by Helen Pearce
Greycoat are stepping up the pressure to get the DOE to call in the schemes currently proposed for Wimbledon’s town centre and in doing so have revealed proposals for a possible third major scheme in the town.
The group are already progressing two schemes: 200,000 sq ft of shopping with United Kingdom Provident Institution at Hartfield Road — which is unaffected by UKPI’s merger with Friends’ Provident, according to the developers; and the Town Hall site.
Speyhawk already have an agreement with the local authority to develop the Town Hall site for retail as well as for the development of the so-called “Bridge site” in the Broadway, opposite the station, on which a public inquiry has been held.
The rivalry over the Town Hall site is fierce. Earlier this year Greycoat Merevale, challenging Speyhawk’s right to the Town Hall, acquired the Williams Way building yard, which forms part of the site, and commissioned Terry Farrell to produce a scheme. Terry Farrell — also in charge of Greycoat’s Charing Cross project — was given a fairly wide brief by Greycoat Merevale.
Rod Pearson commented: “We cannot see the need to demolish all those buildings to provide a shopping centre — which we know Wimbledon needs and which we are able to provide anyway in a better position”, referring to their site in Hartfield Road (see Estates Gazette January 25).
The local authority wished to see the Bridge site developed first, then the Town Hall followed by Hartfield Road, but clearly Greycoat have other ideas.
Greycoat want to see the town schemes called in for the Environment Secretary to decide on, and have been urging local residents to petition him to do so. It is in a document to local residents that the possible third scheme has emerged.
Greycoat have published A Plan for Wimbledon Town Centre which sets out the details of the Hartfield Road scheme, designed by Ardin Brookes & Partners, and Terry Farrell’s proposals for the Town Hall site.
However, it also covers a development over Wimbledon Station — opposite Speyhawk’s Bridge scheme. The three schemes are presented as a composite solution to Wimbledon’s town centre problems.
The scheme for the station site, going over the tracks, is currently only a proposal “which at this stage is still in outline form”. It could offer an improved concourse with shopping facilities, offices around an atrium, residential space and even a hotel. There could be parking for 1,000 cars to the rear of the site. It would tie in with the Town Hall site which adjoins.
Greycoat say: “Even if it is not possible to develop the site immediately, it is important to keep the opportunity open for the future. We think that Speyhawk’s proposals for denser development of the Town Hall and Queen’s Road site would make this extremely difficult.” There could also be some question of a clash with Speyhawk’s Bridge plans.
Geoffrey Wilson confirmed that Greycoat were interested in carrying out the third scheme, though no application has been made. He described the scheme as “an implementation of ideas” — no agreement has been reached with British Rail.
However, Greycoat’s point is that such an important site should not have the “door closed on it”.
It remains to be seen whether Environment Secretary Kenneth Baker does intend to call in the town centre proposals and whether he can finally resolve Wimbledon’s long-running and messy planning problems.
