The busy Kender Triangle gyratory system brings traffic noise, pollution and a hostile environment to the heart of New Cross Gate in south-east London. As part of the New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme to regenerate the area, the gyratory will revert to two-way working, creating opportunities for improved streetscape and public spaces including widened footways, new pedestrian and cycle crossings, new paving, and tree planting.

In addition, the NDC is developing a new leisure, community and health facility, which is centred around a new public square. Feilden Clegg Bradley architects has designed the NDC Centre with Grant Associates undertaking the landscape design. The team was selected through an open design competition in 2007.

The proposals for the gyratory removal are based on initial masterplanning work for the wider area carried out by Urban Practitioners. Faber Maunsell is carrying out the design and traffic modeling working with landscape architects Gillespies. Design for London working with London Borough of Lewisham and the NDC have appointed East from the LDA Design Advisor Panel to develop and implement a design for the adjacent Hatcham Park and to provide additional design input for the surrounding public realm.

Detailed design for the gyratory project will be completed in 2009 with the project (funded by Transport for London and the NDC) starting on site in the same year. The first phase of Hatcham Park Improvements began in April 2009. The NDC, which has been granted detailed planning consent, is currently selecting a development partner for the NDC Centre including the new square. The centre is scheduled to open in 2011.

Design for London is represented on the steering group for the gyratory works and act as design advisor for the NDC Centre.

Partners: New Cross Gate New Deal for Communities, London Borough of Lewisham, Transport for London