• THE draft construction management plan (CMP) for the redevelopment of 247 Tottenham Court Road is out for consultation.

Bloomsbury Residents’ Action Group submitted an objection, principally due to the decision to route construction traffic through streets where there are important heritage assets, and where people live, purely to avoid any use of Tottenham Court Road. The “untouchable” status of this street seems absurd.

Weighing the pros and cons, TCR is obviously the best route to use for HGVs; and we have been advised that it was the contractor’s initial choice. The road is sufficiently wide, there are fewer heritage assets, and fewer permanent residents.

The review of routes in the draft CMP states that, in Camden’s opinion, using TCR is “not viable”. The reason given is because it compromises West End Project traffic restrictions and public realm enhancements.

The West End Project scheme was approved in 2015, work started in 2018, and three years later, in 2021, the planning committee approved the 247 TCR scheme.

Was the potential impact on Bedford Square discussed properly at the committee meeting? If not why not?

Why give planning permission for this development when the actual construction of the building would prove to be so problematic?

Camden’s refusal to contemplate any use of TCR for the construction traffic will have potentially serious implications.

The site lies within the Bloomsbury Conservation Area. The unique listed buildings in Bedford Square will inevitably suffer from the impact of so many lorry movements.

Those who live in the streets nearby (for example, Bedford Avenue) will suffer from excessive noise, pollution, and inconvenience. Even on a Saturday morning. There’s a school in Bedford Square. Cyclists regularly criss-cross the whole neighbourhood, not just TCR.

When confronted by common sense, the decision not to use TCR demonstrates an inexplicable stubbornness.

Surely the need to protect and preserve the only intact Georgian Square in London identifies this as a special case.

We understand the benefits of the West End Project but suggest there could be a compromise whereby some of the very heavy construction traffic could be permitted to use TCR at certain times, with the assistance of traffic marshals to protect the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.

The report for the West End Project that was presented to cabinet in January 2014 stated: “While the overall benefits delivered by the project are significant, it is inevitable in the sharing of the limited street space between uses that there will need to be compromises.”

A compromise is needed now.

DEBBIE RADCLIFFE
Bloomsbury Residents’ Action Group