Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment updating the Sub-Committee on a number of live and forthcoming public realm improvement projects and developments in the Queenhithe and Vintry area, and proposing to manage these projects using a programming approach in order to coordinate reporting and updates and ensure that dependencies and risks are managed. Members noted a tabled document detailing amendment to the finance tables as set out in Appendix 5 and the consequent revised recommendation to the report.

The Director of the Built Environment introduced the report and gave Members an overview of each scheme within the programme alongside a short presentation. The projects involved were Mansion House Station environs public realm enhancements, the Queensbridge House Hotel S278, and Globe View Walkway.

With regard to the Mansion House Station environs scheme, a Member asked who would be responsible for maintenance, and associated costs, of the pergola if that option was approved. The acoustic wall proposed in the other option would be valuable as Upper Thames Street was a noisy and busy road, and the Member suggested looking at a way to combine the two options as they both had merits. A Member added that officers should ensure measures were taken to discourage skateboarding in the area.

The Director of the Built Environment responded that maintenance of the pergola was not expected to be burdensome. The plants would take around a year to mature, although faster-growing plants could be used. An irrigation system could also be installed. Officers could look into a solution which combined the acoustic wall with a ‘green screen’, although this might have cost implications, and could take measures against skateboarding.

A Member asked what material would be used for the structure of the pergola as this would have implications, and the Corporation did not want to find itself rebuilding the pergola every ten years. The Director of the Built Environment responded that timber would be used, similar to other structures in the City of London. Whilst they were not permanent, they did last a long time. Metal and lighting could also be incorporated into the structure, but officers would be sure to take maintenance and sustainability into account when agreeing the final scheme.

Members were supportive of option two for the Mansion House Station public realm enhancements and asked officers to look into combining the wall and the pergola options.

RESOLVED – That the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee:

a)    Agree the proposed programming approach which will include joint project Gateway reporting and updates;

b)    Approve funding of £65,000 from TfL Local Implementation Plan (LIP) to progress the Globe View Walkway project to Gateway 4/5;

c)    Approve Option two (‘public realm enhancements of area with pergola structure to boundary’) to develop to Detailed design and Authority to Start work (Gateway 4/5);

d)    Approve the Revised Budget of £113,007 to reach the next gateway to be funded by TfL Local Implementation Plan 2018-19/2019-20, as set out in Table 2.

e)    Approve initiation of the Queensbridge House Hotel S278 project (as set out in Appendix 4) with funding of £57,800 from the developer to reach the next Gateway.