Love Wimbledon’s Response to the Final Local Plan
See below Love Wimbledon’s response to the final Local Plan consultation, which aims is to ensure that Wimbledon continues to be a thriving destination for businesses, local residents and visitors.
Although supportive of the essence of the plan on Wimbledon’s economy, jobs, development, investment and growth, we ask that more emphasis is placed on improving the Wimbledon experience in a ‘living with’ Covid-19 world for all visitors whether local or international.
We would like to see included in Wimbledon Town Centre:
- A stronger focus on air quality and traffic improvements within the town centre, particularly for through traffic and delivery bikes
- A clearer focus on climate action in building development, refurbishing rather than rebuilding where possible, supporting commercial retrofits and using the LETI standards with target of zero emissions for future offices/buildings
- Support for improvement of digital inclusion
- A strategy for the station improvements without Crossrail going ahead
- An emphasis on supporting shops, especially independents
- Less of a focus on conference facilities and hotels (unless independent)
- A vision to include an arts centre in the town centre
- A town centre which conserves its historical architectural interest whilst creating high quality developments
- Less of an emphasis on redevelopment but organic improvements
- Improve its experiential reputation as an internationally recognised location with spaces and places which support that
- Clearer vision on how to manage the delivery industry in a green and sustainable way
- Landlord charter to engage with all landlords for the future of the town – share responsibility and curation for the future of the town
- Improve green spaces and places – include reference to the climate emergency plans
- Make sure commercial properties and the town centre provide cycling facilities and accessible pathways for people cycling to and through the town centre, making Wimbledon a cycling-friendly town
- A clear policy for the town centre, including its conservation areas, on shop signage and active frontages including hoardings and unoccupied shops
To find out more about the local plan for Wimbledon, click here.
