12 Mar Draft Hammersmith SPD out for consultation now
Working with a firm of urban designers and architects, Hammersmith & Fulham Council has put together a draft supplementary planning document (SPD) for Hammersmith Town Centre. The document can be seen as a combination of developer guidance and a programme of public works, with several welcome public realm interventions.
The Council is consulting on the draft SPD until Tuesday 19 March 2024. Hammersmith BID encourages its levy payers and other local businesses to view the document online here and to submit their views to localplan@lbhf.gov.uk.
Having reviewed the SPD, Hammersmith BID are pleased to note the Council has created a cohesive strategy for the Town Centre’s future development. We support the focus on the nighttime economy, culture, promoting employment and access to the riverside. We also note and support the Council’s ambitious plans for King Street, which we envisage having a positive effect upon the local economy.
While the BID necessarily sees BID businesses as its key stakeholders, we are happy to report that the guidance on building heights also respects resident concerns.
We note the concepts of a dual gyratory (a relatively easy win) and the “Fly-under” (an expensive, long-term project) and encourage a modular approach, with short- to medium-terms interventions to address the gyratory problems first.
The BID would like to see a more overt solution to under-occupancy of offices in Hammersmith. We believe the Council should focus on public realm interventions which attract new businesses to the area.
The BID will continue to work with the Council and advocate for local businesses – we believe cooperation and continued consultation are key to the overall success of the SPD. Where the BID’s and Council’s priorities are aligned, we will aim to work with them to achieve tangible outcomes for our levy payers and the wider business and resident communities, through our Public Realm Vision and other interventions.
The Public Realm Vision intends to transform Hammersmith Town Centre into a more connected space that champions sustainability, inclusivity, and local identity. The Vision emerged in response to the changing demands and use of public space following the COVID-19 pandemic; aspirations for a more aesthetically pleasing transport hub; feedback around local safety; and the desire to make Hammersmith one of London’s greenest areas.
The BID has been working with urban design firm Context Office and consulting with levy payers, the Council, TfL and others, in order to create designs fitting of Hammersmith’s public realm. Watch this space for updated Vision designs and further information.