Published today is an ambitious government plan to promote active travel – walking and cycling. Included in it is the aim to give communities the say on closing rat runs.

This is what it has to say…

‘There will be less rat-running and many more low-traffic neighbourhoods Residential side streets across the country can be blighted by rat-running. Low-traffic neighbourhoods will be created in many more groups of residential streets by installing point closures – for example, bollards or planters – on some of the roads. It would still be possible to access any road in the area, but motor traffic would not be able to use the roads as through routes. Streets within low traffic neighbourhoods will provide clear, direct routes for cyclists and pedestrians promoting walking and cycling. Accidents, pollution and noise will be dramatically reduced for residents. We will consult on creating a community right to close side streets and create low-traffic neighbourhoods, with groups of residential side streets able to petition local authorities for rat-run closures. Contraflow cycling, where cyclists are allowed to ride against the direction of travel on lightly-trafficked one-way streets, has worked well in both residential and non-residential areas. This should be the default on all quieter one-way streets with certain minor exceptions. Appropriate signage will be required. Contraflow cycling without physical protection will not be appropriate on busier one-way streets.’

Let’s hope the implementation lives up to the ambition of the plan!

gear-change-a-bold-vision-for-cycling-and-walking

This is a very clear explanation of what is a Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

The attempt to turn Alexandra House into a ‘rabbit-hutch’ development has raised its ugly head again. Have a look at the drawings on the application – they’re beyond  a joke. 

Alexander House Planning Application

Most of the ‘flats’ are as small as 28 sq meters – bear in mind that a typical Premier Inn Room is 21 sq meters.

This is allowed under so-called “Permitted Development’ – introduced by the Tories to get round planning rules and there’s very few grounds for objections. 

Here’s an article about the proposed development Article about Alexander House

BUT please object anyway and make our voice heard!

Object on grounds of overcrowding, impact on local traffic & amenities, and on the physical and mental health of residents who will be denied space and natural light.

Most office blocks turned in to flats under these new rules have rapidly become modern slums. See what happened to one block in Harlow. BBC Report on ‘Human Warehouse’

One thing developers, agents and architects don’t like is bad publicity so it would be a good idea to share your objections on social media and name the people behind this development.

The developer is Andreas Panayiotou – a billionaire who has been called ‘the buy-to-let king of London’.

His contact details are

THE ABILITY GROUP

Hilton London Syon Park

London Road

Brentford

Middlesex

TW8 8JF

United Kingdom

E: info@theabilitygroup.com

His agents are DWD a planning and Property Company

Alexander Chalkin 

Associate DWD LLP 

ac@dwdllp.com 

077806610

The Architect is Ben Adams Architects

Ben.Adams@benadamsarchitects.co.uk

Enquiries

Francesca Pont

99 Southwark Street

London SE1 0JF

020 7633 0000

Francesca.Pont@benadamsarchitects.co.uk

PAVEMENT PLANTERS

Finally after many, many emails and two site visits we now have official permission from the council for our pavement planters at the bottom of Ringslade Road (see below plan).

The only catch is we have to use council approved suppliers to ensure the scheme is covered by the required insurance. Hopefully the planters will be in place in time for spring!

NEIGHBOURHOOD BOOK-SWAP BOX

Thanks to Matt Richards from Bradley Road (& his uncle who has made it for us!) we should soon have a neighbourhood book-swap box that will be situated in Cafe Corso. We’re building up a supply of books (including kids books) ready for when it’s installed.