Workshop Redesigns Turnham Green Terrace

Design brief for the road's future to be presented to council

Visualisation of the entrance to Turnham Green Tube station

A report has been published based on a ‘community conversation’ about the design of Turnham Green Terrace.

A workshop was held in November facilitated by Chris Martin and Brian Deegan from the Urban Movement to enable local people to air their ideas and concerns about the road which has been the subject of such controversy recently.

The aim was to collaboratively build a design brief to ensure that changes responded to people’s worries but equally delivered on the ambitions local people have for the area. A key objective was to look at how any new designs could help to support local retailers at a time when many shopping centres are struggling as a result of the pandemic.

The design brief report states, “Turnham Green Terrace should be designed as part of an area-wide strategy to ensure that changes on Turnham Green Terrace do not drive more traffic down other local streets in the area.

“Improvements to Turnham Green Terrace should consider available parking and ensure that parking pricing discourages unnecessary trips but allows access by car for those who need it.”

Bedford Park resident Peter Murray, who coordinated the workshop together with a group of local architects and planners, said, “The report shows how design-led consultation can come up with really positive responses that are deliverable. It is a refreshing change from the febrile, binary debate that has characterised the discussion about traffic ever since the first lockdown in March.”

A video of the workshop can be viewed below.

As a principle the brief considers the removal of parking from the street to be desirable but says that it would need to be relocated even mentioning a multi-story car park as a possible alternative.

Two phases of improvement for the road are shown which are described as suggestions which provide the basis for further discussion rather than a blueprint.

Design brief shows how wider pavements could give more space to pedestrians

A poll was held following the workshop which showed a majority of respondent favoured the idea of Turnham Green Terrace as a City Street which means that while it has a strategic significance as a place in its own right it also has a role in facilitating the movement of traffic.

The first phase of the design makes no mention of access restrictions but does envisage wider pavements, more loading restrictions and two new zebra crossings by the tube station and Chardin Road.


New crossing suggested by Chardin Road

The zebra crossing outside the tube station creates a piazza style space at the entrance but would lead to the loss of the bay for dropping off. Mr Murray says that Wheeler’s business would be unaffected by the proposed changes.

The second phase envisages the rerouting of the E3 through Fisher’s Lane. Mr Murray acknowledges that that would mean the route would have to be changed to single decker operation adding, “The second phase is some way off - it is important that we know that the first phase works first. “

The two phases of change suggested in the Design Brief

It is now suggested that an RIBA Stage 1+2 process is started which will work with the community to co-design a package of measures that deliver on the design brief.

The report is to be sent to Hounslow Council as part of their ongoing Streetspace consultation.

Comments on the designs can be made on the TGT Workshop Facebook page or email them to tgtworkshops@icloud.com.

To have your say on any of Hounslow’s trial Streetspace schemes click on this link or email the transport team on traffic@hounslow.gov.uk.

December 19, 2020