Sunday 27 January 2008

Borough Market viaduct route

I was in Borough yesterday and noticed this building, the Hop Exchange, immediately to the south of the existing Borough Market viaduct. As we all know, Network Rail are planning to build a new viaduct to the south of the existing one for Thameslink 2000, but I couldn't believe they were ballsy enough to propose demolishing a building like this.

Turns out they aren't. I couldn't find plans in any of the usual places, but the Save Borough Market campaign has some. The route swings to the north at its west end just in time to avoid affecting the Hop Exchange. Extra tracks will be built north of the existing viaduct instead, cutting off the westward connection from Cannon Street (off the top of the diagram) to Charing Cross.

This plan shows what will be affected. From right to left:

  • The 3 highlighted terraces to the right will be completely demolished.
  • The big green blob in the middle is it cutting through the roof of Borough Market.
  • Across Stoney St, the Wheatsheaf pub will have its top storey removed.
  • The buildings on the south side of Park Street will lose their rear extensions (not highlighted)
For a more detailed description, see this document from page 28 onwards.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

They want to demolish this:

http://thameslink.members.beeb.net/green%20dragon%20court.jpg

(If it looks familiar, you'll have seen it in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone)

and they want to replace it with this:

http://thameslink.members.beeb.net/prop4-000.jpg

Here's the petition to oppose it:

http://www.petitiononline.com/sabmac2/petition.html

Anonymous said...

Network Rail has just issued a compulsory purchase order for the Hop Exchange:

The Transport and Works Act 1992

The Transport and Works (Applications and Objections Procedure)

(England and Wales) Rules 2006

PROPOSED NETWORK RAIL (THAMESLINK)

(LAND ACQUISITION) ORDER NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR AN ORDER

Network Rail infrastructure Limited ("Network Rail"} are applying to the Secretary of State for Transport under section 6 of the Transport and Works Act 1992, for the above-mentioned Order under sections l and 5 of that Act

The draft Order makes provision for the compulsory acquisition by Network Rail of land and the interests in land being the Hop Exchange and certain adjoining plots in the London Borough of Southwark.

The land referred to above is required for the purposes of constructing and maintaining Works Nos.10 and 13 (railways and viaducts} which were authorised by the Network Rail (Thameslink 2000) Order 2006.

The application is not to be made subject to an environmental impact assessment.

A copy of the application, and of the land plans and other documents submitted with it may be inspected free of charge between 23 January 2008 and 5 March 2008 at all reasonable hours and may be obtained at the offices of Network Rail, Thameslink Programme, Hop Exchange, 24 Southwark Street London SE1 1TY.

Any objections to, or other representations about, the proposals in the application should be sent to the Secretary of State for Transport c/o Department for Transport, TWA Orders Unit, Zone 9/09, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DT on or before 5 March 2008. An objection or representation MUST (i) be received by the Secretary of State on or before 5 March 2008, (ii) be made in writing, (iii) state the grounds of the objection or representation, (iv) indicate who is making the objection or representation, and (v) give an address to which correspondence relating to the objection or representation may be sent The Secretary of State may make complete copies of the objections and other representations public, including any persona! information contained in them and will copy them to the applicant for the Order.



EVERSHEDS LLP

Senator House

85 Queen Victoria Street

London EC4V4JL

Solicitors and Parliamentary Agents.

17 January 2008

HAZEL WALKER

Network Rail Infrastructure

Limited

40 Melton Street

London NW1 2EE

Group Company Secretary

Anonymous said...

I'm for the Thameslink 2000 proposals.

Maybe I should set up a petition to support the demolition of the required buildings to make it happen.

Anonymous said...

Where can I sign if I want them to speed up this development work?

Anonymous said...

Where can I sign to support the incarceration of soulless cretins that support the demolition of stuff like this?