Our September update

Councillors Report – September 2010

Kings Crescent Estate

New master planners have been appointed to work with residents on a vision for the future of the estate. The firm appointed, PCKO http://www.pcko.co.uk/ have an established record in Hackney and elsewhere. This consultation should begin in September and aim to submit a completed plan early next year. It will attempt to cost any future rebuild, and provide a design code to integrate new buildings with older.

The refurbishment of all retained units should be completed by the end of August, though inevitably some snagging will occur. All previously void properties should soon be back in use.

The application for demolition of the north-south half of Lemsford Court was approved during August, and work will start soon.

The retrofit works to the southern blocks are being adjusted to exclude the new balconies which were unpopular with residents. The possibility of a cap on leaseholder recharges now looks unlikely.

Alexander National House

The planning application for the site was made during August with consultation due to conclude on 13th September, and hopefully a decision at the October Planning Committee. (search here Planning Application Search for ref 2010/1760 to comment)

It is descibed as a “residential development of 5 blocks ranging between 4 and 6 storeys to provide 109 homes comprising 36 x 1 bed units, 37 x 2 bed units, 28 x 3 bed units and 8 x 4 bed units together with community space, associated landscaping, car parking, cycle and refuse storage.”

If granted work, could begin as early as November and would last for 18 months. 47 of the units are scheduled to be retained by the council, 20 transferred to a RSL and 42 are for private sale. A community facility is reprovided at the western side of the site.

Woodberry Down regeneration

Brian visited the first of the new rented properties on the Old School Site in early July. They appear to being built to high standards with stunning views across the reservoirs.

Decanting continues from Peak and Petherton and they are on schedule to be demolished later this year. These are to be followed by Nichol and Needwood. A Compulsory Purchase Order was made in July.

Clearance of the vegetation on the 268 Green Lanes site is almost complete. 27 social rent units will be built there later this year. Berkleys have also begun construction of the first of the private sale blocks, as evidenced by the cranes now on site.

Interim repairs to the roofs and windows continue to those of the Apex blocks in the later phases of redevelopment.

Berkley’s have been undertaking landscaping improvement works on the walk from Manor House underground station along Woodberry Down to Woodberry Grove during the month. The new park at Pewsham, in front of the ‘grow bag allotment’, is now complete, and they’re in discussions with St Olaves.

We’ve always argued for more local labour to be used on developments, and we are finally making inroads with Woodberry Works and other initiatives proving successful.

Policing and community safety

The police are currently consulting on the possibility of bringing in a dispersal zone around Manor House in response to a spate of robberies in the last few months. These often produce displacement into nearby areas, and we have been involved in consultation on the extent of the zone.

The SNT are now operating from their new police base on Blackstock Road which is shared with Islington’s Highbury West Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT). This had led to better joint planning and joined up working

The agreed priorities for the local police over the coming months were:
• Prostitution including in the mornings
• Youth engagement and related ASB on estates
• Motor vehicle crime – operations are planned for the current month

New River ward bye-election

There is a bye-election in our neighbouring ward of New River on 16th September. Labour took two out of three seats there in May, and it would be great to capture the third in the early days of the Coalition government. Details have been e-mailed so please come and help whenever you can.

Turnout at the local elections

We now have the turnout figures for our ward –

CA King's Crescent Estate Community Hall 1855 60.27%
CB Parkwood Primary School 1606 56.04%
CC St. Olave's Church Hall 1222 52.29%
CD Amwell Court Estate Community Hall 1479 57.00%

And an impressive 74.9% of postal voters.