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Trauma at Talacre: Hands off our park
• MICHAEL Patterson Brown has spoken for many residents when he called for politicians to come off the fence and tell us where they stand vis-à-vis the Dalby Street scheme (The Dalby Street developer is just taking the mickey, October 26).
The idea that the developer at Talacre is considering using a park to access the site is causing nothing but anxiety in our neighbourhood (Fears developer will use park to access flats site, October 26).
Personally, I am fed up with the Parks Department involving itself in negotiations and compromises with the developer over access to the Talacre Sports Centre through the park. The latest rumour is that the developer is now suggesting splitting the park into two parts to allow some fenced off road going through it. What madness is that?
The developer is meant to be providing a new alternative access road to the sports centre. So why do residents have to suffer with vehicles going through the park?
Any sensible, responsible council officers would require that such an alternative road be provided up front and not some two years after the event.
Residents are rapidly losing patience with all the deception that has been going on at Talacre. The developer is taking the mickey. Who is going to stop him? If he cannot build his building scheme within the allotted space, comply with planning conditions, avoid disrupting the sports centre or the park or any of their users, then it must be concluded the developer has chosen the wrong site.
Politicians, may I remind you there is a by-election just around the corner.
SHEILA BEST
Talacre Road, NW5
• LABOUR'S deputy leader Councillor Lucy Anderson quits the Town Hall sparking a by-election in the Kentish Town ward (CNJ, Shock resignation leaves Labour with polls battle, October 19).
During the local election in May of this year, the failure by Labour to commit to the refurbishment of the Kentish Town Swimming Baths seemed to have helped tip the balance against them.
How long before the electorate rise up against those who refuse to be drawn against the closure of Dalby Street?
The current Dalby Street closure is certain to seriously undermine the popular Talacre Community Sports Centre facilities by preventing adequate vehicular access to the sports centre.
For those who have taken the time to consider the consequences of the closure of Dalby Street and proposed alterations to Prince of Wales Road (to facilitate the seven-storey building scheme at Talacre), it has become obvious that such road changes would be detrimental to many residents, but particularly to those in Kentish Town.
Furthermore, if T Rush is right and the land used by the private developer is, in fact, allocated Public Open Space, then the gloves are off (Is it just highway robbery? Letters, October 19).
Those who did allow such scandal to take place will have to pay up at the by-election.
So far, the only parties which have not been tainted by the shady goings on at Talacre are the Green Party and the Conservatives.
Lib Dem Councillor Jill Fraser has already backed the project at the first planning stage. Labour encouraged the scheme and stamped and approved it at the planning decision level.
Conservative Councillor Mike Green who is the Executive Member for the Environment at Camden Council has just now belatedly responded to criticisms voiced in the New Journal over the proposed flawed road management arrangements.
Is he just placating voters or will he follow this up? Will the Green Party have the courage to take a plausible stand against a scheme which threatens the community?
Of course, there is always time for the Lib Dems and even some of the more forthright Labour councillors to re-evaluate their stand over the Dalby Street closure in view of all the recent revelations about the scheme.
If they do, perhaps they can enhance their prospects at the forthcoming by-election.
JACKIE POTS
South End Road, NW3
• BETWEEN us, my partner and I have eight grandchildren, from five years old onwards. They are frequent users of the Talacre Sports Centre and the playground at Talacre Gardens.
I am horrified to read what the Dalby Street developer has got away with, so far.
He now apparently wishes to expand his influence even further. He wants to throw his weight around at Talacre Gardens and has asked the Parks people to agree to service vehicles getting access to the sports centre through the middle of the Talacre Gardens right past the children's playground.
Am I the only one to believe this is a mad idea? Health and Safety alone should be reason enough to turn that one down. Besides, why should the sports centre be put at risk and its users be inconvenienced for one single moment, let alone the two to three years the developer needs to build his wretched monstrosity?
WILLIAM FELIX
Elmore Street, N1
• I AM an old man and have seen quite a lot in my long life, but the goings on at Talacre have me completely confused.
Why is it that at this stage we now hear about the developer's intention to cross our park with large vehicles?
Aren't such things supposed to be spelled out in the initial stages of planning proposals or is this the way the council deals with challenging issues? It keeps quiet until the last minute and then tries to avoid criticism.
Much as I was pleasantly surprised when the new council announced they would save the Kentish Town Swimming Baths, this good news has now been overshadowed with the trauma at Talacre.
The developer's ridiculous proposed arrangements for road access to the Community Sports Centre are a serious threat to that popular venue and popular park. No one in their right mind should let him get away with it.
Cllr Mike Green, you as Camden Environment Chief ought to intervene on behalf of residents. Would you please take over and use common sense to prevent such destructive things from happening?
You would have our lasting gratitude.
John Kilgallon
Athlone Street, NW5
• MY favourite tree at Talacre, a large, magnificent walnut tree, was felled this past week. This occurred without so much as a notice.
The Parks Department insists that the tree needed to be felled and the felling had nothing to do with the developer's scheme.
The fact, however, that it stood at the corner of Talacre Gardens near the path leading to the Sports Centre and that it might possibly impair passage of large vehicles raises suspicions.
Has the Parks Department already made its mind to allow the developer to be granted this wish to have the park divided in two parts to make way for traffic to go through? So we have now lost a beloved friend (our walnut tree) and are about to lose the full use of our park too.
Residents have fought tooth and nail for this park over these past few years. First we have campaigned to have the kids use the black pitch for free, then another campaign to have a full-time warden, and then a hut for him to carry out his work. But how do we stop this abusive developer and those who help him in his quest to take unfair advantage of the community?
Once the park is allowed to be used as an access road for dust carts and who knows what else, then the area will quickly degenerate. Children will be prevented by their parents from frequenting the park. Older residents and the disabled will lose the desire to spend their day sitting on a bench or shuffling happily around their small beloved park.
Dog walkers will find the area too constricted. The park will need to be kept open all day and night to give access to the police, firemen, ambulances, etc. Security and crime will once again be a major problem.
None of my neighbours understood what the Dalby Street closure would signify. Had we known about the loss of peace and tranquillity in our park we would have shouted our strong disapproval. Is it now too late to speak up? It is all very unpleasant and immensely depressing.
ELLEN KEANE
Athlone Street, NW5
• OUR close-knit community has finally awoken to the ugly and cruel reality of what the Dalby Street closure would mean to them.
Quite apart from the proposed unsatisfactory alternative road access to the sports centre by the Dalby Street developer we now face disruption, chaos and reduction of amenities at Talacre Gardens.
Apparently, the developer has now approached the head of parks Martin Stanton with the suggestion of splitting our popular park into two in order to provide a fenced-off vehicular access to the sports centre.
This crazy scheme dreamt up by the developer is actually being considered by the parks department. The neighbourhood is in a state of shock. Is there no end to what our public officials will do to oblige him?
The issue is what is in the community's best interest. On one hand there is the possible loss of a busy Dalby Street which is desperately needed to reach our increasingly popular sports centre.
A divided park which is already too small for the purpose. This, in order to allow busy traffic to go through with all the attendant noise, pollution, security and health and safety risks.
That is the price we the public might have to pay to assist a private developer to erect a building which will occupy what was once, by right, our open space and which will benefit no one but himself. Puzzlingly even the affordable flats he has had to allow for will cost him nothing. A housing association will pay for their construction with taxpayers support.
According to the approved planning application, the land on which the proposed scheme is to be built on does not belong to him, but to Camden. Why are we even contemplating giving it away to anyone, let alone a bullying private developer who seems totally insensitive to community needs.
What this community requires is more green space, not less.
Officials and councillors should be put on notice that this community will not let this open space be destroyed, diminished or eroded without a huge fight and I will be standing ahead of the pack.
BEVERLY GARDNER
Chairwoman of the Athlone Tenants Association
Athlone Street, NW5
• APPARENTLY unable to take responsibility for fire engines, ambulances, police cars, dust carts and other vehicles to gain access to the Sports Centre, the developer at Dalby Street is now spreading to the otherwise quiet and peaceful Talacre Hardens to meet his commitment.
My family, particularly my elderly relatives, use the park regularly. My 88- year-old father who is recovering from a major operation finds the park a lifeline.
This is where he and his 85-year-old sister can spend many hours of the day sitting on a bench visiting with friends or taking gentle walks in a safe surrounding. The presence of vehicles of any sort in the park is undesirable.
For many years, residents have had to put up with the disturbance from the power company as they installed a huge tunnel underneath the park. Their financial contribution to the community paid for the complete refurbishment of Talacre Gardens. We have come to expect a peaceful place which belongs to us. The developer at Dalby Street is wantonly threatening all that.
Whatever his motive for taking over Dalby Street and a rather large area of our open space to build his scheme, he should stay out of Talacre Gardens. No one is welcoming his intrusion. This is the last straw.
MARIA PORTCH
Wilkin Street, NW5
• THE council should do the right thing for Camden residents. If - and that is a big if - the developer at Dalby Street is granted his road closure, they should impose, as is their prerogative, conditions.
The first of such conditions should be that the developer completes a suitable alternative access road to the Talacre Sports Centre and have it up and running before Dalby Street is allowed to close.
Camden residents have every right to insure that the Talacre Sports Centre survives through continuous vehicular access for parents dropping off their kids as well as for buses and service vehicles.
Officials should, therefore, stop agreeing to unreasonable demands by the developer and concentrate on the interests of the public.
EHRENFRIED LIEBICH
Parliament Court, NW3
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