Brent planning officers have recommended LINK that the Planning Committee approve the Atlip Centre/2 Atlip Road development at its meeting on Wednesday 12th March.
The application is for 464 resident units on the site near Alperton Station and 421 co-living places.
They will be housed in 2, 8, 10, 20, 23 and 29 storey structures with a single storey workspace and some commercial units.
145 people have signed a petition opposing the development but only 27 have lodged an objection on the Brent Council planning portal. There are also 3 neutral comments (including an Alperton councillor - not identified by name). No comments in favour have been lodged.
It was quite a task for anyone interested to read all 355 documents on the Council website.
Approval will be subject to referral to the Mayor of London.
The petition:
A petition has been lodged at Brent Council to stop the approval of
another mega-development at Atlip Road in central Alperton. The
campaigners have put forward the following reasons against the proposal.
1. Loss of Light – The development’s height (up to
30 storeys) will cause severe overshadowing, reducing natural light to
nearby homes, including Bigler Court and Dawson Court, contrary to BRE
guidelines. Reduced daylight can lead to health impacts such as vitamin D
deficiency, especially for brown and black residents at higher risk.
2. Overcrowding – The proposal includes 885
residential units, adding excessive strain on already stretched local
services, including GP surgeries like Stanley Corner Medical Centre,
schools, and public transport.
3. Parking and Traffic – The limited parking spaces
will lead to increased congestion on surrounding roads, creating parking
difficulties and worsening air pollution.
4. Noise Pollution – Construction noise will cause
major disruption, particularly for those working from home or resting at
home. Long-term noise from communal spaces will also impact residents’
quality of life and stress pets.
5. Loss of Facilities – The proposed demolition of
the existing gym will force residents to travel 30–45 minutes on foot to
the nearest affordable alternative, making fitness routines less
accessible and harming physical well-being.
6. Flood Risks – Existing flood risks on Atlip Road,
with depths up to 600mm, will be worsened by the development. New
drainage systems offer no guaranteed protection against surface water
flooding.
7. Air Quality – Construction dust and emissions
pose health risks, especially for children, the elderly, and those with
respiratory conditions, while long-term increases in traffic will reduce
air quality further.
8. Privacy and Child Safety – Flats will overlook
nearby homes, including Bigler Court, and Alperton Community School’s
playground, raising safeguarding concerns for children.
A WW2 German Dornier DO-217-M bomber aircraft. (Image from the internet)
The distance from Wembley to Cambridge is around 50 miles (80 kilometres)
as the crow flies. This story links both places. I was contacted by someone who
knew the Cambridge half, and asked what I knew about the Wembley part. At the
time it was nothing, but after a little research in the local newspaper microfilms
at Brent Archives, I can now share a remarkable story with you.
The events in this article took place on the night of 23 February 1944.
The Second World War had already been going on for 4½ years, and it would be
another fifteen months before the country could celebrate VE Day, the end of the war in Europe. After several years with little or no
German bombing, London was in the middle of a “mini-blitz”. Just five nights
earlier, eight members of the Whitfield family and seven members of the
Metcalfe family had been killed when their semi-detached homes in Birchen
Close, Kingsbury, suffered a direct hit from a high explosive bomb. An air raid
warden, who’d been blown across the road by the blast, died in hospital two
days later.
The first report of the incident in Alperton was this short article in
“The Wembley News”:
The following week’s edition of the newspaper had more time for a full front-page
report of what had happened:
“Fireguards Arrest German Airmen”, headline from “The Wembley News”, 3
March 1944. (Brent Archives local newspaper microfilms)
Fireguards were ordinary local residents, not otherwise serving in the
Home Guard or as air raid wardens. After the widespread damage caused by German
incendiary (fire) bombs in the “blitz”, regulations were introduced in early
1941 that adults should spend 12 hours a week (often split into four-hour
shifts) on night-time fire watching duties. The Wardens in charge of Wembley’s
eighty A.R.P. posts had to organise firewatchers for every sector in their area.
25,000 Wembley civilians were given the necessary training, and supplied with bags
of sand, galvanised water buckets and stirrup pumps to use in putting out fires.
A WW2 fireguard bucket, stirrup pump and hose. (Source: Imperial War Museum)
The local newspaper report on 3 March included this eyewitness account,
from an Alperton man, of what he saw during an air raid on London by over 200
German bombers that night:
‘I was watching the barrage [of anti-aircraft
gunfire] when suddenly a plane could be seen caught by about eight
searchlights. The guns put up a terrific barrage and got him “boxed”, and then
closed in on him. It was obvious that no plane could stay up there long, and
all of a sudden there was a flash. They had got him. The next thing I saw was
two parachutes sailing down. They were picked up by the searchlights and
followed down.’
A WW2 photograph showing searchlights on a bomber, and anti-aircraft
gunfire. (Image from the internet)
Two firewatchers, Mr W. Hall of 47 Douglas Avenue and Mr F. Harrison of
1 Christchurch Green, were sheltering under the front porch of his house. They
had seen a parachute descending, and heard a bump as something hit the roof of
number 49. The newspaper report said:
‘A high hedge separates numbers 47 and 49. The
airman went one side and the parachute the other. After a discreet wait Messrs
Harrison and Hall, who thought it was a land mine, hurried over to
investigate.’
47 and 49 Douglas Avenue, Alperton, as it might have been at the time. (A Google Street View image, painted to restore the
wartime hedge!)
The firewatchers were right to be cautious. “Land mines”, as they were
commonly called, were 500kg German bombs
dropped by parachute, which drifted through the air until they hit a solid
structure, killing indiscriminately. On the same night in September 1940, two
such bombs had killed four people, women and young children in flats above
shops in Kingsbury Road, and four more (two married couples) in District Road,
Sudbury.
The newspaper report continued:
‘After releasing the Nazi from his complicated
harness, Mr Hall picked him up. He was thoroughly dazed, helmetless and dressed
in a blueish grey uniform. First-aid was rendered, he was given smelling salts
and asked if he was alright. He nodded his head, answering in the affirmative.’
‘By this time neighbours began to collect, and the
head fireguard of the sector, Mr W. Thornton, disarmed the Nazi by removing his
belt and revolver. He offered no resistance and was quite docile. When the
young airman had sufficiently recovered, he was taken to the wardens post in
Christchurch Green and the police were sent for and he was taken to Wembley
Police Station.’
Locations from the incident, marked on a map from 1939. (Extract from page 30 of the original A to Z Atlas
and Guide to London and the suburbs)
Mrs Hall, the wife of the fireguard at 47 Douglas Avenue, had also
spoken to the reporter:
‘The German airman proved to be a youth, aged about
20, fair haired and according to Mrs Hall “a good looking young boy”.’
The young German who landed in Douglas Avenue was lucky. In April 1943,
Ronald Francis, a 21-year old RAF airman who’d lived just along the road at 19
Douglas Avenue, was killed with the rest of the 7-man crew of a Lancaster aircraft
which crashed in The Netherlands, after being shot down while returning from a bombing mission over
Germany.
The newspaper mentioned two German airmen in Wembley’s streets. There
were brief details of the other one:
‘The second defeated raider landed in Wembley Park
Drive about the same time. He also was captured without any difficulty, and
after being taken to a nearby Army unit’s headquarters was handed over to the
police.’
But all four crew members of the Dornier bomber had baled out. The
airman captured in Wembley Park was described as being around 30 years old, so might
have been the pilot. I don’t know where the other two landed, but it may have
been earlier, just over the Wembley Borough boundary in Ealing. If you have any
information on this, please add a comment below!
The Dornier’s pilot must have thought that his aircraft would crash,
after being damaged by anti-aircraft “flak” shells. He locked his plane’s
controls so that it stayed level while he and his crewmen baled out. If it had
crashed, the plane and its load of 860 incendiary bombs would probably have
come down on a built-up area in Kingsbury or Edgware, causing massive damage
and potential death or injury to local residents. But the Dornier DO-217-M did
not crash. It flew on in a north north-easterly direction, over Hertfordshire
and beyond.
Later that night, a lady at 302 Milton Road in Cambridge heard a loud
noise behind her house. When she dared to look out, there was a German bomber
aircraft with its nose up against her back garden fence!
Two photographs of the Dornier bomber where it came to rest in Cambridge,
February 1944. (Screenshots from the “German Ghost Bomber” video)
The Dornier bomber had flown over fifty miles, without a pilot,
gradually getting lower. Miraculously, it had passed just east of the centre of
Cambridge, missing the University’s historic colleges, and the homes in its
northern suburb, and made a “wheels-up” landing across a large allotment site.
Although it left a trail of unexploded incendiary bombs behind it in the
vegetable plots, the remaining fuel in the aircraft’s tanks had not ignited. No
one was hurt.
The Cambridge end of this curious incident is told in an excellent 9-minute
video film from 2022 by Mark Felton, “German Ghost Bomber – The Mysterious Case
of the Cambridge Dornier”, which I will leave you to watch and enjoy!
Thank you, Mark Felton, for the video that led to the enquiry, and which
has enabled me to share the Wembley end of this story.
Philip Grant.
[With apologies to Mark Haddon, for borrowing from the title of his
award-winning book “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”. When
the idea flashed into my head, it fitted this story so well that I just had to
use it!]
The Green Party decided no to stand given the circumstances of Anton Georgiou's resignation and urged the Labour and Conservative parties to do the same. See LINK
The by-election, ususually, takes place on a Tuesday: February 18th 2025.
Residents have launched a petition opposing the development on the corner of Ealing Road and alomgside the Piccadilly railway line known that they have named as Atlip Gardens.
The proposed development
includes the construction of seven new buildings to provide 464 residential
dwellings and 421 co-living homes,
comprising heights of between 2, 8, 10, 20, 23 and 29 storeys as well as a single storey workspace building.
The development proposes 237sqm (GIA) of commercial floorspace 505sqm (GIA) of
community and flexible workspace.
The Planning Statement by Quod claims:
Officers
of the Council, the Mayor of London and the independent Quality Review Panel
have all confirmed that they are comfortable with the proposed scale and
massing across the Site, which comprises Building A (23 storeys); Building B1
(29 storeys); Building B2 (20 storeys); Building C1 (8 storeys) and Building C2
(10 storeys); Buildings D1 (2 storeys) and D2(1 storey)
Petition
to OPPOSE the Building of Nearly 1000 New Residential Units on Atlip Road
We the
undersigned petition the council to Object the Planning Application (24/0410)
before expiry date of 28 February 2025.
We, the undersigned, strongly object to Planning
Application 24/0410 for the proposed redevelopment of Atlip Gardens in Alperton
which proposes 885 residential units on Atlip Road. The development will
negatively impact local residents and the wider community for the following
reasons:
1. Loss of Light – The development’s height (up to
29 storeys) will cause severe overshadowing, reducing natural light to nearby
homes, including Bigler Court and Dawson Court, contrary to BRE guidelines.
Reduced daylight can lead to health impacts such as vitamin D deficiency,
especially for brown and black residents at higher risk.
2. Overcrowding – The proposal includes 885
residential units, adding excessive strain on already stretched local services,
including GP surgeries like Stanley Corner Medical Centre, schools, and public
transport.
3. Parking and Traffic – The limited parking spaces
will lead to increased congestion on surrounding roads, creating parking
difficulties and worsening air pollution.
4. Noise Pollution – Construction noise will cause
major disruption, particularly for those working from home or resting at home.
Long-term noise from communal spaces will also impact residents’ quality of
life and stress pets.
5. Loss of Facilities – The proposed demolition of
the existing gym will force residents to travel 30–45 minutes on foot to the
nearest affordable alternative, making fitness routines less accessible and
harming physical well-being.
6. Flood Risks – Existing flood risks on Atlip
Road, with depths up to 600mm, will be worsened by the development. New
drainage systems offer no guaranteed protection against surface water flooding.
7. Air Quality – Construction dust and emissions
pose health risks, especially for children, the elderly, and those with
respiratory conditions, while long-term increases in traffic will reduce air quality
further.
8. Privacy and Child Safety – Flats will overlook
nearby homes, including Bigler Court, and Alperton Community School’s
playground, raising safeguarding concerns for children.
Cllr Anton Georgiou (Centre) speaking to residents in Alperton
From Cllr Anton Georgiou
Personal news from Anton Georgiou
Being the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Alperton
has truly been the honour of my life. I became a campaigner locally in 2013
when I was 18 years old and have spent over a decade doing what I can to better
the borough I love so much. For the last 5 years I have had the privilege to represent
residents in Alperton on the Council - initially as the only elected Liberal
Democrat and for the past two and a half years as the Leader of our small, but
effective opposition group.
It has been quite a ride, with many highs and some
lows, but I look back at this time with one overriding feeling - gratitude, for
having been given the opportunity to do the role.
It is with sadness and a heavy heart that I have
decided to resign from Brent Council. This is a personal decision,
that has not been easy and in part due to a very traumatic experience that
I have previously spoken out about.
Since my initial election in January
2020, I have been a strong opposition voice against a Labour Council in
Brent that I continue to believe is failing local people and not delivering the
level of service our community deserves.
I have stood up to the Brent
Council leadership time and time again, and have regularly faced
attacks, some personal, that no one in public life should have to endure. The
job of elected officials is to find the best solutions for residents and
different views and opinions should be debated in an open and transparent way -
there should be no place for these sorts of attacks, particularly from
the leadership of the Council.
The Leader/ Cabinet model of
Brent governance puts power in too few hands and stifles genuine open
debate. This is leading to bad decision making in all areas.
But the opposition has not been for oppositions
sake. I believe that mistakes continue to be made by the Labour Council that
are having a detrimental impact on the lives of local people.
I have consistently opposed what seems to
be never-ending development of monster tower blocks in Alperton and in the
Wembley area. They are not delivering the type of housing local
people desperately need and are causing misery for
residents both newly moved into blocks and others in residential streets
close by. Ongoing construction works cause traffic havoc in the area,
parking chaos and persistent noise and othernuisance.
But above all, as I have said over and over
– these new units are broadly not genuinely affordable to
local people or in my view what Brent should be buildingwhich
is - Council homes for Council tenants. Brent like every other local
authority in London and across the UK is having to deal
with record numbers of families on housing waiting lists
and hundreds presenting at the Civic Centre every month as homeless or at risk
of homelessness.
Brent Council is far too weak
in their dealings with developers. Both in terms of demanding a larger number
of genuinely affordable units, this does not include Shared Ownership – which
is not and should not be deemed as affordable, and also when holding them
to account for poor quality build in new developments.
I commend the work Martin Francis (Wembley Matters)
and others do in seeking to highlight Brent Council’s failings
when it comes to bad and the wrong type of development. It is sad that
many Labour members feel unable to stand up for their residents on this
issue. Alperton has endured more than its fair share of large development,
perhaps when the Council starts looking at development in other parts of the borough,
members will feel obliged to speak out too.
The Labour administration is also failing to
deal with the bread-and-butter issues. Our streets are dirtier than
ever, a record confirmed by the BBC just last year, roads are riddled with
potholes and pavements are broken and dangerous. I am not naïve to the
financial situation local authorities face. But the promise of change that
swept Labour into power in July has so far delivered very little for
Brent Council or indeed local government generally. Keir
Starmer’s government need to urgently address the crippling underfunding
of local government and agree on a long-term financial settlement so
that Brent and other Councils can better plan and
manage finances.
One way the Labour government could immediately
make the situation for Council’s better, is by easing restrictions on the
use of Community Infrastructure Levy. In Brent, this could unlock tens
of millions currently in the CIL pot that could be spent on dealing
with local issues. I hope that the government will respond favourably to
our suggestion that these changes should be made.
I want to commend the voluntary sector in Brent for
everything they do. Picking up where local and national government is failing.
Whether that is in delivering youth provision, providing care and support
to the elderly, making community spaces available for all. It has been a
pleasure to work with so many local groups and organisations – and I will miss
this. The latest attack on the voluntary community sector from
the Labour leadership in hiking up rents to un-affordable levels is a
disgrace. I just hope the Council will better recognise the
value and importance of volunteers and the voluntary sector and
give it the genuine recognition and support it deserves.
I want to thank residents in Alperton. I have
always given my all to the role of Councillor. It is a privilege to be elected
and to represent local people. I have loved being able to
help people, and proud of the work I have done to support some of the most
vulnerable in the area. I have always tried my best and always
given 100%. I am hopeful that residents in Alperton will lend their support to
the prospective Liberal Democrat candidate, Charlie Clinton, to succeed me. I
know he will be the type of Councillor Alperton needs and deserves.
Finally, to Brent – this is a very special
borough. I was born here and have lived here my whole life. My family initially
moved to Kilburn from Cyprus in the 1950’s. There is so much history and
culture here – but I fear it is being lost and under attack by a Labour Council
pursuing a gentrification agenda that does not take into account
the communities that have called this part of London our home for decades.
Many young people, like me, are being forced to consider moving out of the
borough, we are being priced out. This is tragic and wrong. It is why we
need elected Councillors in Brent who are willing to speak out, challenge
and stand up for residents. We do not need more of the same, members whose
loyalty is to the Labour Party, the leadership, rather than the people who
elect them.
It is my sincere hope that at the next set of
Council elections in 2026 a wide range of people are elected in
Brent who feel able and are willing to be strong voices for
their communities. The role of a local Councillor is to
serve and represent everyone in the ward they are elected to and
always put residents first. I have done my best to fulfil
this responsibility.
I wish the readers of Wembley Matters
and everyone in Brent all the very best.
We are holding an eight-week public consultation to
hear what you think about these proposals. We want to know if you agree with
them, if there is anything you do not agree with, and to understand the reasons
why you feel this way.
You can reply by completing our survey, which should take no more than 10
minutes to complete. The closing date for comments is Friday 6
December 2024.
To take part in our online survey you will need to register with your email
address. Your details will be kept secure.
If you prefer, you can also let us have your comments by:
Telephone: 020 3054 6037 to leave your name
and contact number and we will call you back. Please quote 'Route 224'
when leaving your message
Write to: FREEPOST TFL HAVE YOUR SAY (Route
224) no postage stamp required
Please note responses to the survey may be made publicly available after the
consultation has closed, this would typically be in the form of a report on the
results of the consultation exercise, but any personal information will be kept
confidential.
Your personal information will be properly safeguarded and
processed in accordance with the requirements of privacy and data protection
legislation. For further information, please visit our privacy policy.
The route would no long
serve Abbey Road between Coronation Road and Twyford Abbey Road. Stops on
this part of the route would still be served by route 440.
The route would also not
serve Whitby Avenue and Rainsford Road. These roads would not have a bus
service. The closest bus stops would be on Twyford Abbey Road. The walk to
these bus stops from the existing bus stops is approximately 240 metres
The route would also not
serve Iveagh Avenue. The nearest stops would be on Twyford Abbey Road. The
walk to the new bus stop is 220 metres from the existing bus stop
Passengers wishing to
access ASDA heading towards Alperton would use the same stop as now on
Coronation Road. Passengers heading towards St Raphael’s would use the
stop on the other side of Coronation Road from ASDA near the junction with
Western Road, which is about 200 metres away from the main entrance
Passengers who get on and
off of the 224 on Abbey Road could use route 440 from the same stop and
change on to the 224 later in the journey, or walk to the new bus stops
just over 400 metres away
Re-routeing the 224 would
open the bus network up to over 2,000 more people and 4,000 jobs in the
area
Passengers would also
benefit from a simpler route to understand
There would also be an increase in buses along
Coronation Road, Lakeside Drive, Bodiam Way and Twyford Abbey Road
Brent commuters who use Piccadilly line services from Alperton and Sudbury Town can expect train delays during August due to a reduced service as a result of the unavailability of trains:
PRESS RELEASE
Transport for London (TfL) is advising Piccadilly line customers to plan
ahead and allow more time for their journeys as a series of vital track and
platform upgrades mean sections of the line will temporarily close this year.
These upgrades are essential to ensure the line is ready for the first new
Piccadilly line trains which will arrive in London later this year for testing,
and then be introduced as a fleet of 94 new trains from 2025.
The new trains are part of a £2.9bn investment to modernise the line, to
help it run more reliably, safely, inclusively and sustainably. The scale of
the upgrade, which will take place on one of London’s deepest Tube lines with
some of the oldest track and signaling infrastructure, means that a series of
closures is required.
The longest of these is a 16-day planned part closure of the Piccadilly line
(Wood Green to Cockfosters and Rayners Lane to Uxbridge) between Saturday 17
August and Sunday 1 September, with a reduced service expected on other parts
of the Piccadilly line due to the unavailability of trains. Rail replacement
buses will serve all stations between Wood Green and Cockfosters although
customers travelling to central London may find it quicker to use local bus
services to connect to nearby alternative Tube and rail stations. Customers who
use Piccadilly line services to Uxbridge are advised to change at Rayners Lane
for the Metropolitan line.
For all of these part closures, Piccadilly line customers are advised to
plan ahead by using TfL’s real-time travel information tools including TfL
Journey Planner and TfL Go, to check before travelling and to allow more time
for their journeys. A dedicated travel advice webpage, which also lists the
upcoming, confirmed weekend closures on the Piccadilly line so customers can
plan ahead, is available on TfL’s website, here: https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/piccadilly-line-upgrade
Stuart Harvey, Chief Capital Officer at TfL, said: “I’d
like to thank our customers for their patience while we carry out these
essential upgrades to the Piccadilly line. The closures will help us prepare
for the arrival of the fleet of 94 brand-new trains which will transform
journeys on the line in the coming decades. Introducing a new fleet of trains
is a huge engineering and logistical feat. Although much of the hard work goes
on behind the scenes, there are times when we need to close sections of the
railway to ensure that all existing infrastructure is compatible with the new
trains. Closures of this type are scheduled to take place, where possible, in
school holidays when demand on our network is significantly reduced.”
Up to 80 per cent of the new Piccadilly line trains will be built in the UK
at Siemens Mobility’s new manufacturing facility in Goole, Yorkshire. The new
trains will feature walk-through carriages, wider all-double doorways to help
customers get on and off more easily, enhanced digital display screens for
customer information, on-train CCTV cameras for additional customer security
and will, for the first time on a Deep Tube train, provide air-conditioning.
They will increase capacity by 10 per cent and will also improve energy
efficiency and accessibility.
Ahead of these closures, TfL will contact regular users of the Piccadilly
line with travel advice and information. In addition, posters and public
address announcements will be in place at all relevant stations.
This announcement comes after another on the Bakerloo and Overground:
Closure details
Between Saturday 3 and Thursday 8 August, these sections of line will be closed:
During the closure, there will be no London Overground service at
these stations: Euston, South Hampstead, Kilburn High Road, Queen's
Park, Kensal Green, Harlesden, Stonebridge Park, Wembley Central, North
Wembley, South Kenton, Kenton, Harrow & Wealdstone, Headstone Lane,
Hatch End, Carpenders Park, Bushey, Watford High Street and Watford
Junction
Tube stations
During the closure, there will be no Bakerloo line service at these
stations: Kensal Green, Willesden Junction, Harlesden, Stonebridge Park,
Wembley Central, North Wembley, South Kenton, Kenton, and Harrow &
Wealdstone
Tuesday's Resources and Public Realm Committee was the swan song of the Committee as it was the last one of the municipal year and it may well have new members and chair after the Council AGM.
I may put the kibosh on the present committee if I say that in my opinion this would be a pity as it has developed its skills over the last year and Cllr Rita Conneely has proved a formidable chair. It takes time for councillors to undergo training and increase their confidence at holding lead members to account.
Cllr Shama Tatler, with the regeneration and planning brief, was in the hot seat on Tuesday and faced some tough questions.
The issue of the viability of both private and public developments was a major theme in the light of the post-Truss financial situation with its high interest rates and reduction in confidence, inflation, shortage of labour post-Brexit and supply-chain problems. In addition the post-Grenfell need (rightly) for second staircases in tall buildings has meant that developments have had to be reviewed.
Cllr Tatler explained how as a result the amount of units for sale might have to be increased and affordable housing reduced, tenure cmay be hanged to include more 'intermediate# housing (often shared ownership) or alternative sources of funding sought.
A note of realism was introduced early in the meeting when Pete Firmin, a South Kilburn resident, spoke about the problems with the regeneration of the South Kilburn estate including poor quality new housing, scaffolding up around relatively new blocks and problems of incursions into blocks where tenants had been decanted. His contribution and Cllr Tatler's response can be seen in the video at the top of the page along with some of the other exchanges reported here.
Cllr Anton Georgiou brought up tenure on the new South Kilburn blocks. saying that he had been told that they were not at social rent as Cllr Tatler claimed but at the higher London Affordable Rent. He promised to produce evidence to this effect.
Improvements in infrastructure was an issue in Alperton regeneration as it lagged behind the building of new blocks. He gave the example of improvements to Alperton Station needed by the new residents in car-free developments.
Cllr Tatler said it was often difficult to get the improvements in place because of the need to work with partners such as TfL, regarding the station and the NHS regarding the promised medical centre on South Kilburn, and things moved slowly.
She pointed out that it was pivate housing that yielded Strategic Community Infrastructure levy in regeneration areas - Council housing did not qualify.
The need for more affordable social housing was another major themes. Committee chair Cllr Rita Conneely said, 'That is what we want as a
committee, what backbenchers want and what residents want.'
She urged Cllr Tatler and the Regeneration Department to challenge developers more ('Let's say no, let's start saying no!' ) and for London councils to get together a common front to stop developers' divide and rule. 'Whatever you bring back to use, we will want more.'
Cllr Tatler had said, 'We can't say no to developers', but Gerry Ansell who earlier had said, 'we can't walk away from developers' pointed out that the Planning Committee could say no and reject applications. That as we know happens seldom and Planning Committee members are reminded of the need for housing at the start of each meeting and are also warned that an Appeal by a developer would cost the council money.
Shama Tatler pointed out that there was already a London-wide body in the form of the GLA and that as Local Plans began to more closely mirror the London Plan there would be more consistency across London.
She went on:
It is wrong to say we don't challenge developers. Mo (Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council) and I have conversations day in, day out, with developers about what our red lines are. This is why we get criticised for having too many high blocks. I will have high blocks if it means we are getting as much affordable housing in a scheme as possible.
The committee, following a point raised by Pete Firmin, said that community spaces in regeneration areas needed to be publicly owned rather than belong to the developer.
The meeting finished with Cllr Tatler agreeing to meet with concerned residents in regeneration areas.
Note: It was a very long meeting. The full webcast is HERE
Following comments on this article here is a link to the latest ONS (Office of National Statistics) data on rent levels and house prices in Brent. Main findings in the image. For links to each go to:
