Wandsworth Council has announced Totterdown Street as an ‘area for significant improvement’ in the borough. It falls short of their target of creating safe, healthy streets within the area and, because of that, it is about to get shined up. Currently, the council are still in the proposal phase; they have two ideas for the street that will both make it more economically, environmentally and socially viable for the area. They are keen to get input from locals on each plan (both are subject to change depending on feedback from locals), and when the plan has been nailed down and agreed upon there will be a 6 month trial period between July ’23 and January ’24. If the trial is deemed a success then the plans will be made permanent early next year.
There are, however, 4 points which both plans have in common. These are:
Planting new trees and/or plants to introduce greenery to the area
Mostly pedestrianising the street, with limited vehicle access for loading, refuse and emergency vehicles
Creating a space for the community with tables and chairs where people can sit and make use of the outdoor area
Allowing for new outdoor market stalls
Here are the outlines for the 2 proposals:
Option 1
Credit: totterdown.commonplace.is
TKMaxx – private parking to be provided elsewhere so public paving can be extended
A new painted mural on the TKMaxx building
Trees used to close Cyprian’s Street to prevent vehicle access
Pedestrianise Totterdown Street with limited one way vehicle movement (from Tooting High Street along Totterdown Street) for loading, refuse and emergency vehicles
Timed loading bays in front of TKMaxx – vehicles have access at only certain times of day. This is to allow the space to be used by the community for the other part of the day
During the day there will be space for tables and chairs, which then get packed away in the evenings
Option 2
Credit: totterdown.commonplace.is
Planted rain gardens on Totterdown Street to help with surface water flooding
Pedestrianise Totterdown street with limited one-way traffic channelled down Totterdown Street and left onto St Cyprian’s Street
Lower part of Totterdown Street becomes a community square with seating for residents to use, and can host special celebration events
Create a 10m clear space at the end of St Cyprian’s Street for cars to turn
Additional trees to provide a green leafy environment to the street
So- what do you think? Add your two cents to the discussion via the link below.
