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Several committee members attended the latest Heathrow Consultation held on 24th Jan.  A more detailed article will appear in the next Newsletter, but in the meantime the essential take-aways are summarised in the graphic shown, short-cutting the 26 consultation documents. 

“Arrivals-1 for the northern runway”

This shows one of the most problematic proposed new arrivals flight paths “Arrivals-1 for the Northern runway” (used 75% of the time for early mornings), overlaid with a “heat map” of the Society’s membership. Make no mistake, the majority of members would be directly overflown at 2000-3000ft.  The “Arrivals-2” option is worse for some members, with overflights between 2000-2500ft in the southern part of Hammersmith.

We urge you to respond to the online questionnaire answering “neither – prefer no expansion” to most questions.  You must do this by 4th March.

Currently, no Hammersmith residents are directly overflown, and those living North of King Street (the majority of our members) hear rather less of the early morning arrivals along the river that plague those living further South, particularly in TEAM mode between 6-7am as described here.

A major shortcoming of consultation – made clear to the organisers – was that the auralisation booths didn’t feature the sound of arrivals below 3000ft, only above 3000 and at 650ft, which is of course earsplitting, just before the runways.   Nor did they try to simulate the new noise of aircraft banking relatively steeply from the North to make this proposed approach, and it is just this type of psycho-acoustical variation in tone caused by Doppler Effects and changes in direction that are most disturbing to the human ear. 

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TfL has issued its response to previous consultations on the cycle route from Kensington Olympia through Hammersmith and Chiswick, and says construction of the route on the north side of the Hammersmith Broadway gyratory will begin this year.

There are no substantial alterations to the section from Hammersmith Broadway to the end of King Street. Local criticism had centred on the congestion of traffic and pedestrians, and the  likely delays for buses if the roadway is narrowed at the east end of King Street to make space for a segregated two-way cycle lane: TfL says delivery vehicles will use parking bays or park in Blacks Road or Angel Walk. We are sceptical as to whether that message will get through to security service vans delivering to banks, for example.

There were also worries about  increased risk to pedestrians from cyclists. TfL has decided to drop the term “Super-Highway”, saying it sends the wrong message. A local family cycling group has welcomed the scheme, so let’s not forget it is not just fast commuter cyclists who want cycle lanes.  But the TfL report specifically excludes the option of a commuter route parallel to the length of the A4, and is vague about the prospect of a fast route in Hammersmith,  which the Council announced last month. 

We understand LBHF is having further discussions with TfL.

 Click on the report image to download it from TfL.

Old Oak HS2 station (image updated post-exhibition launch)

A number of exhibitions are being held across the borough this month concerning the design of the HS2 station at Old Oak, which is at the heart of the OPDC area. This is the major interchange between HS2 and The Elizabeth Line (Crossrail), due to be the busiest interchange in the UK after London Waterloo.

The architects are Wilkinson Eyre and let us hope they come up with a design which measures up to the importance of the project.

Details of times and locations are shown in the diary with links to maps – the first event is today, 5th February.

King Street West. Block B (image: LBHF)

The application will go to the Planning Committee on Tuesday 12 February. If approved, work on site could begin later this year. 

It has been a long time coming, after extensive public consultation,  and the feedback we have from members is that they are keen to see the new open space opening up the Town Hall to King Street, high-quality new building, new and innovative access to the Town Hall interior and the return of a cinema.

Town Hall Redevelopment November 2018

The revised, and likely final Town Hall plans, filed under ref. 2018/01500/FUL, are being exhibited this Friday 4-8pm and Saturday 10am-2pm – details in our diary.  You are doubtless familiar with the project’s development over the years, and the changes brought about after consultation with members of the public, the volunteer Town Hall Commissioners, this Society, and Historic England.

The following significant changes are listed:

• Reduction in the height of the town hall roof extension by one storey (compare April 2018 version).
• Reduction in the size of the shading around the roof of the new glass extension.
• Improvements to the lighting for the Assembly Hall and Courtyard.
• Addition of new winter gardens on the new homes facing King Street and the A4 to improve air quality.

In the invitation (full details), the leader of the council says:

We propose to demolish the ugly Town Hall extension and bring Hammersmith:

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Magistrate’s Court site (graphic: JLL/HM Courts service)

An exhibition of plans for a new development on the site of the former Hammersmith Magistrate’s Court is being held on Friday 23 November 3-6pm, and Saturday 24 November 12-3 pm at the adjacent Lila Huset Professional Centre, 191 Talgarth Road W6 8BJ.

This site is between the Ark/Lila Huset and the Talgarth Road BP garage as shown. The planning consultants say: “The proposals include two complimentary hotels which will bring with them significant community benefits. The site has potential to deliver a significant number of jobs, community meeting space, rehearsal space for local performing arts groups, a rooftop bar and terrace, the largest living green wall in London, affordable workspace to meet the needs of the Council’s Industrial Strategy and a new publicly accessible garden square”.

Do go and look at the exhibition – as always, keep an eye out for height and density, and check to see if the fine view of the unique Ark is still retained as one approaches Hammersmith.