Planning changes who gains?

I have serious reservations about the coalition governments plans for reforming the planning system. I doubt many MP’s have ever sat as a councillor on a council Planning Committee or for that matter been a developer promoting a scheme. I’ve done both and the current system is biased towards big developers.

The system isn’t perfect but it does balance many competing wishes in a relatively fair way. If anything the present system, due to concerns by councils about potential to lose appeals and have costs awarded against them, already have a tacit presumption in favour of developers. If anything objectors should be able to appeal against a planning application granted permission – they can’t currently.

So I’m hopeful that the fuss caused by the National Trust, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Earth and others is successful in getting any changes to be balanced. Even better would be abandon these anti resident and community changes.

After all leading tory politicians were only to happy with the current system when major developments were proposed in there backyards and they used the system to block applications they didn’t want.

Building control

I’ve had a small trickle of casework referred by residents about Southwark Building control since being elected in 2006. They have usually been quickly resolved and communications seemed to be the common theme. Half a year ago I consolidated these issues into a question at full Council Assembly (question 21). The answer highlighted thatsignificant delays happen with a minority of cases. The cabinet member responsible Cllr Foley agreed to follow this up. For clarity  this is a long term issue spanning numerous administrations.

Lets not forget that Building Control is about helping to ensure new buildings and changes to building are safe and that they meet eco standards to save the planet.

Earlier this week I met with council officials and Cllr Foley to reflect on the service, see how it could be made even better, and see how things have changed since I originally raised the issue.

Apparently the legislation doesn’t require the issue of building certificates unl;ess asked for. But for the last 10 years Southwark has always issued a Building Certificate. Over that period of the project referred to it only around 50% ever complete such that they can be granted a building certificate. Amazing.

Building Control acknowledgement letters have been changed to make it clear exactly what information will be required – electricians certificates.

We all agreed Building Controls web presence on the Southwark Council website could be enhanced as for many this will be the first port of call.

For the last years a proper IT workflow system has been in place helping to ensure projects don’t fall between the gaps. And this new system allows council officials to email out certificates as PDF files. This is particularly helpful when people selling their houses suddenly need a new copy as they lost the original.

But this still leaves 50% of projects that never complete. Cllr Foley accepted my suggestion that all open projects be sent a one off letter reminding them that they officially have an open project and what the council needed to complete it. I look forward to seeing the proposed letter shortly. Cllr Foley also came up with the useful idea of checking incomplete projects to see if a trend of a few builders causing this that might need just some gentle re-education.

Progress.

New East Dulwich Library

Museums, Libraries and Archives council recommend 30 square metres of spaces for every one thousand population. For Southwark’s 305,000+ population (this number is those registered with GP’s) that would mean we needed 9,150 m2.  Currently we have 4,914 m2. We clearly have a huge deficiency in library space.

The nearly finished Canada Water library will help by adding 1,315 m2 net compared to Rotherhithe library which will close. This still leaves us hugely deficient.

But more locally last night the Planning Committee approved a new development next to East Dulwich station that includes a new Grove Vale library. The current library has 100 m2 for customers and the new one would double that to 200 m2 + have 50 m2 terrace. The time line would see this delivered in the first half of 2014.

Its currently bursting at the seams homework club of kids mostly from the East Dulwich Estate in South Camberwell ward, toddlers groups, etc  could all expand with no extra resources. The current library lease costs £25,000 a year but the new library would have a 125 year peppercorn rent of £100 a year. The new library would also be one big space allowing other services such as selling coffee etc to raise revenue to support the library. The new building will have CHP and be eco excellent in its part saving lots on the utility bills. The one risk is the current library review. I’m hopeful that new revenue streams and reducing layers of management and back office costs will occur from that review rather than close libraries from our already under dimensioned library service.

For your say on the Southwark Library review: https://forms.southwark.gov.uk/ShowForm.asp?fm_fid=591

For a picture of what 18-22 Grove Vale will broadly look like – 18_22 Grove Vale

Burgess Park – another step forward

Earlier this week the next step in creating a destination Burgess Park we can all be proud of took place – granting of Planning Permission.

I was first involved when the chair person of Southwark Cyclists when we obtained significant funding for the central avenue. My great aunt’s drapers shop is under Burgess Park along Albany Road and my great grandparents were born on streets where Burgess Park now is.

My Lib Dem colleagues had been trying for many years to obtain funding until successfully winning £2M from the Mayor of London and another £4M from Aylesbury New Deal.

£6M is a lot of money but to be honest is just the start. Ultimately Burgess Park will need £20M to £30M so it will continue to be a long journey before it’s truly finished.

By March 2012 Burgess Park will have improved entrances, redundant roads and pathways removed, more wildlife habitats created, and the lake expanded and improved. 

Grove Vale library

The planning application for current Dulwich Garden Centre to be demolished and replaced by a new Grove Vale library (twice the current ones size), 20 flats and a shop has been submitted.

This is more attractive than the previous application easthetically. Unfortunately it has had to propose the library in a slightly less favourable position but it is proposed it will be bigger than the replacement one previously proposed.

So I’m rather excited by this.

Do take a look and let me know what you think:

http://planningonline.southwarksites.com/planningonline2/AcolNetCGI.exe?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeDocs&TheSystemkey=9538777

Platforms 17, 18 and 19 at London Bridge

Until the 1970’s London Bridge had 3 more terminating platforms.

You can see where they were in this photo taken recently. The station roof is still present.

london-bridge-platforms-17-to-19.jpg

At the local history unit you can see old plans showing 9 terminating platforms.

Under the Thameslink changes at London Bridge 6 through platforms become 9 and 9 terminating platforms become 6. As a result the South London Line is planned to be CLOSED in 2012.

Its clear from the above picture that actually enough space exists to keep 9 terminating platforms – by reopening the three closed in 1970’s.

Hopefully, the London Bridge station redevelopment will need new planning permission at some point and objectors can suggest this solution and KEEP the South London Line open. Apart from keeping all those commuters with direct train services – it keeps three great hospitals joined together.

Noise kills!

A new study has found that living under a flight path increases the risk of having a heart attack. The Swiss study discovered that people exposed to a daily average noise levels of at least 60 decibels are 30% more at risk of dying of a heart attack than those exposed to less that 45 decibels. Among those exposed to the higher decibel levels for 15 or more years, the risk was 50 per cent higher. Up to 200,000 people under the Heathrow flight paths experience noise averaging out at over 60 decibels.To read more about the report: Living under a flight path ‘can increase your risk of heart attack .

The report, ‘Aircraft Noise, Air Pollution, and Mortality from Myocardial Infarction’ can be read in Epidemiology, November 2010, Volume 21, Issue 6, pp 829-836. doi:10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181f4e634

But this study has potentially far reaching implications. Many homes are close to roads and railway lines with 60dB noise contours. More often than not poorer people live along such noise corridors. Perhaps this research will start to explain why poorer people more heart attacks and other illness.

£26M

Funny question.

Newspapers have apparently reported that the Labour led Southwark Council Elephant&Castle regeneration deal is £26M worse than the draft Lib Dem deal that the change in political leadership stopped.

By my calculations Labour’s deal is £100M+ worse but lets for argument sake go with the newspapers reported £26M.

What could Southwark have bought with £26M. It could have joined the ranks of having an Olympic 50M long swimming pool with sports centre at the Elephant&Castle. A swimming pool there would be of national significance being in the inner London.

Or, perhaps a brand new secondary school.

Or, even every home in Southwark with loft, cavity amd solid wall insulation with draft proofing thrown in for good measure.

Sadly these things are now very unlikely to pass.

St.Francis park

St.Francis park is located just north of East Dulwich railway station. It’s the main pedestrian through route to get to and from the Sainsbury’s Dulwich store on Dog Kennel Hill.

When the planning applications was agreed to build on Metropolitan Open Land it was also agreed that Saisnbury’s had to provide and maintain a public open park.

Well they have but the maintenance is rock bottom and I suspect Sainsbury’s HQ don’t know how rough and ready this maintenance is.

So I’ve asked them. I’ve also asked when can they work towards achieving a Green Flag award for this park.

I await their initial response before deciding how to take this campaign forward. 

Grove Vale library

In 2005 I spotted that developer had made a Planning Application for 18-22 Grove Vale where the Dulwich Garden Centre is. The scheme look at best dull. Equally the Grove Vale library is two small shops unit poorly linked together. Great library in terms of children’s books etc but poor building to provide library services.

So I approached the developer and suggested that if they included a new Grove Vale library their scheme would be more successful. That turned into a long two years working with the developer, council officers and colleagues to incorporate a new 230m2 Grove Vale library which gained planning permission January 2007.

Then the recession hit. BANG. All property values slumped but more importantly since then it has become REALLY hard to borrow money. One surveyor told me you can’t borrow money outside London and in London banks expect 35% margins to borrow ie a big cushion just in case.

So I’ve had many conversations with the developer about what might be possible. I’ve spoken to Southwark libraries about what could/would work to give a great new library. Various rules around insulation are now much tighter – new part L building regs today, Southwark Core Strategy where all rooms have to be bigger, etc.

After a lot of soul searching I’m hopeful we’ve sailed a route which should give us a new 250m2 +50m2 ‘winter garden’ Grove Vale library. It would be behind a new retail unit at the front with library accessed via a 3 metre wide corridor at the back. The residential flats above would reduce to 21 units.

Yesterday I met with the developers team and Southwark Planning officials to witness the hurdles and issues the developer needs to bridge before submitting a full Planning Application. I’m hopefully these wont take long and a scheme can be submitted in November or January.

If you have any questions or thoughts about this please get in touch.

Hopefully I’ll have some images to share soon.