2010-05-20
Possible change in light-rail scheme assessments?
Here is the transport section:
30. TRANSPORT
The Government believes that a modern transport infrastructure is essential for a dynamic and entrepreneurial economy, as well as to improve well-being and quality of life. We need to make the transport sector greener and more sustainable, with tougher emission standards and support for new transport technologies.
We will mandate a national recharging network for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
We will grant longer rail franchises in order to give operators the incentive to invest in the improvements passengers want – like better services, better stations, longer trains and better rolling stock.
We will reform the way decisions are made on which transport projects to prioritise, so that the benefits of low carbon proposals (including light rail schemes) are fully recognised.
We will make Network Rail more accountable to its customers.
We will establish a high speed rail network as part of our programme of measures to fulfil our joint ambitions for creating a low carbon economy. Our vision is of a truly national high speed rail network for the whole of Britain. Given financial constraints, we will have to achieve this in phases.
We support Crossrail and further electrification of the rail network.
We will turn the rail regulator into a powerful passenger champion.
We will support sustainable travel initiatives, including the promotion of cycling and walking, and will encourage joint working between bus operators and local authorities.
We are committed to fair pricing for rail travel.
We will work towards the introduction of a new system of HGV road user charging to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers.
We will stop central government funding for new fixed speed cameras and switch to more effective ways of making our roads safer, including authorising ‘drugalyser’ technology.
We will tackle rogue private sector wheel clampers.
Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond
2010-05-14
New Conservative Party Chair admires "transport-oriented developments"
In a 2006 BBC Newsnight's series on finding the best public services in the world, Conservative Party Vice Chair Sayeeda Warsi - just appointed to the Cabinet, and as Conservative Party Chair by David Cameron - reported on efforts to overhaul public transport in one US city...
"PORTLAND, OREGON isn't just about successfully getting people out of their cars. What's really clear, is the extent to which transport is the absolute bedrock of community development.
"The city is an international pioneer in transit-orientated developments, high-density, residential and business units around light-rail stops and transit centres.
"Portland's Transportation Commissioner, Sam Adams, puts the city's success down to three main factors:
the marriage of transportation and land use issues,
public and private partnership,
clear results."
Read in full:
2010-05-08
2010-04-27
Boris insults opponents of Brent Cross Plan
London Mayor Boris Johnson revealed his contempt for local people and organisations opposing the environmentally-damaging Brent Cross Cricklewood Plan, when he spoke at the 'London Planning Awards'...
2010-04-19
2010-04-14
'Fly a Kite Against Pollution' says Green Party
Donald Lyven, the Prospective Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Finchley and Golders Green, has just received Special Permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to fly a Kite to a height of 140 metres (460 feet) on the afternoon of Sunday 18 April.
Donald Lyven said:
This is to give residents of Garden Suburb, Golders Green, Cricklewood, Hendon, West Hendon, Brent and surrounding areas, an idea of how high the Barnet Tory Council-voted-for incinerator chimney will be. Its fumes will predominately drift east due to the UK's prevailing westerly winds, taking the smoke towards some of the richest suburbs in London.This 'Toxic Tower of Death' is 40 metres higher than the massive chimney at Edmonton Incinerator, next to the A406. It is projected to be belching out cleaner air than it takes in, based on yet to be developed technology! Even if that were true, it will produce thousands of tonnes of toxic ash each year, and will have to import millions of tonnes of rubbish from surrounding communities, using hundreds of lorry journeys from surrounding districts, to make the plant viable
It seems ironic that Barnet Council can - with a show of hands - vote in a hideously dense housing scheme, in an already polluted part of London, with its 140 metre high chimney; yet I’ve had to provide all sorts of detailed information to the CAA to enable special permission to fly a kite to the same height! Officially, kites can only be legally flown to a height of 60 metres (200 feet) in the UK.
Barnet Green Party will be flying a traditional Cody Box Kite with a 2.5 metre wingspan, because of its stability in the air. The actual location of the launch site on Clitterhouse Playing Fields will be dependent on the wind direction on the day, so as to keep the kite above the Fields at all times, and hopefully an orange wind sock will indicate the wind direction, strength and launch point.
Many other groups against the Brent Cross Cricklewood Development are due to congregate at the Clitterhouse Fields during the ascent, giving out information on the disastrous development. Please come along to learn more about BXC.
If conditions are right, Barnet Green Party urge all residents in surrounding districts to look out for the kite between 1 and 3 pm, and to ask themselves, do they want this proposed chimney looking down on them? You can bet property prices in surrounding areas will plummet long before the first brick is laid for the incinerator plant. Do you want your children to breath in toxins, PCBs, carcinogens and particulates?
2010-04-07
Ham and High letter, jointly from 'Friends of the Earth' groups
Great expectations of 'humble residents' groups' - BBC web site
"The 'Residents' Association of Barnet' (RAB) will rally against planning permission granted to the Brent Cross regeneration project..."
(Click on image above)
THE MAYOR MOCKS OBJECTORS, BUT HE IS NOT FUNNY!
Navin Shah, London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow has given his reaction to Mayor Johnson's speech at the London Planning Awards:
The Mayor’s contempt shown at the London Planning Awards evening is offensive to people and objectors, who have raised very serious issues about this mega BXC development. He thinks this is all funny, but Boris's comments have made me very, very 'cross'.
It all just shows how little he cares for community and residents' interests, on a major plan that will have a serious impact on the generations to come. He thinks this is all hilarious and jokes about nodding through the plans against the fiercest opposition, but then he says 'never mind'.
This just proves Boris's thoughts and actions lie firmly with developers, not Londoners' best interests. For this reason I've called for a public enquiry, and the sooner it happens, the better!
2010-04-04
Boris Johnson's 'Cavalier disregard for the views of Londoners'
Darren Johnson AM reacted to Boris Johnson's remarks at the 2010 London Planning Awards (see below) with the following comment:
This sound clip reveals that beneath the Mayor's chuckling veneer lurks a cavalier disregard for the views of Londoners. There is a reckless abandonment of any pretence of reaching an informed and balanced view of major development applications, and their environmental impact.
A public inquiry is essential.
2010-04-03
Is this the Context in which Brent Cross should be decided? (Discuss)
Biodiversity loss. Land use. Freshwater use. Nitrogen and phosphorus cycles. Stratospheric ozone. Ocean acidification. Climate change. Chemical pollution. Aerosol loading in the atmosphere.
(Click above for video from 'Scientific American')
(Click above for video from 'Scientific American')
2010-04-02
2010-04-01
2010-03-25
2010-03-19
Twins!
From Barnet Times web site stories:
Jonathan Joseph from the Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners said:
Councillor Melvin Cohen, who is responsible for planning in Barnet, said:
Literary Comment from the Coalition:
Jonathan Joseph from the Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners said:
We fully understand the need for the Government to take sufficient time to consider the planning application, which is one of the largest and most complex in the UK.
Councillor Melvin Cohen, who is responsible for planning in Barnet, said:
This is the largest single planning scheme in London, so it is perfectly understandable that the Government office for London should ask for more time to consider the application.
Literary Comment from the Coalition:
The public outside looked from developers to council, and from council to developers, and from developers to council again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
2010-03-18
Local Press reports
Ham and High
Barnet Times (front page lead)
Barnet Press
Barnet Press Letters Page
Willesden and Brent Times
Willesden/Wembley Observer
Willesden/Wembley Observer: High speed rail link boosts prospects for urban regeneration
2010-03-16
MAYOR HAS SHIRKED HIS DUTY ON BRENT CROSS - Sarah Teather MP
Responding to news that Boris Johnson has given the green light to unpopular plans for the redevelopment of Brent Cross, local MP Sarah Teather said:
Everyone wants regeneration, but this scheme will make our area worse and not better. People in Brent will feel like they have been stabbed in the back by the man who is supposed to serve their interests.
It now falls to the Secretary of State to demand a public enquiry. The Labour Government has it in its power to block these catastrophic plans and it must not shirk its duty, as the Mayor has.
Navin Shah, London Assembly Member, condemns Mayor Johnson
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It's now down to the Secretary of State and I'd very much hope that he'd reject it, because I'm after a development that is sustainable, provides affordable housing, minimises the impact on its neighbours and is of benefit to North West London as a whole.
Otherwise, the once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve this area will just see the extension of road clogging out-of-town shopping to the detriment of North London as a whole."
2010-03-15
Brent Lib Dems urge Call-In by Secretary of State
Letter for publication from Cllr. Alec Castle and Cllr. Paul Lorber
Dear Editor,
As a Liberal Democrat councillor for Dollis Hill, and the Leader of Brent Council, we wanted to let your readers know that we have written separately to John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, urging him to reject the damaging redevelopment plans for Brent Cross passed by Tory-run Barnet Council.
We have restated Brent’s formal opposition to the plans, and made clear that until key wider planning aspects of importance to us are resolved, our strong objections will remain.
The developers have paid little attention to transport issues, and without measures in place to alleviate the likely problems of thousands of extra cars and heavy freight lorries navigating the streets off Cricklewood Broadway and Edgware Road, the impact in Cricklewood, Dollis Hill and Dudden Hill would be devastating.
In our view, no work should begin until appropriate traffic measures and parking restrictions have been formally agreed and put in place. These in turn must be properly informed and influenced by a long-awaited study on the wider traffic flow around the A5 Corridor.
Dear Editor,
As a Liberal Democrat councillor for Dollis Hill, and the Leader of Brent Council, we wanted to let your readers know that we have written separately to John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, urging him to reject the damaging redevelopment plans for Brent Cross passed by Tory-run Barnet Council.
We have restated Brent’s formal opposition to the plans, and made clear that until key wider planning aspects of importance to us are resolved, our strong objections will remain.
The developers have paid little attention to transport issues, and without measures in place to alleviate the likely problems of thousands of extra cars and heavy freight lorries navigating the streets off Cricklewood Broadway and Edgware Road, the impact in Cricklewood, Dollis Hill and Dudden Hill would be devastating.
In our view, no work should begin until appropriate traffic measures and parking restrictions have been formally agreed and put in place. These in turn must be properly informed and influenced by a long-awaited study on the wider traffic flow around the A5 Corridor.
We will now have to see if the Labour Secretary of State is willing to support local residents and ourselves in our serious concerns about these plans. We very much hope he will, but will continue to keep residents informed as soon as we hear anything.
Yours faithfully,
Cllr. Alec Castle
(Liberal Democrat, Dollis Hill)
Cllr. Paul Lorber
(Liberal Democrat Leader, Brent Council)
(Liberal Democrat Leader, Brent Council)
Coalition: Mayor Has Betrayed Thousands of North-West London Residents
We are not surprised that Boris Johnson has approved the Brent Cross application, but the complacency of his statement is breathtaking given the huge opposition to the scheme by residents in Barnet and neighbouring boroughs, the objections of Camden and Brent Councils and the potential catastrophic impact of the scheme.
In doing so he has broken his own manifesto commitments on carbon reduction, affordable homes, protecting small shops and environmentally friendly housing. He has betrayed tens of thousands of north- west London residents. Boris isn't the people's Mayor, he's the shopping mall, car-supporting, incinerator and tower block Mayor.
We now await the decision of John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on whether he will call-in the application so that a Public Inquiry can be held enabling a full, democratic and transparent consideration of the issues that will affect thousands of Londoners over the next 25 years. The negative impact will last for up to a 100 years and affect the whole of north-west London.
Darren Johnson Condemns Mayor's Rubberstamp for Dirty Brent Cross
Darren Johnson said:
The Mayor has rubberstamped a proposal that will increase traffic and pollution across the whole of North West London. The Mayor has ignored the views of residents and councillors in the neighbouring boroughs of Brent and Camden, who never got a say in the consultation.
“There are better ways to spend £4.8bn if we want to revitalise this town centre. Londoners want less traffic, good local shops and more affordable homes, but the Mayor has rubberstamped a development that will bring the exact opposite to the area: another 29,000 cars, a threat to other neighbourhood shopping areas and one of the lowest affordable homes targets in London.
Brent's Major Environmental Body Requests Call In
Roger Kelly, Chair of the Brent Sustainability Forum, has written to John Denham, requesting that he call in the Brent Cross planning application for a public inquiry. The text of the letter is below:
Dear Mr Denham,
I write to you on behalf, and as Chair, of the Brent Sustainability Forum, first of all to congratulate you on some of your recent announcements - including the programme to tackle climate change through the development of new local carbon frameworks, and the “Warm Homes, Greener Homes” programme.
The Sustainability Forum is Brent’s main environmental network, made up of residents, community groups and representatives from public and private sectors that come together to promote and progress sustainability in the borough. This Forum is a partnership of over 100 different members who have been working hard to get local residents and local groups to take charge of their local environment by taking on environmental initiatives.
Brent Council, its Local Strategic Partnership and the Brent Sustainability Forum recently adopted a comprehensive, borough-wide, Climate Change Strategy (the first in London). This strategy and action plan will set the scene for the community, voluntary, public and private sectors in Brent to both mitigate and adapt to climate change. This strategy puts high expectations on all of Brent’s community to do more in relation to climate change, whilst serving as a demonstration project for other London boroughs.
In line with the Forum’s work, and in line with your recent announcements, the Brent Sustainability Forum would like to register its concern in relation to the Brent Cross Development which is being proposed, which puts at stake all of the hard work we have all been doing.
We are thus asking you to call in the above application for a public inquiry, for a number of reasons:
Firstly, the regeneration scheme does not conform to a number of national planning policy issues. For example, the Government’s Climate Change Law has agreed to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. However, this scheme will generate thousands of extra car journeys per day, which will make it effectively impossible to achieve the required reduction in CO2 emissions. In addition, residential buildings will only achieve Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, again making the target impossible to achieve.
Secondly, the adverse impacts arising from this scheme (the large increase in noise, traffic congestion and air pollution) extend far beyond the London Borough of Barnet boundary, so decisions concerning the scheme should not be left to Barnet councillors alone.
Thirdly, there is increasing confusion over what is being proposed. For example, the large waste handling facility is unspecified. Arguments abound concerning incineration and gasification; both could have adverse effects on the health and safety of residents.
Fourthly, there has been a significant lack of adequate and meaningful consultation concerning this scheme, including with Brent and Camden residents. Although Barnet Council mostly adhered to the letter of the law, they did not adhere to its spirit.
Fifthly, Barnet Council are unable to take an impartial view of the scheme due to a conflict of interest, since they are supporters of the scheme, major landowners in the area, and acting as ‘objective’ Local Planning Authority decision-makers.
Finally, the current scheme is simply a way of extending Brent Cross Shopping Centre, a proposal that was strongly opposed and thrown out by a public inquiry in 1999, and a Judicial Review and a High Court judgement in 2003. The recent reduction of other elements of Phase One - but still allowing the doubling of the shopping centre - seems to support this view. No other phases are guaranteed to be delivered by the developers.
If we are to achieve on current climate change policy and targets, not to mention the social inclusion agenda, schemes developed on these grounds must be assessed adequately. We therefore urge you to exercise your authority and call a public inquiry on this scheme.
http://www.brent.gov.uk/directorate.nsf/Environmental%20sustainability/LBB-17
Dear Mr Denham,
I write to you on behalf, and as Chair, of the Brent Sustainability Forum, first of all to congratulate you on some of your recent announcements - including the programme to tackle climate change through the development of new local carbon frameworks, and the “Warm Homes, Greener Homes” programme.
The Sustainability Forum is Brent’s main environmental network, made up of residents, community groups and representatives from public and private sectors that come together to promote and progress sustainability in the borough. This Forum is a partnership of over 100 different members who have been working hard to get local residents and local groups to take charge of their local environment by taking on environmental initiatives.
In line with the Forum’s work, and in line with your recent announcements, the Brent Sustainability Forum would like to register its concern in relation to the Brent Cross Development which is being proposed, which puts at stake all of the hard work we have all been doing.
We are thus asking you to call in the above application for a public inquiry, for a number of reasons:
Firstly, the regeneration scheme does not conform to a number of national planning policy issues. For example, the Government’s Climate Change Law has agreed to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. However, this scheme will generate thousands of extra car journeys per day, which will make it effectively impossible to achieve the required reduction in CO2 emissions. In addition, residential buildings will only achieve Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, again making the target impossible to achieve.
Secondly, the adverse impacts arising from this scheme (the large increase in noise, traffic congestion and air pollution) extend far beyond the London Borough of Barnet boundary, so decisions concerning the scheme should not be left to Barnet councillors alone.
Thirdly, there is increasing confusion over what is being proposed. For example, the large waste handling facility is unspecified. Arguments abound concerning incineration and gasification; both could have adverse effects on the health and safety of residents.
Fourthly, there has been a significant lack of adequate and meaningful consultation concerning this scheme, including with Brent and Camden residents. Although Barnet Council mostly adhered to the letter of the law, they did not adhere to its spirit.
Fifthly, Barnet Council are unable to take an impartial view of the scheme due to a conflict of interest, since they are supporters of the scheme, major landowners in the area, and acting as ‘objective’ Local Planning Authority decision-makers.
Finally, the current scheme is simply a way of extending Brent Cross Shopping Centre, a proposal that was strongly opposed and thrown out by a public inquiry in 1999, and a Judicial Review and a High Court judgement in 2003. The recent reduction of other elements of Phase One - but still allowing the doubling of the shopping centre - seems to support this view. No other phases are guaranteed to be delivered by the developers.
If we are to achieve on current climate change policy and targets, not to mention the social inclusion agenda, schemes developed on these grounds must be assessed adequately. We therefore urge you to exercise your authority and call a public inquiry on this scheme.
http://www.brent.gov.uk/directorate.nsf/Environmental%20sustainability/LBB-17
2010-03-14
Brent Cross Catastrophe Approved by Boris
“This is another great example of pushing ahead with major development and infrastructure improvements to create jobs, and boost the capital’s economic growth, while transforming the quality of life of thousands of Londoners. The scheme will bring a new vitality to a part of the capital in need of regeneration.
“Having carefully considered the proposal I am satisfied that the application fulfils the need to have the kinds of transport links that will bring fluidity and rejuvenation to Brent Cross while avoiding potential problems caused by any extra traffic.”
The Coalition has stated: Although no one is surprised that he has approved the application, the complacency of his statement is breathtaking given the huge opposition to the scheme by residents in Barnet and neighbouring boroughs and the objections of Camden and Brent Councils and the potential catastrophic impact of the scheme.
We now await the decision of John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on whether he will call-in the application so that a Public Inquiry can be held enabling a full, democratic and transparent consideration of the issues that will affect thousands of Londoners over the next 30 years.
Read More: Times Series; London Daily News; Property Week
2010-03-10
2010-03-01
Coalition Calls for Call-In
Press Release:
Coalition – Why John Denham Must Call in Brent Cross Plans
The Coalition opposing the £4.5 billion development for a Brent Cross Cricklewood new town is urging Secretary of State John Denham to call the development in, for a Public Inquiry, in view of Barnet sending the papers to the Government Office for London and the Mayor of London.
The Coalition for a Sustainable Brent Cross Cricklewood Plan believes the development clearly meets the criteria to merit a call-in, as set out in section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 [ref.1]. The Secretary of State’s powers to call this in are very general and discretionary.
Barnet should have referred this to the Secretary of State prior to the planning meeting on the grounds that Barnet owns some of the land. Some other grounds for call-in are :
- significant effects beyond the immediate locality
- giving rise to substantial regional or national controversy or where issues are of more than local importance
- raise significant architectural and urban design issues
- and in 2008 the sustainability of the proposed development was specifically added as a criterion.
Lia Colacicco, Coalition Co-ordinator and Mapesbury resident says:
“This scheme could be called in on several criteria, but in particular because its effects go far beyond the immediate area. Brent and Camden councils object to it, local people don’t want it in this form, and because it is completely unsustainable in terms of traffic, housing, and the environment. There was no meaningful public consultation, so we are now calling on John Denham to call it in immediately, so that these disastrous plans can undergo full public scrutiny”.
Darren Johnson (Green Party London Assembly Member) says:
"Given Boris Johnson’s manifesto commitment to cut London carbon emissions 60% by 2025 and build more environmentally friendly homes the Mayor must refuse this development. From 2016 all new homes are required to be carbon zero whereas this development falls far short of that.”
The Mayor, and Secretary of State John Denham, have until just 12 March to call in the plans for a Public Inquiry.
References
(1) Criteria for a Call-in. http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snsc-00930.pdf.See page 3 for Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Notes to Editors
1. The “Coalition for a Sustainable Brent Cross Cricklewood Plan” comprises twelve residents’ associations plus the Federation of Residents’ Associations in Barnet (representing the 12 largest residents’ associations in Barnet), Brent Cyclists, the North West London Light Railway (NWLLR) group, Brent Friends of the Earth (FoE), Barnet & Enfield FoE, Camden FoE, Sarah Teather (MP for Brent East), Dawn Butler (MP for Brent South), Labour and LibDem Councillors from Brent and Camden, Navin Shah (London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow), Darren Johnson (London Assembly Member), Jean Lambert (London MEP), Brent Green Party, Barnet Green Party, Cllr Alexis Rowell (Chair of Camden Sustainability Taskforce), Brent and Barnet Trades Councils (TUC) and the Bestway Group.
2. The petition to call the development in for a public inquiry is available at: http://www.petition.co.uk/campaign_for_a_sustainable_brent_cross_cricklewood_development
3. The Coalition has a blog, which is rapidly putting news online at www.brentcrosscoalition.blogspot.com
4. Facts about Brent Cross and the Coalition are at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Cross and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_for_a_Sustainable_Brent_Cross_Cricklewood
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