Crossrail 2 to destroy Balham Waitrose! Wandsworth Common also at risk

[EldonAve]

In case you haven't heard the latest proposals for Crossrail 2 are for it to come to Balham instead of Tooting

Waitrose in Balham will become a worksite as will the old Job Centre Building/Michelle Louise Hair/Self Storage on Boundaries Road

A shaft will also be built on Wandsworth Common near Honeywell Rd/the duck pond
At present there is no detail on whether there will be shafts on the Common should they choose Tooting instead of Balham

The consultation documents are here

consultations.tfl.gov.uk/crossrail2/october2015

you can also vote/ comment here
www.balhamortooting.org.uk/

www.savewandsworthcommonagain.com/

[EldonAve]

bump

[EldonAve]

gah no one cares about waitrose

[OrangeNoodle]

Noooo! This was my local Waitrose before we moved to Cornwall. More importantly I used to feed the ducks in that duck pond when I was a toddler. So did my own children. It must be saved!

[MimiLaBonq1]

There's a Waitrose in Balham?
Where? Lived there 15 years ago when it was not a likely candidate for a Waitrose.

:)

[OrangeNoodle]

Where the old Safeway used to be mimi. Opposite chadwicks butchers and the entrance to hildreth st market.

[bittapitta]

You need to make your first link clicky - it's the only one that matters as it's the Transport for London one (the other two are local interest groups).

Tooting seems a better choice as it would relieve Northern line congestion further down the line. Balham has national rail already.

[KathyBeale]

Waitrose used to be Safeway. It's next to the library.

I don't live in that part of town any more but I can't for the life of me see why either Tooting or Balham need crossrail. They're both very well connected at the moment.

I work in Soho and the Crossrail work near Oxford St is just crazy. It's so massively, hugely disruptive and frankly I just don't think it will be worth it (my husband and I argue about this all the time - he thinks it's going to be amazing!)

[EldonAve]

//www.consultations.tfl.gov.uk/crossrail2/october2015 don't know why it wasn't clicky before

[lalalonglegs]

God, it's just a bloody supermarket - we're hardly short of them in London. I do think having some better transport infrastructure across London trumps my need to click and collect from John Lewis. (The shaft on the Common is a little more controversial, admittedly, but the size of this seems to be growing exponentially as the story sweeps Between the Commons.)

[EldonAve]

Hi lalalonglegs - just trying to get the news out there!

Lots of people seem unaware.
Until more info is available it's hard to judge the merits of Balham vs Tooting

[MimiLaBonq1]

Didn't Chadwicks use to be under the railway bridge? I remember it was when it opened - what a fab butcher.

Safeway, wow, can't remember going there. Was it near that second hand bookshop? Used to go to Sainsbos. Was Safeway further up the high road?

[MimiLaBonq1]

I have gone and looked on Streetview now. It's really weird seeing how much and how little it has changed.

I loved living in Balham.

[OrangeNoodle]

Yes you're right it did Mimi, I'd forgotten that! Ace butcher, I do miss it. We are spoilt for local meat in Cornwall but I do miss a chadwick's Toulouse sausage!

[lalalonglegs]

Sorry if I was a bit snappy, Eldon, there's just been a lot of pearl-clutching about it in the playground and I think better transport is a Good Thing. I accept Balham already has a tube and train link but it's more about the outlying areas that will benefit than the people of SW11/12 being mildly inconvenienced for a couple of years.

mimi - Chadwicks was under the arches but moved opposite Safeway/Waitrose which is next to the library between Balham Grove and Ramsden Road, you face it as you come to the end of Bedford Hill.

[EldonAve]

Not a problem
There hasn't been much chat in our playground so I wasn't sure how many people are aware

I'm undecided about Balham vs Tooting myself

[MinesaBottle]

Chadwicks are about to open a branch in Tooting

Tooting could do with the economic boost and extra transport infrastructure, it's already rammed at Tooting Broadway tube most mornings. Sometimes I go to Colliers Wood to get a seat and I'm not the only one who does that! On the downside the works would last years and the proposed route goes v close to where we live. Not sure if it would mean demolitions/compulsory purchase which is a bit of a worry.

[EldonAve]

I have heard that Tooting will involve compulsory purchase of residential housing

Not a Chadwick fan myself - chickeney gloves handling the money put me off

[tethersend]

Oh no- does that mean the end for Ian's Artworks?

I worked there for years...


...is it still there?

[EldonAve]

Ian's artworks is still there
It won't be affected as it's further down the road

[Millionprammiles]

Tooting is in greater need of more transport options - the Northern line is at capacity and its only getting busier with no imminent plans to expand it.

Balham benefits from an overground line and (unlike Streatham stations) the trains are frequent as different routes merge through Balham.

Rather than making Balham (even more) unaffordable to live, TfL could make surrounding areas more practicable to commute from and spread housing pressure instead of exacerbating it.

[crossrail02]

Want to know more about Crossrail 2 and Tooting v Balham?
Then have a look at this video

takes 5 mins
then make sure you have your say via the TfL consultation:
consultations.tfl.gov.uk/crossrail2/october2015/consultation/subpage.2015-10-20.7515468221/

[shiny4gud]

I think it was a Kwik Save before Safeway took them over?

I certainly remember the same site used as a car breaker's yard in the 70s surrounded by massive advertising bill-boards. It was a bombed site as I understood. The original foundations and basement outlines were still evident when queued there, once for spare parts. I assume there was a parade of shops that run alongside the Halifax fronting onto Balham High Road?

Cross rail 2 will be a monumental transport link if permission is granted.