More about Beecholme


Beecholme is also the first postwar "mixed development" housing scheme in Hackney, with a mixture of houses and flats with the taller block having five storeys and containing one-bedroom and bedsit accommodation. It is featured in Volume 15 of Hackney History and was the site of Beecholme House, the family home of Maj. John André (d. 1780), who was executed as a British spy in the American War of Independence.

Sunday 17 January 2010

Demand an Area Action Plan for Clapton NOW - as promised in 2005

Update Mon 8th Feb  

 
Demand one now!
  ....


....


The fight against badly designed, ugly or inappropriate buildings and redevelopment is currently left for residents to object to at the planning stage.
The recent series of campaigns to try and save our unique heritage
might not have been needed if we had one!

Clapton needs an "AREA ACTION PLAN"

 Please sign our Petition below 
(with standard letter to copy & paste)
sponsored by Cllrs Linda Kelly, Ian Rathbone & Deniz Oguzkanli
and
fully supported by The Hackney Society 
and Diane Abbott MP

It's not just about saving old buildings though, it's about creating a vision for the future, creating a balanced community and an attractive visual environment.


With the Olympics coming we need to curb the worst excesses of developers trying to cash in on high rents. We need to specify streets in which houses cannot be sub-divided into flats by developers for example. 

We need to specify things that impact on our visual environment like signs but more than that, we need to have something we can aim for - an "ideal" Clapton that we can work towards.


We need to lower population density in some areas, increase the number of real homes with gardens, give a higher priority to parks and recreation.

That is, set standards and give guidance
specifically for
and relevant to Clapton.


Some developers, driven soley by greed and with the Olympics in mind, have put in applications with a density of well over 600 hr/ha (habitable residences per hectare), with one a shocking 800hr/ha, when the norm is around 200hr/ha.
(as per Unitary Devel' Plan).

An Area Action Plan would give us, the citizens a vital tool, one that gives us a chance to formulate exactly what our vision for the future is and make sure it comes about.

Both Homerton and Dalston (among many others) already have Action Plans.
Clapton was promised one in 2005!!


Isn't it about time we caught up?

Clapton has it's own unique community which need to be dealt with separately, rather than within the Hackney wide Unitary development plan alone. What might be good for one area may not be in another.


 The online PETITION
The petition is for an Area Action Plan and is
to be given to Cllr Guy Nicholson, Cabinet member for Regeneration
and to Graham Loveland, Assistant Director for Planning & Regeneration.

GoPetition

click the blue box above or this link:


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Demand an Area Action Plan personally now!
You can write, phone or email as well:



Write to:

Councillor Guy Nicholson,
Cabinet member for Regeneration.,
c/o Hackney Town Hall,
Mare Street,
Hackney E8 1EA

+

Graham Loveland,
Assistant Director for Planning & Regeneration.,
c/o Hackney Town Hall,
Mare Street,
Hackney E8 1EA



or phone them on

020 8356 500 (switchboard)



or email them at

guy.nicholson@hackney.gov.uk
+
graham.loveland@hackney.gov.uk



 The petition reads:


Dear Cllr Nicholson and Mr Loveland,

We demand an Area Action Plan for Clapton now, in 2010, as we were promised in 2005. Unlike Homerton & Dalston for example, Clapton has no AREA ACTION PLAN.

Consequently, future planning is in the hands of developers by default with only objectors to bad planning applications standing in their way.

In very many cases the planning dept. can't protect our heritage - those unlisted (even listed) older buildings that fall into the hands of developers, nor can they refuse the sub-division of houses into flats.
We desperatly need a guiding area plan for Clapton, as witnessed by several recent high profile campaigns to save buildings, jobs and residents quality of life.

We need to set local standards and create a vision for Clapton.

We request you urgently look at the creation of Clapton's own Area Action Plan and make it a reality as soon as possible.


 There is a space for your further comments at the bottom of the petition
 (to a max of characters 500)

You may want to copy and paste this or make your own comment:

There is an urgent need for an Area Action Plan with developers hoping to cash in on high Olymics rents, snapping up every house that comes onto the market and sub-dividing it. Often adding another building with flats in what was the garden!

Then there's the recent campaigns to save buildings mentioned in the petition text.
The Old Tram Depot development has had 582 objections registered up to 16th Jan alone.

That gives you an idea of local opinion and the desperate need for the plan.


 If you've already signed and want to edit your comments you can do so at any time - just "sign the petition" again -  your originally entered form will appear


Standard letter to copy & paste for email or letter:

Dear Cllr Nicholson and Mr Loveland,

I demand an Area Action Plan for Clapton now, as we were promised in 2005.
I'm sure you are aware that unlike Homerton & Dalston for example, Clapton has no AREA ACTION PLAN.

Consequently, future planning is in the hands of developers by default with only objectors to bad planning applications standing in their way.

In very many cases the planning dept. can't protect our heritage - those unlisted (even listed) older buildings that fall into the hands of developers, nor can they always refuse the sub-division of houses into flats.
With developers hoping to cash in on high Olymics rents, they are snapping up every house that comes onto the market and sub-dividing it, often adding another building with 3 or 4 flats in what was the garden!
We desperatly need a guiding area plan for Clapton, as witnessed by several recent high profile campaigns to save buildings, jobs and residents quality of life.

The Old Tram Depot being the most recent example. There have been 582 objections to the proposed development registered with planning up to 16th Jan alone.
That gives you an indication of the strength of local opinion and just how badly an action plan is needed.

We need to set the standard and create a vision for Clapton.

I request you urgently look into the creation of Clapton's own Area Action Plan and make it a reality as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,
your name
your address
your email


>><<





poster 1 variation
Also up on my Flickr stream
as are all the posters

(click on any poster to see it full size and to download it)


Poster No1.
all posters available to download in a variety of sizes at

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We need your help to preserve Clapton's unique heritage and curb
what is tantamount to a developers free4all
by demanding
Clapton's own "AREA ACTION PLAN"


>><<

Background & Reference
 
The Hackney Society 
The Hackney Society works to preserve Hackney's unique heritage and make the area a better place in which to live and work.
The Society was formed in 1967 to involve and support local people in the conservation and regeneration of Hackney's built environment and public spaces.

 


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 The quality of our visual environment

These are the sorts of things an AREA ACTION PLAN might take into account



 in order to avoid  this sort of thing


 The above is from "Living Places: Caring for Quality" 2004
from the Office of the deputy prime minister
  
Well worth taking a look at, as is the pdf to download at

Here's a quote from it:

"One of the most important factors affecting
the quality of life in any neighbourhood is
how well its public spaces are managed and
maintained. And by public spaces, we mean
not only streets, pavements, car parks, play
areas and green spaces but also houses,
shop frontages and private gardens."


>><<


Interim poster no.3
"Ink miser version"
Still working on it, so do check back.
but if you need something to print out on inkjet straight away
this has the essential info...

Poster No3.


 

new header

All posters/leafets and artwork here
is available to download (in all sizes) at
my Flickr stream
....

10th Feb
Just added this website/email version
with the petition address at the bottom

 

There's more to come over the next few days
...so please do check back.



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