Swiss Cottage Courier – monthly news from your ward councillors
January 2015
Councillors Don Williams, Roger Freeman, Andrew Marshall (Conservative)
See www.swisscottagecourier.blogspot.com for updates, or follow @AndrewIMarshall, @DonSwissCottage and @RogerJFreeman This e-newsletter has been sent out since 2008 and goes to over 1,500 homes in the area.
IN THIS ISSUE
- 100 Avenue Rd appeal
- Camden Local Plan
- Council funding for local festivals
- Future of weekly rubbish collections
- Other matters, including Waitrose trolleys, drop-in times for police team
- Councillor advice surgeries for January
100 Avenue Rd – developer appeals
We commented after the 100 Avenue Road planning application came to the Development Control Committee and was rejected that the Applicant had essentially three ways forward.
The first was to go back to the drawing board and come back with an application that met the reasons for refusal given by the Committee.
The second was to appeal and the third was to do both ie file an appeal and at the same time work on/submit another application.
Since the Committee rejection, the Applicant has had no contact with Camden about another scheme. Instead it has gone for Option Two and filed an Appeal. This is currently being validated by the Appeals Inspectorate; we would be very surprised if this was not validated. Camden expects to hear from the Inspectorate in the next few days and then we will be able to give you concrete information as to both the Timing and Format of the Appeal, as well as a synopsis as to how you can participate in the process-both by making written submissions as well as making a statement in person to the Inspector. In any event, Camden will be writing to everyone who objected to the original proposal.
In continuing to vigorously oppose this application, Belsize and Swiss Cottage councillors will have a street stall this Saturday on Eton Avenue.
Camden Local Plan
On Wednesday Jan 21 Camden's Cabinet is set to approve the draft Camden Local Plan for local consultation and engagement. Note that comments received in the consultation will be incorporated into the Final Draft which once approved by Camden's Cabinet and then the Planning Inspector will set the framework for Camden's planning decisions over the next five years.
Among other things this Plan covers how Camden will meet its house building targets and the trade off between residential and office space.
This will be very important for one key issue of our area-namely basements. You may have read that the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have set a new policy of having only one story deep basements with restrictions over how much of a garden area can be covered. This came about as a result of them doing this process and we know that many of you will be wanting to make sure Camden know your views on this. We will be keeping you fully informed so you can get your opinions in.
Camden Council support for local festivals
Camden Council will once again be supporting community festivals. The total grant pot of £35,000 will be managed by Voluntary Action Camden (VAC). The grant application process has just opened, with the deadline for applications by 6pm on Monday 16 March. Details of the grant criteria, guidance and application forms for the festival funding will be posted at http://www.vac.org.uk/camden-community-festivals-fund. If you would like more information about the grant scheme and/or to be sent hard copies of the application forms and the guidelines please contact: [email protected] or 020 7284 6553.
Future of weekly rubbish collections
You may have read in the local press reports that the weekly rubbish collection may be dropped in a couple of years when the waste management contract is retendered – for cost reasons and to push recycling rates. At this stage we would say that although this is a serious threat, no decisions have been taken. As your councillors, we will rigorously oppose the loss of weekly rubbish collections.
Other matters
Waitrose trolleys – we are pleased that Waitrose has recently introduced a system for preventing its trolleys being taken outside its vicinity. The store has been rather poor in its communications with us and this new system seems different from the planning application it was proposing last summer. Let’s see whether the new system solves this longstanding problem.
We have over the last year or two been in contact with council parks staff concerning wishes of local residents to improve the state of Broadhurst Gardens. We were very pleased to see that £10,958 of Council Section 106 funds have been provisionally allocated to improve this site.
CA-J parking zone review of hours of control – this was supposed to start around this time but seems to have slipped. We will follow up to see what is happening.
New ward housing manager at Camden - Veronica Asahene has been appointed the new Acting Ward Housing Manager. For the last one and a half years she has worked for Camden covering the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate, and has over two decades in social housing provision within both local authorities and housing associations.
Ward police team drop-in meetings – our team will be available at their base Station House 9-13 Swiss Terrace NW6 4RR on Friday 23rd Jan 3-4pm and Friday 6th February 11-12pm
Following burglaries in Middlefield, the police team have at our request tried to provide some reassurance through their patrolling.
Councillor advice surgeries:
Monday, 2nd February, 7-8pm at the Crossfield Centre, 8 Fairhazel Gardens
Saturday 21st February, 10-11am at the Community Centre
As always, we’re also happy to come around and arrange to meet residents at other times.
Cllr Roger Freeman (Conservative)
[email protected]
0208 348 7626
Cllr Don Williams (Conservative)
[email protected]
0207 372 8428
Cllr Andrew Marshall (Conservative)
[email protected]
07808 579563