Udenson Caldbeck Associates (UCA) specialise in innovative ideas and solutions to issues, project development and initiation, and ongoing project management.  UCA developed the Oaklands Road Playable Street Project on behalf of Cricklewood Town Team, and successfully bid for funding from the London Borough of Brent’s Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy Fund in 2019.

The project was devised to address long-standing problems associated with the congested environment, air pollution and lack of public space in Cricklewood town centre. It will pedestrianise part of Oaklands Road by closing off vehicular access from the Broadway to Oaklands Mews, removing the current high levels of illegal parking, idling, and the dangerous pedestrian crossing at the junction.

With a strong background in developing partnerships, UCA pulled together a project team, including:

• Cricklewood Town Team – chairing the project board and activating the site with a calendar of events when complete
• Brent Council Highways and Infrastructure Service – delivering the civic works and installation of new trees
• Hellion Trace, an award-winning company specialising in world-class productions that fuse movement and technology together – to provide an interactive art installation called Press Play
• Airlabs, a leading pioneer in clean air technology – providing a study to understand the local airflow dynamics of the site and determine the best means of intervention, and monitor pollution levels going forward using sensors installed on the site and Cricklewood Broadway.
• Rainbow Properties – providing a living wall on their new development in Oaklands Road, further greening the area and contributing to pollution reduction.

The new space will be celebrated with a launch event, including the installation of the Press Play art installation. A calendar of site activation events will also be planned by Cricklewood Town Team.

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December, Muswell Hill town centre will again get a taste of France. The authentic “France at Home” market comes straight from Normandy and will be visiting Muswell Hill, with a selection of delicious foods and quality gifts, fashion accessories and home wares. The market will be open from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

The market, which will be located outside Planet Organic in St James Square, has recently made visits to two north London town centres – Mill Hill and Cricklewood – and gained a loyal following.

In addition to helping Muswell Hill celebrate the festive season, the French Market aims to increase dwell time and footfall for the town centre, and add vibrancy to the high street.

Osita Udenson, managing director for Vibe Market, said: “We are excited to bring the French Market to Muswell Hill. As a visiting market, its specialist products will complement the existing offer on the High Street. We look forward to seeing a bit of Normandy in Muswell Hill.”

Mill Hill and Cricklewood town centres will again get a taste of France this November. The “France at Home” market from Normandy will be visiting Mill Hill Broadway on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd November and then continuing to Cricklewood Lane on Sunday 3rd November, with a selection of delicious foods and quality gifts, fashion accessories and home wares.

In Mill Hill, the market will be located outside Santander bank, and continue up to Mill Hill Wines. The market opening hours will be 9am to 5pm both days.

In Cricklewood, the market will be located on Cricklewood Lane by B&Q. The market will be open from 10am to 4pm.

Osita Udenson, managing director for Vibe Market, said: “It is great to have the French Market return to Mill Hill and Cricklewood, which shows that business is good and a sign of more people visiting the town centres. We look forward to seeing a bit of Normandy in northwest London this November.”

On Saturday 12 and Saturday 13 October, the In St James Square Autumn Market will be coming to Muswell Hill town centre.  The market is the perfect place to stop for a bite to eat from one of the many tempting food stalls and a browse among the quality stalls. The market will be held outside Planet Organic in St James Square from 11am- 5pm both days.

The market offers a great opportunity to take a tasting tour around the world with a selection of international cuisines, including Nigerian, Indian, Moroccan, Portuguese and Brazilian food, plus fudge, bread and pastries, cakes, and beer from the local Muswell Hillbilly Brewers. Don’t miss the gorgeous hues of hand-made jewellery and craft items, chic fashion, and health and well-being products on offer from the market stalls.

The In St James Square Market is organized by Vibe Market to increase dwell time and footfall for the town centre, and add vibrancy to the high street. Vibe Market also organises the biannual visit of the France at Home Market from Normandy to Muswell Hill and worked in partnership with the Friends of St James Square to deliver the MidSummer Muswell festival market in June 2018.

In St James Square Market is kindly sponsored by Muswell Hill Golf Club. The Club features a beautifully maintained 18-hole parkland course, offering a challenge to golfers of all abilities, and a welcoming clubhouse for members, guests, and visitors. Founded in 1893, it has evolved to become North London’s premier course, hosting regional and county events.

Osita Udenson, managing director for Vibe Market, said: “We are looking forward to another fantastic market in Muswell Hill. Join us for great food and drink and shopping – all while supporting your local town centre.”

Udenson Caldbeck Associates worked with West Ealing Livable Neighbourhoods to plan and deliver the first-ever Play Street on Leeland Terrace as part of Ealing Council’s World Car Free Day celebrations on Sunday 22 September 2019. World Car Free Day is an annual event which encourages drivers to take a break from their vehicle for one day and highlights the many benefits of having lesss traffic throughout the neighbourhood.

UCA provided a range of services for the event including:

– Identify and involve key partners including Open Ealing and INWEST Ealing Bid

– Liase with Soundbite festival organisers on outputs and promotion

– Scope event and identify activities and participants for Car Free Day

– All aspects of event planning including health & safety, risk assessments, security and first aid

– Liaise with the London Borough of Ealing Communications team

– Encourage the participation of Ealing businesses

– Deliver a full programme of children’s activities, street entertainment, ‘cycle a smoothie’, Dr Bike cycle repair, yoga sessions, live music and a selection of food, gift and craft stalls

The Live West Ealing project aims to transform West Ealing by making streets safer, greener and more attractive by encouraging more walking, cycling and public transportation use. Attendees had the opportunity to give feedback on Live West Ealing proposals to transform Dean Gardens, which you can find more about here: http://live-west-ealing.co.uk/schemes/

The annual Soundbite Festival ran alongside World Car Free Day in Dean Gardens, offering everything from music, food, a craft market, climbing wall and children’s activities, to cookery workshops, football skills, donkey rides and a theatre performance.

Udenson Caldbeck Associates (UCA) is pleased to be project managing the Oaklands Road Playable Street Project, which received funding from Brent Council’s Neighbourhood Community Infastructure Levy (NCIL) Fund. Cricklewood Town Team is leading the Management Committee, with Brent Council providing the civil engineering works.

Oaklands Road Playable Street addresses the problem of the congested environment, air pollution and lack of public space in Cricklewood town centre. Oaklands Road is a side street with mainly residential use, yet it has Cricklewood’s highest level of footfall crossing the intersection with the Broadway. The overall aim of the project is to provide an oasis of calm off the busy A5 corridor. The project will pedestrianise part of Oaklands Road by closing off vehicular access from the Broadway to Oaklands Mews, removing the current high levels of illegal parking, idling, and the dangerous pedestrian crossing at the junction. It will also establish a less congested environment for the long-standing fruit and vegetable stall and an accessible footpath.

Cricklewood town centre suffers from an imbalance between trips, freight and public space, with Cricklewood Broadway’s air pollution levels among the worst in both Brent and London as a whole. The junction of Cricklewood Lane and Cricklewood Broadway (the A407/A5), is ranked the 10^th worst in London by the Mayor of London’s London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI) 2013 Air Quality Focus Areas – updated December 2016.

In 2016, a local organization, Clean Air for Brent with the help of London Sustainability Exchange monitored the pollution levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulates in the Cricklewood area, and Cricklewood Broadway’s nitrogen dioxide levels, especially around the junction close to Oaklands Road, were found to be over twice the EU legal limit. The Playable Street project will take a step towards reducing Cricklewood Broadway’s pollution, by introducing street trees, a living wall, and air pollution monitoring and reduction measures.

As a reclaimed street, Oaklands Road will provide pedestrians and residents with access to a calmer, less polluted and more interactive public space at the heart of Cricklewood that fosters an oasis of serenity and stimulating social space for local people, especially families within the immediate vicinity. The project will include an innovative musical installation, Press Play, by award-winning Hellion Trace to launch the new space and promote local participation. Press Play works by installing simple, touch sensitive panels programmed with a musical track, yet to play a whole piece several people must to play together. Udenson Caldbeck Associates, together with Cricklewood Town Team will draw up a programme of activities for the new space to ensure that it is regularly activated.

Information and updates about the project, as well as statutory consultations, will be made available to local residents during the project.

Bookings are open for  the In St James Square Market in Muswell Hill! Quality food, drinks, crafts, gifts and fashion are all welcome to apply.

The market will be held on 12 and 13 October in Muswell Hill town centre, outside Planet Organic.

Vibe Market previously organised the stalls for the 2018 Midsummer Muswell festival and continue to organise the France at Home Market’s visits, bringing authentic French produce and products from Normandy to Muswell Hill twice a year.

Contact Sara on borchardsara@gmail.com or Osita on Udenson@btinternet.com for more information or to request an application.