UPDATE Henley Homes deny they are responsible for concrete sewer blockage causing chaos in Wembley

Wembley High Road outside the former Brent House site today

UPDATE: HENLEY HOMES HAVE DENIED THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BLOCKAGE LINK

A local resident writes:

Well road closures commenced this morning. After some interrogation I found out that it is allegedly due to Henley Homes and Genesis  Housing, developers of old Brent House site.  Apparently when piling they drilled through a feeder sewer so when they filled with concrete it ran into the main sewer and that has what has caused the blockage.  The main sewer is 7.5 metres down and blocked solid.

On top are three water mains, electrics, gas, telecom, fibre optic.  At the moment they have no idea what they will find as they have just taken up the island created and paid for by Olympic money that had 5 little trees, which have sadly lost their lives.

The reliable source said he anticipated it would take at least sixweeks! (two more than quoted by council) but would not be able to give accurate dates as they have no idea what they will find and what infrastructure may cause them problems until they start digging.

Hey 7.5 metres is a long way down, and then they will have to tunnel through the concrete.  He did say it might whiff a bit when they get close. Urgh!

Huge problems on High Road traffic, as Ecclestone Place should only be accessible from Wembley Hill Road, and exit via High Road going West.  This was in order to stop it becoming a "rat run" early days but clearly there are a number of drivers who cannot read signs.

It is clear that TFL have not been so pro-active in closing bus stops and informing locals of the changes.  The main bus stop on high road outside KFC was showing diversions on LED display at the stop, but no signs saying 'bus stop closed' at 4pm today.

I would like to see the bill Henleys are going to get from Thames Water if they are responsible. Shop keepers, especially opposite Brent House are extremely upset by the disruption - no customers.  The local newsagent told me at 5pm today he had no customers to charge their Oysters or buy drinks/chocolate etc, no school children, and only made £100 by 5pm.  He wanted to know how he would be compensated.  I told him I had no idea whatsoever. Do any readers?

Wembley Matters has contacted Henley Homes asking them to confirm their responsibility for the sewer blockage.

Pubic Inquiry Into Diversion Of Harrow School Footpaths Finishes

From the Open Spaces Society

The public inquiry, which opened in January, into the diversion of two footpaths across Harrow School grounds, ended this week.  It lasted for nearly six days instead of the scheduled three.  The inquiry was prolonged partly because of the number of objectors to the scheme.  These included the Open Spaces Society, Ramblers, Harrow Hill Trust and many local people.

Harrow School wished to move public footpaths 57 and 58 which have for centuries run in a direct line across its grounds.  Footpath 57 follows a north-south route between Football Lane and Pebworth Road.  Unfortunately, the school built tennis courts across the path in 2003, instead of first moving the footpath.  Local people wanted the path to be reopened but instead the school sought to move the path around the obstructions.

Footpath 58 runs in a direct line between the bottom of Football Lane and Watford Road, and the school has applied to move it to a zigzag route to avoid the current configuration of its sports pitches.

Harrow Council, instead of requiring the school to remove the obstructions in accordance with its duty under section 130 of the Highways Act 1980, agreed to move the paths, but because there were objections the matter was referred to the Planning Inspectorate.

At the public inquiry, the council and the school had legal representation, but the objectors represented themselves.  Appearing as objectors at the inquiry were Kate Ashbrook of the Open Spaces Society and Ramblers, Gareth Thomas MP, Harrow Councillor Sue Anderson, Brent Councillor Keith Perrin, Paul Catherall of the Harrow Hill Trust and local residents Christopher Eley, Gaynor Lloyd, John Parker and Margaret Roake.  Others had submitted written objections.

Says Kate Ashbrook, general secretary of the Open Spaces Society and footpath secretary of the Ramblers Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and West Middlesex Area:

We are united in our wish to prevent the school from moving these popular footpaths from their ancient direct routes to suit its own convenience.  The old routes have better views of Harrow-on-the-Hill one way and of the City of London the other.

They are shorter and have a sense of purpose, for those enjoying informal recreation and those using the paths to go to work or the shops.

We believe that, since the problems on these paths are of the school’s own making, it should resolve them by removing the obstructions rather than moving the paths.

We strongly hope that the inspector, Alison Lea, will find in our favour and that the paths will remain on their current routes.

Another battle between Harrow School and locals comes to a head next month

I have reported the battle between local people in Harrow and Harrow School over the school's plans to build on Metropolitan Open Land and spoil views of the Hill LINK but the school and locals are enaged in another battle, which started in 2003, and is due to come to a head next month.

There is to be three day Harrow School Footpaths Diversion Inquiry at Harrow Civic Centre from January 17th to January 19th 2016 by the Planning Inspectorate where evidence from the public and the school will be heard.

The conflict was reported by The Guardian in 2011 LINK and this extract summarises the issue quite well:

The extraordinary row, which threatens to end in court, stems from a multimillion-pound development of the school's facilities eight years ago when, next to a running track and an extended sports centre, two all-weather pitches were built. At the time, it was agreed by the Ramblers Association – erroneously, it now claims – that the pitches could be put on top of the old pathway as long as an alternative route was created.

But the alternative path, known as a permissive path because its continued existence is at the whim of the school, has now been deemed unacceptable by local walkers. Legally, because it does not follow the route of the old path, the right for people to walk on the new path could be summarily removed with six months' notice, it says.

And because the path circumvents the school's pitches, it has extended what was a gentle stroll across the grounds into a trek. "The permissive path probably pretty well doubles the distance of when you enter the playing fields to when you leave the playing fields," said Graham Wright, the Ramblers Association's local footpath secretary. "These people actually want to get to Harrow, they don't want to walk that extra bit and in some ways they are not having the beauty of Harrow Hill.

"The proper path has the views of St Mary's church and Harrow Hill as you walk, whereas when you do the permissive path you are looking towards Northwick Park hospital and Watford Road. It's not quite the same."

The Ramblers Association says that a small path between the two all-weather pitches should be opened up to the public to resurrect the old path. But the school, which charges up to £30,000 a year per pupil in fees, is not budging, prompting accusations of "arrogance" from some quarters.

The school's application, which includes allegations of dog excrement on the fields and the public wandering off the path can be found HERE

Wembley bomb - current road diversions

Brent Council has issued the map below this morning. There is due to be a controlled explosion of the bomb today.