Transport for London (TfL) is in advanced pre-application discussions with Westminster City Council’s planning team to relocate Victoria Coach Station to its Royal Oak site.
Westminster confirmed it has had seven pre-application meetings and has issued pre-application guidance to TfL.
It is understood that TfL is considering applying for planning permission in mid-2019 and will seek to build a new coach station and sell the development space above to fund construction.
TfL has the rights to a 161,593 sq ft strip which extends from Lord Hill’s Bridge to Westbourne Bridge, W2, and said the location is one of many it is considering.
It has notified local stakeholders in the Royal Oak area of the potential move.
In September, Heather Preen, TfL’s head of local communities and partnerships, wrote to the Paddington Residents’ Active Concern on Transport (PRACT) campaigning group.
Preen wrote: “There is a site near Royal Oak that we are investigating, along with a number of others. We are at a relatively early stage of feasibility in this programme, looking at a wide range of potential sites across London that would achieve the MTS aims while providing a good service for coach operators and their passengers.”
A TfL spokesperson told EG: “We know that we will need to adapt operations at Victoria Coach Station as the area is likely to change. No decisions have been made on a location, and we are looking at a wide range of options across London that ensure the city is adequately served by coaches, while allowing them to operate more efficiently and reduce both pollution and road danger.”
Westminster opposition
Several Westminster MPs, Labour and Conservative councillors and residents oppose the relocation to Royal Oak, saying it will disrupt the community, attract anti-social behaviour and cause increased traffic congestion and pollution.
Westminster’s conservative councillors have launched a campaign entitled “Save Bayswater Village”. It claims: “We understand that the only location TfL is considering is a strip of land along the railway tracks by Royal Oak, where TfL propose to build a coach station and then luxury tower blocks above.”
Labour leader councillor Adam Hug wrote to deputy mayor Heidi Alexander expressing concern, and the party has asked the council to arrange a scrutiny committee hearing with TfL to publicly explain the plans and answer stakeholder questions.
South East Bayswater Residents’ Association chairman John Zamit said: “We are very much against it; it is a totally unsuitable location and we think it should be Old Oak Common. It will bring all types of problems, which will just be transferred from Victoria Coach Station to here. There will be traffic congestion, noise and access problems.
“We believe the planning department and the council leader support us, that it is an unsuitable location.”
Tim Mitchell, Westminster City Council cabinet member for environment and city management, said: “We are in ongoing discussions with TfL about this proposal. We have set out our concerns that we are not convinced that Royal Oak or central London is the right place.”
Royal Oak strategy
Victoria Coach Station operates with various leases on land with Grosvenor, Transport Trading and London Underground Network, which will expire from 2023 onwards.
The international traffic will go to Stratford, but domestic traffic will go to the new site. Stagecoach has no obligation to use any particular coach station, unless it serves its business interests, so a central London location close to transport links is important for both Stagecoach and TfL.
TfL has been exploring alternative sites for the past few years, as Victoria Coach Station grew close to operational capacity, with the promise of Crossrail 2 bringing additional people traffic into the area. It set a target of autumn 2015 to identify potential sites.
The Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS), published earlier this year, said: “The mayor, through TfL and the boroughs and other stakeholders, will ensure new coach facilities are well connected with London’s public transport system while, at the same time, seeking to reduce coach kilometres travelled in central London.
“This will include working with stakeholders to identify and deliver replacement facilities for Victoria Coach Station through the provision of one or more hubs.”
TfL has ambitious plans to develop 10,000 homes across more than 300 acres of land, with 67% of the properties in zones 1 and 2. It hopes the development will raise £3.4bn in commercial revenue.
However, the higher pollution levels would mean that low-rise affordable housing would not be appropriate. Commercial office, retail or higher-level residential space could be a better option, though it might jar with TfL’s overall development strategy.
Regardless, any moves from London mayor Sadiq Khan regarding relocation within the borough are likely to be challenged by Westminster City Council. In the case that Westminster refuses to grant permission, the mayor could intervene and override the council’s decision by calling in the application.
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