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‘We’ll raise a rumpus over park road’ threat
Fury as developer confirms green space will be sliced in two
A PARK will be split in half by a new access road to allow a seven-storey development to go ahead in the teeth of residents’ protests.
The developers behind plans for a 54-apartment block in Dalby Street disclosed the scheme to build a road through adjacent Talacre Gardens as they broke weeks of silence to hail their project as “a set piece in urban regeneration” yesterday (Wednesday).
They said the road, and temporary fences and gates to separate pedestrians and cars, had been “imposed by Camden Council as part of the planning conditions”.
Charlie Fulford, half of the father-and-son team running developers Trac Properties Ltd, issued a statement which listed the benefits of regeneration of Dalby Street and addressed concerns raised by residents in dozens of letters to the New Journal over recent months.
But protesters reacted with fury to confirmation of their suspicions that the developers will use an existing footpath across Talacre Gardens as a temporary access road to Talacre Sports centre.
“We’re going to make a rumpus,” said Peter Cuming, of Talacre Road.
“We’re going to demand that this thing doesn’t go ahead, and insist on a public inquiry.”
The developers’ statement said: “There will be no permanent “access road” across Talacre Gardens. The existing gravel road across the park from Talacre Street to the sports centre will be used temporarily for access to the Sports Centre only.
“The temporary access road will only be used by pedestrians and the vehicles of sports centre staff and centre users with disabilities (with pedestrians and vehicles separated for safety). This is expected to involve less than ten vehicles per day. It will not be used for construction traffic.
“The developers will pay for a traffic marshall, temporary fencing/bollards and gate at the Talacre Road end of the access road. This will ensure that no traffic can access the park area. This arrangement will last for less than a year, after which the sports centre will be accessible via the new Dalby Street.”
The terms of the planning permission for the new building, on the site of what is currently Dalby Street, include 19 affordable homes and contributions to the council’s schools, parks and highways budgets.
Mr Fulford said: “Our development had overwhelming support when it was approved by councillors earlier this year. We worked extremely hard with Camden Council to produce a scheme that will bring new life to a largely derelict site.”
Both Fulfords, and their partners, not-for-profit landlords Community Housing Group, have spent weeks refusing to respond to questions about the development. Charlie Fulford said yesterday this was because “we did not want to pre-empt Camden’s public consultation on the stopping up of Dalby Street”.
A council press official said: “It is correct that the gravel road has been proposed by the developer but this must be agreed by the council, and it has not been approved.
“We are making sure that the interests of current residents and users of the popular Talacre Gardens and Talacre Sports Centre are considered as we take the decisions on stopping up and access.” |
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