Camden Council is proposing to extend the trial “streateries” on Warren Street, Goodge Street and Cleveland Street, and wants to hear local people’s views on the proposals.
“We want our streets to have more safe space for everyone to walk and cycle, for children to get to and from school safely and healthily, for businesses to be able to flourish, to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles and for you to be breathing cleaner air,” says Camden.
But in Fitzrovia most of Camden’s efforts are being directed at improving things for local hospitality businesses.
Where pavements have been widened and car parking has been removed, instead of providing more space for walking, cycling and tree planting, the council is exchanging one form or private use of public space for another.
In places the removal of parking has made it difficult for local businesses to get deliveries. Camden seems to be favouring some types of business, namely hospitality, over others.
Allowing outside eating and drinking is normally subject to planning and licensing permissions. But a fast track system has been allowed by the Business and Planning Act.
Camden says it does recognise “that outdoor dining can lead to noise and disturbance on the street, especially in the later part of the evening,” says a Camden report for Bloomsbury ward councillor and cabinet member Adam Harrison.
Fitzrovia News is aware of a number of concerns raised by local residents about the noise nuisance. However, residents across the neighbourhood have mixed views on the “streateries” with many saying they support the schemes as long as they are not near their own homes and it is someone else’s problem.
“After the consultation, we will carefully consider the responses, alongside other information, to help us in deciding on whether or not to progress the scheme,” says Camden.
Should a decision be made to proceed, Camden would keep the streteries on a “trial” basis, for a maximum 18-month period, under an Experimental Traffic Order (ETO).
If this trial is approved, a further public consultation will be held after around 12 months of the ETO period on whether or not to make the streateries in these locations permanent, says Camden.
Consultation flyers has been sent to all residents and stakeholders in the areas, says Camden. The consultations is now open and you have until 31 October 2021 to comment – share your views: Streatery consultations.