Forum topic: New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
Kaye Castanheira
20 Oct 2016 09:41 2337
- Kaye Castanheira
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New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
Kaye Castanheira
20 Oct 2016 10:44 2338
- Kaye Castanheira
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New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
Kaye Castanheira
23 Oct 2016 23:57 2349
- Kaye Castanheira
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New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
Karl Brown
24 Oct 2016 16:57 2350
- Karl Brown
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I'll certainly not quibble about the potential of our area and the voluntary effort to pick it up versus many areas of current weakness (mess) but would say amongst other things:
- the high street (A105) work did start earlier this month; it just happens to be further up in the N21 area at this stage. Our time will come shortly;
- the local Councillors (and Civic Centre officers) are not bad people - try and meet them. They have an ever increasing set of demands from younger kids to growing numbers of oldies as well as infrastructure aspects such as streets and parks and ... and more and all to be satisfied from a massively reduced budget, far and away the most of which comes from the government (our taxes) rather than local Council Taxes. That's what the majority voted for we shouldn't forget.
- there's a lot we can do for ourselves: you mention ugly shops, perhaps nag the shopkeepers to improve window displays, paint, add plants, whatever.
On the positive side we have a great base - see the choice by London Play of Palmers Green above all other areas of London as their location for the "Play Quarters" pilot based on our community strength. That really is a huge vote in what we have and can do. So maybe think how you can use your energy, passion and care for PG effectively to generate more such votes of confidence
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New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
Kaye Castanheira
29 Oct 2016 01:34 2357
- Kaye Castanheira
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"Neglected Palmers Green Town!"
I feel very passionate about the place my sister and I were born and bread, it once had a sparkling quirky uplifting village feel to it with beautiful looking shops on the outside and with beautiful items displayed on their shop window. shops were also painted with flourishing hanging baskets which showed pride, looking at the area now it makes me feel very distressed about the dreary outlook of the area, due to the non-motivated shop keepers who do not give a damn about the area and do not care to spruce up their messy boring window shop displays to create a inviting shop on the outside to draw in customers, as I get the feeling all they think about is just making money and stuff the community and the customers, there is no warm community feel anymore as mind sets have changed for the worse, as shop keepers I feel do not want to spend money nor do they care what their customers would like to see and want, there is alot of shopkeepers in the area that do not smile and give no eye contact to the customers and I and my family have experienced terrible attitude including answer back to customers from which I have experienced over the years which makes my blood boil! and find it very disturbing if they are not personable they should not be working with the public! so hopefully if and when Enfield Council do go-ahead with their promised changes of the area then we might see a positive shift in a change from rude shopkeepers leaving the area and to make way for sophistication, happy and nice shopkeepers who would make a difference to the area and to the community, friendliness and enthusiasm would not go a miss!! A shop should be treated like a child u put all yr heart & soul into it to produce a beautiful flower! if u care about something u must give it a 110% otherwise hit the road Jack!!
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New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
David Hughes
29 Oct 2016 22:57 2358
- David Hughes
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In this context I call to mind the strategies of towns and cities famous for attracting tourists. Good design of shop fronts, trees and seating, scrupulous cleaning of shops and shop surrounds, and of course all the welcome Kaye expects. But there is something else: shop front designs need to be in harmony with each other in order to enhance the visual experience of streets as whole, and create the idea of a place with purpose. Currently the best you an say is that Palmers Green High Street, and it's off-putting shop fronts, is a discordant jumble. People will not make an effort to come unless the experience is worth the effort however many coffee shops there are.
Whilst thinking of discordant jumbles take an honest look at the cars scattered along the kerbs. Not a pretty sight, and probably not necessary given that there is a large car park not far away, but then as a nation we are beginning to lose the ability to walk more than 10 metres.................................or cycle anywhere. Which is one of many reasons why the council's cycling policy is so essential to a pleasant and healthy future.
And finally on the physical appearance of the town, there are the Fort Knox steel shutters which make the town such an unwelcoming place after dark. I understand the need, but cheap and fortress-like is not best for business. There are much better designs which don't repel, and add light as dusk falls. Here the lesson remains the same: if you want to attract people to Palmers Green to spend their money make the town as pleasant as possible
Kay you've brought a key issue to the fore. The town needs your energy and straight talking. Well done! And let's hope we hear from the shopkeepers.
And here's a postscript: Palmers Green is blessed with some really nice red brick buildings; the town has so many good points. And some of the best of those points are the buildings which frame the The Triangle which is the heart of the town. I hope that the final designs for that space do it justice, and I regret that I've not been able to participate in discussions. Fingers crossed.
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New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
Colin Younger
30 Oct 2016 15:42 2359
- Colin Younger
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DMD 40
Ground Floor Frontages
Development involving the creation of new, or alterations to existing ground floor frontages outside of designated industrial areas will only be permitted if all of the following criteria are met:
a. The frontage maintains visual interest within the street;
b. The frontages respect the rhythm, style and proportions of the building/group of buildings of which they form a part, avoiding damage to existing pilasters, capitals and other significant features, and where possible reinstating lost features important to the character of the street or building;
c. No more than 10% of the glazed area is obscured at any time, and a window display is included and maintained at all times to the reasonable satisfaction of the Council. Window displays should be lit at night using dedicated energy efficient fittings;
d. Any security shutters proposed are internally mounted, located behind the fascia and visually permeable; and
e. The street number is displayed within the frontage.
DMD 41
Advertisements
1. Advertisements must be of an appropriate size and type in relation to the premises and to the street scene.
2. Fascia boards must be of a height and depth consistent with the traditional proportions of the building.
3. Proposals for internally illuminated signs, box fascias or projecting box signs are unlikely to be acceptable in conservation areas and will normally be refused elsewhere unless the proposal is slim; recessed into the fascia area; contained between flanking pilasters; or where the proposed advertisement type is a feature of the building upon which it is proposed. Internal illumination of the entire sign will rarely be acceptable. Externally illuminated fascias and bracketed sign boards may offer an acceptable alternative.
4. Within the Area of Special Advert Control and within conservation areas, the size, siting and illumination of new advertisements must protect the special characteristics and overall visual amenity of the relevant designation. Adverts should not become visually dominant, nor result in unnecessary advertisement clutter and must be directly related to activities of the site on which they are displayed.
There may be issues about how much control there should be and how free retailers should be to identify themselves and whether national chains with an expensively created brand image should be limited by local regulation. However, the existing situation is visually unsatisfactory as other have commented.
My view is that some restraint should be actively imposed. It doesn’t seem to me that when shop fronts are changed in the course of business, thus would impose an additional financial burden. It is interesting to note that a number of national chains seem to have toned down their frontages in recent years. However overall we seem to have been the victim of a sort of retailing arms-race with one frontage attempting to out shout another. In other cases, an unthinking use of glass and chrome with solid external shutters faces the public domain.
At least some of the frontages outside the conservation area are receiving some recognition with the proposal to Locally List the frontages on the west side of Green Lanes, but will more happen to support this?
Again repeating what I have said to one relevant councillor,
“There may be echoes of “taste police” in this, and suggestions of “gentrification”, but can it be argued that improving the appearance of a whole shopping area does anything but improve the shopping experience, footfall, and profits? If you doubt this, turn it in on its head and argue that ugly, unattractive areas do increase footfall and profits!”
Colin Younger
Attachment 20141014ShopFrontFINALECSL561Shopfronts12pp(3).pdf not found
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New report on measures relevant to revitalizing Palmers Green
Karl Brown
30 Oct 2016 21:23 2366
- Karl Brown
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The never ending dirge ended in an equivalent shopping area on a non A105 road in Islington. Here there was no roadside parallel parking for the many shops lining both sides despite available width being equivalent to the A105. Visually it gave a totally different impact. Shops looked attractive too, and at a glance, appeared successful.
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