News

Markides Associates are thrilled to hear the news that one of our client’s proposals for a development in the South Wimbledon/Colliers Wood area, north of Merantun Way, was approved by the London Borough of Merton planning committee last week. The proposals are to demolish a series of existing car workshops and introduce a residential development of approximately 60 new homes.

MA's Associate Director Alex Scarratt discusses our current project work in Milton Keynes.

The Draft Strategy

In January 2020, Milton Keynes Council published its Draft Strategy for 2050, setting out their aspirations for how the city could develop within that period. The Draft Strategy identified potential growth locations and measures to support this growth, centred on a principle of the delivery of a network of Mass Rapid Transit that could be accommodated by sharing/transferring some of Milton Keynes generous highway infrastructure. The Draft Strategy also recognised that Milton Keynes influence spreads beyond its metropolitan extent and so included potential development locations within adjacent districts such as South Northamptonshire.

Pending the publication of their Transport Plan later in 2020, Birmingham City Council (BCC) have released an Emergency Transport Plan as an interim document in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The draft Transport Plan was consulted on earlier in 2020 and the Emergency Plan contains the key elements of that draft to support walking, cycling and public transport, to be implemented now when such measures are most needed.

We would like to congratulate our client in achieving planning permission for the redevelopment of 88 Notting Hill Gate. The former financial use will be refurbished as a new restaurant and takeaway. Increasingly, small sites in London can prove difficult where construction and related impacts are a concern. MA were able to meet RB Kensington and Chelsea’s rigorous standards and oversee the statutory consultation required, as well as demonstrate that neither the refurbishment nor the end use would be an issue in highways terms. 

We are pleased to have successfully advised Leo Homes for 38 self-contained residential units at Goodhall Street near Willesden Junction in Ealing. Highways. Our work included ensuring that a functional service bay was retained on-street to serve the new flats and existing residents without blocking through traffic, and proposals  have been made for enhancements to the junction to improve pedestrian priority and safety.

Markides Associates are pleased to have successfully advised SN Developments with DGA and Montagu Evans for 351sqm of flexible uses classes (Class A1, A2, B1, D1, D2) on ground floor and 133 residential units. Highways work was complex, as the site has a coordinated access with Ailsa Wharf to the north. The long-term development of the riverside also needed to be considered, including safeguarding land for a potential footbridge across the River Lea.  

We are pleased to have assisted our client in gaining approval for the redevelopment of their commercial site in the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area to provide 253 residential units located above 3,500sqm of industrial floor space.

The English National Opera has announced plans to hold drive-in performances at Alexandra Palace in north London in a bold move to enable access to entertainment whilst maintaining social distancing. Could this be symptomatic of the next wave of change in travel behaviour post-lockdown?

Will car-friendly amenities make a comeback, such as drive-in cinemas and the drive-in restaurants of the 1950's, with wait staff on roller skates?  What’s next? Drive-through supermarkets or maybe even drive-in sports stadia?

The target of achieving ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is looming over every policy decision the government now takes. On March 26^th, a consultation document that provides a fascinating insight into the future direction of transport policy was launched by the Department for Transport: “Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge” (DfT 03/2020).

Markides Associates were instructed by Tesco Ltd. to carry out research and surveys at six Tesco stores to show the importance of the weekly / fortnightly main food shop to store income.