OPDC launches new consultation on Old Oak Plan modifications

 

From Old Oak & Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC)

Following the Public Examination with the Planning Inspector last year, we have made some proposed changes – or in planning terms, ‘modifications’ - to our draft Local Plan. Although most of it is largely the same, we are no longer bringing forward our plans for housing in Old Oak North and have identified other sites where we can bring forward new affordable homes, jobs, public space and facilities.

A report to OPDC’s Board in October 2020 provides an overview of these proposed modifications. The Board report and appendices can be viewed at the following links

1. Board Report on OPDC’s proposed draft Local Plan modifications 
2. Appendix 1 Work Programme
3. Appendix 2 Proposed draft Local Plan Modifications 

 

We are currently in the process of engaging with landowners and community  stakeholders on the proposed modifications, drafting policy changes and compiling evidence. We plan to submit these proposed changes to the Planning Inspector in February 2021, and we’ll be holding a formal public consultation in the spring. Before that, we would like to invite you to one of two public online engagement sessions to be held on:

• Tuesday 24 November 18:30 -19:30
• Monday 30 November 12:30- 13:30 (this session will be recorded)

During the sessions we will present the proposed changes and next steps. This will be followed by a Q&A discussion where you can ask questions. 

If you would like to attend either session, please contact the planning team on planningpolicy@opdc.london.gov.uk or 020 7983 5732. Alternatively, you can sign up here. 

Brent Council Housing Lead's response to 'End Our Cladding Scandal' demands

Cllr Hassan (Kilburn ward)

Cllr Faduma Hassan has received an answer to her backbencher's question to Cllr Eleanor Southwood lead member for Housing and Welfare Reform tabled for next week' Council Meeting. The question and answer are below.  

Cllr Southwood  expresses sympathy for the plight of leaseholders trapped in properties that they cannot sell for want of an EWS1 certificate and states that she supports the 10 Steps put forward by the 'End Our Cladding Scandal'  campaing. She reveals that there are potential problems with the external fabric of  four First Wave Housing blocks.  A fire watch has been put in place in those blocks.

First Wave Housing (FWH) is a company which is wholly owned by Brent Council. FWH is a registered provider for social housing, managing 331 properties. FWH was set up to manage properties previously owned by Brent Housing Partnership (BHP).

Question from Councillor Faduma Hassan to Councillor Eleanor Southwood, Lead Member for Housing & Welfare Reform:

Since the loss of 72 lives in Grenfell Tower, 176 private blocks with dangerous ACM cladding have been discovered, but only 10 have seen the necessary safety work completed. Through no fault of their own many leaseholders are facing bills of up to £70,000 to pay for the necessary remediation work – and years of disruption.

The scale of this crisis demands a national response, but more than three years on since the fire at Grenfell Tower, thousands of Londoners, including residents in Brent; continue to live in unsafe accommodation.

Will the Cabinet Member for Housing Welfare and Reform lend their support to the ‘End Our Cladding Scandal’ 10-step plan below and highlight the work undertaken by Brent Council to enhance fire safety protections within council homes?

10 steps to End Our Cladding Scandal;

1.    The government must lead an urgent national effort to remove all dangerous cladding from buildings by June 2022.

2.    The Building Safety Fund must cover all buildings, regardless of height, and a range of internal and external fire safety defects, not just cladding.

3.    The government should provide the money up front and then seek to recover it from any responsible parties or via a temporary levy on development.

4.    Social housing providers must have full and equal access to the fund.

5.    The government must compel building owners or managers to be honest with residents about fire safety defects.

6.    The government should cover the cost of interim safety measures.

7.    The government should act as an insurer of last resort and underwrite insurance where premiums have soared.

8.    A fairer, faster process is needed to replace the EWS form and funding is necessary to ensure all buildings requiring a form are surveyed within 12 months.

9.    Mental health support must be offered to affected residents.

10. Protecting residents from historic and future costs must be a key commitment of new building safety legislation.

Response:

Leaseholders across Brent are being put in an unacceptable position: being expected to foot the bill for hugely expensive fire-related safety works and/or not being clear on how safe their building is and if/when something will be done about it.

In the meantime, many people are unable to sell or remortgage their homes. Earlier this year, the Government extended the use of External Wall Survey Review (EWS1) to buildings of any height, rather than only high-rise blocks. The forms are required by most mortgage lenders. To make matters worse, there is a shortage of fire engineers to do the surveys and complete the forms, leading to delays and increased uncertainty for leaseholders.

The stress and anxiety that Government failure to take proper action on this cannot be underestimated. I support the 10 steps identified in the ‘End Our Cladding Scandal’ campaign.

As a landlord, the council takes its responsibility to be open with residents about safety issues seriously and we are continuing to implement works and improvement as quickly and effectively as possible.

We have carried out external wall insulation surveys of 40 Council high-rise blocks that are over 18m high. Issues needing remediation have either been programmed for works or are being investigated further. We have identified potential problems with the external fabric of four First Wave Housing blocks and will carry out intrusive investigations. However our initial findings indicate that remedial action may be necessary and a waking-watch arrangement has been put in place.

With regards to low-rise properties, we are nearing completion of comprehensively upgrading the fire safety of the communal areas of 1100 blocks including the provision of fire doors to resident flat front entrances. The programme will be complete by March 2021.

We have also carried out external wall insulation surveys of 86 privately owned blocks. From the findings it is clear some privately owned blocks are likely to require remediation work and their building owners have been notified of the problems we found. We have also reported our findings to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Reacting to Cllr Southwood's response Lucie Gutfreund, leaseholder in South Kilburn and #EndOurCladdingScandal campaigner, said:

As a Brent resident affected by the cladding crisis and co-founding member of the #EndOurCladdingScandal campaign, I am pleased that Cabinet member Eleanor Southwood has expressed her support for the EOCS campaign’s aims. The main challenge in the borough of Brent is to hold  the developers and private owners of affected buildings responsible.  They continue to drag their feet on cladding remediation of high-risk buildings and the surveying of buildings of yet unknown risk. Whilst no doubt the resolution of the many problems lies with the Government, we hope that leaseholders in privately owned buildings can count on Brent Council’s support to apply pressure on private building owners and housing associations to establish full transparency with leaseholders and tenants about building safety issues. 

 

We want Brent to set clear expectations that developers, private owners and housing associations will rectify building defects caused by failure in building regulations and skimming by developers, without passing the costs on to leaseholders. We look forward to constructive talks with Brent’s Cabinet members on how Brent Council can support residents affected by the cladding scandal.

 

 

Twin oaks of Salmon Street are safe

 

 The oak trees today

Yesterday  morning a Brent Fightback Facebook member saw work going on at the twin oak trees at the corner of Salmon Street and Queens Walk and fearing that the mature trees were about to be removed, raised the alarm.

Number 44 Queens Walk is the site of the controversial demolition of a detached suburban house to make way for a block of flats.

Brent tree protectors swung into action and soon ascertained that the trees were protected.  Gary Rimmer, Brent Trees Officer, told Wembley Matters that the trees were being 'reduced' by a reputable firm of arboculturalists.  He said that the new development was being built back from the road to leave room for the tree roots.

Much relief all round but is is good to know that locals have their eyes open, especially as Salmon Street has some lovely specimen trees.

Detectives investigating Northwick Park murder renew appeal for information as they name the teenage victim.

From the Metropolitan Police

Police were called at 15:50hrs on Thursday, 12 November to Northwick Park in Harrow, following reports of a stabbing close to the underpass leading to Northwick Park Underground Station.

Officers attended, and a 17-year-old was found suffering from stab injuries. He was given first aid at the scene by officers prior to the arrival of the London Ambulance Service. 

Despite the best efforts of emergency services, he was pronounced dead at 16:31hrs.

He has been named as Jamalie Maleek Deacon Matthew, from the Harrow area. His next of kin have been informed.

Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command (Homicide) are investigating.

Detective Chief Inspector Jane Topping, said:  

I am urging anyone who witnessed the moments leading up to Jamalie’s murder, or the stabbing itself, to come forward and speak with us. A young man has lost his life in the most tragic and needless of circumstances. His, and his family’s future, has been taken from them. 

I need to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time; I am certain that someone has that piece of information that will help us to trace the person responsible. Please do the right thing, and come forward.

Jamalie’s family, said: 

The whole family is deeply saddened and utterly devastated about the passing of Jamalie. We all knew of his ambition to study Law, and coming to terms with the tragedy that has unfolded still feels so surreal. We are pleading with the public to share any piece of information regarding this incident.

There have been no arrests made at this time and enquiries continue.

Anyone who has information, video / images that could assist police is asked to call the incident room on 020 8358 0100 or via 101 quoting reference Cad 4735/12Nov.

If you don’t want to speak to the police, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

NEU call on Government to 'massively increase' level of testing for pupils to bring coronavirus under control in schools

 I only have anecdotal evidence on Covid19 positive test results in Brent secondary schools so have put in an FYI request to Brent Council for actual statistics.

This is the National Education Union statement released on Friday:

ONS data shows highest rate of infection is amongst secondary aged pupils.

 

The Office for National Statistics' latest infection survey shows that secondary-age pupils now have the highest rate of infection of any age group and, whilst it has fallen a little as a result of the half-term holiday, it is likely to carry on increasing. 

 

The National Education Union has today received a letter from Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Sir Ian Diamond  in response to a set of questions posed on 20 October.  The letter confirms that ONS and SAGE will be collecting data on school bubbles and ventilation, which is particularly important given the emerging evidence on airborne transmission of the virus. 

 

The NEU is concerned that the continued trajectory of infection rates in schools and colleges will make this lockdown much less effective, and not make the sacrifice worthwhile. Initial indications show that R has not come down far enough - ZOE estimate it to be 0.9, whilst SAGE estimate it 1.0 – 1.2 (see note 4). This indicates that while coronavirus might go into retreat, it will not retreat very far.

This concern is heightened by the SAGE finding that children aged 12-16 played a "significantly higher role” in introducing infection into households in the period after schools reopened their doors to all students. 

 

We are also troubled by new evidence from Public Health England  showing that the positivity rate amongst school-age children is extremely high. For secondary age children it is 18% and for primary age children it is 12%. The level of testing amongst school-age children has actually fallen in recent weeks. This means that only a tiny proportion of pupils with coronavirus are self-isolating. We call on the Government to take urgent steps to massively increase the level of testing for school pupils. 

 

Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: 

We are pleased that SAGE has recognised the important role that schools and school-age children play in transmission of the virus . We have been concerned for some time that an erroneous belief that children do not play a significant role in the transmission of coronavirus was badly distorting policy. This is in spite of a clear and sharp trend in infection rates among secondary school pupils in particular since the start of term. 

 

We call on the Government to play a much more active role to suppress the transmission of COVID within schools. Schools have gone to great lengths to make themselves as safe as possible but there is only so much they can do on their own. We put forward a ten-point plan in June with suggestions including hiring additional space and teachers to reduce class sizes.  More recently we have put forward ideas to enable social distancing in schools through the use of rotas for older secondary school pupils.  All these suggestions were ignored. Schools have been given inadequate advice - more often than not delivered at the last minute - and with no additional funding. 

 

The situation is untenable and widespread disruption will continue unless the Government takes steps to get coronavirus under control in schools.

The Gaderbrook flowing freely after today's heavy rain

 Fryent Country Park acts like a giant sponge in periods of sustained  heavy rain. Some of the ponds and ditches overflow dispersing into the meadows and the meadows become saturated. Much of the excess water ends up in the Gaderbrook.

The video above shows the Gaderbrook at its fullest and you can even hear the rush of the water above the noise from the road and the Jubilee tube line.

Barn Hill Conservation Group is working on the banks of the Gaderbrook at the moment.   They are an amazing group who were hard at work this morning, in the rain in the area around Barn Hill Pond.  They are always in need of volunteers so if you want to get plenty of exercise during winter lockdown get in touch. This is what they posted about their work (edited):

GADERBROOK AND PRESTON EASTFIELD

The aim of the work here is to restore this section of the Gaderbrook stream alongside Preston Eastfield.

The Gaderbrook arises from the surface water ditches of the meadows and hedgerows in Fryent Country Country Park.  It also takes surface water from Fryent Way and from parts of the suburban estate between here and Kingsbury Road, That area is due to the countours of the local geology.

Alongside the Gaderbrook, the work aims to reduce scrubeso that the stream receives more light. That should encourage wildflowers and inprove the view of the streamside.

Within Preston Eastfield, a hedgerow will be created (or restored?) from a line of scrub trees, set back from the streamside. On the other side of that hedgerow the footpath is being widened.

The aim? A more attractive path, a hedgerow and streamside habitats.

While we hope that more plants will establish in the improved light, you may occasionally notice that the stream is polluted  (Ed: see last frames of the video). This is due to wrongly connected plambing from propertis that feed into the strean.  If you notice this, please report it to the Environment Agency pollution hotline.

Barn Hill Conservation Group LINK

Harrow Go Green 2021 launched - competition for biodiversity awareness and enhancement

 

Bringing you news of an enterprising event in Harrow and one that enables us to look forward at a pretty gloomy time.

A competition for Harrow to raise awareness of, and enhance the borough’s biodiversity

 

Harrow Biodiversity and Environment working with Harrow Council

 

Nature is part of what makes London a special city. In fact, more than 14,000 species of plants, animals and fungi have been recorded here.  Biodiversity is the technical name for the variety of life found in an area - species, habitats and their myriad relationships.  Human impact has caused an enormous loss of biodiversity globally, and this threatens the stability of all the planet’s environments, as well as our own well-being.

 

Think of a golf course, or manicured park.  Biodiversity here is very low: just a few species of grasses, none of which support many other species.  However, the same land managed for a variety of native plants will support many species of grasses and flowering plants which, in turn, support a huge variety of insects and other creatures both above and below ground, which will in turn attract birds and other species.  Biodiversity is much higher and the environment much healthier because of this.

 

Nature affects all of us.  It helps to clean our air, moderates climate change, reduces pollution of all types and manages rainfall.  It improves our health and ultimately saves money.  Diversity in London’s population, as well as its habitats, wildlife and landscapes, characterise many London boroughs.  Harrow is fortunate in that it is especially rich in green and blue spaces.  The richer our local biodiversity, the healthier our nature and environment.  However, more must be done to protect and enhance biodiversity everywhere: not just in nature reserves.

 

Harrow Go Green 2021 seeks to do that. It aims to inform and educate borough residents, children and businesses about the importance of biodiversity.  It will encourage activity which will help to improve biodiversity and our own environment.  Harrow Council is working with the newly formed Harrow Biodiversity and Environment to deliver the competition, a really positive event during these difficult times.  Support is coming from key organisations, locally as well as nationally, including Harrow Heritage Trust, Harrow Nature Conservation Forum, the Green Party, Harrow Nature Heroes, the Conservation Volunteers, PlantLife and Harrow in Leaf.

 

The competition launched in November 2020 and will be open to applications until the end of May 2021.  Projects can be submitted into the following categories:

 

·       Schools and Colleges

·       Best Front Space

·       Junior Projects

·       Best Garden Managed for Nature

·       Commercial Projects and Developers

·       Most Original Idea to Enhance Biodiversity

 

Local businesses are giving fantastic support, providing prizes, special discounts and publicity.  These include Jacques Amand International, Franchi Seeds, Armour Design Studio and Pinner Photography.

 

One competition sponsor is Melcourt Industries Limited, a leading producer of peat-free and sustainably sourced composts and soil conditioners.  They educate commercial gardeners, as well as residents, about the importance of protecting our peat bogs and woodlands.  Many projects in the borough are now utilising these products and making a real change, helping Harrow become a peat free borough!

 

A series of online presentations and workshops will suggest ways in which you can develop your own space, and maybe present a winning project.  Whether its pots on a balcony, an insect shelter, planting a wildflower meadow, selection of plants for insects or a wildlife pond in a garden, every single project DOES make a difference.  The first workshop will be by Stephanie Irvine, a community gardener and project manager for the Orchard Project.  She will help you develop your garden for wildlife, whether it’s a single square metre, or an entire garden.  Next will be Andrew Wood speaking about how to make gardens havens for butterflies, moths and other insects.

 

So please enter the competition, help make a difference in Harrow and raise awareness about enhancing biodiversity.  It does not have to be a complete garden redesign.  Even small projects make a massive difference - whether it’s a clever way of managing rainwater in the garden, creating shelter and habitats, or plantings designed to encourage local wildlife.  Please visit the website to get full details and register.  www.harrowgogreen.com

Brent Council Leader, Muhammed Butt, issues new warning over rising Covid19 rates as Diwali celebrations are curtailed

Today's stats from Covid SymptomStudy  - ZOE

From Cllr Muhammed Butt via Brent Council website

Today I need to share some bad news with you. Confirmed cases of coronavirus in Brent are rising quickly again. This is serious and the human cost is real and truly devastating. We see in the news every day that people are dying from coronavirus, including here in Brent at Northwick Park Hospital. Older people and particularly Asian men seem to be most affected. If you want to protect your loved ones – your parents, aunties, uncles and grandparents – you cannot afford to ignore the rules.

The current national restrictions mean that we all must stay at home, avoid seeing relatives or friends who we do not live with and follow the Public Health Rules. The rules are slightly different to the lockdown earlier this year. Schools and other types of education have stayed open. But the only way to lower the rate of infection in Brent, and protect our freedoms, is to stick to the rules. This is life and death.

This weekend Hindus, Sikhs and Jains will be celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Religious festivals and celebrations are such a big part of what makes Brent so special. I know how incredibly difficult the pandemic has been for people of all faiths. Earlier this year, Eid was very different. It’s likely that Hanukkah and Christmas won’t be the same either.

As a person of faith, I feel for you. These celebrations are normally a time when families, friends and neighbours come together. None of us wants to stop seeing our loved ones - particularly at such important times of the year. I know how disappointed many of you who were looking forward to celebrating Diwali with your loved ones, at a time when we need hope and light more than ever, will be. But the terrible reality is that we have got to make hard sacrifices together.

Temples in Brent have decided to remain closed this weekend. I want to thank everyone involved for making this responsible choice. I also want to personally thank everyone who will be celebrating at home and online instead, and wish you a Diwali that brings happiness and joy to you and your family. By staying at home you’ll be helping to protect those closest to you – especially older relatives who may be extremely clinically vulnerable, and are at risk of becoming very seriously ill if they pick up the virus. Although the celebrations will be different, there are still plenty of ways to mark Diwali safely. There is also a virtual Diwali event online

The current restrictions are essential to keep Brent safe, and we must all play our part together. There is no single outbreak in the borough. Instead, we believe COVID-19 is being passed on through community transmission. Most likely, this means people are transferring the virus to family and friends by visiting them in their homes.

So please, stay at home and follow the important Hands, Face, Space guidance. If you do develop symptoms of the virus, stay at home and book a free test straight away by calling 020 8937 4440.

If we all follow the rules and stop the virus spreading among our communities, we will be able to look to better times ahead.

New rapid turnaround COVID testing

Brent has been selected as one of the boroughs that will receive new rapid turnaround COVID tests, which will give results in less than hour. We’re planning to use these initially to protect the most vulnerable groups among our communities, and to maintain critical services. We’re currently waiting for more details from the Department for Health & Social Care about when the tests can be rolled out.