Seven years ago South Kilburn residents demonstrated against the siting of an HS2 vent on the estate because of the disruption its building would cause and the fact that it was right next to a primary school.
They were even more furious when they discovered that their own council, Brent Council, had lobbied to have the vent moved to the estate, already suffering from disruptive regeneration, from the original site on council owned land next to Queens Park station.
Years of noise, dust and stress have followed so residents were even more distressed to have a warning from HS2 LINK of worse to come. South Kilburn resident Pete Firmin told Wembley Matters:
HS2 seems to be able to work whenever it likes, doing whatever it wants, with the blessing of Brent Council. The Council itself never communicates with local residents about the works, and as far as anyone can tell, doesn't monitor whether HS2 keeps to even the few restrictions on its working hours etc. Neighbours of the vent shaft have given up complaining, because nothing happens. How inadequate protection from noise and dust really is may be indicated by the fact that HS2 lists further work on the retaining wall they already erected between the site and Carlton House as one of its next jobs.
Since persuading HS2 that the vent shaft should be in the middle of the estate rather than on the empty Queens Park station car park, Brent, for all intents and purposes, has washed its hands of any responsibility. And HS2 is no longer willing to meet residents together, insisting all "consultation" is one to one.
No recognition by either Brent or HS2 of the stress and exposure to noise and dust caused by living in the South Kilburn building site for 20+ years
This is part of the communication from HS2 to residents:
Extended working hours within the Canterbury Works site
We wrote to you previously regarding extended hours while we build the
ventilation shaft. The sprayed concrete lining (SCL) works were due to
start on the 7 March 2022 and continue until September 2022.due to
ongoing reviews of our working methods, these works work will now start
in late March or early April and will continue until September 2022. The
exact date remains subject to confirmation.
The SCL and shaft excavation works will take place throughout the day and night. This must be carried out as a continuous process to avoid collapses and ensure the safety of the workforce within the ventilation shaft during construction. This means that from late March / early April we will be permitted to carry out works 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. We will only carry out works agreed with Brent Council and will adhere to the agreed working hours, noise and vibration limits.
The diagram below shows a cut section of the shaft and how it will be constructed.
Enhancement works within the Network Rail Yard
Works are ongoing within the site, near the Network Rail tracks, to
prepare for installation of a new site access point via Albert Road.
These works will involve the construction of a new access ramp for
vehicles to enter the site. As part of these works, we will be carrying
out works to strengthen the retaining wall between our site and back
gardens at Carlton House. These works are currently planned from May to
July but remain subject to confirmation. The works will be agreed with
Brent Council and we will write to Carlton House resident with more
information.
Whilst we continue the works to prepare for the new
ramp and vehicle access point, we will continue using the site access on
Canterbury Road for vehicle entry and exit from site.
What to expect during our works
During the works outlined in this update you may notice the following within the site:
• Heavy good vehicles – entering and exiting site
• Excavators / excavating activities
• Cranes / lifting operations
• Lighting towers
• Concreting equipment
• Temporary traffic management and signage during work on the public highway
Given European hot war approaching maybe this massive unmitigated for Growth Area negative could be turned into a London resilience and emergency plan positive?
ReplyDeleteAt the moment South Kilburn mega population Growth Area only gets massive disruption, increased environmental pollution and the emergency disaster escape route from the HS2 railway tunnel below.
But what if this emergency escape route was designed in the spirit of 2022 to work well also in reverse direction as a route for Kilburn folk down to an underground bomb shelter such as Hampstead and Belsize Park already have? Would need to re-design the new vent/ escape building to withstanding a direct bomb hit and thereby protect what is otherwise a super strong massive scale building well below ground and ready-made.
To add...
ReplyDeleteI also tried to get HS2 as vent local compensation to invest in the South Kilburn Public Open Space nearby. In an HS2 emergency train tunnel major incident, this public open space would surely be useful to emergency services and help save lives? If this park scale Brent Kilburn only public open space is destroyed by sanctions and towers this will be impossible and any emergency will be in re developer canyon streets.
I also put forward the idea of a foot/ cycle bridge between Kilburn Protected and Kilburn Growth over the mainline electrified railway (mid point by the vent between Queens Park Bridge and Kilburn Bridge) again as a local mitigation 'give back' for locals enduring the HS2 vent. Again less than zero interest. Could bunker emergency use vent entrance to the HS2 tunnel change government disinterest and also better connect Brent Kilburn Major Town lives for C21?