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An Appendix published for the recent Cabinet meeting revealed new schemes that are being considered for council land across the borough. (Printed in black on the map above). The figure next to the site name is the number of housing units.
Some are clearly infill but those with a higher number of units might involve wider changes. All are aimed at increasing the number of council homes in the borough to meet the need for affordable housing.
Thanks to Life in Kilburn for this earlier data that they requested from Brent Council (May 28th 2021):
Although I do not live on any of the housing estates affected by Brent's housing plans, I am concerned at the way there are many 'projects not in public domain'. This goes against the "openness" which our Council is meant to have with its residents.
ReplyDeleteIn order to find out more about what appear to be some potentially controversial schemes in my own area (before it is too late!) I sent off a Freedom of Information Act request a couple of days ago.
I will copy the text of my request below (sent to a Ward councillor - who also happens to be Lead Member for Regeneration - with copies to Brent's FoI team and my other Ward councillors):-
'I see from the map (item 7a, appendix 1) for Brent's New Council Housing Programme that there are a number of proposals for Fryent Ward described as 'projects not yet in the public domain'.
I am writing to request information from you (under the Freedom of Information Act, if necessary) about four of these schemes:
Campbell Court (shown as 97 units);
Elvin Court (40 units);
Westcroft Court (16 units); and
Broadview (3 units).
For these sites to have been chosen, and the number of proposed new Council homes to have been identified, Council Officers must already have carried out some preliminary work on these schemes. For each of these four schemes, please let me know:
a) What stage the proposals, project design or planning for the scheme has reached, as of today's date (30 July 2021).
b) What consultation, if any, has so far been carried out with the residents of these Council estates about proposals for these additional homes?
c) Whether the proposals for these estates involve:
(i) complete demolition of the existing homes and redevelopment of the site:
(ii) no demolition, but simply building on "spare" land on the estate; or
(iii) a mixture of part demolition/redevelopment and part building on "spare" land.
d) Whether any blocks of flats more than 5 storeys high are proposed, and if so, on which of the estates. (In the case of Westcroft Court, do the plans involve adding any extra storeys to the existing 8-storey block?).
e) What is the expected timescale for the building work on each of these four sites?'
If you have concerns about any of the 'not yet in public domain' projects in your area, you are just as entitled to ask for details as I am! You are welcome to use my request as a "template", if you wish to.
The email address for Freedom of Information Act requests to Brent Council is: foi@brent.gov.uk
I would suggest that you copy any request to your Ward councillors. You may want to ask for their help if you wish to challenge what Council Officers are proposing for your estate or neighbourhood. I hope your councillors will be willing to help you and other residents, but if not, you may be willing to vote for alternative candidates in the local elections next May!
I wonder if any of these infill properties will actually be at Social Rents, or will they be part of the Affordable Rent lie, you know, a percentage of Market (inflated) Rents.
ReplyDelete