Opportunities for Improvement

Following the completion of the Marchmont Parade landscaping and public art project and the Marchmont Community Garden, we turned our attention to two further opportunities for improving our area: (1) Opening Cartwright Gardens to the public. (2) Creating a new public space on the site of the Coram Street 'pit'.

Cartwright Gardens: In 2010 we facilitated negotiations between Camden Council, the University of London (current leaseholder) and The Skinners' Company (freeholder) with a view to Cartwright Gardens transferring to Camden Council, to become a new public open space, following more than two centuries of it being a private garden. These Georgian gardens, which were laid out by James Burton in c.1810, contain 4 tennis courts, which are primarily used by students living in the adjacent University Halls of Residence (link to photo, below). Our aim is to get them upgraded and be opened to the general public. Although an earlier feasibility study confirmed the financial viability of this proposal, the decision to proceed was delayed by a review of Camden's Parks & Open Spaces, which had been precipitated by Government cuts to Council funding. Discussions were back on track following the appointment of Jessica Gibbons as Camden's Head of Parks & Open Spaces. However, the emergence of the University of London's plans to redevelop their student halls along the east side of Cartwright Gardens, has put our plans on hold again. Although we recognise that some local residents are unhappy with the University's plans for the halls, we are pleased to see that the University intends to refurbish the gardens and open them to the public from dawn until dusk, whilst significantly improving pedestrian access to the gardens, including a new footway along the eastern perimeter and raised road surface to slow down vehicles. Subject to the approval of these plans, we will be pressing for the garden works to commence at the same time as the student halls works, to ensure that the gardens are available for use at the earliest opportunity.

Coram Street 'pit': We began a dialogue with Targetfollow Group, previous owners of the sunken garden in Coram Street, which runs along the front of the Holiday Inn hotel, above Fitness First gym (see photo opposite). They had agreed, in principle, to improve the site by raising it to street level, with a view to creating a new public open space. We have approached the new owners, Imperial London Hotels, who have expressed an interest in our plans.

Bernard Street: We are now look to improve the dysfunctional footway in front of 40 Bernard Street, opposite Russell Square station (pictured). Although the footways were extended along this stretch of Bernard Street as recently as 2007/8, the number of pedestrians has multiplied since then, due to a growth in students, tourists, commuters and shoppers visiting the very busy Tesco Express and Pret a Manger retail units, the latter of which has expanded into the adjacent premises, no doubt causing a further increase in footfall. The locality has also become a popular meeting point, for groups of predominantly young visitors. Put simply, there is not enough room on the footway for the number of pedestrians using it and there is too much street clutter obstructing their free passage. We have raised our concerns with Council Officers, but they are currently not inclined to do anything to address the problem. We are continuing to lobby for the footway to be re-designed, with all unecessary street furniture being removed, including the 'redundant' telephone kiosks, which have become nothing more than glorified advertising hoardings. These unsightly eyesores, with their seedy calling cards adorning the inside walls, are a constant blight on the locality and are harmful to the character of the Bloomsbury Conservation Area. They are also a community safety hazard, because it is impossible to see in or out of them due to the advertisements obscuring the windows. If you agree with us, please write to Councillor Phil Jones, Camden's Cabinet Member for Environment: phil.jones@camden.gov.uk

If there are any other sites in the area which you would like to nominate for improvement, please let us know by using the link in any of the 'Get Involved' boxes on this web site.

Additional Info:  

http://www.marchmontassociation.org.uk/photos/russell-ct-garden.jpg
http://www.marchmontassociation.org.uk/photos/cartwright-gardens.jpg
 

Created On 18 December 2010