Gondar Gardens latest and other local news updates

On 16th April residents living around the Gondar Gardens Reservoir received a letter from the new owners -Linden Homes - to say that for security reasons they intended to put hoarding around the site ( or part of it). They say: "A health and safety assessment has been carried out and there are potential risks to people accessing the site without permission. As a result we have taken to decision to hoard the site..." However they are including "vision holes" along the frontage to maintain a level of natural surveillance".

They also say "We are committed to community consultation and as plans for the site start to evolve, local residents, stakeholder groups, businesses and representatives will be fully consulted on the teams redevelopment proposals". They add they are aware of the sensitivities of the site and the SNCI designation, and "will be working hard to prepare options for redevelopment that respect these considerations".
Some local residents are not reassured by these statements and we shall all be keeping a very close eye on Linden Homes and their plans.


Note they have begun to erect the hoarding as you can see from the pictures which is neatly precisely the right height so as not to require planning permission! They plan to extend the hoarding right along the northern edge (parallel to the bottoms of the gardens of Gondar residents but not - at this stage along the backs of Agamemnon Rd nor Hillfield Road).

Meanwhile on another topic - Tescos has succeeded, despite objections from some local residents in obtaining its license to sell alcohol although only from 8.00 am and on Sundays they must stop alcohol sales at 10.30 pm. They assured the panel that the sale of alcohol in their stores is closely monitored and in fact only accounts for beween 7 and 8% of all sales!! Meanwhile the traffic and parking is still a problem but we have been assured that Camden offices will shortly propose a scheme for consultation to address the issue. (However - the West End Lane situation has been exacerbated by the roadworks in West End Lane. You do wonder why they can't all leave West Hampstead alone!!)

A new issue concening the Sager building shops has just arisen - 2 of the the three remaining "A1" retail units alongside Tescos have applied for planning permission to become one unit. If this goes ahead it could make the parking and traffic even more problematic. We will be asking Camen's traffic and planning officers to look at this carefully.

Meanwhile - just down the road, there is a plan to change the position of the recycling bins/bus shelter and access onto Fortune Green itself - this is intended to improve the "entrance" as part of the proposed works to the Green - planned for later this year. The Friends group showd plans for this at last year's Festival.
Congratulations to the Friends Group for another successful seed planting day by the way and a final point - Don't forget to put the Festival in your diary - July 3rd and 4th. More details - watch this space!