OPPORTUNITY AREAThe council has for some time pursued Opportunity Area* status for Kingston town centre in the new London Plan, which it is expected to achieve in due course. It will provide a planning and infrastructure framework for the Kingston Opportunity Area ( page with map link ). The OAPF (Opportunity Area Planning Framework) will also set out the development and infrastructure costs and revenue streams, together with co-ordinated transport options for the town centre.
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Our concernsThe process is deeply suspicious
We have serious concerns over who or what is driving policy for our built environment. Residents should be at the heart of policy - not developers, business or personal ambition. We have concerns over pressing ahead with Opportunity Area status for large parts of central Kingston. Leading to an unprecedented scale of growth and impact on Kingston - which no-one appears to know about. Nor are the implications known. The public has not been consulted, nor is it represented in the decision-making process such as on the Strategic Growth Board. *Opportunity areas : "...are the capital’s major reservoir of brownfield land with significant capacity to accommodate new housing, commercial and other development linked to existing or potential improvements to public transport accessibility. Typically they can accommodate at least 5,000 jobs or 2,500 new homes or a combination of the two, along with other supporting facilities and infrastructure". The Mayor expects Opportunity areas, and to a lesser extent Intensification areas "to make particularly significant contributions towards meeting London’s housing needs". |
Page updated Jun 2015
