Press Release

GO-AHEAD FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON CAMDEN TOWN TUBE STATION PLANNING BRIEF

18 December 2006

Local people will soon be able to have their say on a planning document that will help shape the future of the important Camden Town tube station site.

The council’s Executive (Environment) Sub Group last week (14 December 2006) gave its approval for the Camden Town Underground Station Draft Planning Brief to go out for public consultation in the New Year.  The public consultation is planned to run from 5 January until 16 February 2007.

Cllr Mike Greene, Executive Member for Environment, Camden Council said:

“Camden Town tube station is very important to people who live and work in the area and to the many thousands who visit Camden Town every week.  The development site above the proposed new station has a prominent location in the heart of Camden Town centre.  The Draft Planning Brief will help the council ensure that any future redevelopment is of a top quality design and has the right mix of uses, and that the impacts on the town centre are fully considered.”

Camden Council will be seeking views on what the Draft Brief says, particularly about the possible uses and the design guidance.  Members of the public will be able to give their views on the Draft Planning Brief by:

Logging on to Camden Council’s website at: www.camden.gov.uk/consults
Visiting an exhibition at the St Martin’s Community Centre, Carol Street on 18-20 January or the Trinity United Reformed Church, Kentish Town Road on 25-27 January.  Planning officers will be on hand to answer any questions
Around 800 consultation letters will be sent to ward councillors, residents, tenants and residents associations, local amenity groups, businesses and community groups asking for their response. 
Viewing the document at the Culture and Environment reception, fifth floor, Town Hall extension, Argyle Street or at Camden Town, Chalk Farm and Kentish Town libraries

After the consultation, all of the views will be assessed and the Draft Planning Brief will be revised to take people’s comments into account.  It is planned to report back on these comments and seek adoption of an amended Planning Brief in March or April 2007.   If approved, the guidance would then become a Supplementary Planning Document, used in considering future planning applications for the site. 

Camden Council refused planning permission for a previous proposal from LUL, a decision upheld by the First Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Transport in June 2005 after a public inquiry.  The Secretary of State’s report supported the principle of a redevelopment of the underground station, but found LUL’s proposals for the development above ground to be unacceptable.  LUL has since told the council that in 2007 it wants to put forward a new proposal for the site over the station.  The Draft Planning Brief sets out guidance on what Camden Council would want to see on the site if the new station gets the final go-ahead, and the issues that London Underground Limited (LUL) must consider in applying for a future development. 

Camden Council believes that the station is in need of major modernisation to tackle the problems of over-crowding, safety and accessibility, and that these improvements would be good for local residents, workers, businesses and visitors.  Building a new station would take many years, but the council wants to make sure now that any development over the station will benefit the local area and have a positive effect on the town centre and conservation area.