Campaigners mark first anniversary of Preston Library closure

Today was the first anniversary of the closing of six of Brent's libraries. This video is a record of Preston Library Campaigners' celebration:

Harlesden Incinerator protest tomorrow

There is a pop-up protest, jointly with Ealing residents, about the proposed "Harlesden Waste Incinerator", at 11am prompt tomorrow (Saturday) at the entrance to Willesden Junction station approach.

Ealing Council is set to approve this large waste plant in November, made up of:

    - an incinerator (not called that, for PR reasons), [see www.ukwin.org] and

    - "anaerobic digestors" (big tanks of decomposing food, to produce compost).

(The "advanced conversion technology facility" mentioned in the planning application IS an incinerator, because it involves

        - dustcart and lorry waste IN

                    (likely to be commercial, rather than domestic,

                    but may change), and

        - ash OUT.

Houses in Old Oak Lane will have dustcart traffic "all day" on the access road, which is only metres from their homes and gardens. The plant capacity is c150,000 tonnes/year.

Some of the dustcarts and lorries will pass through Harlesden. I suspect this will vary from month to month, depending on what contracts the waste plant can sign.

.

Please pass this link on to others.

Photo op. is at 11am on Saturday, Willesden Junction Approach (junction with Old Oak Lane / Station Road).

Refs:

http://www.pam.ealing.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=152202

http://parkroyaltown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/wembley-matters-brent-greens-stopping.html

http://harlesdentown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/planned-for-harlesden-incinerator-site.html

The 'lost' letter that lost Harlesden its voice on incinerator

This is the letter that Brent Planning Department lost over the summer and did not find until it was too late for the Council, or residents, to have a say in Ealing Council's consultation on an incinerator/anaerobic-digester at Willesden Junction Freightliner site.

We need to know urgently what the Planning Department will do to ensure that it fulfils its duty to represent the interests of Brent residents over such a controversial proposal.

Harlesden residents left out in the cold over new 'energy recovery centre' neighbour

Harlesden residents got a shock last night at the Harlesden Connects forum when they heard of plans to build an 'energy recovery centre' (is this a controversy avoiding term for an incinerator?) at Willesden Junction. It is in Ealing borough but but very close to Brent residents Apparently Ealing's  notification to Brent Council was 'mislaid' so hardly anyone who might be affected had a chance to comment before the conusltation closed last week. Addresses in Ealing and handful of streets in Harlesden received a notification letter in which the development is described thus:

NOTIFICATION OF A PLANNING APPLICATION

Ealing Council has received an application under the Town and Country Planning act 1990 (as amended) which may affect you. I am writing to inform you and invite you to comment on it.  If you do not own the property this letter is addressed to please pass it to, the owner and/or anybody else you think will be interested.

Location:  ENERGY RECOVERY CENTRE CHANNEL GATE ROAD,  PARK ROYAL,  NW10 6UQ

The proposal: Construction of an energy recovery centre comprising a single purpose designed building to provide an advanced conversion technology facility and an anaerobic digestion facility with an integrated education/visitors centre, and four 25-metre high flues; four external anaerobic digestion/digestate tanks; associated access, parking and landscaping;  gas holder tank; emergency gas flare; electrical substation; two weigh bridges; wheel washing apparatus and a security house building

Further information:

You may see further details of the application, case officer, plans and other documents on the council’s website at http://www.pam.ealing.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet  (please note that access is unavailable daily from 11:30pm – 1:00am); or by visiting: Customer Reception, Ealing Council, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Rd, Ealing W5 2HL

A location map can be found on the council website click on ‘contact us’ then ‘how to find us’.  You are welcome to visit between 9.00am to 4.45 p.m. (the office closes at 5.00pm) Monday to Friday.

One resident commented:

I am reminded of the change to Crossrail construction (a H&F decision?) when the canal-transportation of concrete sections was ditched in favour of road. Now Brent residents suffer as every concrete section gets a tour of Harlesden shops and shoppers before being buried forever at Paddington!

Possibly the most informative document for anyone interested in their new neighbour is this one LINK  I have just tried for 30 minutes to get through to a real person in Ealing Council to ask them about the consultation details  and closing date. I have been driven mad by the automated telephone system and its many options, none  of which include human contact! I have given up in disgust. This is the e-mail address of Peter Lee the planning officer handling the case: LeeP@ealing.gov.uk

Clearly the first thing to say to him is: Please suspend the application until Brent residents have been consulted.