Swiss Cottage Courier – monthly news from your ward councillors
October 2012
Councillors Don Williams, Roger Freeman, Andrew Marshall (Conservative)
See www.swisscottagecourier.blogspot.com for updates, or follow us on Twitter at @AndrewIMarshall and @DonSwissCottage
This e-newsletter has been sent out since 2008 and now goes to over 1,300 homes in the area.
IN THIS ISSUE
· New Adelaide Rd crossing
· Safer Neighbourhoods meeting – crime and disorder
· Gardens area 20 mph zone – feedback please
· Planning and licensing matters: Barrow Hill Reservoir, 100 Avenue Rd, 50 Canfield Gardens, 1 Norfolk Rd, Camden Eruv, Camden Local List, 80 Canfield, 78-80 Priory
· West Hampstead Housing office closing
· Other local news and issues
· Councillor advice surgeries
New Adelaide Rd crossing
The Council is about to consult on details of a new signalised pelican crossing on Adelaide Rd between Avenue Rd and Winchester Rd, given the new academy. This will be in two stages, with a refuge island in the centre. It will involve removing 3 existing Pay & Display bays and 2 existing Car Club bays on the north side of Adelaide Rd beside the leisure centre. The footway on the south side will be widened. If the proposals are agreed following consultation, works will be carried out by Summer 2013.
Safer Neighbourhoods meeting – crime and disorder
The next public meeting with our local police team is at 7pm on Tuesday 23rd October at the Crossfield Centre, 8 Fairhazel Gardens. Vandalism in the Priory area has been concerning us, including the motorbikes set on fire at night in Woodchurch recently, and the continuing car mirror vandalism on Priory. We’ve been in touch with the police team on these and other matters.
Gardens area 20 mph zone – feedback please!
We are concerned about speeding in the 20mph zone and would be interested in feedback on this. We continue to press for police attention on enforcement, but inevitably it is a matter of resources. While average speeds do drop when 20 mph zones are introduced (though not, sadly, to 20!), there is a real problem with a minority of very fast drivers.
On a somewhat related point – Finchley Rd remains a poor spot in a generally encouraging picture on road safety. In the 36 months to Feb 2012 there were 19 “KSI” accidents on the road, including two fatalities, and 119 traffic collisions.
Planning and licensing matters
Some of the current issues we’re involved with include:
Barrow Hill, Primrose Hill Resevoir
Thames Water have submitted their application for the construction of a new reservoir to replace the existing one which was decomissioned in 2002.The application documentation states that the new one would have a similar footprint as the existing one and the top would be grassed over. Full details can be found at http://planningrecords.camden.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/Generic/StdResults.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&SC=Application%20Number%20is%202012/4657/P%20and%20Date%20Validated%20is%20between%2001%20January%201922%20and%2031%20December%202012&FT=Planning%20Application%20Search%20Results&XMLSIDE=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/SiteFiles/Skins/camden/Menus/PL.xml&XSLTemplate=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/SiteFiles/Skins/camden/xslt/PL/PLResults.xslt&PS=10&XMLLoc=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/generic/XMLtemp/rlwihy45nv4s2k45r4ukv2ae/4177cce6-c559-41b5-a9e5-ad02301e9e6b.xml
100 Avenue Rd offices – the Ham and High office building
This site has been sold and a planning application is likely in the coming weeks or months. This would involve demolition and replacement by a mixed use building (ie with residential, including social housing) that could include a tower of up to 16 stories. The Council’s land use plan, and the London plan, identifies this site for further mixed use development.
As members of the Development Control Committee, Roger and Andrew need to avoid public comment on the proposals until it comes to DC committee. However we can of course say that it's important there is good consultation on this major development, and that any application is assessed properly against all the relevant Camden planning policies. Don Williams as the third member of the team is not on DC, and therefore can be outspoken in ensuring that local voices are heard.
50 Canfield Gardens (2012/2812/P) – this basement application is was deferred at the last DC meeting. The applicant was told to pay for an full independent assessment of the impact of the basement, especially on hydrology. We will keep residents in Canfield informed as we find out more about timing and process.
1 Norfolk Rd (2012/2720/P) – this significant basement application will be going to DC Committee. Don Williams and Andrew Marshall have objected as ward councillors and asked for it to be sent to full DC.
Camden Eruv (2012/3240/P) - this will be coming to DC Committee. Andrew and Roger as DC members will vote on this application, so need to avoid taking any public position until it comes to the committee. Details can be seen at www.camdeneruv.org.
Camden Local List – From mid November until the early spring the Council will be inviting nominations for buildings to put onto our new local list – we look forward to working with residents and groups on this. Councils are encouraged by the Government and English Heritage to maintain a local list of so-called non-designated heritage assets. Details here:http://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/content/environment/planning-and-built-environment/two/conservation-and-listed-buildings/camdens-local-list.en
Planning Enforcement / Building Control
80 Canfield – Camden officers have an enforcement case open on this site (ref EN12/0753) and are investigating the concerns we raised. In particular, planning permission would be required to hard surface the rear garden, as properties occupied as flats do not have permitted development rights for this.
78-80 Priory – we got officers to investigate various points around planning enforcement, rubbish on site etc. It seems there is nothing specifically officers can enforce but they are keeping an eye on the site.
We are of course also very concerned about the serious structural issues at 8 Elsworthy Road following construction work and monitoring this complex matter with officers.
West Hampstead Housing office closing
The Hampstead district housing office is closing on 19th October. The service tenants receive from estate officers will not be change as they will meet tenants by prior appointment, either on estates or at some libraries and other Camden buildings. In addition, new drop-in housing advice surgeries will start in October where tenants can meet estate officers. Times for these will be advertised in advance on estates and on Camden’s website camden.gov.uk/housing
Other changes for Camden tenants: replacement keys and fobs and parking permits, including visitor permits, can now be ordered in advance on 020 7974 4444, or by completing a form on Camden’s website camden.gov.uk/housing. They will be delivered by post or may be collected from the Town Hall Extension reception or your local library by appointment – usually on the next working day. Many initial housing enquiries are already dealt with by Contact Camden or in the Contact Camden reception on the ground floor of the Town Hall extension building on Argyle Street (near Kings Cross).
Alternatively, council libraries will provide many services that are currently offered at the housing office, including document checking for parking permits, and assisting with applications for keys and fobs and parking permits. There is freephone and internet access available at all libraries to access Camden services.
We will be closely monitoring how these changes work in practice for tenants and council leaseholders – your feedback is welcome.
Other issues and local news:
· Swiss Cottage Community Centre Association AGM – Sunday 21st October from 2-4pm at the Community Centre. We’ll be there, do come along.
· Council residents parking zones consultation – nothing firm on this, but we understand that few substantive changes across the borough are going to be proposed as a result of this (mainly because any changes in a crowded city tend to create as many losers as winners)
· Fairfax Road pedestrian crossing – Thanks to all who have registered their support, we are shortly going to submit this to Camden and TfL.
· Broadfield Gardens playground – glass, litter etc
· Litter issues at top of Goldhurst continue to be a problem and Camden officers are focused on the task
· Acol Rd carriageway works – feedback welcome
Councillor advice surgeries:
Saturday October 20th 10-11am - at the Swiss Cottage Community Centre
Monday November 5th 7-8pm - Crossfield Centre, Fairhazel Gardens
In addition we’re always 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]
07775 658091
Cllr Andrew Marshall (Conservative)
07808 579563