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People in the dark about vital framework for future
• PETER Cuming is justified in his direct representation of locals in pushing for Town Green status (Talacre Gardens raises questions on consultation and planning, June 11). “Councillor [Andrew] Marshall also said unequivocally that local people and businesses had been consulted and responded [to the Local Development Framework consultation] in droves.”
I first heard about the LDF consultation at a Charlotte Street Association meeting last November.
The Camden planning officer present told us that we should all have received a copy of the LDF document.
Only three people present had. Understanding that this consultation would become the legal justification for Camden’s planning decisions over the next 20 years, I asked the Camden residents within our neighbourhood watch if they had been notified about this consultation.
These are, generally, active and responsible citizens with an interest in council activities. Out of 150 residents, precisely none knew about this consultation process or the significance of its conclusions.
I applied to Camden planning in January for a breakdown of the respondents. Looking at the written responses to the core strategy, in our neighbourhood watch’s ward of Bloomsbury there were three written responses.
In Haverstock ward, where Talacre Gardens is located, six written responses.
For Camden in total there were 121 written responses of which 62 were from outside Camden (presumably landowners, developers, agents and organisations with an interest in Camden) which leaves a total for the borough of Camden of 59 written responses. Cllr Marshall, do these numbers indicate “droves?”
Our neighbourhood watch is working for more greenery in Fitzrovia.
We support our neighbouring community in their efforts to have Talacre Gardens obtain Town Green status.
Peter Baver
Howard House & Cleveland St (north) Neighbourhood Watch, Fitzrovia, W1
Residents did respond
• I WRITE responding to Peter Cuming’s letter on the Local Development Framework consultation (June 11).
This public consultation took place in two stages, the second and principal one taking place over several months in autumn 2008.
This was a very extensive consultation. Over 800 letters and emails were sent to local groups, such as residents associations and conservation area advisory committees.
A supplement in Your Camden magazine was distributed to all households, as well as ezines, posters and leaflets, with information on the council website and in libraries. Three stakeholder/public workshops were held, along with interactive workshops involving young people from Camden’s schools; presentations were given to a number of community/residents/ business groups and a range of council partners and stakeholders, such as Thames Water, Camden PCT and the Met Police.
All this resulted in over 300 people attending meetings and workshops at which the LDF was discussed, and almost 200 young people involved in the youth workshops. Over 1,400 individual comments were received, with around 120 written responses from organisations including, to give just a flavour, Leighton Road Neighbourhood Association, Fordwych Residents’ Association, Kentish Town Road Action, Inkerman Area RA, West Hampstead Amenity and Transport, Cleveland Street Neighbourhood Watch, Heath and Hampstead Society, Belsize Residents’ Association, Ossulston Tenants and Residents Association and the Charlotte Street Association. There were also presentations at a number of area forum meetings, and I can’t help pointing out that the minutes of the Haverstock area forum in October 2008 show Mr Cuming as in attendance and state that a Camden planning officer “encouraged residents to respond to the Local Development Framework consultation which will shape Camden’s physical infrastructure for the next 15 years.”
I’m not saying the consultation was perfect, the LDF is certainly not an easy process on which to consult residents and others.
We are constrained by a government process, but the draft document the council’s executive will debate and decide in public on July 22 will certainly reflect the very considerable – and varied – feedback we have received.
I also note Mr Cuming’s points about what happened when he asked at planning reception and I am sure we can learn from this.
I am saying that council officers, with a clear steer from elected councillors, have carried out a very wide-ranging consultation that has reached right across the borough, extending well beyond those traditionally concerned with planning and land use.
Cllr Andrew Marshall Executive Member for Planning and Community Development
Deputy Leader of the Council
Project should be put on hold and proper consultation carried out
• DURING the recent planning permission application to change the Clare Court basement gymnasium from a “health and leisure” facility to a commercial office, neither Freshwater, nor the applicant, ARA Design (or Camden Council) bothered to individually inform the people in Clare Court (which has 150 flats).
Any time Camden planning department sees that the applicant has ticked “no” to the box asking if neighbours and residents have been informed, they should either turn down the application until the box is ticked “yes” or make certain that they have informed the residents and neighbours themselves before the application is approved.
I saw only one notice about this.
One notice to serve 150 flats, on a lamp-post in the street (not even on the building’s railings) is not acceptable.
The permission for this project should be put on hold until everyone who lives in the building has been individually informed and all the implications are discussed.
Building work aside, it is a serious issue to change a facility from health and leisure zoning to commercial office space, and not one to be taken lightly.
Also, if a resident takes the time to respond, it’s very rude to mark that application “unsolicited” on the Camden planning department’s files.
Why aren’t all residents informed and their responses solicited?
Kim Morrissey
Clare Court, Judd Street, WCI
Be vigilant concerning Talacre
• LIKE Kathy Seery of Hampstead (A precious open space, June 11) I too have a keen interest in everything that goes on at Talacre.
It is where I was raised and where I played as a boy. My children and grandchildren still use the amenities.
No sooner have we opened the champagne to celebrate Camden Council granting Town Green status to Talacre Gardens than the bubbles are starting to go a bit flat.
Today we hear that the status is to be granted to only half of the park, an astonishing turn of events.
Jerry Williams in his parting speech (Talacre bids fond farewell to a much-loved former mayor, June 11) wisely warns the campaigners for the Town Green “don’t take your eyes off the ball. They [the council] might change the goalposts and then you will have to fight for the Talacre again.”
Perhaps all of us have been too fast in praising the Liberal Democrats for doing the right thing. If the box of chocolates they are offering to local residents is half-empty, then is everyone being asked to be content with viewing this as a box half-full?
Hopefully the Friends of Talacre Gardens aren’t too weary from their long and hard-earned battle to lay down their arms.
May they continue fighting until all of Talacre is safe.
William Felix
Elmore Street, N1
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