Knighton Park Road

[The Clown]

That’s great as people tend to walk to Yoga.
The plot at Gfloor isn’t good for planned residential anyway, as it is right on the corner; this is really the best outcome that could be expected for the space created.
Good news, and I would recommend supporting them if maintaining this quiet use is important to you.
Yoga is good for you.

[John H]

I think it was obvious it was never going to be let as a real shop.

I wonder where they will house the changing rooms and showers...

[Merpington Mum]

I live close and love yoga, so I for one am pretty pleased about it!

[RJM]

It's also good to have more stuff down towards that end of Sydenham Road! I'm not really a Yoga fan myself but it's a big appeal for a lot of people and will encourage footfall.

[John H]

It would appear that all the flats have been dedicated to "social housing"... hence balconies festooned with hanging clothes and various items of rubbish. (Not that this is typical of all residents of social housing). The two terraced houses have not sold or been let.

[RJM]

It would appear that all the flats have been dedicated to "social housing"... hence balconies festooned with hanging clothes and various items of rubbish. (Not that this is typical of all residents of social housing). The two terraced houses have not sold or been let.

I work next to a new tower of very expensive flats with "Winter gardens" (balconies). Most of them have washing drying there, and if they don't it's because it's being used for additional storage.

[monkeyarms]

It would appear that all the flats have been dedicated to "social housing"

That's good news; London needs more and many developers do their utmost to wriggle out of providing it.

[John H]

It would appear that all the flats have been dedicated to "social housing"... hence balconies festooned with hanging clothes and various items of rubbish. (Not that this is typical of all residents of social housing). The two terraced houses have not sold or been let.

I work next to a new tower of very expensive flats with "Winter gardens" (balconies). Most of them have washing drying there, and if they don't it's because it's being used for additional storage.

The purpose of that space is to provide an escape in the event of fire.

[Dom Johnston]

It would appear that all the flats have been dedicated to "social housing"... hence balconies festooned with hanging clothes and various items of rubbish. (Not that this is typical of all residents of social housing). The two terraced houses have not sold or been let.

I work next to a new tower of very expensive flats with "Winter gardens" (balconies). Most of them have washing drying there, and if they don't it's because it's being used for additional storage.

The purpose of that space is to provide an escape in the event of fire.

Wrong. Balconies are not there to provide an escape in the event of fire.

[monkeyarms]

It simply is not true to say that the 'purpose' of a balcony space is to provide an escape in the event of fire. There are no laws or planning regulations suggesting this.

I've found a few Lewisham and Bromley housing-design recommendation documents via google and can't see anything about fire safety next to provision of balconies; only about provision of outdoor space. Interestingly, the same google search brought up a few instances of post-war housing design in which balconies were provided specifically with the intention of residents being able to use them to dry clothes.

I work for the RIBA and so I'm very familiar with our Approved Document B which provides guidance on fire safety. It does mention balconies and it does, to be fair, suggest that some balconies may be designed to provide an alternative means of escape if other means of escape are compromised. But that is a far cry from saying that that is the purpose of balconies!

[John H]

It simply is not true to say that the 'purpose' of a balcony space is to provide an escape in the event of fire. There are no laws or planning regulations suggesting this.

I've found a few Lewisham and Bromley housing-design recommendation documents via google and can't see anything about fire safety next to provision of balconies; only about provision of outdoor space. Interestingly, the same google search brought up a few instances of post-war housing design in which balconies were provided specifically with the intention of residents being able to use them to dry clothes.

I work for the RIBA and so I'm very familiar with our Approved Document B which provides guidance on fire safety. It does mention balconies and it does, to be fair, suggest that some balconies may be designed to provide an alternative means of escape if other means of escape are compromised. But that is a far cry from saying that that is the purpose of balconies!

It is no longer stated but it is the original reason for them. However the various apparatchniks of the pc brigade think stating the real purpose will cause panic. In the case of this overcrowded building the balconies would be the only means of exit in a fire.

[monkeyarms]

I've heard it all now. Maybe you should retitle this thread 'The Burning Place'.

It's interesting to trace the trajectory of your posts in this thread John, moving through complaints about parking, the aesthetic appearance of the building, that a yoga studio isn't a 'proper shop', some odd query about whether said studio will have showers and changing rooms, a snide comment about 'social housing' and finally bizarre implications that using a balcony to dry ones laundry (as practiced the entire world over) is creating a massive fire risk. It's like 'whack the curmudgeon': every time one point gets knocked on the head, an even sillier one springs up.

[Sydenham Syd]

John does appear to have a harder life than the rest of KPR’s residents.
Curious.

[John H]

I've heard it all now. Maybe you should retitle this thread 'The Burning Place'.

It's interesting to trace the trajectory of your posts in this thread John, moving through complaints about parking, the aesthetic appearance of the building, that a yoga studio isn't a 'proper shop', some odd query about whether said studio will have showers and changing rooms, a snide comment about 'social housing' and finally bizarre implications that using a balcony to dry ones laundry (as practiced the entire world over) is creating a massive fire risk. It's like 'whack the curmudgeon': every time one point gets knocked on the head, an even sillier one springs up.

Equally interesting to note your deliberate spinning of my words (i.e. lying about them).

Nothing snide about making an obvious comment. Such an appearance at the gateway of the street will inevitably result in a reduction in property values. It has nothing to do with the occupants who have been crammed into a most unsuitable building. When it does burn down...I expect you will be rubber necking as you drive by.

[KPR]

I also live in KPR (to state the obvious). To some extent I agree with John - parking can be hard to find at the Sydenham Road end, especially in the daytime on weekdays and sometimes on Saturday. Sundays are usually much easier. This is down to a Hexagon to a great extent - I see them get out of cars wearing their badges - but also people from the other businesses nearby (with the recent addition of two Deliveroo type scooters, not sure the drivers actually live in the street). My solution would be resident parking, which is probably coming anyway given how much Lewisham needs cash. I don’t mind paying - and would support some effort to block off the rat run as people go down KPR at ludicrous speeds sometimes.

Yoga studio is good news I think - though I wonder if there are enough punters to keep them and Dragonfly in business (and the classes in the Sydenham Centre, assuming these are still on).