Parody Brent publicity photograph for the Council's Wembley Housing Zone development at Cecil Avenue.
Cllr Shama Tatler, lead member for Regeneration, Property and Planning was unable to attend last night's Council Meeting as she had been close to Brent Council Leader, Muhammed Butt, who had to self-isolate after a positive LFT Covid test.
This meant that she was unable to answer Philip Grant's Supplementary Question on the planned hosuing on the former Copland Hugh School site LINK.
For the record this is the question that should now be answered in written form:
Brent urgently needs more affordable Council homes, and it could be
building 250 of these at Cecil Avenue now.
But only 37 of the 250 in your plans will be for affordable rent, while
152 will be for private sale by a developer.
Some of the £111million GLA grant could be used to provide social rent
housing there.
Instead, you plan to use it for infill schemes on existing Council
estates, which may be years away.
What justification will you give for these plans, when asked by families
who’ll have to wait much longer for a decent home, and existing residents who’ll
lose the green spaces on their estates?
Cllr Krupa Sheth, lead member for Environment, was present but was unable to answer my supplementary question on the spot and will supply a written answer in due course:
My
question on a review has not been directly answered, fortunately a council
officer told Scrutiny on November 10th said that a review of the
2015 Flood Risk Management Strategy is required and context should include real
focus around climate change (for example the forecast 59% increase in winter
rainfall) as well as the necessary local mitigation.
1.Can you give us the
timetable for the review and the partnership members who will be involved?
2.Will, as the West London
Flood Risk Management Strategic Partnership has recommended, the accumulative
impact of developments on flooding and drainage infrastructure systems, be
assessed?
Cycling instructors in Brent are without a job, and children wanting to learn to ride a bike safely are without instruction, following reduced and intermittent funding from Transport for London for the Bikeability scheme.
Brent Council has asked the administrators to postpone the bulk of the training that was to take place in November and December until the New Year when the sums available will become clearer.
One of the Brent instructors has writtent to Brent councillors to ask them to consider topping up the cycling funding to allow the scheme to continue:
Dear Councillors,
I’m writing as a Brent cycling
instructor to ask for your support in addressing the fact that funding for
cycle training in Brent has been drastically slashed.
Bikeability funding has been put on
hold beyond November 2021. The last payment to boroughs was half the planned
amount. This means that schools will not be able to plan or book courses for
the Spring term. The consequence of this is that no courses can be booked for
2022.
The extent of the cut means that
courses that had already been booked with school children and adults have
subsequently been cancelled with no prospect of rescheduling. This affects
school courses, adult group courses and one-to-one sessions. Also, the
instructors are out of work with zero compensation.
Considering there are approximately 100
schools in Brent, plus many more adults are now wanting training post pandemic,
the financial figures allocated have effectively killed cycle training in
Brent.
According to the National Child
Measurement Programme, Brent has among the worst childhood obesity rates in
England.
Brent has some of the worst pollution
levels in the country. (Link to news report)
Brent Council has declared a climate
emergency, with added attention through the COP26 conference. Cycling is
recognised for helping with overcoming depression, anxiety, obesity levels and
enhancing general wellbeing, independence and empowerment.
Having lived and worked in Brent all my
life, I personally have seen firsthand what cycling can achieve. Through my
instructing work, I’ve seen the delight on a child’s face in that first moment
they learn to ride a bike. An adult empowered to cycle on the road and be less
dependent on driving.
Brent Council have done very well to train
many people in Brent in recent years. Last year alone 2,942 children and 553
adults received free cycle training in Brent. All this will be sadly lost if
this funding situation is not addressed.
Other boroughs including Haringey when
hearing funding had been cut added money to the cycling fund I’m hoping Brent
might consider this.
Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt has announced on Twitter that he will miss tonight's Full Council meeting after testing positive on an LFT Covid test.
He must self isolate pending the result of a PCR test.
Locals and football fans will be disappointed to hear that the owners of the 'Wok 'n' Roe' in Bridge Road have sold up and will be vacating the popular Chinese, fish and chicken takeway after more than 30 years, in three week's time.
They certainly deserve a break and I understand that the sale has nothing to do with competition from the plethora of takeways that have opened in the area.
They will be sadly missed - I wonder if the name will survive?
Meanwhile members of the Facebook 'You know you come from Wembley if...' have been reminiscing about their youth in the Wembley Park Wimpy Bar. Some were amazed that it was still open and even more so that you could still get a glass of wine with your wimpy! It has kept up with the times by servving a vegan burger.
Wine on the top shelf
If anyone knows when the two establishments first opened please comment below.
The main modifications to the Draft Brent Local Plan have attracted little or no publicity or comment but they are of interested and can be found HERE.
Of particularly interest to me are the impact of some of the development plans for Wembley (including KwikFit/Asda,Torch; Stadium Retail Park, McDonalds,Fountain Studios; Premier Inn, Brook Avenue) in terms of infrastucture improvments needed for waste water and flood mitigation. The Wealdstone Brook flows through this area so some of it is susceptible to fluvial (river) flooding as well as surface water flooding.
These are some of the modifications that have been made (March 2020) regarding infrastructure and indicate a substantial amount of work to de done with Thames Water and developers, as well as the Environment Agency.
Thames Water has indicated the local water network
capacity in this area may be unable to support the demand anticipated from this
development. Upgrades to the wastewater network are likely to be required.
Thames Water will need to be engaged at the earliest opportunity to agree a
housing and infrastructure phasing plan to ensure essential infrastructure is
delivered prior to the development creating
identified additional capacity requirements.
Waste water facilities enhancement Thames Water has
indicated the scale of development is likely to require upgrades to the
wastewater network. Thames Water will need to be engaged at the earliest opportunity
to agree a housing and infrastructure phasing plan to ensure essential
infrastructure is delivered prior to the development creating identified
additional capacity requirements.
Thames Water has indicated the local water network
capacity in this area may be unable to support the demand anticipated from this
development. Upgrades to the wastewater network are likely to be required.
Thames Water will need to be engaged at the earliest opportunity to agree a
housing and infrastructure phasing plan to ensure essentialinfrastructure is
delivered prior to the development creating
identified additional capacity requirements. Public sewers cross or are close
to the site. The risk of damage during construction must be minimised. It must
be ensured that development doesn't inhibit
access for maintenance or the services in any other way
A critical trunk sewer runs through this site which
would need to be considered.
Thames Water has indicated the local water network
capacity in this area may be unable to support the demand anticipated from this
development. Upgrades to the wastewater network are likely to be required.
Thames Water will need to be engaged at the earliest opportunity to agree a
housing and infrastructure phasing plan to ensure essential infrastructure is
delivered prior to the development creating
identified additional capacity requirements. Risk of damage to the trunk sewer
during construction must be minimised. It must be ensured that development
doesn't inhibit access for maintenance or the services in any other way.
The site is located within an area which is
susceptible to groundwater flooding. There are also small areas within the site
which are susceptible to surface water flooding. The majority of the site is
located within an area which is susceptible to sewer flooding. A flood risk
assessment will need to address
how development satisfactorily addresses these matters.
Wembley Brook and River Brent are potential sources
of flooding and the majority of the site is within Flood Zone 3. Part of the
site is within including extensive flood zone 3b (functional floodplain).
Development, other than water compatible uses, will not be acceptable within
functional floodplain. Any flood modelling from applicants which seeks to
justify a revision to the functional floodplain boundary will need to be agreed
by the Environment Agency.
More
vulnerable uses should be restricted to areas of lowest flood risk and on upper
floors. Ground floors should be designed to be resistant and resilient to flood
risk. Basement dwellings will not be acceptable on the site. Development must
be informed by a detail Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy, reduce
flood risk overall and not increase the risk of flooding on adjoining sites.
Development must be consistent with the recommendations of the Brent Strategic
Flood Risk Assessment Level 2.
Of course there are also issues in other parts of Brent such as Stonebridge (Argenta House, Wembley Point), Neasden Stations, Growth Area, South Kilburn & Alperton).
The document below (March 2020) provides detailed assessments for Stonebridge Park/Unisys (p17) Coombe Road (p23), Watkin Road (p30), Argenta House/Wembley Point (p37), Brooke Avenue (p44), College of NW London - Wembley Campus (p51), Turpins Yard (p58), Park Avenue Garage (p64) Hereford & Exeter House (p70), Neasden Station Growth Area 1(p76), 2 (p82), 3 (p88), Neasden Lane (Press Rd) p94, Stadium Retails Park/Fountain Studios (p100) and Queensbury LSIS/Morrisons (p108)
A summary of all schemes is provided at the end of the report.
Recording of November 10th Public Realm and Resources Scrutiny Commitee
The recent Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee heard a heart-rending story from a local resident about her experience in the recent Kilburn floods and from Brent Council officers about the authority's responsibilities regarding flooding and fluvial and surface water occurrences.
Unfortunately the Council's main partners, the Environment Agency and Thames Water did not attend but will do so in January 2022. The officers' Report can be found HERE.
Ruined household items after the July floods on Westminster side of Kilburn Park Road (My London News)
The importance of hearing directly from Thames Water is highlighted by this extract from the My London News coverage of the July floods LINK:
Speaking to the
subcontractors working for Thames Water attempting to lower water levels in the
drains next to her property, [Aimee] asked about the chances of it happening again,
to which one engineer reportedly told her: “The whole system has been
compromised. Of course it will happen again.”
Aimee, who is
eight months pregnant, claims an engineer employed directly by Thames Water
then took the subcontractors to one side in order to speak with them alone.
The following
day, she says she was visited by a Thames Water employee who 'looked more
senior' and told her the subcontractors 'should not have said that'.
But, when pushed,
Aimee claims the engineer couldn't say the flooding would not happen again.
Post flood 'repair' photographed recently on my visit to South Kilburn Estate
As readers will know Wembley Matters has published a number of articles recently on flooding in the area in the light of the number of increased extreme weather events as a result of climate change. I posed a question to the November 22nd Full Council on this and the question and response are below:
1. Question from Martin Francis to Councillor Krupa
Sheth, Lead Member for Environment
In the light of the increased prevalence of extreme weather events as a result
of climate change and recent flooding in the borough, as well as a large number
of new developments and increasing numbers of paved over gardens, does Brent Council:
(1) Intend to work with partners including the Environment Agency and Thames Water
to review and revise Brent Council’s
(2) Advise property owners and developers on mitigation measures?
Response:
Under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, Brent Council is responsible for
reducing the risk of flooding from surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses
as a Local Lead Flood Authority (LLFA). To continue to meet our responsibilities
we:
· Develop,
maintain, regularly update and apply a local Flood Risk
Management Strategy. The overarching aim of the strategy is to enable the long-term
management of flooding arising from rivers, surface water and groundwater in
the borough and to communicate the risks and consequences of flooding to our
residents and businesses.
· Maintain a
register of flood risk management assets (structures that have an effect on
flood risk management). This includes all flood risk management assets such as
culverts, watercourses and holding tanks. All drainage assets, including the
Council maintained and maintained by Thames Water and Environment Agency are
logged on Flood Station.
· Provide
overall management for highway drainage (road gullies) on designated public
highway. As Highway Authority, we manage the 20,700 road gullies within the
borough via a cyclical cleansing regime, and also respond reactively to any
defect or blockages on the network.
· Implement
small scale schemes to address localised flooding problems such as broken
gullies or gully pipes, or localised gully capacity problems. Larger scale
capacity problems are within the remit of Thames Water who are responsible for
the main drainage system.
· Respond to
planning applications - As lead local flood authority, we are a statutory
consultee for major developments and in accordance with the GLA plan for
Sustainable drainage we ensure that a significant betterment (i.e. improved
drainage arrangements) is incorporated into new developments.
This in turn reduces the risk of surface water flooding on our public highways.
· Produce and
maintaining a flood risk asset register - All of our drainage assets are
located on an asset register, which includes all non-tributary watercourses,
culverts and attenuation tanks.
· Issue land
drainage consents on ordinary watercourses and carry out enforcement - All
works undertaken non-statutory main rivers must obtain consent form the council
so we are able to oversee and audit all processes to ensure sustainable measure
are undertaken.
· Investigate
significant local flooding events - As a lead local flood authority, we investigate
all major flooding incidences and record the data.
As LLFA the council works in partnership with utility companies, Environment Agency
and others in order to ensure that all appropriate measures are taken to mitigate
flood risk. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated as risks and other factors
change.
As a Category One Responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, the council has a
responsibility to warn, inform and advise the public before during and after emergencies
have occurred. We publicise warnings of severe weather and provide advice and
information for residents on the council website to assist them prepare for
potential severe weather events such as those that may cause flooding. The
information provided also outlines what assistance the council is able to offer
as well as measures that people can take to protect their own homes.
