http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=4907
quote

Olympia to be remodelled in Overground property plan
Filed 24/04/08

Transport for London has appointed commercial property consultancy
Lambert Smith Hampton to manage property at stations across the London
Overground network.

The two-year contract makes LSH responsible for providing portfolio
management services across 50 stations on the North London, West
London, Gospel Oak to Barking and the Euston to Watford lines. TfL
intends to spend more than £1.4m over the next four years refurbishing
stations and increasing the number of on-site retailers to bankroll
further investment.

Plans include letting the large existing station building at
Kensington Olympia station to a retailer and constructing new
passenger facilities on a smaller site nearby.

Control of London Overground rail services, formerly branded
Silverlink Metro, was transferred by the government to the Mayor of
London, and hence TfL, in November last year.

Geoff Smith, a director in LSH’s transport team based in London, said:
“The former Silverlink Metro service did not take full advantage of
the retail opportunities available on its network. With the help of
TfL’s £1.4bn investment programme, LSH will develop these sites into
state-of-the-art facilities.

“Our aim is to encourage potential tenants to sign-up during the early
stages of the investment programme, with the incentive of the
potential growth once it is complete.”

Last week managing director of TfL London Rail, Ian Brown, said: "All
London Overground stations will upgraded and refurbished by 2010 and
some will be remodelled depending on funding availability."
unquote

Is that it - letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds – why not use the air rights over the station to build
a substantial high rise complex – office, retail, housing ala Dalston
Junction and use the profits to have decent station facilities. If
there was enough of a profit- TfL or Network Rail could reinvest to
electrify the GOBLIN Route thereby making the Overground all
electric.

On 24 Apr, 15:09, Mwmbwls wrote:
Is that it *- letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds – why not use the air rights over the station to build
a substantial high rise complex – office, retail, housing ala Dalston
Junction and use the profits to have decent station facilities.

Probably best to read the press release TB is repeating:
http://www.lsh.co.uk/pages/news_deta...1&q=overground

"New stations are also proposed including one at Kensington and
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing station let to a
retailer following the development of a new smaller station."

I think they're referring to letting out the land rather than just the
building - which is just a small scruffy single storey concrete thing
isn't it?

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

On 24 Apr, 15:17, Mr Thant
wrote:
On 24 Apr, 15:09, Mwmbwls wrote:

Is that it *- letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds – why not use the air rights over the station to build
a substantial high rise complex – office, retail, housing ala Dalston
Junction and use the profits to have decent station facilities.

Probably best to read the press release TB is repeating:http://www.lsh.co.uk/pages/news_deta...1&q=overground

"New stations are also proposed including one at Kensington and
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing station let to a
retailer following the development of a new smaller station."

I think they're referring to letting out the land rather than just the
building - which is just a small scruffy single storey concrete thing
isn't it?

So, new facilities based on the number of people who currently go
there attracted by services which are about to be withdrawn.

Nearly as bizarre as demolishing Camden in order to accommodate the
number of people who go to Camden to visit the things that are being
demolished.

On 24 Apr, 15:29, MIG wrote:

On 24 Apr, 15:17, Mr Thant
wrote:

On 24 Apr, 15:09, Mwmbwls wrote:

Is that it - letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds – why not use the air rights over the station to build
a substantial high rise complex – office, retail, housing ala Dalston
Junction and use the profits to have decent station facilities.

Probably best to read the press release TB is repeating:
http://www.lsh.co.uk/pages/news_deta...1&q=overground

"New stations are also proposed including one at Kensington and
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing station let to a
retailer following the development of a new smaller station."

I think they're referring to letting out the land rather than just the
building - which is just a small scruffy single storey concrete thing
isn't it?

So, new facilities based on the number of people who currently go
there attracted by services which are about to be withdrawn.


You're referring to the withdrawal of direct services from KO to
Gatwick, which I do think is a great shame but the argument put
forward strongly by the RUS is that they simply weren't the best use
of scarce capacity.

However the plan is for there to be both *more* LO trains between
Clapham and Willesden Junctions, and also *more* Southern services
from Watford Jn to, er, South Croydon was it (I think the RUS proposes
making these half-hourly).

So despite the withdrawal of Gatwick trains Olympia is still set to
get busier. Lots and lots of people are attracted there by the local
services.


Nearly as bizarre as demolishing Camden in order to accommodate the
number of people who go to Camden to visit the things that are being
demolished.


Whilst I absolutely understand where you're coming from, the plan
doesn't involve "demolishing Camden", it just doesn't.

On 24 Apr, 15:48, Mizter T wrote:
On 24 Apr, 15:29, MIG wrote:





On 24 Apr, 15:17, Mr Thant
wrote:

On 24 Apr, 15:09, Mwmbwls wrote:

Is that it *- letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds – why not use the air rights over the station to build
a substantial high rise complex – office, retail, housing ala Dalston
Junction and use the profits to have decent station facilities.

Probably best to read the press release TB is repeating:
http://www.lsh.co.uk/pages/news_deta...1&q=overground

"New stations are also proposed including one at Kensington and
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing station let to a
retailer following the development of a new smaller station."

I think they're referring to letting out the land rather than just the
building - which is just a small scruffy single storey concrete thing
isn't it?

So, new facilities based on the number of people who currently go
there attracted by services which are about to be withdrawn.

You're referring to the withdrawal of direct services from KO to
Gatwick, which I do think is a great shame but the argument put
forward strongly by the RUS is that they simply weren't the best use
of scarce capacity.

However the plan is for there to be both *more* LO trains between
Clapham and Willesden Junctions, and also *more* Southern services
from Watford Jn to, er, South Croydon was it (I think the RUS proposes
making these half-hourly).

So despite the withdrawal of Gatwick trains Olympia is still set to
get busier. Lots and lots of people are attracted there by the local
services.



Nearly as bizarre as demolishing Camden in order to accommodate the
number of people who go to Camden to visit the things that are being
demolished.

Whilst I absolutely understand where you're coming from, the plan
doesn't involve "demolishing Camden", it just doesn't.


Poetic licence, but the points are ... points.

On 24 Apr, 16:19, MIG wrote:

On 24 Apr, 15:48, Mizter T wrote:

On 24 Apr, 15:29, MIG wrote:

(big snip)

Nearly as bizarre as demolishing Camden in order to accommodate the
number of people who go to Camden to visit the things that are being
demolished.

Whilst I absolutely understand where you're coming from, the plan
doesn't involve "demolishing Camden", it just doesn't.

Poetic licence, but the points are ... points.


Understood. TBH I haven't properly got my head round the plans for
Camden Town yet, but whilst my initial thoughts were along the lines
of yours, I've since come to the understanding that they are not in
fact that radical. It probably deserves a separate thread on utl
sometime soon.

I absolutely give you credit for putting such viewpoints forward
forcefully, as on these newsgroups there are many who are of the 'just
knock-it down school' if something gets in the way of new transport
infrastructure. That said, I'm also not of the 'preserve everything'
school of thinking. Indeed sometimes the knee-jerk reaction that x,y
or z development is going to obliterate everything simply isn't backed
up on closer scrutiny of the plans (and I think the Camden Town
redevelopment might fall into that category).

All that said, whilst passing through Cutty Sark DLR station and
making illicit use of the lavatorial facilities in the adjacent fast-
food emporium, I was somewhat saddened by all these tourists who had
ventured to Greenwich to see the sights and ended up eating in a
McDonalds or Subway or Ben & Jerry's outlet. As I'm sure you know, the
construction of the DLR station led to the controversial demolition of
a number of older buildings and a new development going up in it's
place, one which houses these outlets and various other distinctly
bland retail offerings. However, all that said I must admit I can't
quite recall anything of particular note of what buildings stood there
beforehand, so I'm left wondering if its demolition really was that
big a loss... or whether my memory just isn't that good!

In message
MIG wrote:

On 24 Apr, 15:17, Mr Thant
wrote:
On 24 Apr, 15:09, Mwmbwls wrote:

Is that it =A0- letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds =96 why not use the air rights over the station to build=

a substantial high rise complex =96 office, retail, housing ala Dalston
Junction and use the profits to have decent station facilities.

Probably best to read the press release TB is repeating:http://www.lsh.co.=
uk/pages/news_detail.asp?id=3D711&q=3Doverground

"New stations are also proposed including one at Kensington and
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing station let to a
retailer following the development of a new smaller station."

I think they're referring to letting out the land rather than just the
building - which is just a small scruffy single storey concrete thing
isn't it?

So, new facilities based on the number of people who currently go
there attracted by services which are about to be withdrawn.


What are you talking about?

--
Graeme Wall
This address is not read, substitute trains for rail.
Transport Miscellany at http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail/index.html

On Apr 24, 6:02*pm, Graeme Wall wrote:
In message
* * * * * MIG wrote:





On 24 Apr, 15:17, Mr Thant
wrote:
On 24 Apr, 15:09, Mwmbwls wrote:

Is that it =A0- letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds =96 why not use the air rights over the station to build=

a substantial high rise complex =96 office, retail, housing ala Dalston
Junction and use the profits to have decent station facilities.

Probably best to read the press release TB is repeating:http://www.lsh..co.=
uk/pages/news_detail.asp?id=3D711&q=3Doverground

"New stations are also proposed including one at Kensington and
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing station let to a
retailer following the development of a new smaller station."

I think they're referring to letting out the land rather than just the
building - which is just a small scruffy single storey concrete thing
isn't it?

So, new facilities based on the number of people who currently go
there attracted by services which are about to be withdrawn.

What are you talking about?

Curtailment of services to Gatwick and Brighton in one direction.
It's true that one can still change at East Croydon, but with luggage
direct services are attractive.

Reduction in stops at Watford to the north in the other direction. I
happen to have recent experience of services in both directions being
very useful and making Olympia attractive.

Mr Thant wrote:
On 24 Apr, 15:09, Mwmbwls wrote:
Is that it - letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds – why not use the air rights over the station to
build a substantial high rise complex – office, retail, housing ala
Dalston Junction and use the profits to have decent station
facilities.

Probably best to read the press release TB is repeating:
http://www.lsh.co.uk/pages/news_deta...1&q=overground

"New stations are also proposed including one at Kensington and
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing station let to a
retailer following the development of a new smaller station."


I think a more accurate interpretation might be:

"New station buildings are also proposed including one at Kensington
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing building to a retailer
following the development of a new smaller ticket office."

I suspect air rights here would be objected to by owners of the existing
terraced properties along the east side of the railway?

Paul S

On 24 Apr, 16:01, "Paul Scott" wrote:

Mr Thant wrote:

On 24 Apr, 15:09, Mwmbwls wrote:
Is that it - letting the station building to a retailer and build a
couple of sheds – why not use the air rights over the station to
build a substantial high rise complex – office, retail, housing ala
Dalston Junction and use the profits to have decent station
facilities.

Probably best to read the press release TB is repeating:
http://www.lsh.co.uk/pages/news_deta...1&q=overground

"New stations are also proposed including one at Kensington and
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing station let to a
retailer following the development of a new smaller station."

I think a more accurate interpretation might be:

"New station buildings are also proposed including one at Kensington
Olympia, where there are plans to let the existing building to a retailer
following the development of a new smaller ticket office."

That's how I read it.

However, as nice as it is, the current spacious booking hall and
waiting lounge is completely underused, somewhat hidden away and
little known about. It's also on the wrong side of the tracks for
Gatwick-bound pax. A smaller but more obvious ticket office would be
welcome - untold times, whilst waiting for a train at KO, I've
directed ticketless passengers struggling with the ticket machines
towards the invisible ticket office.


I suspect air rights here would be objected to by owners of the existing
terraced properties along the east side of the railway?


For a great many reasons I very much doubt it's on the agenda, and
that is surely one of them.