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| Link above to BBC News |
More information is at 'Pinkham Way Incinerator'.
2011-03-30
Saturday 9 April: "The Carbon Diaries"
Author Saci Lloyd will visit the Willesden Green Library Centre on Saturday 9 April, 2pm to 4pm, to read from her acclaimed teenage novels, 'The Carbon Diaries 2015' and “The Carbon Diaries 2017”. Following the readings, there will be discussion with a teenage audience about the prospect of carbon rationing in the UK, and feelings about the threat of Climate Change.
2011-03-29
Barnet Times: "Friends of the Earth put on David Cameron masks for black-bag waste stunt"
 |
| Link to Barnet Times |
"Friends of the Earth say that if their calls are listened to, waste handling sites at the new Brent Cross Cricklewood development, and the proposed Pinkham Way site [at Friern Barnet] could be scaled back."
BBC: "Residents unite against Pinkham Way waste centre"
 |
| Link to BBC web site |
This is the waste site that will provide some of the incinerator fuel for Brent Cross!
More information is at 'Pinkham Way Incinerator'.
2011-03-28
EU plans future, while Brent Cross burns (so to speak)
 |
| Euroclick for Eurolink to Eurosite |
Press conference on the adoption of the EU White paper on Transport 2050:
Today we present our Roadmap for the Future of Transport 2050. Freedom to travel is a basic right for our citizens, and it is critical to the development of a Europe's business sector. We need a competitive European Transport System, which delivers transport for people.
We have meet very challenging goals by the 2050s, [including]:
- No more conventionally-fuelled cars in our city centres, by the middle of the century
- A 50% shift in middle distance journeys, by both passengers and freight, from road to rail and other modes.
Barnet Times: "Residents group launch campaign to improve Cricklewood Broadway"
 |
| Link above to Barnet Times (image is from a Brent Cross document) |
"Cricklewood is covered by the boroughs of Barnet, Brent and Camden, and Cricklewood Improvement Programme (CIP) plans to work with councillors, traders and police from each borough, to make sure the area is developed as one neighbourhood."
 | |
| Link to CIP web site and email thisiswhatiwant@cricklewoodcip.org |
2011-03-27
Daily Mail: "From Gangland to High Society." [Which of those is the Brent Cross connection?]
"He will be forever remembered as the man who invented the shopping centre — he gave birth to the pioneering, but brutally ugly Brent Cross in North London, the first of the great shopping complexes which have defined life since the Eighties."
[The Daily Telegraph's report was more polite about BX - so click, right, for the Daily Mail. And the answer is 'gangland', since Brent Cross was a dog track.]
2011-03-24
When we get Hammerson's 'Brent Cross Fly-Through', can it go up the incinerator chimney?
 |
| Link to the Yorkshire Post |
2011-03-23
The Independent: "Edward Glaeser argues making London bigger, better, and more important"
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| Link to The Independent |
"If London is so productive, then why don't more people live there? Greater London's population has grown only modestly more than the national average since 1981, about 14 per cent. For many people, high prices prevent living in London. House prices in London are more than 50 per cent higher than the national average.
"... Cities can add housing by building up or by building out. Both avenues are restricted in Greater London. Environmentalism, as expressed by the city's green belt, limits the development of new homes on the urban edge. Preservationism, as expressed by myriad restrictions on rebuilding the urban core at higher densities, limits the development of more central residential towers."
Brent Cross Cricklewood lauded as planning success [eh?]
 |
| Link to web site |
Director of Planning, Housing and Regeneration
Professional
Chartered Town Planner and corporate member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI).
2011-03-19
GAIA - stopping the Brent Cross Incinerator, and the proposed Friern Barnet Waste Plant
 |
| Click for web site |
GAIA is an international alliance that works both against incinerators, and for safe, sustainable, and just alternatives.
Our name reflects this dual purpose:
- The Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance: Mobilizing grassroots action against the spread of incinerators and other polluting, end-of-pipe waste technologies.
- The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives: Building the movement for environmental justice, local green economies, and creative zero waste solutions.
GAIA has members in over 20 European countries, who are working to stop the advance of incineration and implement zero waste programmes. Learn more.
Incinerators: "Myths -v- Facts"
In recent years, the incinerator industry has tried to expand their sector by marketing their facilities as “Waste to Energy” (WTE), using misleading claims of “reducing climate pollution”, and being a “clean energy source”. This document dispels some of the most common myths about incinerators with real facts:
http://www.no-burn.org/downloads/Incinerator_Myths_vs_Facts.pdf
Hammerson “to take a long hard look at where we are!"
"According to a report to the council’s cabinet next Wednesday,
(Hadn't noticed a cabinet meeting...)"Hammerson has spent £60m since 2001 on planning and design fees"
(It is Brent Cross Cricklewood, then?)
"... property acquisitions"
(Oh, it must be Brent Cross, surely?)
"... moving power cables and gas mains"
(Eh, hadn't noticed that.)
"... and relocating the fire station from Wellington Street to Eyre Street."
(Now you're just being funny!)
Actually, it's in Sheffield. Panic over.
2011-03-18
Reduced waste: No need for the Brent Cross Incinerator, or the Friern Barnet incinerator-fuel plant?
 |
| Link to The Guardian 'Germany series' |
"Located in the south-western state of Rheinland-Pfalz and set in the heart of Palatinate wine-growing region, the predominantly middle-class, medieval town of Neustadt boasts the best recycling rates in Germany. Over the past 30 years, the town has nurtured and refined a system that means it now recycles about 70% of its waste – 16% higher than the state target. By comparison, UK recycling rates average about 40% – up from just 5% in the mid-1990s.
"At the recycling depot, one of the town's waste managers Stefan Weiss moves on to the subject of enforcement. Or rather, the lack of it.
"In theory, we have the power to fine people if they don't sort their waste. But we never do this because it costs too much to investigate. And we just don't have an issue with flytipping because we make the system so cheap and easy to use. We still get the odd complaint about the move to fortnightly collections, or that our bins are ugly, but that really is about it."
2011-03-17
Barnet Times letter
2011-03-14
'Unfinished London' Episode 2 - London's Ringway Roads (Episode 1, on the Underground, is in the right-hand column)
 |
| "Where shall we take the North Circular?" Click image to enlarge |
Dave Hill, The Guardian: "Why would councils want to exclude bloggers and tweeters?"
 |
| Link to Dave Hill, The Guardian |
"Local government minister Bob Neill MP (Con) recently wrote to local authorities as follows:
"Bloggers, tweeters, residents with their own websites and users of Facebook and YouTube are increasingly a part of the modern world, blurring the lines between professional journalists and the public. There are recent stories about people being ejected from council meetings for blogging, tweeting or filming.""But some councils have been slow to get the message. These notably include the famous Tory 'easyCouncil' of Barnet in north London."
2011-03-13
The Independent: "Long wait for mass adoption of electric cars"
 |
| Link above to the newspaper |
"Deloitte ... believes that while the obstacles to widespread adoption of EVs are formidable, the manufacturers will continue to invest in R&D. Green vehicles such as hybrids and EVs still have the potential to take ten per cent of the market within a decade, provided that governments continue to support their adoption with measures such as tax breaks."
[We say: So it's still cough and splutter in the future Brent Cross road congestion, promised by Barnet Council, then.]
Brent Cross in 'The London Gazette' (we buy it to wrap our chips in)
 |
| Link to The London Gazette |
THE BARNET (BRENT CROSS STATION) (CONTROLLED PARKING ZONE) (PARKING PLACES) (AMENDMENT NO. 22) TRAFFIC ORDER 2011
THE BARNET (WAITING AND LOADING RESTRICTION) (CIVIL ENFORCEMENT AREA) (AMENDMENT NO. 53) TRAFFIC ORDER 2011
By the way: Any person wishing to question the validity of the Orders or any of their provisions on the grounds that it is not within the relevant powers of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 or that any of the relevant requirements thereof or of any regulation made there-under have not been complied with in relation to the Orders may within six weeks of the date on which the Order was made, make application for the purpose to the High Court.
The ultra-high-density future of Brent Cross - space for living, or undue profits for Hammerson?
Views of 'Hale Village', Tottenham
(Thumbnails only - click on photos for 'Flickr' copyrighted images. The right-hand one also leads to more photos of the site, and the 'Comments' lead to interior views by the developer.)
(Compared to Brent Cross, these are all 'low-rise' buildings, instead of the planned 20-storey blocks, gracefully caressing the Brent Cross Incinerator Chimney.)
2011-03-12
Barnet's 'Director for Planning, Environment and Regeneration' has had enough!
Job Details
Director for Planning, Environment and Regeneration
Location: Barnet, North London
2011-03-11
Mr Mustard's new web site about Barnet spending: "Economics, not politics, is my crusade!"
 |
| Link above to Mr Mustard |
Barnet Times: "Barnet Council staff to take action targeting councillors"
 | |
| Link above to the story |
"MORE than 140 Barnet Council staff will start industrial action next week over proposed privatisation of several departments.
"However, the action by Unison workers, which starts on Wednesday and could last several weeks, is being targeted at councillors rather than the general public."
2011-03-10
Hangbitch report: "Barnet council workers [including Planning] to take industrial action"
 |
| Link to news story |
"More than 140 staff at Barnet Council’s Regulatory Service’s Department will take industrial action, in a bid to remain directly employed by the council.
"Action will begin on Wednesday 16 March. Staff will stop answering calls, attending meetings, and other support work."
Full list of departments:
- Trading Standards and Licensing Land Charges
- Planning and Development
- Building Control and Structure Registration (births, deaths and marriages)
- Environmental Health Highways Strategy
- Highways Network and Management
- Highways Traffic and Development
- Highways Transport and Regeneration
- Strategic Planning and Regeneration
- Cemeteries and Crematoria
2011-03-09
The Guardian: End the "LegoLand" Housing Estates, say Ministers
 |
| Link to The Guardian |
"Previous housing ministers have railed against uniform design, largely driven by developers' lower costs. Ministers hope that the concept of neighbourhood plans, designed and voted on by communities themselves, might drive architects out of their complacency.
"Planning and Decentralisation minister, Greg Clark, joins Housing Minister Grant Shapps in condemning British household architecture, saying 'banal, identikit housing schemes have given development a bad name'."
2011-03-08
The Guardian: "Air pollution in areas of heavy traffic shortens life expectancy"
 |
| Link above to The Guardian |
"The high concentration of many fine particles, largely due to emissions from diesel engines and heating systems, knocks almost two years off the average life expectancy of residents of Bucharest, and six months off the life of Parisians."
BBC: "Saracens submit plans to revamp Copthall Stadium"
 |
| Link to BBC London |
"A public consultation has been running since November and will continue while the planning application is being processed.
"Saracens, who currently play at Watford FC's Vicarage Road, will use the stadium for rugby from September until May."
'Barnet Eye' Guest Blog: "Planning to Outsource Planning"
 | |
| Link above to 'Barnet Eye' post (the picture of Councillor Rams [right] is irrelevant, and belongs to the following post there) |
"The first part of the One Barnet project is to outsource the Planning department.
"People, notably blogger Mr Reasonable, Barnet Unison, and the council’s own auditors Grant Thornton have raised issues of concern, about the way the outsourcing project is being researched and implemented."
"People, notably blogger Mr Reasonable, Barnet Unison, and the council’s own auditors Grant Thornton have raised issues of concern, about the way the outsourcing project is being researched and implemented."
2011-03-07
'Broken Barnet' web site: "Mr Travers and the Democratic Process"
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| The Firm Hand of Government. Link to 'Broken Barnet' |
"Deputy Chief Exec. Mr Travers apparetly thinks Tuesday night was a marvellous success. Why? Because there was no 'violent' protest.
"He tells us that 'the democratic process was able to take place with residents in the public gallery'. Yes, Mr Travers: there were, maybe, oh, as many as twenty or so residents in the public gallery.
"The rest of them, perfectly ordinary, law-abiding citizens, were either stuck under quasi-military guard in an overflow room, staring pointlessly at a blank screen, listening to an intermittent broadcast from the ruling junta down the corridor, forbidden to leave the room even to visit the loo without explanation, and hugely intimidated by the presence of a private army of blackshirted bouncers, or had given up in disgust and left."
2011-03-03
'Ham & High' (Friern Barnet / Muswell Hill incinerator fuel plant), 'Willesden & Brent Times' (the usual suspects) and 'Barnet Press' (Jam for Planning Big Cheese)
(Click images to read, and usually a second time to magnify more)
 |
| Link above to Friern Barnet / Muswell Hill / New Southgate 'incinerator fuel' web site! |
2011-03-02
Questions to the Mayor: Planning in London and the Localism Act
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| (picture: Evening Standard) |
Navin Shah (AM for Brent and Harrow):
"How do you see that the changes to the planning law due to the Localism Act 2011 will affect building in London?"
Written answer from the Mayor:
"Judgement on this should be reserved until the Bill has been enacted, as it may be amended during its passage through parliament. It is likely, however, that neighbourhood forums will be established in many parts of London, for the purpose of bringing forward proposals for growth through the medium of neighbourhood plans and development orders.
"These forums will have the benefit of local support following referendums, and are thus likely to lead to development more readily than under the current planning regime."
'Not the Barnet Times': "Barnet Council Leader Hillan Gets Tough!"
"I don’t think we were about to pick people up bodily, and throw them out of the meeting - unless we really had to."
(Click on flexed biceps for link.)
2011-03-01
They Work For You - Hansard: "Championing openness in government"
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| Link above to 'They Work For You' |
Eric Pickles: "We are also giving local citizens the right to report their local council chamber by blogging, tweeting and online filming."
'Not the Barnet Times': "Record and Be Damned!"
Prohibited audio recording of Barnet Council meeting...
The full post on the subject of the recording ban is on the 'Not the Barnet Times' web site.
"At a time when the standing of politicians is at an all-time low, especially in Barnet, restricting public scrutiny of proceedings will only add to suspicions that they have something to hide.
"A fundamental aspect of democracy is that politicians are our servants and not our masters. The moment they come to think of themselves as our masters, we are on the road to tyranny."
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