15.07.19
Network Rail to outline business case for Clapham Junction redevelopment
Network Rail have timetabled their plans to publish a strategy outline business case (SOBC) for the redevelopment of Clapham Junction station.
The public body told delegates at a rail conference in London that it intends to lay out the strategy by the end of the year.
It signals the next step for the redevelopment of Clapham Junction, after Network Rail took over management of the station last year.
Speaking at the event, Network Rail’s development director, Stuart Kirkwood, said: “The SOBC contains options, and one of those options is a comprehensive redevelopment of Clapham.
“But there are other options which would be significantly lower cost and would not involve decking above the railway where financially we’d have a relatively limited lifespan in terms of what it might provide for the station.”
Mr Kirkwood also warned that for the plans to go ahead it would need significant funding and support from the government.
He added: “The next stage for us is to see if we can convince government that the comprehensive solution of decking above the railway provides a substantial number of homes, and maybe up to 2M.ft2 of commercial space is the right solution.”
“Inevitably that’s expensive and then you get into the fact that government has to weigh up the different spending requirements from various very different sectors.”
In November last year Network Rail outlined £2bn of works in Surrey and its surrounding areas for Control Period 6 (CP6), which included improvements to platforms at Clapham Junction.