Swiss Cottage Courier – monthly news from your ward councillors - February 2014

Cllr Roger Freeman and Cllr Simon Marcus rescue a stray Waitrose trolley

Swiss Cottage Courier – monthly news from your ward councillors - February 2014
 
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 Swiss Cottage Ward.
 
 
IN THIS ISSUE
 

 
100 Avenue Rd – developer appeal
No date has been set for the Appeal hearing yet and both Camden and the Developer would like it sooner rather than later.  Camden is currently looking at July.
 
In the meantime all of you who sent into Camden letters of objection (or indeed support) for the original planning application should have received a letter from Camden, outlining the procedure for submitting your comments to the Planning Inspector. These comments should be received by March 20.
 
If you did object and have not received a letter from Camden, please contact Roger Freeman.  All of us three will be writing to the Inspector reiterating our objections to the scheme.


 
Draft Camden Local Plan Consultation
The Council is now starting public consultation on the draft Camden Local Plan, as part of the review of our main planning policies. When finalised, the Local Plan will replace our current Core Strategy and Camden Development Policies documents as the basis for the Council’s planning decisions and future development in the borough.
This draft Local Plan has been developed following feedback and input from Councillors and engagement with residents and businesses over the last year.  It also takes account of updated evidence studies and changes in national policy. The draft Local Plan includes the following proposals: 

  • A target for over 1,000 new homes per year up to 2030/31
  • Continuing to have a negotiating target of 50% affordable homes
  • Making policy on basements as strong as possible
  • Strengthening policy to give greater protection to pubs
  • Resist schemes which result in more than one betting shop, payday loan store or pawnbroker within 400m distance of each other.
  • Protecting existing business premises (offices as well as industry and warehousing) unless redevelopment can better meet economic and employment objectives and other priorities, for example housing / affordable homes.
  • Designating the Regis Road part of the Kentish Town Industry Area for comprehensive mixed use development to provide more jobs, a significant number of new homes, new open space and better links to adjacent areas
  • Extending car parking free development throughout the borough for new housing and businesses.
  • An updated list of key infrastructure programmes and projects needed to ensure growth delivers the facilities needed by local communities.
  • Continuing to protect resident's quality of life from development impacts, for example in terms of noise, privacy and light. 

The draft Local Plan and associated documents can be viewed on the Council’s website at www.camden.gov.uk/localplan.   
Please can all those interested/concerned provide comments by 17th April to:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Online: voXup.co.uk/CamdenLocalPlan
  • Letter: Strategic Planning & Implementation Team, Camden Council, Town Hall, Judd Street, London, WC1H 8ND

The review of Camden’s planning policy documents has to follow a statutory procedure. Once the council has gathered views on the draft it will produce an updated version of the Local Plan for further consultation later in 2015.  It will then submit the Local Plan for a public examination held by a Planning Inspector.  
If you would like further information please do not hesitate to contact the Strategic Planning & Implementation Team ([email protected] or phone 020 7974 2519).
 
 
Mia Restaurant applies for license for 135 Finchley Rd - how to comment
 
We see that Mia - the restaurant currently in the 100 Avenue Road complex - have applied for a license for 135 Finchley Road - the site of the D Den Legacy Club, which caused such disturbance to local residents before its license was curtailed.
 
We note that Mia are applying solely for a restaurant license: i.e. not for dancing or live and recorded music.This is important given the disturbance caused to  Centre Heights residents by the sound system. While local residents have had issues with Mia in its current location, this has been caused by noise from clients sitting in the  outside tables adjacent to the Swiss Cottage Open Space, which will not be an issue here.
 
They have applied for the supply of alcohol and opening hours from Monday to Sunday 12.00pm to 2.00am. Representations need to be into Camden by 24/02/15 – but if you are a couple of days late this will still be taken into account. Email Camden at [email protected]  quoting reference APP\PREMISES-NEW\001496.
 
It would be useful if you could copy Roger Freeman in on any representation you make.
 
CA-J Primrose Hill Parking Zone hours consultation
 
Those of you who live in the Primrose Hill Parking Zone (CA-J) will remember that in October last year there was a Consultation on the current controlled parking hours and as to whether you wanted any changes.
 
80% of you said you were satisfied with the current hours Monday/Friday and a broadly similar majority was in favour of no change for weekend hours.
 
As a result of this consultation there will be no change in the hours of controlled parking.  To read the full report go here 
We are aware there are some concerns about parking stress near the Marriott and will continue to press the Council for measures to alleviate the situation in the area.

Youth-Adults Community Conversation event – 3rd March
The Council’s Integrated Youth Support Service and Community Safety teams are hosting a Community Conversation event in the Swiss Cottage and Kilburn wards around increasing positive communication and engagement between young people and adults.
 
The aim for the evening is to get community members of all generations together to talk about stereotypes, negative misconceptions and how to work together to improve community relations. The objective is to increase understanding and consideration of each other and to increase community resilience by working together to look at solutions and engagement opportunities.
 
This event will take place at Swiss Cottage library on Tuesday 3rd March from 6-7:30pm, with food available and a quiz.  If you want to attend, please RSVP to Rema Patel, Serious Youth Violence Co-ordinator -  [email protected]
 
 
Recycling and Future of weekly rubbish collections
The Council is commencing a planning and consultation process from now until June on possible changes to our recycling and waste services, with the aim of increasing recycling rates (which have been dropping) and saving money.  Camden says it is “running a ‘Waste Challenge’, that will enable the community to understand Camden’s current waste, recycling and cleansing challenges; give opportunities to participants to set out their current service issues, and suggest potential solutions.” 

Some Swiss Cottage ward groups may have been invited to the first meeting in this process next Saturday – we have not been kept well informed about this.  In any event, we will be organising a public meeting in the ward for senior environment officers to outline what is being proposed.  As your councillors, we will rigorously oppose the loss of weekly rubbish collections.
 
Safer Neighbourhoods Police Public meeting – Wednesday 11th March
This will be held from 7-8pm at the UCL Academy, Adelaide Rd.  We are concerned about an increasing wave of burglaries in the ward, including the Sidney Boyd estate for example.
 
Other matters

Waitrose trolleys – the new solution does seem to be working, please let us know if it’s not!




 
Freedom passes - more than 860,000 older persons’ Freedom Passes expire on March 31 and pass holders were encouraged to renew online using the newly-redesigned website. More than 75 per cent have already applied and of these 74 per cent have done so online. Of those who renewed online, nearly 11 per cent had never used the internet before!

120 Finchley Rd – as can be seen, work is now under way again on this site, for which planning permission for a mixed scheme is in place.  We continue to press TfL to properly replace the bus shelter.

Abbey Road estate redevelopment -  last week the council’s contractor DDS started to knock down the Belsize Rd car park, as part of the Abbey Area regeneration project.  This is expected to take 4/5 months, with construction on the first phase of the project starting in the summer.  This will involve 241 new homes, a community centre and health centre as well as shops and commercial premises, with improved public space.  If there are problems with the builders, please let us know.

Broadhurst Gardens play area - the slide has recently been replaced and minor works have been undertaken to make the site safer. The council will be exploring the possibility of installing temporary additional play facilities as an interim measure, pending a more comprehensive improvement, funded by a £10,958 provisional section 106 planning allocation.

Goldhurst parking bays – we are concerned about the long-term use of the bays at 59-67 by builders, and have taken this up.
 
 
Councillor advice surgeries:
Monday, 2nd March, 7-8pm at the Crossfield Centre, 8 Fairhazel Gardens
Saturday 21st March, 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