The only thing certain is that millions of pounds of tax payer’s and others’ money has been poured down the tubes in the interim, and many a nice pension fund built up.

It may be about 15 (fifteen!) years ago that after a great deal of debate, the Partnership commissioned at great public expense of consultants fees and consultation by local interested groups and individuals an Urban Design Framework which gave a sort of template for the area with which there was general accord. All that seems to have been forgotten or dumped and what seems to be happening now is a free for all without a comprehensive concept of the sort of place people want.

The “Vision” was a Wandsworth Delta (sic) being a place where the unique feature of the Wandle and the development opportunities could be fused into an exemplar project. The word “exemplar” has now been hijacked to cover a few highways improvements in Clapham Junction and the Delta project looks like a fond memory.

That appears to be resulting in an anarchic scramble for mass and poor design at the expense of a decent environment. All the aspirations seem to have been binned.

What’s more if many of the schemes get planning consent it’s likely/probable that the procurement process (i.e. getting it built) will result in loss of quality and detail. You only need to look around recently built schemes to appreciate that (locally and nationally).

I don’t have an aversion to tall buildings used sparingly and in the right place, but the overall grain, density and quality need to come together. In one hundred years will people say “now that really was something good!” about what is apparently happening at the Delta? I think not if current directions are maintained.

I am expecting the euro to go down rather quicker than any regeneration of CJ is likely to happen. The UK economy has been fractured in the same way as Haiti and I’m putting 10 years on it (CJ) mon ami.

Judging my your lack of comment on my central point about partnerships I take that as an agreement!

Just to confirm my interest in CJ we have just invested in it, taking a ten year window of course,

Pip pip

Regarding the country being virtually bankrupt, there is a bit of an exaggeration. Albeit the financial state not being brilliant (contrary to the banks which recovered very quickly! ) we are far from the situation of the PIIGS (as the English press calls them, i.e. Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain). The British pounds might have lost 33% of its value in 1.5 years, the pressure is currently also on the euro where the spread between Germany (the best of the class) and Greece (in situation of repeating) is widening and put the system in danger.

What is required is a more open and effective local partnership. Several years have been wasted by the recent debacle, caused by differing and irreconcilable interests, and it’s by no means certain when there will be another chance. Until that chance emerges (and it will emerge sooner if there is a strong local partnership) local residents, businesses and visitors will have to continue much as now. Minor improvements may be possible, but really only tinkering, when a bolder, better thought out scheme would have been so much more.

I certainly wouldn’t count on more money coming from the Government in the sahpe of Adonis now. Hadn’t anybody heard the country is virtually bankrupt? We can’t even afford proper defence of the country. The spiralling cost of government and the defence of the banks are inevitably coming home to roost and British people will suffer for some time because of it.

Building proper station buildings, extending the over-pass and/or underpass, and platform lengthening and straightening works are absolutely essential if CJ is to be brought up to standard and fit to cope with the future expansion of passanger numbers. It is insulting to suggest that these are the responsibility of the Council or part of any wider regeneration agenda. The responsibility falls squarely on Network Rail, and any scheme to address these issues should clearly be NR led.

I am also horrified to hear that the £20 million allocated for lengthening and straightening works has been withdrawn. this leaves the station some £15million WORSE OFF than when Lord Adonis announced the emergency funding. To think that overcrowding issues will be solved by extending the canopies so that folks won’t all stand in the same place when it is raining is laughable.

I think some more lobbying of Lord Adonis and others is urgently needed.

Kate