'It ain't over yet!' Granville Carlton demonstrators expected at Planning Committee on Wednesday as planners wave aside loss of Rumi's Cave

Demonstrators will be assembling outside Brent Civic Centre tomorrow at 5.30pm  to before attending the 6pm Committee to oppose the planning application  for the Carlton-Granville Centres.

The proposals will see the charity Rumi's Cave lose its premises. Planners express sympathy in their report to the Committee but state: 
Whilst some material weight can be given to the charitable work and benefit to the community Rumi’s Cave and other organisations utilising the existing space offer, planning decisions are generally informed by the proposed land use and the development plan rather than a particular occupier of a building/land at the time of an application. The development plan should be given significant weight by the decision maker.

 A digitial petition attracted 2,199 signatories and 623 pro-forma letters were received which stated residents' views on the application.

The Report LINK states:

A digital petition at the time of the submission to council held 2,064 signatories, latest review of the petition found 2199 signatories. Signatories come from across the world, the majority outside of the South Kilburn area. 

The petition was titled: Would you like to see Rumi’s Cave continue? 

The petition web page describes how the community centre is to be closed down and turned into flats. The stated aim of the petition is “it is vital that we save our building or are given an alternative building to continue all of the work we do.” 

Rumi’s Cave is described as providing the following services: 

Food bank, Soup Kitchens and community lunches, Breakfast Clubs for school children and local residents, Night Shelter for the homeless, Tea & Chat sessions for the elderly, IT support for the elderly, Martial Arts and Yoga (Children & Adults), Language Courses, Music Lessons, Knitting & Crochet club, Mental Health support groups, Open mic and poetry sessions, Free Community movie nights, Interfaith music nights, Herbal medicine Training, Alternative Medicine Treatments. 

No planning reasons are suggested in addition to the stated objection. It is clear there is objection to loss of space for use by Rumi’s Cave/ULFA Aid, this seems to be based on the suggestion the Carlton building is to be turned into flats which is not the case. The space which Rumi’s Cave/Ulfa Aid currently occupies on a temporary short term lease is to be refurbished to primarily serve as an enterprise hub to serve the local community and was formerly an adult education centre. 

CS Policy CP23 seeks to protect existing community facilities. Whilst there is some overall loss of floorspace in community type uses, a range of facilities is proposed, and those facilities are to be redeveloped and improved. Overall the small scale loss is considered to be mitigated by the rationalised and modernised facilities. The proposals would offer significant improvement in layout, access and usability enabling much more efficient use of the community type uses on site and is considered a significant benefit of the proposals. It is therefore considered that the community facilities would be significantly improved despite the reduction in floorspace. 

Some public comment has been concerned with the net loss of community type floorspace. However, it is important to note the specific policy wording. Policy CP23 refers to the protection of community and cultural facilities or their loss mitigated where necessary. The policy does not specify that there should not be a net loss of floorspace and it is important to consider the type and nature of facilities that are proposed. In this instance there is a comparatively smalls scale loss of net floorspace within the new community facility provision. Some of the floorspace is changing. For example, the multi-use community floorspace and the community focused affordable workspace is increasing in size. The nursery and children’s centres are also increasing in size.

The space that was used as an adult education centre and has been used by Rumi’s cave in 2018 and 2019 is not being reprovided. However, overall there the community facilities are considered to be improved, benefitting the community as well as supporting the wider regeneration benefits of the South Kilburn masterplan area. 

The petitions received by the Council centred on the potential loss of space for the Rumi’s cave organisation. Rumi’s cave entered the site on a temporary arrangement in 2018. This part of the site was formerly used as an adult education centre. The South Kilburn masterplan clearly identifies the site for a range of uses including an enterprise hub, education, community space and residential development and the proposal looks to deliver those uses. The South Kilburn masterplan SPD was recently endorsed by a significant majority in a local referendum (72% of eligible resident’s voted, 84% voted in favour of the masterplan). 

Whilst some limited weight can be given to the charitable work and benefit to the community Rumi’s cave provides as a community facility use, planning decisions are informed by the proposed land use and the development plan rather than a particular occupier of a building at the time of an application. The development plan should be given significant weight by the decision maker. 

Some objection comments cite that office space demonstrated as part of the proposals fall outside the scope of community type uses. While this would be the case for standard office space let on the private market, the office space is proposed to serve a community function, with a management plan submitted which sets out how the space will be operated. A condition is proposed to secure a management plan which would ensure this space continues to serve and support the community and improve local engagement, employment and enterprise opportunities which is consistent with the objectives of the South Kilburn Masterplan SPD for this site and the Local Plan. 

Whilst some objections have focussed upon the specific parameters of the D1 use class, the policy is not referenced in terms of D1 use class. It is possible for buildings to serve a community/social infrastructure purpose without strictly being within the D1 use class as defined by The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987. The broader site has a mix of uses present currently and flexibility in the specific uses is considered to be appropriate. 

CS policy CP2 requires to plan for additional housing, which this development would contribute towards, in particular affordable housing, all units are to be affordable (affordable rent) units, which is a significant benefit of the proposals. 

Whilst officers do sincerely empathise with the challenges of finding space for charitable organisations, planning decisions are required by law to be based upon the adopted development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 

It is notable Rumi’s cave have a short term lease arrangement, understood to expire in 2021. The Local Planning Authority (as a distinct authority from the Council, although sits within the Council) has a legal requirement to objectively assess the application on its planning merits. 

Whilst some material weight can be given to the charitable work and benefit to the community Rumi’s Cave and other organisations utilising the existing space offer, planning decisions are generally informed by the proposed land use and the development plan rather than a particular occupier of a building/land at the time of an application. The development plan should be given significant weight by the decision maker. 

Given the retention of a mix of community and social infrastructure based uses on site, plus delivery of housing the principle of development is considered acceptable and in accordance with the objectives of the development plan.