Open Cycle Map Location
This area is bounded by the Canal to the south, Castlehaven Road and Hawley Road to the north, Kentish Town Road to the east and Camden High Street to the west. There are proposals for extensive mixed development (for example, a school, some residential, retail and industrial) as well as market stalls, restaurants and take way food outlets.
Click here to see the planning application documents
John Duffy (Transport Strategy, LB Camden) has sent me a master plan. as well as another plan showing night time access arangements.
In an earlier consultation on outline planning for Hawley Wharf, we asked for cyclists access between Castlehaven Road via Hawley Street to the towpath. We also suggested a new bridge over the canal for cyclists and pedestrians. Camden’s 2010-14 LIP talks of two-way working in Castlehaven Road and Hawley Road. I made an enquiry on these points and have the following response from John Duffy:
The proposed development would improve the public realm by widening footways within the site and providing new links between Camden High Street and Kentish Town Road, between the towpath and Castlehaven Road, and between the towpath and Hawley Road. However, given that the routes within the site are expected to become very busy, it is intended that these routes are for pedestrian movement only and cyclists would need to dismount when travelling through the site. I attach a copy of the site layout for your information. Whilst the site will be closed to the general public at night, the main routes to and from the canal will remain open.
As part of the development it is proposed that a publicly accessible cycle parking station (with 136 spaces) be provided to accommodate visitors to both the site and the local area. This will be located underneath the viaduct arches and is easily accessible from Kentish Town Road. This is suitably located on the London Cycle Network and is conveniently sited to tie into existing cycle patterns. An additional 350 cycle parking spaces will also be provided throughout the development which, alongside other travel planning measures, will contribute positively to increasing local cycling. The development also proposes to provide a contribution towards the delivery of a Barclays cycle hire docking station within the vicinity of the site
The provision of an additional bridge to connect the site with Hawley Crescent would require significant infrastructure works and costs and involve the demolition of part of the current MTV studios/former TV-am studios. This is third party land and so is outside the ownership of the applicant. The feasibility of providing such a link to modern cycle and disabled accessibility standards is very low.
Camden Council is currently exploring options to improve the Chalk Farm Road/Castlehaven Road and Kentish Town Road/Hawley Road junctions to enable two-way working along Castlehaven Road/Hawley Road, bringing greater connectivity for cyclists and improved crossing facilities for pedestrians.
I trust that this addresses your queries. If you would like to submit formal comments on the application please send them directly to Sara Whelan. The application is due to be heard by the Development Control Committee on 15th March.
Further information from John Duffy (25 Feb)
CCC question: surely cyclists should be able to ride their bikes once free of the stalls area (we already do that along Haven Road) and in theory could do so on Torbay Street. Similarly after market hours, cyclists should be able to ride through these routes.
the routes through the site will become private property, not public highway as Haven Street, Leybourne Road and Torbay street are at present. I have copied this email to the applicants so that they may respond to you directly with regard to your suggestion;
CCC question: I am pleased to hear that as suggested in the 2011-14 LIP, LB Camden is looking at reverting Castlehaven Road – Hawley Road to two-way working. I hope that this will not take too many years as there are severe permeability problems in the area. I heard recently from officers that two-way cycling in Hawley Crescent will be delayed several years due to building work there.
– we are seeking Section 106 contributions from the applicant in respect of re-introducing two-way working to Castlehaven Road-Hawley Road and altering the junctions at Chalk Farm Road and Kentish Town Road. Subject to the planning application being approved and following a study into the effects of making these changes, we would expect that the works could be introduced within the new few years;
CCC question: will the access between towpath and the routes to Haven Street (through Area A) and Torbay Street (through Arches Space) be step free?.
– whilst there are a number of gentle ramps through the market area (with gradients of less than 1 in 20), the routes through the former Haven Street and Torbay Street will be step free. New steps to the canal will be provided near the Chalk Farm Road access;
– unfortunately the developer of the site does not own the triangular shaped scrub land adjacent to the canal tow path – this is owned by the Samuel Smith Old Brewery. Planning permission to construct a pub was granted in June 2006 (reference 2005/0530/P) but this has now lapsed. A renewal application was refused in June last year (reference 2011/1209/P). The proposals included a new ramp from the towpath to Kentish Town Road. Any revised application for this site will need to include a ramp suitable for use by cyclists.
CCC Response
I am writing on behalf of Camden Cycling Campaign, the local borough group of London Cycling Campaign (LCC) in response to the consultation from Camden on the proposed Camden Lock Village Market development. We have approximately 650 members and represent the interests of cyclists living or working in or travelling through the borough of Camden. We consulted our members by email on this issue.
We recognise that the proposed development has potential to improve cycle access between the towpath and the nearby road routes by providing new links between the towpath and Castlehaven Road, and between the towpath and Hawley Road.
We understand that Haven Street, Torbay Street and Leybourne Road will become private roads. We are concerned that these routes should be made suitable for use by cyclists as well as pedestrians. That is, that it will be expected that cyclists will be able to ride their bikes on these routes. Currently cyclists can ride their bikes in Haven Street north of the railway bridge and in the entire length of both Torbay Street and Leybourne Road. These rights should not be taken away from cyclists, particularly in an area where cycle access makes such good sense and where cycling numbers are increasing annually.
We would expect cyclists to have to give way to pedestrians in the shared use areas near to the market stalls, particularly while the market stalls are in use. In current practice cyclists all get off and walk when in those areas – the only practical thing to do. However, we strongly object to signs asking cyclists to ‘Dismount’.
We welcome the proposed provision of a publicly accessible cycle parking station with 136 spaces located underneath the viaduct arches and ask that it should be accessible from Kentish Town Road at all hours. We also welcome the additional 350 cycle parking spaces that will also be provided throughout the development. We encourage the council to insist on a full contribution towards a cycle hire docking station on the border of the site, for example, close to Kentish Town in Hawley Road.
Response to second planning application Sept 2012
I am writing on behalf of Camden Cycling Campaign, the local borough group of London Cycling Campaign (LCC) in response to the consultation from Camden on the planning application for the Hawley Wharf development. Our response is based on discussions we had regarding the previous application.
Our main concerns relate to the following:
– step-free access from the towpath to Kentish Town Road
– two-way working (or contraflow cycling) in Hawley Road–Castlehaven Road
– improved cycle access between the towpath and each of Hawley Road and Castlehaven Road
– the new routes through Haven Street, Torbay Street and Leybourne Road should be made suitable for use by cyclists as well as pedestrians. That is, it will be expected that cyclists will be able to ride their bikes
– we encourage the council to insist on a full contribution towards a cycle hire docking station on the border of the site, for example, close to Kentish Town in Hawley Road
– in the shared use areas: we would expect cyclists to have to give way to pedestrian but we strongly object to signs asking cyclists to ‘Dismount’.
We expect that the following will be provided (as before)
– publicly accessible cycle parking station with 136 spaces located underneath the viaduct arches and ask that it should be accessible from Kentish Town Road at all hours
– an additional 350 cycle parking spaces throughout the development.