Sloane Square: plans up for consultation
Underground, taxi, and bus services make Sloane Square a transport hub for
residents and businesses in Chelsea, Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Battersea.
This famous location is home to Peter Jones, the Royal Court Theatre and the new
Cadogan Hall concert venue. From here, thousands of visitors funnel down King's
Road.
But the popular shopping and entertainment district is increasingly
congested. Pedestrians vie for space on the pavement while the volume of traffic
discourages people from using the crossings to the central island space.
The Council wants to find a way to enhance the area - to make it more
amenable to users. It aims to restore the ambience of the Square, and to make
the central space more accessible. Of course any improvements that go ahead will
be in line with the borough's streetscape principles.
It has an ally in this aspiration - the Mayor of London. His 'Better Space
for Londoners' initiative proposes to develop 100 public space projects over the
next five years. He has included Sloane Square among the first ten pilot
projects in his public spaces programme for London.
Infrastructure under strain
As the Council acknowledges, there are strains on the existing
infrastructure. The pavements are too narrow for the number of people around the
square.
The central area is essentially 'disconnected' from adjacent buildings and
pavements. At busy periods 3,500 people walk between the Underground station and
King's Road every hour. In stark contrast only about 100 people per hour use the
central space to make this journey.
The Council recognises there could be advantages to a more radical approach.
This has raised the prospects for a more fundamental redesign of the Square.
Defining views
The Council has already undertaken an extensive round of consultation with
local residents to find out how they think the Square can be improved. As part
of this important responsibility to residents it presented a range of options in
Spring 2003. The proposals contained two options based on modest improvements to
the Square, and two with more radical proposals.
The response from residents to the initial consultation gave a clear
indication from a significant proportion of respondents that a radical option
deserved further investigation.
Since then Transport for London (TfL) has funded the Council to carry out
this work. It has looked in detail at the feasibility of returning the square to
a crossroads system - similar to its design until the 1930s - which would create
two large public spaces.
The assessment has been more complex than anticipated but in the end the
Council believes it has found a radical and workable redesign of the square and
the traffic system.
More consultation
With more facts to hand, the Council now wants to move forward. No decision
has been reached on whether a radical solution should be adopted or whether
keeping the existing layout is best for the area. The Council is determined to
find the best solution before pressing ahead.
Consequently it is now scheduling a further round of consultation, probably
for early in the new year. The Council has also boiled the choice down to two
options for residents to consider.
Return to a crossroads layout
Similar to the original layout, this option would create a crossroads system,
creating two large public squares outside Peter Jones department store and the
Royal Court Theatre.
The benefits of this option include:
- improving the overall flow of people at Sloane Square Underground station
- reducing congestion around the Underground significantly
- better designed public spaces which would be more accessible to the public
- an opportunity to improve the safety, the ambience and the appearance of
the square
Keep the existing layout
This option would widen some footpaths around the square, possibly close Holbein
Place, improve pedestrian crossings to the central area, and refurbish the
landscape of the central space.
The benefits of this option include:
- an opportunity to bring life back to the central island
- a modest reduction in congestion on the pavements around the square
- enhancements to the public transport interchange
The outlook
There are still obstacles to overcome. Integration of the public transport
system will need careful consideration, but the project aims to deliver a
streetscape future generations will be proud of.
The Council is confident that its 'less is more' philosophy will deliver what
is needed at Sloane Square. It believes the improvements will bring exciting
benefits for residents and visitors to Sloane Square. Whichever option is
adopted in the end though, good design, high quality materials and a reduction
in street clutter will be central parts of the project.
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