Report of the TRAM DEPOT meeting at B6 college

updated 23rd March 2010
We have just been told by the planning dept that the earliest now the Tram Depot application 2009/2490 can go before the planning committee is 7th April - possibly later.

Deadline to object effectively extended to 6th April 2010


So if you haven't objected yet (or commented at all), do so now!
Everything you need is at:

http://beecholme.blogspot.com/2009/12/claptons-old-tram-depot-under-threat.html


....with a link to the planning comment page
a standard letter to copy & paste
PLUS
a link to the online petition.



....

Meeting on the19th Jan 2010

(more photos below)

At the meeting

From right to left in the photo above:

Cllrs Deniz Oguzkanli, Linda Kelly and Ian Rathbone 

plus Fred Raphael from Highways and Ian Bailey from planning

with about 50(+) people attending.

The Hackney Society was represented by Tony Gillett with Julia Lafferty.

The developer was invited but didn't attend.

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 Ian Bailey will accept further objections until the app is decided,

which may be anytime in the next few days up to early March.

So keep spreading the word and get those objections in now

 
If it goes to the planning committee it can not be dealt with before March.
Of course, the application (2009/2490) may not go to committee.
 
>><<

 
Objections sent in so far
There have been 70 letters sent in along with
(I'm not sure if that includes emails)
186 signatures on the electronic petition and
326 signatures on the written petition. 

 That is total of 582 objections to Jan 16 alone.
By now (March 2010) there should be over 1,000 objections in. 

I handed in a petition with 130 signatures myself s few weeks ago and I know of two other people who have also handed in petitions they've collected since Jan., with more still active.

 Thank you to everyone who'se sent an objection in

  and especially to Christine Williamson (vice-chair B&C TRA)

who collected the written petition

and who has done a lot of work behind the scenes.

>><<

If you haven't sent an objection in yet, do it right now!

just scroll down or click

http://beecholme.blogspot.com/2009/12/claptons-old-tram-depot-under-threat.html

  BTW, The electronic petition IS STILL ACTIVE and taking signatures  
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-the-tram-depot-workshops.htm

>><<

Here are some shots I took before the meeting started:

 

 ....

The poster for the meeting

(click on it to see it full size or just scroll down the full blog)

...

If you haven't seen it already, don't miss

 The Hackney Society's considered objection to the planning app

in the  "tram depot under threat"  post.

Just scroll down or click:

claptons-old-tram-depot-under-threat

 ....

 1st Feb

  

 new story by the Hackney Citizen

 "Residents continue fight to save Clapton Tram Sheds" 

Locals-remain-opposed-despite-developer’s-efforts

....

 21st Jan

 "Locals protest against Tram Depot demolition"

 Is the (corrected) title of a report by eastlondonlines.co.uk on the meeting with info about the Depot and a variety of quotes at this link:

   eastlondonlines.co.uk 

...

other links to editorials and Gazette article further down or click:

tramdeponewsstoriespost

Park safety - We need Park Wardens & Play Area Supervisors

Don't sit on the Fence, have your say!

Complete the Safe Park Survey Now.


NOTE: See the slider at the bottom of the form as well as right side

Please do fill in survey above.

Wouldn't It be nice to be able to take your children to your local parks play area in the knowledge not only that they'll be safe but that qualiffied help is at hand for any minor accidents and that any changing rooms or toilets will be open!

•
  
You can see the responses at
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tm4sfwVQvSid1fG0Oyv1QRA&output=html

•
  

Here's a short link direct to just to the survey form above

Please do copy it to forward to your friends

http://tiny.cc/SafeParks

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.

click the blue box above or this link:

http://www.gopetition.com/online/33470.html

or

http://tiny.cc/ClaptonAreaPlanPetition

>><<

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

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidandseb/

>><<

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.

 

http://www.hackneysociety.org/

>><<

 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

  

Living Places - Caring for quality

Well worth taking a look at, as is the pdf to download at

How to improve residential areas

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

to my Flickr stream

 

•

There's more to come over the next few days

...so please do check back.