Chris McCarthy, technical director at the practice, observed that the consent will facilitate huge benefits for the traveling public and the local community, providing step free access, improved passenger flow and a more conducive station environment.
The consent follows several previous studies on the station which have proved either too costly or too difficult to build. This prompted London Underground to appoint the Taylor Woodrow Construction / BAM UK & Ireland JV in 2021 to identify how a more distilled and affordable scheme could be achieved without losing the fundamental requirements of a local community station. Supporting the JV are Emico Ltd services engineers and Ramboll structural engineers with whom Fereday Pollard collaborated closely.
Fereday Pollard’s approach was to establish minimal intervention and work with the existing station complex, whilst meeting projected passenger demand to 2041 + 30%.
The consented scheme will provide a modern and spacious entrance and concourse leading the traveller intuitively towards stairs and lifts serving the two platforms and their onward journey. The overall station development has a coherent and logical form with minimal interface with the existing station. Materials have been carefully chosen to include brickwork and bronze anodised aluminium, a palette that has a resonance with those of the iconic Charles Holden stations designed for London Underground in the 1920s and 30s.