URGENT COUNCIL CONSULTATION

The council would like residents feedback on plans to site Willowfield school at the top of the Douglas Eyre playing fields.
Visit the Building Schools for the Future consultation here to give them your views.
As usual with council consultations they’ve waited until less than a week before the closing date to send details to residents!

The consultation closes on the 12th of January.

Here’s what this months BSF bullitin says on the subject:

Following the request from the Governing Body further to pursue the possibility of a site at the current Douglas Eyre Playing Field, discussions have been held with the owners (London Playing Fields Foundation), the adjoining housing developers and the Greater London Authority over the constraints within which use of part of the field might be acceptable. A Project Manager has been identified, and the next steps are to commission planning advisers and various other consultancies to support the development of a revised proposal.

LATEST ON THE TOWER BLOCKS
Thank you very much for all your support with the housing campaign Blackhorse Action Group Residents Association (BAG) started this year. We received emails and comments from over 150 residents unhappy with developers plans to build 10 blocks of flats up-to 23 storeys high on the site right behind Blackhorse Road tube station overlooking the Douglas Eyre playing fields.

In the last few months BAG members have raised the residents concerns and have met many councillors and the regeneration officer for Blackhorse Lane. BAG have also maintained correspondence with English Partnerships who own most of the land the tower blocks would be built on.

BAG distributed leaflets at the tube station and through residents doors spelling out the sheer height and density of the plan. English Partnerships developers went on to change their plans twice only to receive negative feedback from the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment each time.

In late October, we tried to organise a meeting with English Partnerships. The response from them was: “All plans are slowing at the moment given the market and local context. We’ll come back to you when it’s a bit clearer what our aspirations for the site are” (English Partnerships)

A few weeks ago in a meeting with Cllr Terry Wheeler (Cabinet Member for Investment and Enterprise) BAG members discovered plans for the blocks of flats were “no longer an option”. Cllr Wheeler stated on the record the 23 storey towers had been scrapped. He went on to say that the most likely option for the site would be a new home for an expanded Willowfield School.

BAG is still waiting for official confirmation on this. At the time of the meeting the council was still in negotiations to acquire the site.

We’ll never know whether it was BAG’s campaigning and the massive response from residents outraged at this inappropriate development that stopped our skyline being overshadowed by vast tower blocks or if it was simply a consequence of the collapse in the housing market. Either way we’d like to thank residents for all their help, and feedback to both us AND the council.

Clearly this is not the end of the story, as the Arcade site at the top of the market enters its sixth year as a boarded up wasteland, its clear that even if the council acquires the site, they may not do the right thing by us as residents. We will renew our argument that any development on BHL2 should have mixed facilities for the local community. So far however we’ve got the strong impression the Council thinks this is very unlikely. So, one battle won but a big fight still looming.

TESCO EXPRESS
Opinion seems divided on plans for a Tesco Express store on the former site of the Essex Arms on Forest Road (2-3 minutes walk from Blackhorse Road tube).

The proposed store would have 9 car parking spaces, secure bays for 14 bikes and would be open between 7am and 11pm. Debate has raged over whether this will decimate local business’s and destroy diversity or whether it’s actually a good use of a derelict site.

LATEST NEWS: Tesco appear to have withdrawn their application for the site (link). Have they changed their mind about the store or are they reapplying? BAG will try and find out more.

EMD CINEMA UPDATE
Liberal Democrat Councillor, James O’Rourke contacted BAG to inform us the council are in talks with UKCG about a new planning application for the building. In 2003, in response to the demands of Walthamstow residents the government denied UCKG permission to convert the building into a church. In the 5 years that have followed nothing has changed at either the EMD or Arcade site. Will the church be given permission despite this clear ruling?

Cllr. O’Rourke, along with an English Heritage representative and the Council’s Conservation Officer visited the cinema recently and found it in a “sorry state”. Councillor O’Rourke commented that he was “encouraged plans are now being made to use the EMD”.

ST. JAMES STREET LIBRARY
A final open air library was held in December outside the former St James Street Library building. Despite being closed without warning or consultation the council has been steadfast in its refusal to reconsider.

Back in October a meeting of the Walthamstow West community council descended into chaos after councillors blocked plans for a feasibility study on reinstating the library, instead opting for a new plan for a scout hut.
Councillors refused to discuss the decision using a microphone so all could hear as requested, and in the end rejected the plan with Cllr James O’Rourke pointing out it was against council procedure. (Read the chair’s reflections on the meeting here.)

And so what was once a valued local library of vital use, in particular to the elderly and the young now has boarded up windows. Instead of educating the community the empty building now contributes to its decline with street drinkers and drug users replacing readers and families on the bench outside.

THE NORTH LONDON WASTE PLAN (NLWP)
Residents Against Pollution are tentatively reporting that plans for an Incinerator at Blackhorse Lane have been scrapped.

RAP’s website states “Though we only have verbal hints at this stage, it looks like Blackhorse Lane is now unlikely to be chosen as a new waste site. We are trying to get something in writing, and we won’t know for sure till the “preferred options” stage of the consultation process is reached in May, when it will be clear whether Blackhorse Lane is still an option.”

WALTHAMSTOW GOD STADIUM
Walthamstow Dog track sits empty as the housing collapse hits its developers (even though they claimed to be altruistically building “affordable homes”). While offers to buy or lease the track back for dog racing – even in the short term – have been blanked by developers, Kingsway International Christian Church were given permission to use the track for a huge New Year’s Eve service. 15,000 people were predicted to attend the event which was broadcast live to 217 countries on the God Channel.

Meanwhile the SaveOurStow campaign continues despite a letter from the new owners L&Q dismissing the views of all those that love the track along with all offers put forward to buy the stadium. No planning application for the site has yet been made. Rumours have emerged of an American consortium who already own dog tracks and have a successful record of developing multi-function commercial sites who intend to start talks with London and Quadrant to acquire the site in the very near future.
Perhaps the sights and sounds of race night may yet return? Although don’t hold your breath.

If you haven’t seen it already BAG found some old Walthamstow Dogs footage from 1937, 1968 and 1986 down the back of the sofa, so we put together a 30 minute video tribute to “The Stow” through the ages.

Watch “The Soul of Walthamstow: 75 years of ‘The Stow’” here.

KICK OUT KIER
Six months after getting the money saving contract to clean Walthamstow’s streets and complaints about the Kier group’s service continue. The Waltham Forest Guardian reports that the “Row continues over borough’s filthy streets” and our “dirty and “neglected” playgrounds”.

There’s even a flickr group for people to send pictures of any rubbish strewn streets.
Kier also hold the contract for a mixed use redevelopment of Walthamstow Tube Station.

OTHER NEWS
Radio 5 Live visited Walthamstow market – Listen to their broadcast here
Hate all the “To-Let” Signs left long after properties have been rented out – Get rid of them here.

BAG WEBSITE
Last but not least for all the latest news and to discuss local issues keep visiting the BAG Blog.

Once again thank you very much to all residents for their support.

Happy New Year!!!

BAG.

We learned various details about bats and heard their noises on a “Bat detector” which was tuned into the appropriate bat frequency. We couldn’t see any bats as it was dark but the walk over Walthamstow Marshes with an orange moon hanging low over the land was very enjoyable indeed.  We were back outside the pub again at around 10.15 pm.

People must have enjoyed it as Jeanette, our bat walk guide counted the donations of everyone. The grand total came to £37.70.  Thank you everyone for your generosity.

In the future we will strive to organise more public events for residents to participate.

Without any further ado here’s the rest of the news:

LATEST ON THE BLACKHORSE ROAD TOWER BLOCKS

On the back of the comments you made individually and the ones we have passed on, we have had an opportunity to meet members of the council about the proposed 23 storey tower blocks to the back of Blackhorse Road. This shows that we are being listened to!

On the 27th August we met Bob Belam (Lib Dem), (Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration) and John Macklin (Lib Dem), (Portfolio Holder for Service Modernisation and Deputy Leader of the Council) who both seemed eager to hear our views and were sympathetic. On the 3rd September we also managed to meet Terry Wheeler (Lab), (Portfolio Holder for Enterprise and Investment). He stated that the original plan to build vast tower blocks has been shelved.

So if that’s true congratulations must go to everyone who gave their views to us and the council! It doesn’t end there though, a new architect is taking over and new proposals are being developed on which we have no details or assurances over quality, height or ways in which the whole project can benefit the community as a whole.

We have renewed our argument that any development on BHL2 should have mixed facilities for the local community, but we got the strong impression that the Council thinks that very unlikely. So, maybe one battle won but a huge fight still looming.

In addition, we will see new plans to be brought forward to meet the strategy to increase the amount of accommodation available in the Borough. We will keep fighting to be a part of the planning and thinking about them and will keep you posted.

Future meetings are in the pipeline with councillors as well as the developers including English Partnerships and Circle Anglia.

We will continue to put forward residents views at meetings with key players and will provide feedback – and ensure that you remain a part of the action.

NORTH LONDON WASTE PLAN

A new residents group has been set up to stop Waltham Forest becoming North London’s dumping ground. Six new ‘industrial’ sites are proposed, four of these are planned to be in the Lea Valley, and one is earmarked for Blackhorse Road.

There’s a demonstration against the plans on Tuesday the 30th September at 6pm on the Town Hall steps.

Visit Residents Against Pollution for more info and to download some of their very stylish posters.
*The Residents Against Pollution group is supported by the Socialist Party, although RAP have contacted BAG to point out that they are a residents group and not officially linked or funded by the Socialist Party (not that BAG has anything either pro or anti to say about the Socilaist Party!!)

TESCO EXPRESS

Opinion seems divided on plans for a Tesco Express store on the former site of the Essex Arms on Forest Road (2-3 minutes walk from Blackhorse Road tube).

The proposed store would have 9 car parking spaces, secure bays for 14 bikes and would be open between 7am and 11pm.

Debate has raged over whether this will decimate local business’s and destroy diversity or whether it’s actually a good use of a derelict site.

Visit here for more information and to give us your views.

LONG LIVE THE STANDARD

The Standard Music Venue has been given a temporary reprieve from the bulldozer. Developers have reportedly shelved the scheme, due to the slowdown in the housing market. There is however an agreement to buy in place that gives them the right to return to the deal whenever the housing market recovers.

Read more here.

SAVE OUR STOW

BAG found some old Walthamstow Dogs footage from 1937, 1968 and 1986 down the back of the sofa so we’ve put together a 30 minute video tribute to “The Stow” through the ages.

Watch “The Soul of Walthamstow: 75 years of ‘The Stow’” here.

The latest news is that representatives of Save Our Stow have met with housing developers L&Q.

L&Q issued the following press release:

L&Q acting on behalf of the above consortium met with the SOS consortium on the 17th September.

This was not, as has been reported, a meeting to negotiate the sale of the land. No deal has been agreed between us and the SOS consortium. Instead this meeting was an opportunity for the SOS consortium to actually introduce themselves, for them to present a more detailed business proposal and to provide evidence that funds are available for any proposed purchase. The proposal received on the 23rd July was far too brief to be considered.

Following this meeting we are now able to look at their proposal and give it our full consideration. Once a decision has been made we will contact the SOS consortium directly. As this is a private business matter until a decision has been reached we have no further comment with regards to the proposal.

VICTORIA STILL EARLY TO BED

BBC London has revealed that early closures on the Victoria Line are likely to continue throughout 2009 after a brief pause for Christmas and New year.

Watch the BBC London report including a look at the new trains.

The results are summarised in a whopper of a PDF file on their site; you can look at it here.

There are several references to the Blackhorse area including this about residents opinion:

A significant number of respondents expressed specific opposition to the use of the Blackhorse Lane area for new waste facilities because of potential negative impacts on residential amenity, health and the local transport network. In addition, the development of waste facilities in this area is seen by some to be incompatible with the current and proposed future regeneration of the area.

The meeting started with a short presentation by Archie Onslow, explaining the issues involved. The NLWP will provide a planning framework to identify sites suitable for waste processing facilities (of industrial as well as household waste). North London, will, in future, have to make provision for processing a higher percentage than previously of the waste produced in the seven boroughs that now constitute the North London Waste Authority.

The tonnage of waste each borough has been allocated by the Mayor is called “apportionment”. This is the minimum quantity of waste each waste authority has to process within its own boundaries. To process the waste tonnage set by the apportionment for north London will require around an extra 9 hectares of land for the accommodation of new waste processing facilities. Beyond that, it is deemed desirable that London boroughs work towards increasing self-sufficiency in waste processing. To achieve self sufficiency for the six north London boroughs of the NLWP would require an extra 24 hectares of land (1 hectare = the size of one football pitch).

The report outlines the issues and options involved in dealing with the challenges presented by the need for increased waste processing facilities in north London. In this context, the report lists six locations that have been identified as suitable for the siting of new waste processing facilities in north London. Three of these sites are in Waltham Forest (one at Blackhorse Road), two in Enfield, and one in Barnet.

Local residents expressed their extreme concern over the suitability of the locations listed in the report and the effect pollution from waste processing facilities will have on residents’ health and quality of life in the adjacent residential areas. It appeared to us that research data relating to these issues are rather scant. Furthermore, is there any legal provision defining the minimum distance waste processing facilities have to be sited from residential properties?

Some of the other issues raised concerned:

The fact that the boroughs Waltham Forest and Enfield are already accommodating most of north London’s waste processing facilities, allowing boroughs such as Barnet to offload the problem almost entirely outside of their own area.

The effect increased traffic caused by trucks transporting waste to and from these plants will have on the local environment.

The lack of cohesion in the Council’s planning policy as far as the future of the Blackhorse Lane area is concerned: intending to place quality housing, shops and cafés in close proximity to a waste processing plant.

In summary, local residents expressed severe discontent over the fact that north London’s waste processing problem will be solved largely at the expense of poorer boroughs such as Walthamstow, which are already “hosts” to most of this area’s waste processing facilities.

Links:
North London Waste Plan website

Greenpeace Incinerator buster kit for residents opposed to plans for incinerators in their area. This relates to a year 2000 court case over plans to site Europes largest incinerator in Edmonton as well as GP activists taken to court for protesting at the site.

The framework document for these plans is the North London Waste Plan. This document will be finalized following a number of public consultation meetings held at various locations in the borough earlier this year.

As far as BAG is concerned, the opportunities for public consultation were not widely advertised and therefore, quite possibly, missed by many people who are concerned about this issue.

We have therefore asked NLWP to hold one more public meeting at which local residents can get information about these plans and express their opinions.

Anyone concerned with plans to site Incinerators and waste facilities in the Blackhorse Road area and other places in the borough should come along to find out more and get their views across to the NLWP.

North London Waste Plan meeting details:

Tuesday, 15 April 2008, at 7.15pm

The church hall of Blackhorse Road Baptist Church
Blackhorse Road
Walthamstow
London
E17 7AS.

(Google Maps)

Dear all

In case you haven’t seen the latest copy of WFM, there will be a public workshop at EduAction Conference Centre, Queens Road, E17 between 6.30pm and 8.30pm on Monday 28th January about the North London Waste Plan. The purpose of the workshop is to “have your say and find out more” about the North London Waste Plan. Some of you may have seen that Waltham Forest is earmarked for 3 out of 6 waste disposal sites so it should be interesting to go along and find out more about what’s happening with that.

For more info go to www.nlwp.net or to register for a workshop email events@nlwp.net

I’m sure it is no coincidence (!), but the Walthamstow West Community Council meeting is also being held on the same evening – Monday 28th January at 7.15pm at the Chapel End Junior School, Roberts Road, E17 4LS.

thanks,
Cath

We should probably split up and attend both. Email to say which of the two meetings, the Community Council or the NLWP consultation, you’d be able to attend.

We’ve made a .pdf file of the page with the letter, which you can read here.

This is naturally worrying: nobody wants an incinerator in the area. Also, the council has presented the development as a ‘Gateway’ opportunity filled with local amenities, businesses, public spaces, housing and leisure parks – just where (and next to what) would any processing plant go?

Before rushing to the barricades to fight incinerator plans, however, we should remember that it has not been decided what’s going to be put where. According to a comment posted on the Guardian’s article, Archie Onslow of The North London Waste Plan has said that they’re looking into sites for processing/recycling green waste and stuff from the black boxes ie composting / sorting facilities.

The council rushed to assure residents that there will be consultation on the subject. It will start on January 23 and, the council says, “residents will be able to request a copy” (of what, exactly?) by visiting www.nlwp.net or ringing the North London Waste Plan on 020 7974 5916.

The NLWP website has a sort of consultation portal called “Have Your Say” and there is a consultation timetable that promises “formal consultation on issues and options, via [the NLWP] website and public events across the 7 boroughs“. It looks worryingly stage-managed, and it would be nice to know what part our own council will play in all this… As ever, we have to work to make sure that the consultation is genuine and meaningful. Take a look at theNLWP’s consultation guidelines and tell us what you think.

A meeting to discuss policy will be held at the Education Centre on 28th Jan at 6.30pm.

The time scale on this seems long, but you know how time flies: here is the North London Waste Plan’s timetable.

Watch this space!