Thursday 31 May 2012

Celebrate with Fordwych Road on Saturday

There's a lot going on this weekend - see this posting on our sister site - WestHampsteadSpotlight.

But in addition to all those events - the Fordwych Road Diamond Jubilee Party is also set to be a fun afternoon.

Based around St Cuthbert's Church towards the Maygrove end of Fordwych Road from 2:00-5:00pm there will be fun for all the family. More details on the Fordwych Road Residents Association website.

I'll be there - so hope lots of others will also be along to celebrate the jubilee and support the social side of a hard-working residents association.

Thursday 24 May 2012

Parking Review - apologies

We were all sent the wrong details to link to the Councils parking review - please see below for corre
As part of the Parking Policy Review (PPR), and as agreed at Cabinet on 7th December 2011, a public engagement exercise will take place for a period of four weeks starting from today, to gauge opinion on issues relating to the size, days and hours of control of Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs), as well as on the maximum stay in pay and display bays.  I would welcome your views on this issue and ask that you send your comments to parking.review@camden.gov.uk
The results of the consultation will inform where changes may be required to CPZ days and hours of control to respond to changing parking demands and lead to the development of a work programme of CPZ reviews.  A report outlining the consultation responses will be considered later in the year, outlining any options for change.  It is also proposed that this will be considered by the Culture and Environment Scrutiny Committee. 
This questionnaire is being undertaken as part of the wider Parking Policy Review (PPR).  Some changes have already been implemented and details about these can be found on the PPR web page at Parking Policy Review.
The questionnaire will be available for anyone to respond to, but direct notification will be sent to the groups below:

- Residents’ and Tenant’s Associations;
- Businesses (through business forums and monthly e-newsletter)
- minority groups such as those representing the disabled and elderly;
- individuals who have previously requested changes to CPZ hours.

The questionnaire is available on the Council’s web site for public consultation on the following link: https://consultations.wearecamden.org/culture-environment/test-fl/consult_view
                                  
Hard copies of all documents can also be obtained by emailing parking.review@camden.gov.uk (although please consider whether you really need a hard copy as we wish to keep printed material to a minimum).  The public consultation ends midnight on Monday 18 June 2012.

If you have any questions about the consultation or would like further information, please contact:
Email: parking.review@camden.gov.uk
Phone: 020 7974 4639

Monday 21 May 2012

Parking Review

We have been "trailing" this parking review for ages - ever since it was promised before Xmas! At last we have received this message from the Cabinet member for Sustainability:

Dear colleagues

As part of the Parking Policy Review (PPR), and as agreed at Cabinet on 7th December 2011, a public engagement exercise will take place for a period of four weeks starting from today, to gauge opinion on issues relating to the size, days and hours of control of Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs), as well as on the maximum stay in pay and display bays.  I would welcome your views on this issue and ask that you send your comments to parking.review@camden.gov.uk
The results of the consultation will inform where changes may be required to CPZ days and hours of control to respond to changing parking demands and lead to the development of a work programme of CPZ reviews.  A report outlining the consultation responses will be considered later in the year, outlining any options for change.  It is also proposed that this will be considered by the Culture and Environment Scrutiny Committee. 
This questionnaire is being undertaken as part of the wider Parking Policy Review (PPR).  Some changes have already been implemented and details about these can be found on the PPR web page at www.camden.gov.uk/parkingreview.  
The questionnaire will be available for anyone to respond to, but direct notification will be sent to the groups below:

- Residents’ and Tenant’s Associations;
- Businesses (through business forums and monthly e-newsletter)
- minority groups such as those representing the disabled and elderly;
- individuals who have previously requested changes to CPZ hours.

The questionnaire is available on the Council’s web site for public consultation on the following link: http://www.wearecamden.org/
                                  
Hard copies of all documents can also be obtained by emailing parking.review@camden.gov.uk (although please consider whether you really need a hard copy as we wish to keep printed material to a minimum).  The public consultation ends midnight on Monday 18 June 2012.

If you have any questions about the consultation or would like further information, please contact:
Email: parking.review@camden.gov.uk
Phone: 020 7974 4639

Thursday 17 May 2012

Local Victory

Local residents around Gondar Gardens with local councillors Nancy, Flick and Russell are here celebrating after the latest scheme for
development on the reservoir was emphatically turned down by Camden's Planning Committee last week.

But although we've won this particular fight - the war's not over yet! The developers may well appeal against this decision and are already in the process of the appeal against the refusal of the previous scheme. 

(This appeal against refusal of the first scheme (destroying all of the reservoir space, replacing it with luxury houses in the ‘pit’ accessed via a car lift) will be heard on 22/23/24th May from 10.00am at Hughes Parry Hall, 19-26 Cartwright Street, London WC1H 9EF


This was the "newsflash" from GARA - the residents association last week:

Great news.  Last night, 10th May, Camden councillors refused planning permission for this scheme.

Many thanks to everyone who came along to support; to our local councillors for a spirited defence of the open space; and to everyone who worked so hard to achieve this result.  And, of course, to the councillors on the committee who voted to refuse planning permission.
This won’t be the end of the matter.  We are certain that the developer will appeal against this decision, as well as proceeding with the appeal against refusal of the first scheme (see below).

Help needed urgently
The appeal against refusal of the first scheme (destroying all of the reservoir space, replacing it with luxury houses in the ‘pit’ accessed via a car lift) will be heard on 22/23/24th May at Camden Town Hall in Judd Street. 
Urgent request – are you a solicitor or similar?
Can you instruct a barrister on behalf of GARA for the appeal hearing? 
We have getting advice from an ‘open access’ barrister but he is a very expensive QC.  A junior in the same chambers is available for the appeal at a much lower cost.  But we need a solicitor (or possibly an architect or planning consultant or similar) to instruct her.  GARA will cover all the costs; we just need help making this happen.  If you can help, please respond urgently to infogara@googlemail.com or txt David Yass on 07730814061.
We have very little time to instruct and brief a barrister – please respond urgently.
We need your money!
The appeal is costly.  We have already spent money on a barrister, ecologist, transport and planning consultants.  We need a barrister and ecologist at the appeal hearing.  Your donations are most welcome, please.  The funds will go towards the upcoming appeal and also, of course, the next one following on from refusal of the second scheme. 
Every little helps, however large or small – it is your donations that will make all the difference. Your generosity in our last hour of need raised a similar amount to that needed now, with many of you giving around £100.  That money was well spent protecting the reservoir at the previous planning appeal, and we need to do the same again now. 
Please make cheques payable to ‘Gondar and Agamemnon Residents' Association’ and send to the GARA Treasurer, 12 Agamemnon Road NW6 1DY, or make your payments direct to GARA: sort code 20-74-63, a/c 80451223, with your details in the payment reference (e.g. “28GG Yass”). 

--
Yours,
David Yass
Chair, Gondar and Agamemnon Residents Association