English Heritage and the Design Council have both echoed residents' concerns over the Hawley Wharf scheme

Two expert professional groups have revealed they have significant concerns around the Hawley Wharf redevelopment plans as they currently stand.

Design watchdog CABE (the the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, now part of the Design Council) and conservation specialists English Heritage have sent representations to Camden Council setting out how and why they think the developer’s proposals should be changed. CABE’s expert submission echos many of the points that residents have been making:

• Streets and public spaces “lack generosity” and are “too constrained to deal with the numbers of people moving through the area and the density of development proposed”;
• The architecture of the new planned market building is “complex and contrived” – and may not be able to accommodate future uses if a market were no longer viable;
• Replicating the Victorian arches “competes with the exisiting viaduct”;
• The huge office building in the centre of the site is “squeezed” into its position – a smaller footprint would “better define the community square”;
• The appropriateness of a nine storey residential building is questionable.

Meanwhile, English Heritage express similar reservations about the design of the market building, and in particular its impact on the canal front.

Download CABE’s submission on Hawley Wharf (pdf file)

Download English Heritage’s submission on Hawley Wharf (doc file)

Together with some residents from the Hawley Wharf Working Group, I met with the developer before Christmas and we did secure some small concessions. They will enlarge the community space, and have committed to enter into an agreement to help clear up some of the mess visitors make along the canal and in Castlehaven Gardens, which are constanty strewn with old takeways and drinks cans.

By and large, however, it was clear that the developer has a very different view to residents on how his site can best benefit Camden. Dismissing local views is one thing – but it remains to be seen whether the developer can so easily ignore two highly respected design bodies.

Haverstock's local Liberal Democrat councillors Rahel Bokth, Jill Fraser and Matt Sanders at Queen's Crescent

A big thank you to everyone who has read this blog over the last year.  I’ve been looking over our stats and am pleased to say we’ve had heaps more people reading this year than last – and using the blog to get in touch or comment on local issues.

We set this blog up to make it easy for residents to see what their local councillors are up to, and to be a community resource for local news and views.  Hopefully you’ve found our posts useful – but we’re always keen to hear feedback so do get in touch if there’s anything you’d like to see more/less of, or that we can do better.

Meanwhile, (drum roll please), here’s our top 5 most read stories of 2011:

(1) Major police operation in Queen’s Crescent – police flocking onto the Crescent back in July prompted lots of debate in the community about the tactics they used and wider crime issues.

(2) Camden comes together after riots - there was huge distress and a hunger for updates and information after Chalk Farm Road found itself at the centre of riots in Camden.

(3) More than a Pizza Express – the campaign to save the old North London Polytechnic assembly hall brought together residents from across Kentish Town. We learnt we had been successful just before the Christmas break.

(4) Voting to save Camden’s libraries – Labour’s threats to the borough’s libraries has been a long running political battle this year, with lots of public support for the Liberal Democrat motion to reject closures. Queen’s Crescent Library may have been saved, but not all libraries are yet in the clear.

(5) How Chalk Farm survived the riots – after the immediate shock, lots of people tried to make sense and draw lessons from the riots. I penned a piece for the Spectator website reflecting the experience in Chalk Farm.

Haverstock councillors Matt Sanders and Jill Fraser join residents at a protest to save the iconic North London Polytechnic College building

Kentish Town heritage campaigners have won their battle to save the stunning 1920s North London Polytechnic College building.

The Planning Inspector is upholding the decision of Camden’s Planning Committee to refuse permission for a new development of luxury flats on the site.  Like us, she found the existing building an important part of the Kentish Town street scape, and believed the proposed replacement would have a “significant adverse effect on the character and appearance of the surrounding area”.  The decision was made in the light of new rules allowing councils to protect important local heritage assets.

I was on the committee that originally refused permission; joined the protests to save the building, and sent strong representations to the planning inspector on behalf of local residents – so couldn’t be happier about this news.  However, the real victory belongs to all the local residents who took on a well funded legal campaign by the developers – and won.

This almost certainly won’t be the last attempt to redevelop the site – but the Inspector’s ruling means that future proposals will have to show far more respect for the existing builidng and it’s place in Kentish Town.  A good early Christmas present for local people!

You can download the Planning Inspector’s full judgement here.

Fortunately, the council have confirmed there will be free parking in Camden on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (even traffic wardens need time off at Christmas).

You can read full details on the parking arrangements, and opening times for all council services over the festive period, here.

A very merry Christmas to everyone across Camden.

Artists like Amy Winehouse could be honoured on Camden's Music Walk of Fame

Camden’s musical heritage could be celebrated by bringing a “Music Walk of Fame” to our streets.

The walk of fame is being proposed by a group of local entrepeneurs, working closely with Camden Town Unlimited, and would initially honour 25 artists with stones set into the pavement along Camden High Street and Chalk Farm Road.

Camden has hosted a pretty stellar line up of famous musicians over the years and has featured in a long list of hit songs – from Madness back in the ’80s to (Haverstock School graduate) Dappy today.

The installation could give local residents a real sense of pride in the exciting, dynamic and creative part of London that we live in – while helping local businesses by bringing fans to the area for the first time.  And, by following the route along the main road, visitors would be encouraged not to wander off into residential side streets.

What do you think of this idea?  Do you support it?  How do you think the first stars should be chosen?  How can local residents get involved?  I’d love to hear your views so do drop me a line.

Castlehaven Community Centre are introducing a new weekend nursery to help local parents

Castlehaven Community Centre are introducing a weekend nursery – thought to be one of the first of its kind.

The innovative scheme is designed to help out parents who have to work on a Saturday or Sunday – such as those manning stalls at nearby Camden Market.  In such difficult economic times, with huge pressures on funding, it is those charities who are constantly innovating and prepared to try out new ideas that will best whether the storm.  It’s great to see Castlehaven doing just that.

The weekend nursery opens on 14th January, but there will be an open day on Saturday 10th December for those who would like to find out more.

If you would like to book a space, you can give Castlehaven a call on 0207 485 3386, or email them here.  Full details, including directions to the community centre, can be found on the weekend nursery flyer (pdf document).

Castlehaven Community Centre are hosting Winter Wonderland

It may be only the first week of December, but the local Christmas invitations are coming in thick and fast this year.

Hot on the heels of the Steele’s Village Christmas lights switch on, with Sir Derek Jacobi, Castlehaven Community Centre have sent me details of their “Winter Wonderland” celebration.

“Winter Wonderland” – Friday 16th December, 4pm – 7pm, Castlehaven Community Centre

The community festival will include a Santa’s Grotto; food and gift stalls; music and entertainment; a raffle, and lots more.  Download the flyer for full details – and do pop along if you can.  This excellent local charity really does deserve your support this Christmas.

Steele's Village Christmas tree lights will be switched on this Tuesday

Haverstock Resident in Sloane Square: “Please could you take me to Haverstock Hill, just above Prince of Wales Road?”

Cab driver: “You mean Steele’s Village?!”

The above coversation was happily related to me this week by one of the leading lights of our campaign to re-brand the area between Chalk Farm and Belsize Park as Steele’s Village. As many know by now, the name pays tribute to Sir Richard Steele, founding editor of the Spectator and a local celebrity of the eighteenth century.

Fast forward three hundred years and there’ll be a modern day local celebrity – Sir Derek Jocobi – at Steele’s Village this Tuesday 6th December to switch on the Christmas tree lights. The event kicks off from 4pm outside the Legal Cafe.

In Haverstock the notable exceptions are Talacre Sports Centre and Queen’s Crescent Library, which both look likely to remain closed for the day.

I’ve reproduced the council’s full summary below, but it’s worth keeping an eye on Camden’s website for further updates.  For more information on the background to the strikes and the government’s most recent offer on pensions, the Guardian has a pretty balanced report, here.

Children, schools and families services

• Schools – most schools in Camden will be closed. Parents will have been informed by their child’s school.
• Integrated early years– parents will have been informed by their Children’s Centres. Most will be closed.
• Family services and social work– we will deal with cases on an emergency priority basis.
• Integrated youth support service–YOS Highbury court and essential services will be open.
• Children, schools and families customer service and complaints– will offer a reduced but open service.
• Welfare, inclusion and support in education– will offer a reduced but open service.
• Children’s social work and QA – an emergency service will operate.

Housing and adult social care services

Most of our housing and adult social care services are expected to remain open or partially open, including some of our frontline adult social care services. We are not expecting any of these services to fully close.

Please see a summary below, which will be updated on Wednesday morning:

• Assessment and care management service (this team assesses people’s social care needs and arranges services accordingly) – will be open.
• Careline telecare (our 24 hour telephone support service for vulnerable people) – will be running
• Temporary accommodation (hostels) – will be open
• Residential care homes – will be open
• Supported living services (support services provided to vulnerable tenants) – will be open
• Housing repairs and improvements – will be partially open. We are rescheduling planned work so that we will be able to respond to emergencies and urgent repairs
• Passenger and accessible transport service – is expected to run as usual but will be assessed on Wednesday.

Culture and environment services

• Libraries– we expect to open Swiss Cottage, Holborn and St Pancras libraries, however activities planned for 30 November will not be taking place. All library activities and services will run as usual from Thursday 1 December 2011.
• Camden transport services – there is likely to be considerable disruption. Demand for services will be assessed on the day.
• Environment services – there may be slight delays but most activities will not be affected.
• Leisure centres – Talacre Sports Centre as well as Cantelowes and Camden Town sports pitches will be closed.
• Registrars will be open for the registration of deaths.

Haverstock's Lib Dem councillors have lobbied for transport improvements

Last year I asked for comments on the 393 bus route, which was under review by Transport for London.

One of the main things that came back was that people wanted the route to go all the way up to Morrisons, rather than stopping at the bottom of the hill.

We fed these comments back – and I’m pleased to say that it may have taken a while, but transport chiefs have listened and agreed that a bus stop at the top of the hill makes more sense.

The change took effect on 22nd October, and should make it much easier for Haverstock residents to get home with heavy shopping bags.

Thanks to Camden’s transport planners, Transport for London and the staff at Chalk Farm Morrisons for working together and making it happen.