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£80m ‘living bridge’ planned for Thames
Katharine Barney05.05.09
Plans for a new bridge across the Thames lined with shops and homes - similar to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence - are being drawn up by Boris Johnson.
The Mayor has revived proposals originally put forward in the Nineties. The original plans were by French architect Antoine Grumbach, who won a competition by the Royal Academy to design a habitable bridge and proposed building it between Waterloo and Blackfriars.
However when Labour came into power in 1997 the plans were dropped, although some of the details were taken into account when the Millennium Bridge was constructed. It is likely a different location will be sought.
Mr Johnson has regularly spoken of the need for a new crossing east of Tower Bridge and has asked advisers to investigate the possibility of building between Greenwich and Silvertown in the Royal Docks.
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This is despite scrapping plans for a Thames gateway bridge which he claimed were unfunded and would by environmentally unfriendly.
Mr Johnson has said the £80million cost of building a "living bridge" could be found from the sale of properties on it.
A spokesman for the Mayor said: "As shown in the Mayor's review of the London Plan this week, he has high ambitions to improve the urban realm and quality of life by creating a more iconic and beautiful capital city with visionary architecture 20 years from now.
"His policy director is exploring how a bridge with a residential and commercial element, an idea that was put forward in the Nineties, could be part of that vision."
The idea would face tough scrutiny from interested parties including the Government, English Heritage and local authorities.
The original plans were backed by business lobby group London First but a spokesman said they had not been consulted over the dusting-off of the old design.
A spokesman said: "At the time our position was very much in favour and in theory that has not changed. However since the building of the Millennium Bridge we would much prefer to see one east of Tower Bridge."
Mr Grumbach's designs had the bridge suspended from twin 35-storey towers on the north side of the river, containing flats with views over the city.
It would be the first time London had a bridge with residential and commercial properties in 178 years - since the buildings on London Bridge were torn down.
The medieval London Bridge, completed in 1209 in the reign of King John, contained dozens of packed-in houses and shops but as the bridge became further developed congestion meant crossings could take more than an hour.
Mr Grumbach's plans featured lifts, staircases and escalators to gain access to the bridge, including from water level.
Called Garden Bridge, it also included proposals for hedge, trees and greenhouses, alongside spaces for live concerts and a "topiary café".
Reader views (9)
What London especially East London together with Essex and Kent is the Thames Gateway Bridge!!
The last time people lived on a London Bridge - "LOndon Bridge" the thames froze over. I suppose Boris wants this to happen for a photo opportunity.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Exactly Glondon! Why do we need yet another bridge near Waterloo? That stretch of the river is packed with bridges already. Boris completely ignores east London by binning the Thames Gateway bridge set up by his predecessor. There is no way to cross the river east of Tower Bridge unless you walk through the Greenwich tunnel or drive through the Blackwall Tunnel. This is yet another project for property developers and big business which Boris favours, rather than something useful for Londoners
- Mcw, London
Top idea, although maybe would be better nearer docklands as there's enough bridges around the middle already!
- Norm, London
Fine, just as long as neither of the boring duo of architects Rogers or Foster are involved.
- Felicity, london
Go to Bath and see Pultney Bridge and "The Bridge" of Frome in Somerset both of which have shops and other commercial properties on them.
- Paul, Frome, England
Similar to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence? And similar to how bridges used to be in London. In Medieval times, I think. I read it in Peter Ackroyd's book London the Biography.
- D Woodstock, London
Why do we need a bridge at this point on the Thames? Its a private developers gain for a Boris 'grand project'
- Glondon, uk
Excellent work Boris. This is the sort of long term vision that London lacked under the previous Mayor.
- Peter, Chelsea
Lets hope the new bridge doesn't wobble like the last one.
- Mickyinlondon, london
