Category Archives: Planning

A difficult problem: Are traffic lights the answer for Culvert Road’s troublesome railway tunnel?

Culvert Road leaves a lot to be desired – a long, narrow tunnel, followed by an isolated and indirect footbridge. We’ve previously written about the unexpectedly interesting history of the place. But it’s a proper traffic headache! It was designed … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Planning, Retail, Transport | 2 Comments

In pictures: Arding & Hobbs at Clapham Junction starts to emerge from the scaffolding

We’ve posted many times about the redevelopment of Clapham Junction’s flagship building, the Arding & Hobbs department store – from the first plans, to updates on the works, and the latest finds in the building as the building work progressed. … Continue reading

Posted in Arding & Hobbs, Business, Planning, Retail | 3 Comments

All change, as the old Tearoom des Artistes on Wandsworth Road is reduced to rubble.

We’ve written before in some detail about the abandoned cluster of buildings at the junction of Wandsworth Road and North Street in Clapham. Once home to the Artesian Well & Lost Society, and before that to the Cafe des Artistes, … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Food & drink, Housing, Local history, Planning | 2 Comments

A rare high-rise industrial building being planned for Havelock terrace

Battersea’s industrial spaces are an endangered species! Developers regularly go scouting around the lesser corners of the Borough looking for anything that looks a bit ‘industrial’, with a view to converting it to new residential development. This can be a … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Housing, Planning, Retail | Leave a comment

Clapham Junction’s Lidl supermarket is growing

We’ve previously reported on the various projects to expand, or replace, Clapham Junction’s Lidl supermarket. It’s a busy shop, being a rare full-range branch in inner London, with car parking and right next to a major train station. Unsurprisingly, it’s … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Planning, Retail | 1 Comment

Controversial but useful – new offices & workspaces coming to Culvert Road in 2024

Local business premises are an important way of ensuring there are readily accessible jobs that don’t involve commuting across the city, but they’re also quite endangered, and always under threat of being converted to flats. That said, there are more … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Environment, Planning, Street by street | 2 Comments

Battersea Park Station: Step-free at last?

Battersea Park railway station just keeps getting busier. It was never a quiet station, thanks to a steady stream of traffic from the Doddington & Rollo flats and the mansions around Battersea park, and some weekend traffic to the park … Continue reading

Posted in Planning, Politics, Transport | 2 Comments

The enduring mystery of Sisters Avenue’s giant blue shed

It’s rare to see a street in Battersea without a construction site somewhere along it. Scaffolding, a slightly muddy pavement, maybe a front garden full of rubble and old timber awaiting collection. More ambitious projects might see the front garden … Continue reading

Posted in Curiosities, Environment, Planning, Street by street | 3 Comments

Battersea’s Rush Hill Road: History of a south London street

Rush Hill Road is a small street leading off Lavender Hill. We’ve dug in to its past, in the latest of our local history posts. No-one knows who first named the area Rush Hill: at some point a field on … Continue reading

Posted in Curiosities, Local history, Planning, Street by street | 7 Comments

In pictures: Wandsworth’s newest Council estate

‘Luxury’ flats are flying up everywhere – but it’s not every day that you see a new estate made up entirely of rental properties owned by, and run by, a local Council. But that’s exactly what has just been completed … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Housing, Planning | 5 Comments