OPERATIONAL BENEFITS
A RE-IMAGINED HAMMERSMITH TOWN CENTRE
There are two areas of public benefit arising from the work proposed for the flyunder and the gyratory and a redesigned Hammersmith Town Centre. It would create a significant improvement to the environment, and unlock an economic boost to the land released by demolishing the flyover, and that surrounding it.
The public support for the flyunder is very much driven by the opportunity to rebuild public access across Hammersmith Broadway, and to reunite Hammersmith with the river. Relinking the centre, northsouth, and east-west routes are also consistent with the Mayor of London’s Roads Task Force criteria for the future of strategic road improvements.
But there is much public interest in the benefits of new green spaces and new pedestrian access corridors linking the town centre’s key cultural buildings. A new town green would be created to the west of St Paul’s Church. This would also be the focal point of a new walkway linking the Lyric Theatre to the north, and the Eventim Apollo, and on to the river to the south.
In the most ambitious scenarios not only would the flyover be removed, but the road would also be removed from the western side of the gyratory with the eastern side reverting to two-way working. This is dependent on finding an answer to addressing the traffic flow through the gyratory.
It could be possible to increase the size of Furnivall Gardens, but most importantly create a landscaped pedestrian route from there to the town centre and new civic campus (the redeveloped town hall and adjacent site).
The economic opportunity for redevelopment is dealt with in detail in the masterplan (published alongside this feasibility report) and summarised later in this chapter.
The commercial campus created around the Ark and possible portal location would start a long stretch of green space along the current flyover alignment, conceptually known as Riverline Park.
Illustrative view looking west along King Street.
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