambeth

Important workshop for North Lambeth this Saturday 4 October 2003 

Dear colleague

This is a reminder about Saturday's North Lambeth Plan workshop for those living, working or studying in Waterloo, Kennington, Oval, Vauxhall andVassall!

If you care about your area, it is most important that you contribute your views, because the results of this workshop will feed into planning for how North Lambeth should be over the next 15 years!

The workshop will be held this Saturday 4 October 2003 from 2pm to 4pm at the China Walk TRA Hall, 15 Lambeth Walk (click the link below for a map showing the location of the hall).

Location of China Walk TRA Hall:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=531172&Y=179120&A=Y&Z=1

If you cannot attend please send you views to Ian Jackson at ijackson@lambeth.gov.uk by 16 October 2003.

Further events will be advertised to discuss proposals from the Police, the Primary Care Trust, the Council and other partners on how they can address the identified needs and aspirations of North Lambeth. For your information I have attached the draft of the introduction to the North Lambeth section of the Lambeth Plan below my signature.

Kind regards,

Gerald Gohler
on behalf of the North Lambeth Town Centre Office Team:
Frances Forrest - Town Centre Manager
Glennette Bowles-Dove - Community Development Manager
Gerald Gohler - Area Information Officer

London Borough of Lambeth
Community Renewal - Area Services
Chief Executive's Department
phone:  020 7926 8295
fax:  020 7926 2778
e-mail:  ggohler@lambeth.gov.uk
website: http://www.lambeth.gov.uk
20 Newburn Street
London SE11 5PJ

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NORTH LAMBETH

a.    Facts and Figures

North Lambeth consists of Bishop's, Princes, Oval and Vassall wards.  Its borders are the Thames to the North and West and Southwark to the East.  It increasingly forms part of the inner area of central London, south of the river and, under the Mayor's Plan is an area of opportunity-London South Central.  It comprises three main "zones" or neighbourhoods-Vassall, Waterloo and Kennington, Oval and Vauxhall (KOV).

Approximately 45,985 people live in the North Lambeth area.  Bishops and Oval wards are less ethnically mixed than the Lambeth average.  Princes Ward is slightly more ethnically diverse than the average and Vassall Ward has the second most ethnically diverse community in the Borough.  Over 50% of the households in each of the four wards have an income of less than £20,000.  Variations are great though.  For example, 7.8% of households in Vassall ward have incomes of over £60,000, this rises to10.7% in Oval.  On the Index of Multiple Deprivation (2000) the four wards in North Lambeth were ranked (out of 8414): Bishops 1077, Princes 1211, Oval 1175 and Vassall 422.  Employment rates closely match general deprivation but it should, of course, be noted that North Lambeth is also host to some major multinational employers and, as such, generates employment and wealth which has little impact on the local neighbourhood.

Two of the most educationally deprived wards in London lie in the North Lambeth area-Vassall (14th) and Bishops (17th).  In Bishops Ward, 34.9% of people have poor literacy, in Princes 28%, in Oval 25.6% and in Vassall 32.6%.

North Lambeth suffers from some high levels of crime, particularly burglary and street crime in Oval and Vassall, and drug and motor vehicle crime in Bishops and Vassall.

A series of partnerships and organisations, with associated plans and strategies, are active in the area.  Most significant amongst these are Circle Waterloo, Cross River Partnership, Oval Partnership, South Bank Partnership, Vassall Area Regeneration Group, Lambeth Riverside, Coin Street Community Builders, Waterloo Project Board and Waterloo Community Regeneration Trust. Forums also cover the three neighbourhoods.  Kennington, Oval and Vauxhall Forum covers the Bishops Ward south of Lambeth Road, Princes and Oval Wards, Waterloo Forum covers Bishops Ward north of Lambeth Road, and the Vassall Area Regeneration Group covers the Vassall Ward. 

b.    Ideas and Themes

Some of the ideas that have emerged from these organisations are:
    *    Furthering the regeneration of Kennington Cross-environmental improvements and ideas around a focus on arts and culture
    *    Tackling graffiti-particularly on Ethelred Estate
    *    Protecting and enhancing open space, for example Spring Gardens, Kennington Park, Vauxhall Park, Archbishops Park
  *    Tackling a number of dangerous pedestrian crossings
    *    Ensuring full community benefit from Vauxhall Cross development
    *    Local businesses having a stronger voice
    *    Developing out of office attractions for businesses, for example shops, cafes, restaurants
    *    Developing more leisure and community facilities, including libraries
    *    Better protection, for example CCTV and lighting for pedestrians
    *    Regeneration of the Lower Marsh Market
    *    Encouraging community based environmental activity
    *    Providing greater awareness of local services such as a directory of who, what and where

Some of the interventions put in place to meet identified needs, and achievements emerging from the above plans are:
    *    Installation of convex cameras in high risk areas within the Oval Neighbourhood
    *    Installation of door and window security locks for tenants
    *    Lighting improvements to the Coney Way Sheltered Housing Project
    *    Improvements to the ball games area at Sturminster House
    *    Installation of anti-bogus caller devices for the elderly
    *    Free public internet kiosk installed at neighbourhood housing office

c.    Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

Strengths
    *    Good parks and open spaces with strong local support for their upkeep and use
    *    Strong voluntary and community sector involvement with some flagship organisations e.g. Coin Street, VARG

Weaknesses
    *    Some areas of really poor housing, with few leisure and retail facilities  e.g. Ethelred and China Walk
    *    Real concern about community safety
            o    street drinking
            o    rough sleepers
            o    poor lighting
            o    a recent survey of children and young people in Vassall revealed their concern about graffiti, crime and drugs
    *    Transport
            o    issues of congestion charging
            o    volume of traffic leads to poor environment and difficult conditions for pedestrians
    *    Lack of facilities for children and young people

Opportunities
    *    Build on creative industries  e.g. opportunities for Cinema Museum
    *    London South Central - an area of opportunity with great potential benefits for business and residential communities
    *    Bringing unused assets back into use for community benefit e.g. Beaufoy, Archbishop Davidson's Institute
    *    Create new leisure facilities such as a cinema or pool
    *    New developments make possible use of Section 106 money to fund community benefit
    *    Use railway arches to create work space and leisure opportunities

Threats
    *    Pace of development will swamp local communities
    *    Expansion of central London southwards will marginalize and disenfranchise poorer sections of the community
    *    Lack of cohesion of the three disparate neighbourhoods in the area

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