Northern line extension

The TWAO was granted in November 2014. The extension opened on 20 September 2021.

Works and communications

Kennington

New head houses/shafts

As part of the project we built two new head houses and shafts at Kennington Green and Kennington Park. These provide ventilation and emergency access to the Tube.

We ran consultations on both projects in 2017.

Monitoring passenger movements in Kennington station

We worked with Southwark Council to monitor passenger movements at Kennington Tube station. This analysis was used to compare forecast and actual passenger numbers, get insight into people's movements through the station and to ensure our customers' safety.

This protocol was required by Southwark as part of our approval to build and operate the Northern line extension.

Ground movement contours

The NLE works were predicted to cause some ground movement which would affect some properties close to the work sites and above the running tunnel routes. Properties in these areas are shown within the blue line on the drawing below.

All residents affected were contacted for a defects survey.

Environmental monitoring reports

To ensure that the impacts from the NLE construction works were minimised, a programme of environmental monitoring was done at each of the worksites. The last three monitoring reports are below:

Unattended noise monitoring reports

Passive air quality monitoring

Settlement Deeds

Owners of properties that were predicted to experience 10mm or more of settlement received a letter dated Thursday 12 March 2015. This letter covered a commitment we made after a public enquiry about Settlement Deeds. We sent out a further letter to answer frequently asked questions.

A Settlement Deed is a formal legal document between the affected property owner and TfL and provides a personal legal undertaking from us. Property owners did not have to enter into the deed unless they chose to. Our obligations to the property owner remain unchanged even if the owner chose not to enter into the deed.

For any other questions, email us at nle@tfl.gov.uk.

Defect surveys

Defects surveys were done on any property predicted to experience 1mm or more of settlement. (The requirement in the Transport and Works Act Order was to carry out surveys on properties predicted to experience 10mm or more of settlement. However the London Underground Category 1 standard S1050 required us to carry out such surveys on properties predicted to experience 1mm or more of settlement.)

Owners of properties received a letter with at least a minimum of four weeks notice of the defects survey.

Code of Construction Practice

Part Bs

Topic plans cover noise and vibration, resource efficiency, air quality, water management, sustainable travel, archaeology and heritage, energy, and ecology.

These plans built on documents produced for the Northern line extension public inquiry and were based on best practice and legislation. The documents are known as the 'Code of Construction Practice Part Bs' and were agreed with local authorities.

The four main work site Code of Construction Practice Part Bs are:

Battersea (PDF 876KB)
Kennington Green (PDF 886KB)
Kennington Park (PDF 658KB)
Nine Elms (PDF 925KB)

The topic plans are:

Air management plan (PDF 137KB)
Ecology management plan (PDF 82KB)
Energy management plan (PDF 74KB)
Noise and vibration management plan (PDF 470KB)
Resource efficiency management plan (PDF 142KB)
Sustainable travel plan (PDF 266KB)
Water management plan (PDF 79KB)
Archaeology and heritage management plan (PDF 79KB)
Traffic management plan (PDF 5.8MB)

We discussed these plans with local communities in December 2014 through drop-in sessions, an online survey and meetings with resident groups. The amended plans above were approved by local authorities.

Community Liaison Groups (CLGs)

Throughout the project we engaged with the communities and stakeholders that might have been affected by the NLE.

Four CLGs met quarterly to consider local issues specific to work sites and tunnelling along the route:

  • Battersea CLG
  • Kennington Green CLG
  • Kennington Park and Newington CLG
  • Nine Elms and Oval CLG

2020 presentations

2019 presentations and minutes

2017 presentations and minutes

2016 presentations and minutes

TWAO

The Secretary of State for Transport decided on 12 November 2014 to make the statutory order (TWAO) that gave permission for the Northern line extension (NLE) from Kennington to Battersea via Nine Elms. The Order was made with modifications. The Secretary of State also decided to give permission for the project, subject to conditions. 

That decision followed a public inquiry to consider our TWAO application which ran from 19 November to 20 December 2013 and was conducted by an independent Inspector. The Inspector then submitted a report to the Secretary of State with recommendations.

See our press release on the Secretary of State's decision.

Our commitments on specific issues

We met with resident and community groups, landowners and others with an interest in our proposals as the plans were developed. In response to their feedback we identified a series of commitments on a number of issues and areas.

These summarise what we said on those issues in our 'Statement of Case' and in our written evidence prepared for the inquiry.

Volume I (PDF 21.4MB)

Volume II, Appendix C1A, Construction Traffic, Parking & Pedestrian Impact Assessment (PDF 4.6MB)

Volume II, Appendix C3A, Northern line stations PEDS Analysis AM Peak, 2031 (PDF 96KB)

Volume II, Appendix C4A, Legion Modeling Report on Kennington Station AM Peak, 2031 (PDF 923KB)

Volume II, Appendix C5A, Static Station Assessment: Battersea Park AM Peak, 2031 (PDF 170KB)

Volume II, Appendix C6, Traffic and Transport Outputs, 2020 & 2031, AM and PM Peak (PDF 881KB)

Volume II, Appendix C7, Preliminary Navigational Risk Assessment (PDF 5.6MB)

Volume II, Appendix C8, Northern line extension PEDS Analysis, PM Peak, 2031 (PDF 118KB)

Volume II, Appendix C9, Legion Modeling Report on Kennington station, PM Peak, 2031 (PDF 956KB)

Volume II, Appendix C10, Static Station Assessment:  Battersea Park, PM Peak, 2031 (PDF 326KB)

Volume II, Appendix I6, NLE Settlement Deed. This draft settlement was updated at the Public Inquiry. Click here to see the updated Deed (PDF 653KB).

Volume II, Appendix K3A, Representative Views Analysis (Part 1) (PDF 8.2MB)

Volume II, Appendix K3A, Representative Views Analysis (Part 2) (PDF 7.5MB)

Volume II, Appendix LA, Climate Change Calculations and Assumptions (PDF 115KB)

Volume II, Appendix MA, Design and Access Statement (Part 1) (PDF 4.8MB)

Volume II, Appendix MA, Design and Access Statement (Part 2) (PDF 4.3MB)

Volume II, Appendix MA, Design and Access Statement (Part 3) (PDF 5.0MB)

Volume II, Appendix MA, Design and Access Statement (Part 4) (PDF 3.5MB)

Volume II, Appendix MA, Design and Access Statement (Part 5) (PDF 4.1MB)

Volume II, Appendix N1A TfL Code of Construction Practice (PDF 203KB)

Previous consultation results

Proposed route and location of permanent shafts

Consultations in summer 2010 and 2011 asked for feedback on four proposed routes for the Northern line extension and the locations for permanent shafts.

40,000 households and businesses along the route were invited to have their say and meetings were held for local residents, businesses and community groups.

Kennington - Nine Elms - Battersea

The majority (61%) of respondents told us their preferred route was from Kennington to Battersea, with new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station. There were high levels of support for the scheme, with the majority (87%) agreeing it will benefit the area.

Permanent shafts are needed to allow air in and out of the underground tunnels, help cool the Tube and enable emergency access to and from the tunnels if necessary. The preferred permanent shaft location was at the old distillery site, and at the Old Lodge in Kennington Park.

In the Claylands Road area, the preference was for the garages on Cottingham Road. In response to feedback, we explored alternative options for this site.

Temporary shaft locations

Temporary shafts were needed for works to stabilise the ground before the tunnels could be built. In autumn 2011, 2,500 households and businesses were asked for their preferences on the proposed locations for temporary shafts in the Kennington area.

Radcot Street (Lambeth Council) and Harmsworth Street (Southwark Council) were the recommended sites for the shafts.