Coalition: Why John Denham Must Call in Brent Cross Plans

The Coalition opposing the 4.5 billion development for a Brent Cross Cricklewood new town is urging Secretary of State John Denham to call the development in to Public Inquiry, in view of Barnet sending the papers to the Government Office for London and the Mayor of London.
The Coalition for a Sustainable Brent Cross Cricklewood Plan believe the development clearly meets the criteria to merit a call-in as set out in section 77 of the Town and Country planning Act1990[1]. The Secretary of State’s powers to call this in are very general and discretionary. Barnet should have referred this to the Secretary of State prior to the planning meeting on the grounds that Barnet owns some of the land.

 Some other grounds for call-in are :
- significant effects beyond the immediate locality
- giving rise to substantial regional or national controversy or where issues are of more than local importance
- raise significant architectural and urban design issues
- and in 2008 the sustainability of the proposed development was specifically added as a criterion.

Lia Colacicco, Coalition Co-ordinator and Mapesbury resident says, “ This scheme could be called in on several criteria but in particular because its effects go far beyond the immediate area, Brent and Camden councils object to it, local people don’t want it in this form, and because it is completely unsustainable in terms of traffic, housing, and the environment. There was no meaningful public consultation so we are now calling on John Denham to call it in immediately so that these disastrous plans can undergo full public scrutiny….”

Darren Johnson (Green Party London Assembly Member) says “given Boris Johnson’s manifesto commitment to cut London carbon emissions 60% by 2025 and build more environmentally friendly homes the Mayor must refuse this development. From 2016 all new homes are required to be carbon zero whereas this development falls far short of that.”

Shahrar Ali, Green candidate for Brent Central, Steffi Gray of Brent Friends of the Earth, and other activists at the Brent Campaign Against Climate Change Meeting Photo: Jan Nevill

The campaign was strongly backed at Tuesday's meeting on Fighting Climate Change after Copenhagen. People were clear that the regeneration proposals represented a reckless disregard for issues of over-consuption, sustainability and consultation.

The Mayor and Secretary of State John Denham have until just March 12th to call in the plans for Public Inquiry.

Criteria for a Call-in.
Petition Calling for a Public Inquiry
Coalition Website

Malik makes it messy for Tories in Brent North

Click on image to enlarge

I did a double take when I saw this poster in a local shop - at first I thought it was something from the BNP! It turns out to be a campaign poster for Cllr Atiq Malik who was elected to Brent Council as a Conservative but after falling out with Cllr Blackman, leader of the Brent Conservative Group, formed the Brent Democratic Conservative Group with Cllr Robert Dunwell.

Malik has aroused controversy for his comments on Sharia law and women (Cllr James Powney is engaged in a spat with him on this subject at the moment), was accused of using an assumed name to praise himself as a potential parliamentary candidate for the Tories on a Conservative website, and is carrying out a bitter campaign against Barry Gardiner on expenses.

Malik has jumped in as an Independent candidate before the official Tory selection which takes place at the Pattidar Centre on March 4th. The Tories will be choosing from Madhuri Davda, Louise Hall, Tim Lines, Anjana Patel, Blaine Robin and former mayor Harshadbhai Patel. On the Conservative Home website Malik tells the party that no Tory could beat Barry Gardiner in Alperton, Wembley Central, Sudbury, Fryent and Queensbury wards. Look closely at the poster and you can see Malik lists all these wards as places where he is working for 'all communities' and throws in Barnhill, Kenton and Northwick Parek for good measure - the full set!

Elsewhere on Conservative Home he claims Tories will need a 10% swing to unseat Gardiner but doesn't discuss the impact of his own candidature. The Odds Checker website gives a clue: Labour (Barry Gardiner) is quoted at 1/3, Conservatives at 9/4, Lib Dems (James Allie) at 25/1, Malik at 40/1 and I bring up the rear at 100/1. No odds are quoted for the English Democrats (Arvind Taylor).

Wembley Observer salutes Dan Viesnik

PEACENIK VIESNIK: LIFE IN THE NICK

Comment is free but libel could be expensive!

The story about the Youth Parliament elicited many comments which showed a heartfelt antipathy towards the Council from many local people. Amongst those comments are some which I have not published because they contained allegations about individuals which could have resulted in legal action.  To quote Tony Benn, it is issues that are important, rather than personalities.

I am happy to publish comments about local issues, including those which take up matters such as the extent of local democracy, accountability, consultation (or lack of it), neglect of some communities and the key Council areas of education, social care, libraries, parks, transport, planning and housing - but not personal attacks on individuals. These policy areas are of fundamental importance as we approach the local elections in May.

For those who want to air more personal concerns there is the option of setting up a blog of your own and it is easily done - follow this LINK.

Martin Francis

Dan out of prison and fighting on

Dan Viesnik was released from Pentonville last week after serving four days imprisonment for refusing to pay his fine. He is now busy helping with the Aldermaston Big Blockade which is happening tomorrow.

This video shows Dan setting out his reasons for not paying the fine and his background in anti-nuclear weapons activity. It also contains footage of Caroline Lucas, Green Party leader, speaking on the nuclear weapons issue.

Kensal Rise Victory?

We have received this message from Doron & Minkie who were campaigning against the re-siting of the Kensal Rise bus stop

Victory!... thank you!


It appears that due to overwhelming community pressure Brent Council have decided to withdraw their new bus lay-by proposal... even though they recently completed pavement works to reposition cables to make way for the proposed bus lay-by!


WELL DONE TO EVERYONE. We submitted a petition to Tim Jackson with over 1500 signatures, and of course copies of all emails. They were also inundated with emails!


This afternoon we have received an email from Emily Tancred (local Lib Dem councillor) , who in turn received an email from Tim Jackson, Head of Transport at Brent. We have asked for a copy of this e-mail and believe it says something to the affect of... the council’s plan for removing these buses by making a bus stop 'was clearly mistaken'.


We are so heartened by the immensely warm and caring community we live and also work in and would like to thank you all for your time, effort and hard work given to help overturn this ludicrous proposal.


Clearly something needs to be done about the buses but hopefully in the future we can be consulted as a community in order to find a sensible solution. We have asked Tim Jackson that we be personally consulted in all future proposals. You will in turn of course be contacted by us with any such news, which of course there will be... the problem with buses and traffic congestion has not gone away!