Brownswood Councillors

Summer Term

Stoke Newington Neighbourhood Forum

The first meeting of the new forum was on the 20th July. Angus Mulready Jones (Dalston Ward) was elected Chair and Feryat was elected Vice-Chair. There was an update on the long running saga of Clissold Leisure Centre. We also had a briefing on the proposed National Heritage Lottery Fund bid for Clissold Park and House.

As well as the councillors, each can co-opt local people and we are still looking for at least one from Brownswood. Suggestions would be very welcome.

The next meeting is at 7pm on Wednesday 13th September at Parkwood School. It would be great to see local residents there. Details can be obtained at
http://www.hackney.gov.uk/index.htm/l-mayor-cabinet-councillors/w-commitee-reports.htm

There is also the possibility a special meeting in October to discuss the outcome of the consultation on parking.

Crime and Community Safety

We continue to work to improve conditions on Blackstock Road. To this end we have organised a meeting of the Council’s Neighbourhoods and Regeneration Directorate, whose responsibilities include environment and community safety, and FinFuture on 14th September.

Both local and specialist police attended a meeting with Kings Crescent estate representatives on 23rd August. This led to the innovative use of new powers as detailed below.

The next Community Advisory Panel for the ward’s police team is on Wednesday 6th September. Residents who are interested can get details of future meetings on 02087212030.

Cycle Racks

We have arranged for cycle racks to be installed in front of the shops at the junction of Green Lanes and Brownswood Road. If you are aware of any further suitable locations, please let us know.

Full Council 26th July

We used the opportunity to ask questions on securing funding for Kings Crescent, better co-ordination of activities on Blackstock Road, and gambling policy.

Planning

Darren chaired the planning sub-committee when it decided on the controversial planning application for Dalston Lane South - the site of the old Dalston Theatre. The development is a mixed-use scheme of homes, retail units and a new library as well as a large public square which will sit between the development and the Dalston Interchange site. The application was given permission subject to conditions.

A number of complaints have been made regarding Darren’s role as chair as he works for CABE - the govt’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space. The design review service of CABE did review the Dalston south scheme as a non-statutory consultee, and concluded that the design was of high quality and would be a welcome contribution to the development of Dalston. Darren played no part in reviewing the scheme, as he is a member of a different directorate at CABE, and had no prejudicial interest that would have precluded him from taking part in the planning committee’s decision.

Lakeside, Portland Rise and St Johns Court

A walkabout of all 3 estates to look at medium sized improvements works took place on Monday 17th July. Various items, including the possibility of creating a kids playground on Portland, will be followed up.

Amwell Court

Feryat will be attending the AGM of the TRA to be held on the 21st of this month. The whole of the Amwell Court has just had Decent Homes work completed, including new bathrooms and kitchens. Residents seem generally happy with the work and the time took to complete it, apart from minor delays with a few of the properties due to access issues.

Woodberry Down

Darren and Brian attended the Estate Development Committee (EDC) on 17th August. The EDC has not received its funding yet for this financial year and we agreed to write to the council to obtain written clarification what the EDC must submit to enable their funds to be released.

Hackney signed a development agreement with Berkley Homes on August 3rd for the “old school site” in Brownswood, which is the first site to be developed and will kick-start the regeneration project into life.

Darren will be presenting an introduction to the regeneration programme at this month’s Labour Party meeting. It is one of the largest of its kind in western Europe. 1,980 homes will be replaced by 4,300 new mixed-tenure homes. The regeneration of social housing is paid for by the income generated from building extra homes and selling them on the open market. The overall objective is to create a more mixed and balanced community, a “total living environment” which integrates community facilities, commercial redevelopment and housing within a more diverse community.

Licensing

We are campaigning against an application by the Spring Park Hotel for a sex encounter license - raising a petition and arranging to represent residents at the hearing, as requested by the TRA and other residents of Portland Rise. Some residents living close to the hotel are also circulating their own petition against the application. Many of those visited voiced great concern about the sex encounter application, as well as complaining about noise that comes from hotels in the area over the weekends and the parking problems caused by hotel users.

The new hackney gambling licensing policy is going through public consultation due to end on September 30th.

Kings Crescent

Regeneration plans took a major step forward this month as the residents approved the detailed refurbishment specifications. They will involve an almost complete refitting of flats on the blocks to be retained, to a high standard. They also approved a Residents Charter setting out the standards of management they expect from any landlord. Invitations To Tender were subsequently issued, and expressions of interest received from most of the main builders and RSLs.

There has been a severe ongoing problem with the empty parts of the estate – Codicote Terrace and Weston Court – being used for drug abuse and prostitution. To counter this an Anti Social Behaviour Closure Order was obtained and served on these areas last week. This means the police can now arrest anyone found abusing these properties for breach of the order instead of or in addition to any particular offences. The area is also due to be properly fenced off this week.

Road, street and lighting works

Details of planned works were circulated on 21st July. Ideas for further ones can be put forward at any time.

Surgeries

As a reminder, times and venues are -

Date: 1st Saturday of each month
Start: 11:00 am End: 12.30 pm
Venue: Amwell Court Community Hall
Address: Green Lanes, London N4

Date: 3rd Wednesday of each month
Start: 6.30pm End: 7.30pm
Venue: Kings Crescent Community Hall
Address: Off Green Lanes, London N4

Date: 1st Friday of each month
Start: 9.00am End: 10.00am
Venue: Robin Redmond Resource Centre
Address: 440 Seven Sisters Road Woodberry Down Estate London N4

Thames Water’s new ringmain

A new water main linking the reservoirs to the central London ringmain at New River Head (adjacent to Sadlers Wells Theatre) is being constructed over the next 10 years. It will run 50 metres deep, from the West Reservoir across Green Lanes, under the Filter Beds Estate, beneath Digby Crescent, under Kings Crescent and out beneath Mountgrove Road. There is predicted to be little effect on the surface other than construction traffic but this will be regular and prolonged, and in addition to all the other capital projects scheduled.