A Beginner's Guide to the Climate Emergency...How travel is changing to beat climate change - May 20th

 

FROM BRENT COUNCIL

From electric cars to cycle super-highways, the way we travel has been changing for a while. But what might travel look like in years to come, as we rise to the challenge of climate change? Has lockdown sped up these changes, and how are local projects getting communities walking and cycling more?

From global trends to local initiatives that are smashing barriers and helping people out of their cars. Join our expert speakers from 6pm on Thursday 20 May as they share their no-nonsense guide to help you make sense of the climate emergency.

In A Beginner’s Guide to the Climate Emergency… How travel is changing to beat climate change you’ll hear from four speakers, and have the chance to follow up with any burning questions:

• Professor Nick Tyler – UCL and Co-investigator of Liveable Cities, a project looking at how to engineer low carbon UK cities

• Vieve Ford – Director of JoyRiders, a London-based organisation empowering women through cycling

• Carolyn Axtell – Community Organiser, #CarFreeLondon campaigner and Founder of JoyRiders

• Mark Falcon – Chair of Clean Air for Brent, a local coalition raising awareness about air pollution

 

Register here: https://a-beginners-guide-to-the-climate-emergency.eventbrite.co.uk

When are you likely to hear results from the GLA election?

 

Brent Council pulled out the stops today to ensure that voters and their staff were Covid safe at polling stations.

The above polling station in Wembley Park had perspex screens to protect staff, a one way system with good air flow, social distance markers on the pavement, sanitiser and covid marshals on hand to ensure compliance with covid safety measures. Voters were urged to use their own pencils or pens.

Voting boxes will go to Alexandra Palace for tomorrow's GLA count which will also be constrained by strict covid safety measures including a reduced number of counting staff and restrictions on the number of party counting agents. The Brondesbury Park by-election count will also take place in a separate room at Alexandra Palace with the count by a 'super team' expected to be completed after lunch, as long as no recount is required.

The GLA Brent and Harrow constituency count takes place tomorrow but some other London constituencies will not be counted until Saturday.  The Brent and Harrow result will most likely be announced on Friday evening but as this is the first count under Covid conditions that cannot be guaranteed.

Provisional declaration times for Saturday are 8pm for the election of the Mayor and 9pm for the election of London-wide assembly members.  If the declaration is held over to Sunday morning the timings are likely to be 10am and 11am.

Guidance on how to vote can be found here: https://www.londonelects.org.uk/im-voter/how-complete-your-ballot-papers

You can follow real-time election results on the electronic screens here: http://www.londonelects.org.uk

URGENT MESSAGE: Brondesbury Park folk - you have a chance to elect a Green councillor tomorrow. Vote for Sheila Simpson!

 

Sheila relaxes in Roundwood Park after campaigning against Centenetakoevr of GP surgeries at Willesden Centre

Brondesbury Park ward  voters have an additional Brent Council by-election poll tomorrow, please vote for our candidate Sheila Simpson. It is time to elect more councillorswho are free to hold Brent Labour to account - however much it annoys them! (cf Anton Georgiou)

The by-election was caused when the Labour councillor Kieron Gill resigned having been suspended from the Labour Group for voting against the Brent Council  budget.  Labour people with political principles tend not to last very long in Brent when they act on their principles and lose favour with 'The Leader.'

You have a choice of electing yet another Labour councillor (Number 59) subject to the diktat of  The Leader or a truly independent person with the ability to make up her own mind based on green principles.

This is what Sheila says:

I've lived in Brent for over 25 years, working in the NHS and Local Government to support families and children’s well-being and believe well-run public services make a real difference to the quality of our lives. 

I am offering voters the opportunity to register their support for green values. People want to be part of the solution, to build a fairer, healthier society, but know they can’t do it without good government. Our Council must be firmly challenged to deliver on promises made to us. Protection of our public housing, trees and green space is urgent. Traffic and public transport must be managed well to cut harmful emissions, reduce carbon footprint and provide cleaner, safer, greener and quieter neighbourhoods.

 

May 6th 6pm NHS North West London COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy, fertility and breastfeeding webinar

 NHS North West London COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy, fertility and breastfeeding webinar

May 6th 6pm to 7.30pm via zoom Free REGISTER HERE

About this event

This free webinar is essential to hear from NHS specialists to answer your questions and concerns about the Covid-19 vaccines with regards to fertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Who should attend:

The event is open to all residents in North West London, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have concerns about fertility.

The panel:

The panel will consist of NHS specialists and independent chair to join in the discussion and provide updated information.

Registration

Following registration you will receive a confirmation email which will inform you that you will receive the webinar link 24 hours before the event.

If you haven't received the online webinar link, please contact Ray on: r.johannsen-chapman@nhs.net

Pre-event questions

To help us with the organisation of the event we would like to give you the opportunity to send us your questions before the event: To ask your question/s Please click here

Why you should vote Green in the Mayor of London and London Assembly election

Guest post by 16 year old Aria Banerjee Watts

 

Aria on the campaign trail

This Thursday 6th May, Londoners have a chance to make their voices heard. The Mayoral and London Assembly elections, postponed due to the pandemic, are now happening and have lost none of their excitement and importance. 

 

This isn't a national election but it's still vital to get out and vote. This is a way to choose the people who will represent us and shape the future of our neighbourhoods and city. The Mayor of London's scope of work is much broader than people realise: the role determines the state of our housing, how green and safe our environment is, the quality of our communities and how efficient our transport is. They may not be debating the future of the EU or negotiating with the UN, but they have the all-important job of improving the city we live in. 

 

The Green Party has long been fighting for the UK to improve its environmental record and combat the Climate Crisis effectively. National level action is certainly needed, but change begins locally and this election is about making a concentrated difference in your borough and city. Due to the huge role the natural environment plays in our everyday lives, we have to vote for a Party who will protect it. We all enjoy the green spaces in our local area, and we suffer when we walk to school or work along busy, polluted roads. Not only do the Greens want to make positive environmental change, they want to involve citizens too, because they recognise how important our opinions are. 

 

The Green Party's manifesto is not just about environmental issues, but also about better housing, transport and safer streets. In fact, these are all connected: we need to have greener homes with less energy loss to save money and conserve fuel and have more efficient transport systems to help commuters on roads and bridges that are not disruptive and environmentally damaging. These things are important for all cities, but particularly London. We need an Ultra Low Emissions Zone to protect our health from rising air pollution. Where so many people are struggling to find affordable housing, we need the Greens who are committed to prevent the loss of council housing and allow people to plan for new homes through a People's Land Commission. 

 

This election is unique - you can vote for two different mayoral candidates of your first and second preference. This will be on the PINK ballot paper, where you have to select two different names for your first and second choice. Sian Berry is the Green candidate. 

 

In addition to voting for a Mayor, you will also vote for 2 London Assembly members, one who represents your constituency and another who is a London-wide Assembly Member. The first is on a YELLOW ballot paper and the second on an ORANGE ballot paper. For the constituency member, you select a named person but for the London-wide member, you just pick a party. Please consider voting for the Green Party.

 

The proportional representation system of this election is more representative than the "first-past-the-post" system of general elections, and gives smaller parties, like the Greens, a better chance of being elected, allowing London’s population to be more accurately represented.  So please use your vote to support smaller and committed candidates.

 

During the pandemic, we have all found a new spirit of community, an appreciation for nature and our local area and have realised how much pollution improved when commuting paused for a while. Difficult times lie ahead for many people so we need a supportive Mayor who can help Londoners find houses, jobs and support services.

 

We've realised how much power every person holds to make positive change and shape a better, greener future. This election now gives us the chance to vote for a party who wants a new start for London, who believes in the same things as us and wants to fight to protect them.

 

As young Londoners who can't yet vote, we need adults to make a responsible choice for our future. We want to grow up in a safe city, free from crime and pollution with affordable houses and jobs. London really is a special city, that's why you should vote Green to give it a fresh start and make it even better for future generations.

 

Vote Sian Berry for Mayor, 1st choice candidate (PINK ballot)

Vote Green Party for London-wide Assembly Member (YELLOW Ballot)

Vote named Green candidate for Constituency London Assembly Member (ORANGE ballot)

 

 

Emma Wallace Green Candidate for Brent and Harrow interviewed: 'In a fairer electoral system your vote really counts - vote Green to get green'

 

Emma Wallace at Headstone Manor Park

Journalism student, Liam Moran, who studies at Kingston University, interviews Emma Wallace, Green Party candidate for the Brent and Harrow GLA constituency

How are you feeling in the run up to election day?  

 

I am really looking forward to it!  Greens are feeling really positive about the outcome of the London elections, with more and more people saying they are voting Green.   We are hoping to see a Green wave in London, as we have seen in many other European cities who now have Green mayors.

Our two Green Party Assembly members, Sian Berry and Caroline Russell, have made a big impact at City Hall over the last five years, holding the current Mayor to his promises and pushing him to act on a wide range of issues, repeatedly.   With a Green mayor and more Green members in City Hall we can do even more to ensure that London is the Greenest city in the world.  

 

How has your campaign been so far?

 

The campaign has been really good.  I've visited and met so many great people, both online and in real life in Brent and Harrow over the last six months and heard about many of the issues people are facing, from the destruction of local environment and trees, to housing concerns and transport issues.  I've been campaigning with residents to push TFL to change their trackside habitat management policies and I've visited many of our beautiful parks and nature reserves, including Bentley Priory and the Welsh Harp and heard about the ongoing, longstanding issues impacting them.  I've helped out at Harrow's foodbank, the London Community Kitchen, and learnt about the incredible work they are doing there to support zero waste, zero hunger in North London.  I have also met a number of community groups to hear about their concerns around new planning developments, which are being proposed on green spaces.   If elected, Sian Berry, as London Mayor, and I as Brent and Harrow Assembly Member, are committed to listening and bringing diverse voices into City Hall to make sure our policies work for everyone.  

 

The Green party is a grassroots party, which depends on its volunteer and it has been so heartening to see people come out and help leaflet and spread our message over the campaign.  I am so grateful to them.   Sian Berry and the London Green Party have put together an incredibly comprehensive manifesto, including radical ideas to make London a healthier, fairer and greener city and it has been a pleasure talking about these policies on the doorstep and at hustings, seeing resident’s positive response to them.  

 

What is the main issue you will be focused on if you are elected?  

 

Whilst the impact of the pandemic is still being felt around the world, the Climate Emergency is not going away and must urgently be addressed if we are to avoid going over a 1.5C rise in global temperatures.  We are the only party that has a clear plan to tackle the climate crisis, setting urgent targets to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030.  The Green Party will take action through a holistic response, focusing on creating sustainable and insulated housing, developing a joined up and green public transport system, investing in walking and cycling, protecting and preserving our green spaces and trees and creating green jobs to transform our economy post Covid.  

 

What would you say to people who might be unsure about going out to vote in local elections as they do not believe that they are important? 

 

The London Elections have a much fairer voting system than other elections and consequently, your vote really counts!  The mayoral and general Assembly Member votes are a form of proportional representation, so if you vote Green, you get Green.    I encourage everyone to put Sian Berry as your first choice for Mayor, the Green Party as their London wide London Assembly vote and Emma Wallace as your Brent and Harrow London Assembly candidate.  Friends of the Earth have also just ranked Sian Berry's manifesto as the most climate-friendly and so it's clear.  If you want green, you have to vote Green!

 

Bank Holiday Weekend in Fryent Country Park

 

Not everyone who reads Wembley Matters is on Facebook so here are some pictures I placed there on Saturday.  I had an afternoon amble around Fryent Country Park looking for signs of Spring  after election leafleting in the morning.  I was not disappointed. The billowing blackthorn blossom has given way to apple, damson and cherry and wild flowers are increasing by the day.

Just the tonic for an overcast May Day Bank Holiday.

From ruin to restoration – What makes good planning?

Guest Post by Philip Grant in a personal capacity

The ruined Wembley Park Lodge in 2017

 For the past few years, the former Wembley Park Lodge at the corner of Wembley Hill Road and Wembley Park Drive has looked a sorry sight. Badly damaged in a fire in 2013, and with its roof missing, many wondered whether this historic cottage, dating from the 1790s or early 1800s, could ever be saved.

 

Wembley Park Lodge in a postcard from c.1900. (Brent Archives online image 7742)

 

Last autumn, there was an application (20/3027) for permission to demolish the 1930s extension to this Grade II listed building. With my interest in Wembley’s history, I submitted a comment, to say that although I did not object to the remains of the more modern structure being demolished, great care should be taken to ensure that the original parts were properly preserved and safeguarded, for incorporation in any restoration of the cottage.

 

As a result of my earlier comment, I received a letter from Brent Council last week, advising of a new application (21/0703) for full planning permission at 114 Wembley Hill Road (the Lodge’s modern address). This proposes the restoration of the cottage, and the construction of a new house on the site, to help cover the cost of making good the heritage building. As the “footprint” of both homes will be relatively small, the plans include basements under a new extension to the Lodge and the new house, to provide laundry and media rooms, plus storage.

 

Elevation drawings showing the rebuilt Lodge. (From planning application drawings)

 

The proposals for the restoration of the Lodge have been closely discussed with the experts at Historic England (formerly “English Heritage”, who oversee listed buildings). While the 1930s extension had a tiled roof, these proposals include a thatched roof for the whole building. That may seem odd, but a look at the 120-year-old postcard above shows that the single-storey section of the cottage then, on the left of the picture, was also thatched.

 

Re-thatching Wembley Park Lodge in 1976. (Brent Archives online image 9547)

 

The Lodge is on a prominent corner site, in an area of mainly inter-war suburban housing. Corner sites play an important part in defining the character of an area (as I will mention later), so it was important to get the location and style of the new house right.

 

The proposed site plan for 114 Wembley Hill Road. (From planning application drawings)

 

In this case, the architects have positioned the proposed new house so that the front follows the existing building line for Wembley Park Drive, even though this means that is at an odd angle to the Lodge. But how do you design a new house that will sit close to both a restored heritage building and the much later homes next door?

 

The proposed elevations drawing, as seen from across Wembley Park Drive.
(From planning application drawings, with notes added in blue)

 

The Lodge, which was by the gate to the drive leading up to the Wembley Park mansion, was built in the “cottage orné” style, which was popular in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, giving a picturesque rustic feel to the gate-keepers cottages on country estates. This one may well have been designed by Humphry Repton, as part of his landscaping for Wembley Park in 1793. 

 

For the new house, the architects have borrowed features from “orné” cottages built at Blaise Hamlet in 1810. These were a collaboration between Humphry Repton and the architect John Nash, and show marked similarities in their chimneys and other characteristics to the lodge at Wembley Park. The Blaise Hamlet cottages (now a National Trust property on the outskirts of Bristol) were built of the local Cotswold stone, but the proposed new house has a tiled roof and white rendered walls, to match with the neighbouring houses in Wembley Park Drive.

 

I would not claim that the proposals for 114 Wembley Hill Road are perfect (I do have some doubts, especially over excavating for basements so close to existing buildings). However, I think that overall they offer a good solution to a tricky planning problem, and one which would see an important local historic building restored, and back in use. If you would like to look more closely at the plans, make your own judgement and submit any comments (by 27 May), you can do so here.

 

I said above that corner sites are important in shaping the character of an area, and I will give two more examples of this from recent planning applications. Last August, Brent’s Planning Committee voted, by a 5-2 majority, to approve Brent Council’s own application to demolish the locally listed Victorian villa at 1 Morland Gardens. This beautiful building would make way for a new adult education building, with up to nine floors of flats above it. The decision went against Brent’s heritage assets planning policies, and ignored objections from many residents, and from the Victorian Society and an expert on historic architecture.

 

“Altamira”, the Victorian villa at the corner of Hillside and Brentfield Road.

 

Updated college facilities and new affordable homes are an attractive proposition. But to demolish a beautiful and still useful building, part of the original Stonebridge Park from the 1870s, and replace it with a modern block, will ruin the character of the area. That is especially so as the plans also involve building out over the existing community garden on the corner.

 

Another application approved last year, again despite strong opposition from local residents, was for a three-storey block of flats at the corner of Queens Walk and Salmon Street. Objectors pointed to Brent’s planning policy that developments should respect the suburban character of areas such as this, and said that the proposed building, on a prominent site, would be out of character, a ‘blot on suburbia’ and ‘an eyesore’.

 

In their report to Planning Committee, recommending approval for the scheme, planning officers argued that it would not be an eyesore. They said: ‘The corner plot presents an opportunity for a building of a differing architectural style and slightly greater prominence to sit comfortably without detracting from the character along either of the streets it adjoins.’ The plans were approved, and the new building is now taking shape. Readers can judge from these photos whether or not it detracts from the character of the streets it adjoins.

 

A view along Salmon Street towards the new development and Queens Walk.

 

Close up of the new 44 Queens Walk development. (Both photos by Martin Francis, April 2021)

 

I asked in my title ‘What makes good planning? You are all entitled to your own views, and are welcome to share them as comments below. I would compare planning in Brent to a “spaghetti western”, and suggest that my three examples above show the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Philip Grant.