Lower Marsh redevelopment - scandal

Does anyone else agree that the Atkins scheme that Lambeth have chosen for the Lower Marsh redevelopment is atrocious and completely innapropriate? Their scheme includes repaving the whole street with multicoloured bricks, installing a laser (!), modern lampposts and black metal mesh cages for the market stalls.
Its a completely naff scheme, that smacks of 90s municipal urban planning.
Their proposal makes no reference to any of the existing shops, instead it focusses on making the road a through route from Wesminster Plaza hotel to the new shopping precinct (Tesco Express etc) planned for the old eurostar terminal. Its a travesty and will destroy one of London's most charming, independent and quirky historical streets. Atkins are a huge commercial company, who specialise in building skyscrapers, mega malls and casinos in Asia and the Middle East. Their plan is totally insensitive to the character of Lower Marsh.

see the Atkins plan here - http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/Environment/Regeneration/LowerMarshRegenerationProject/LowerMarshDesignConceptDisplayBoardsAtkins.htm

I don't see how it can be a through route when it has restricted access with pop up bollards for most of the day?

Not sure about the laser proposal though.

I lived just off Lower Marsh for 5 years. The street desperately need doing up. I agree that the laser seems silly. The paving and lamp post, etc all seem like a good idea.

I presume by through route, you mean for pedestrians? Sounds like a good thing. Especially if they clean up the tunnel. It always used to smell of pss.

I'm not sure what you mean about querky historical character though.
Do you mean you prefer Iceland to Tescos?

Or do you mean the querky historical character who runs the record shop? Best record shop in London by the way - I used to buy music online, but this place shows you why a good record shop is worth having.

Atkins are also behind the new Oxford Circus diagonal crossing, and the new Trafalgar Square and Whitehall streetscape improvements.

I saw the Atkins proposal and concluded, probably wrongly, that Lambeth would not be so stupid as to implement the whole plan. Some bits are good but traffic restrictions are just plain daft. One of the beauties of the street is that traffic is self-regulating because of the nature of the street.

I was sceptical of the Cut upgrade, but I think it has worked quite well, if they did the sensible bits on Lower Marsh they could have the same effect without destroying the character.

hello. by character i mean scooterworks/knittingshop/greensmiths/what the butler wore/ radio days/record shop/ruby marsh/coopers/night and day cafe etc etc Its a unique street in terms of the number of independent shops. also, its a historical street, with some old, trad shopfronts, and retains bags of character despite being run down.

There were four shortlisted proposals. All had to provide a scheme that did the same things - improve access for pedestrians at both ends and new landscaping and street furniture(lampposts/benches/new street paving etc).

My issue is that the Atkins is a bad scheme. Its ugly. The hawkins and Brown proposal suggests an example of how it could be done well. Its not perfect either but is original and in keeping.

the street definitely needs investment. speak to scooterworks and they are desperate for the council to fix the drains. maybe start with that before the laser treatment.