BAF's Achievements to date

The Better Archway forum was founded in 2005. Since then we have:

• Conducted community research and informed the council and GLA of our findings.
• Met with masterplanners, TfL buses, TfL roads, TfL underground, GLA officers, The Association of Town Centre Managers (www.atcm.org), The Whittington Hospital, landowners and developers, and the New Economics Foundation (www.neweconomics.org).
• Produced professional standard pedestrian counts for the area and with Space Syntax (www.spacesyntax.com) and London 21 (www.london21.org) running professional masterplanning sessions for the community.
• Organised a day-long Archway Symposium on planning issues, with speakers including Terry Farrell, architect (www.terryfarrell.co.uk), Professor Bill Hillier (www.spacesyntax.org), Professor Richard Burdett (www.lse.ac.uk). TfL Design Champion David Ubaka and speakers from The Development Trust Association (www.dta.org.uk), Places for People Housing Association (www.placesforpeople.co.uk), the New Economics Foundation (www.neweconomics.org) and Bio-Regional eco developers (www.bioregional.com).
• Successfully presented the case against a big high-rise redevelopment with a superstore.
• Persuaded the GLA to fund a feasibility study for the removal of the Archway gyratory and are currently working to see funding allocated for the work itself.
• Lobbied to broaden the existing conservation area in order to protect the traditional High Street and town centre layout.
• Campaigned against the opening of a sex club in the area.
• Recruited and managed two town centre managers before the existing council manager.
• Facilitated the creation of the Archway Retail Community Interest Company, which is negotiating to buy independent freehold shop properties in order to anchor key retailers.
• Working to see a total station refurbishment as part of the stepfree access work at Archway station.
• Working against the opening of a gambling arcade.
• Working with the Big Issue on making Archway the centre for a pilot study into alternative ways to alleviate poverty and related problems, focusing on helping people to help themselves.