LEWISHAM/SYDENHAM SHOP DESIGN GUIDELINES

leenewham · Post by **leenewham** » 16 Oct 2009 17:32

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/Environment/ ... nGuide.htm

And they are good.

Why are these not implemented in the high street?

MAIN POINTS ARE:
Fascia signs, blinds, awnings and other external features, such as ‘A’ boards and pavement signs, may require advertisement consent. Illuminated signs WILL require advertisement consent.

Owners/occupiers should seek design advice from the Design and Conservation Team

Enforcement action will be taken against unauthorised shop fronts installed without planning permission.

Solid external security shutters of the metal roller type, which obscure shop fronts, will not be acceptable.

Highly reflective and brightly coloured plastic signs are inappropriate for conservation areas.

Dutch blinds are not acceptable in a historic location. (these are the rounded once that look like a pram hood).

A shop front should not be designed in isolation but considered as part of the architectural composition of the building.

• Why do we have so many estate agent boards cluttering up the fronts of shops in the high street?

• Why have shops recently been allowed to open shops with illuminated signs and full blinds?

• Why have shops been allowed to change their wooden shop fronts that the leaflet encourages to a bog standard ugly metal one?

• Just what is the point in having these guidelines if no-one bloody knows about them or they are not enforced?

OK, rant over.

poppy · Post by **poppy** » 19 Oct 2009 12:11

I know it is so annoying isn't Lee! Not worth the paper they are written on etc, etc

For what it is worth, maybe this should be raised at a Sydenham Assembly or similar meeting.

Maybe a special meeting is required with the town centre manager and those she reports to at the council to thrash out why these guidelines are not being met.

Wispy Wonder · Post by **Wispy Wonder** » 19 Oct 2009 12:55

Is the High St in a conservation area? It should be, and if so, maybe the council can also do something about all the ugly satellite dishes that are springing up all over the facades - they're an eyesore.

W Wonder

Ulysses · Post by **Ulysses** » 19 Oct 2009 13:05

I think that the 'true' High St, as in the red-brick buildings on Kirkdale that house Avalon and Alhambra are part of the conservation area that also takes in Halifax Street and I believe Mount Ash Road/Mount Gardens . I don't know if this conservation area covers Panmure Rd, Kelvin and Fransfield Groves?

Anyway, yes, satellite dishes shouldn't be seen if this is so.

leenewham · Post by **leenewham** » 19 Oct 2009 14:02

And the estate agents boards.

I think the people wanting to rent out a shop should be made to do something like this instead:

http://whatifsydenham.wordpress.com/200 ... like-this/

The council should ban estate agents boards.

chrisj1948 · Post by **chrisj1948** » 19 Oct 2009 22:20

• Why do we have so many estate agent boards cluttering up the fronts of shops in the high street?

For me the boards are the greatest eyesores on Sydenham Road. They destroy the continuity of the facade of the buildings on the north side of the street, which would otherwise be quite impressive despite the shop fronts.

Regards
Chris

leenewham · Post by **leenewham** » 20 Oct 2009 09:06

Anyone know of who we should contact (at the council or anywhere else) to put pressure on the estate agents to remove the signs once the property has been sold.

Or to get them to have a different way of putting their signs?

I've contacted a number of estate agents and been ignored so far (they must be very busy!).

Ulysses · Post by **Ulysses** » 20 Oct 2009 09:59

I'd train your attention on our town centre person. At least in the first instance? No doubt you'll be passed on but you should be able to ascertain who is ultimately responsible?

I think I got the wrong High St. I did hear that Sydenham Road was also in a conservation area. If only the bit that flanks the Thorpes? Given the proliferation of terrible windows in the flats above the shops, dishes and boards allied to the horrid frontages of the tat emporiums I'd imagine this has long since ceased to be.

Shame, especially as it's such a handsome road. If you squint and ignore the cars/street furniture/neon and actually look at the buildings - they're beautiful. Although most are fairly ramshackle I oft wonder what could be...

A bit of TLC from the landlords would really go a long way.

leenewham · Post by **leenewham** » 20 Oct 2009 10:04

I've written to Julie Sutch a number of times and never ever had a response. Obviously she is a very busy person.

Ulysses · Post by **Ulysses** » 20 Oct 2009 11:28

I'm talking about thing's I have no idea about. Rather than let that stop me [Admin: feel free to delete my post if nonsensical or repeating covered ground] I did a quick search on the t'internet.

I don't know if the contact details at the end of this document help at all?

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres ... er2007.PDF

Wispy Wonder · Post by **Wispy Wonder** » 20 Oct 2009 12:52

With regards to the estate agent boards, as I understand from my brother-in-law, who is one, they are obliged to take them down under planning law.

Since most of the boards belong to local agents, it would be in their interest if the High st looked better. How about emailing them this thread to invite their responses, and possibly a commitment to clear up their acts? Does anyone have any contact details?

W Wonder

leenewham · Post by **leenewham** » 20 Oct 2009 13:46

eugenio.frisoli@uniplan.co.uk
giovanni.tosone@uniplan.co.uk
Uniplan Estate Agents
15 Sydenham Road
Sydenham London
London SE26 5EX
Telephone: 020 8659 1121
Fax: 020 8659 2434

I wrote to them but no reply. Why don't we just bombard them to get them to think about how they are dragging the area down with these boards!

Lets face it, it's not like estate agents are rushed off their feet at the moment is it?

They have one above Kente.

anyone else?

Trawlerman · Post by **Trawlerman** » 20 Oct 2009 14:35

It's not just the 'boards'...
I have always directed my children's attention to the interesting and varied appearance of our high street ...above the ground floor level...with the different mouldings, turrets etc [This also goes for other local high streets] ...and how this contrasts with the hodge-podge mess we see at ground level.

There is certainly something to be said for an 'aesthetic of place'...The major European cities seem to be more 'coherent' or am I just out of date?
Shop owners and estate agents just seem to be able to 'do their own thing'.

John Betjeman's 'Inexpensive Progress' really did 'hit the nail on the head'.
[He wasn't just a silly old duffer!]

leenewham · Post by **leenewham** » 20 Oct 2009 14:50

Trawlerman, you are spot on.

The high street was once beautiful. Me and my creative better half were approached by a paper to 'what if' another town in Devon which will be published soon (I'll post a link if anyones interested). They still have the original shop fronts but it's so run down it's sad. But they are all rather beautiful. It saddens me when Steve and others post images of the Sydenham Road from years ago. It really was special. Kirkdale has had it soul ripped out by developers and only a few (although rather stunning) original shops remain.

Shame Lewisham aren't implementing these guidelines. It would make a much bigger difference to the high street than any of the road improvements could ever do.

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LEWISHAM/SYDENHAM SHOP DESIGN GUIDELINES

LEWISHAM/SYDENHAM SHOP DESIGN GUIDELINES