Hale and Higham team: What the Tesco decision really means…

Liberal Democrat Hale End and Highams Park councillors have moved to set the record straight after the defferal of Tesco’s planning application to build in the area.

And despite claims of a ‘victory’ for residents, the local Lib Dem team fear that the decision may actually lead to councillors – and residents – losing control over the outcome of the Tesco proposal.

The application was deferred after committee members voted by 5-4 to ask for more information on the proposal.  No councillor voted outright for or against the plans.

In their latest Focus leaflet, the Hale and Higham team – Jane Morgan, Sheila Smith-Pryor and Nick Bason – say:

“This deferral actually means that the decision on the planning application may be taken away from Waltham Forest Planning Committee. Tesco have the right to appeal on the grounds of ‘non-determination’, which means the council have not made a decision on the application in a timely fashion. The application could now be decided by another body unconnected with Waltham Forest.

“The Planning Committee did not get a chance to discuss resident concerns on the impact of the Tesco application on traffic congestion in Highams Park and access to education and healthcare in the area.

“We are also very concerned that the decision may now be taken out of the local council’s hands.”

See the latest issue of Focus (below) for the full story:


 

Concerns as controversial Arcade site plans pushed through

Liberal Democrat councillors have voted against controversial plans that local sports groups fear could spell the beginning of the end for the Pool and Track facility in Walthamstow.

And despite reccomendations from the Council’s own Scrutiny committee that the plans should be delayed whilst a financial appraisal of the proposals be carried out, Labour councillors voted to ignore the reccomendations and approve the Cabinet Report.

Local Lib Dem Leader Cllr John Macklin led the opposition at the meeting, calling the proposals “an inappropriate report brought forward at an inappropriate time”. 

The report voted through by Labour councillors last night outlines plans to fund part of a proposed leisure pool on the Arcade site through the “disposal of either land at the Pool and Track site or alternative assets to the same value that have not yet been identified”.  The sentence replaced an earlier proposal, which was removed, which clearly reccomended that the planned pool at the Arcade would replace the indoor facilities at the Pool and Track.  The lack of clarity over the future of the track is compounded by the fact that proposals for its surrounding land – behind the Town Hall – are not due to be presented until early next year.

User groups of the Pool and Track – who were present at the meeting – joined the Liberal Democrats in expressing concern about the future of the facility. 

Click here to read the Waltham Forest Guardian’s report on the controversy at the Cabinet meeting.

Decision on Hale and Higham Park Tesco deferred

Cllr Jane Morgan and Cllr Nick BasonCouncillors last night voted to delay their decision on whether to allow a major new development in the Hale End and Highams Park ward.

The planning application by Tesco includes a supermarket, housing and car parking.  With all three Liberal Democrat ward councillors in attendance at a packed Town Hall meeting, Cllr Jane Morgan (pictured left with Nick Bason) spoke on behalf of local residents, detailing the many letters and emails the local Lib Dem team had recieved on the issue and detailing resident concerns about the development.

Adressing the planning committee, Cllr Morgan said:

“We’ve had many communciations from those who do not neccesarily object to the idea of a Tesco, but who have expressed concerns about the scale of this particular application.

“Any scheme of this nature will produce costs as well as benefits.  The proposal aims to create houses and jobs, and they are needed in our area.  Investment in the Highams Park economy is also needed.

“But do these possible benefits outweight the costs of the current scheme?  many of our residents our concerned that the current scale of the development means they do not.”

The planning application will now come back before councillors at a later date. 

See the full text of Cllr Morgan’s speech to the committee below:

Lib Dems opposed to new attempts to close Pool and Track

Cllr John Macklin vists the under-threat Pool and Track facilityLocal Liberal Democrats have confirmed their opposition to plans to close the Pool and Track in order to fund the long-awaited Arcade development before a consultation on the area has been completed.

A new report, which will go to Cabinet on the 15th September, asks senior councillors to agree to authorise officers to find a developer for a “mixed use scheme” on the vacant Arcade site, using £10million from the disposal of the Pool and Track, plus an option of Council borrowing, for a replacement facility on the site at the top of Walthamstow High Street.

And despite forcing last-minute changes to the report – which had already been published for consideration by the Council’s Scrutiny panel – Local Lib Dem Leader Cllr John Macklin has again expressed his concerns that the plans for the Arcade site will have serious knock on effects for a series of redevelopment projects in the area that are not sufficiently covered in the plans.

In March this year Liberal Democrat cabinet members voted against an earlier report laying the groundwork for the plan, with Cllr Macklin telling a cabinet meeting that the Council had  “a history of knocking things down and leaving them derelict and I am worried about swapping one piece of derelict land in Walthamstow for another near the town hall”.

Outlining his concerns, Cllr Macklin claimed that the report would have serious knock-on effects both for the future of the Pool and Track facility and the planning application recently submitted for development of the former EMD cinema.  Cllr Macklin added that, despite last-ditch efforts within the Town Hall to urge Labour cabinet members to postpone the plans, the report will go forward.

Cllr Macklin said:

“I just cannot see the logic in bringing these proposals forward at this time.

“The report regarding the future of the Pool and Track site has not even been completed and an outstanding planning application for the former EMD is yet to be heard.  The approval we are being asked to give in this report will obviously have massive implications for both these developments.

“First and foremost, as a Chapel End ward councillor I am really unhappy with the lack of clear proposals for the area behind the Town hall, including the Pool and Track, the allotments and the playing fields.

“It seems obvious to me that any decision to shut any of the Pool and Track facilities as part of the Arcade development should only be taken when we know what alternatives are being proposed for the Pool and Track site.  I have already met with allotment holders and other site users who are really worried about development on the site. 

“What effects will the closure of the leisure centre have on the athletics track?  The plans for that area currently laid out in the report seem almost laughably vague”.

The report suggests that the land “could become more fully utilised and provide an important resource for residents, and provide a wide range of facilities”.  It also claims that the decision whether to agree to the funding of a leisure centre on the Arcade may be influential to the likelihood of a new cinema being built on the site, a proposal that could have an impact on the outstanding planning application to renovate the former EMD cinema.

Cllr Macklin added:

“I would love to be reassured that the pieces of these various development plans fit together, and that this report isn’t simply part of a financial gamble to get a development of any sort built on the Arcade site, but that is increasingly what this looks like.  The goalposts appear to keep shifting and the reassurances we have repeatedly asked for have not been forthcoming.

“The development of these various sites needs to be part of a clear overall plan for our area, not simply piecemeal building projects that give the impression that the Council is simply chasing its own tail.”

What do you think of the plans to close the Pool and Track?  Do you think the Arcade proposals will have an impact on the EMD planning application?

Below is the original report published on the Council website.  Let us know your views!

Lib Dems concern at council structure changes

Cllr John Macklin: Liberal Democrat councillors have expressed their concern at major changes to the way the Council will be run, and are asking local residents to share their views.

Government legislation dictates that the Council must adopt one of two new ‘models’ of local government, both of which Liberal Democrat councillors fear could lead to an even greater centralisation of decision making on behalf of residents.

The Government have told councillors that they must opt for either a ‘directly elected mayor’ or a ‘strong leader’ model.  The new set-up will then be introduced after the local elections on May 6th next year.  The directly elected mayor model, which is used in Newham and Hackney, sees the mayor hold all executive powers and control the appointment of cabinet members.  The strong leader model is more similar to the current arrangement but further strengthens the powers of the Council Leader.  The decision will be put out to public consultation but councillors have been told they must make a decision by the end of this year.

Local Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr John Macklin said:

“Obviously we have our concerns that the only two options being presented both leave the potential for much greater centralisation of decision making.

“My experiences of being part of the Council have reaffirmed my belief that better decisions are made with a greater scope for input from councillors and residents alike.  Putting a large amount of power in the hands of one person may well make it easier for them to make decisions, but I believe it also means there is an increased chance that poor decisions will be made that don’t reflect all relevant sides of a debate.

“Lib Dems pride themselves on being community councillors, and the link between ward councillors and residents is hugely important.  But if the potential for input from ward councillors continues to decrease, what faith can residents have that their local representative can have any impact upon the actual decision making process? 

“Waltham Forest isn’t like many of the boroughs who have centralised their decision making processes.  We are an enormously diverse area and the political makeup of the Council reflects that.  Unlike some boroughs with directly elected mayors such as Newham, no political party has had a majority of councillors in our area for quite some time now. 

“The strong leader model is closer to our current position, which in itself is one that has understandably drawn criticism, and our hands are tied to an large extent by what the government wants.  However a Council Leader could work within this new model to give away an enormous amount of that power to ensure that properly representative decision-making could be made.  This would be one of a Liberal Democrat-led council’s first priorities.”

High St Lib Dems hit out at Labour plans for former library

In response to residents’ concerns Labour Cabinet members have suggested that proceeds from selling the former St James Street Library will be used to house the Drugs Action Team in another building.

Cllrs Ali and Robbins told High Street residents that they do not wish to raise expectations by meeting them as it is still their intention to sell the former library because they need to raise funds to find an appropriate property for the drug centre.

Lib Dem High St councillor James O’Rourke said:

“Cllrs Ali and Robbins seem to be suggesting that the proceeds from the sale of this building, which has had no previous link to a drug service, will be ringfenced to provide a drugs service. What has happened to the £350,000 PCT monies?”

“My understanding of selling council owned property is that the proceeds from a sale go into the corporate pot. The capital bidding process then allocates funds to projects from the known available receipts. I am not aware of such a capital bid. Cllrs Ali and Robbins’ assertions that proceeds will be ringfenced shows their total ignoranance of the Councils policies and a total disregard for High Street residents.”

Lib Dems get the facts on Tesco application

Hale End and Highams Park councillors Jane Morgan and Nick BasonLib Dem councillors for Hale End and Highams Park, Jane Morgan and Nick Bason, have met with council officers and Tesco themselves to gain clarity for residents on the latest Tesco planning application.

The application has been altered recently and some information circulating is now out of date.  The local Lib Dems team want residents to have the full facts about the development. As of 23 July 2009, the application contains the following features:

Tesco store

  • The building itself would be 4 stories high, with a car park on the ground floor. The car park would allow people to park and shop around Highams Park for a limited time without having to use the Tesco store itself.
  • It would employ 320 people. Many of these are expected to be recruited from the local area.
  • If the application were to be successful, it would take around 2 years to build – so if this current application were to be successful, the store would not open until 2012.
  • Tesco propose the new store would be open 24 hours a day during the week.
  • The store would be a “green” store, emitting 50% less CO2 compared to an equivalent store in 2006.

Other industrial units

  • The site will have some other industrial units, such as a cafe and a Primary Care Trust Polyclinic.

Housing development

  • The current application includes 253 houses and flats. This is a mixture of private development and affordable housing.
  • The separation distance between the proposed new terrace housing and the houses on Selwyn Avenue is a standard 30 meters. The garden depths on both the proposed terrace and Selwyn Avenue vary so each one will be slightly different.
  • The design of the residential development is brick-clad, and features a ‘William Morris’ style external brick-work design.
  • There will be a Streetcar facility in the residential zone, with two cars available for hire.

Trees

  • Some existing trees will be kept, including the Limes on Larkshall Road. Some others will be moved (the Mulberry Tree).
  • In total there will be an increase in the number of trees on the development.

Next steps

The application has been submitted and is expected to go to Planning Committee in September.

The Hale and Higham Lib Dem team of Jane, Nick and Sheila Smith-PryorThe local Lib Dem Focus Team (left) know there is a lot of interest in the development from Hale and Higham residents, as it is a long-running issue.

Cllr Nick Bason said:

“What we need is for residents to have facts, not myths. Some residents tell us they are in favour of the scheme, some are against it.

“As Lib Dem councillors we want to ensure that whatever ends up on the site, the result invigorates the local economy and provides jobs and services for people in Hale End and Highams Park.

“The final decision will be taken by Planning Committee and we would encourage any residents with strong views to get in touch with us or the Planning department at Waltham Forest.”

Residents can contact the Focus Team via Cllr Nick Bason’s website, or can go straight to the Planning department at Waltham Forest.

Lib Dems work with residents to save Post Office

Cllr John MacklinAs reported in the local Waltham Forest Guardian, a Walthamstow Post Office is set to be saved after Liberal Democrat councillors secured funding to support local residents and businessmen committed to running and reopening the service.

The Orford Road branch was closed last year as part of Labour’s devastating national closure programme, but will be resurrected after enterprising local residents approached the Liberal Democrats for Council support.

Local residents have now highlighted the contribution of Liberal Democrat leader John Macklin in securing the funding and leading the pressure on other senior councillors to back the residents’ plans.

The reopening of the branch is the result of pressure from residents and comes  alongside a long-running local Lib Dem campai9gn against the closure of local Post Offices.

Cllr Macklin said:

“I was pleased to be approached by local residents asking for the Liberal Democrats help with these proposals for our local Post Office services.

“For many years the Lib Dems led the campaign against the Labour government’s closure programme.  After the local closures were forced through against residents wishes we have used scrutiny meetings and council motions to raise awareness of ways in which we as a Council could assist enterprising resident groups who were prepared to take on the running of these important local services.

“Therefore I’m obviously delighted that we have managed to secure funding for the residents’ post office plans.

“I have consistently said that my party is always to prepared to work with local people who approach us with practical ideas for greater community involvement in our local services and I hope this action sends a signal to residents that the Liberal Democrats intend to stick by that promise.”

LIB DEMS SAVE OUR POST OFFICE CAMPAIGN – OUR RECORD OF ACTION

Lib dems hit out after local MP ignores calls to support resident campaign to save our local post offices http://walthamforestlibdems.mycouncillor.org.uk/2008/11/17/local-lib-dems-hit-out-at-gerard-over-post-office-snub/

Lib Dems highlight Labour hypocrisy over post office closures http://walthamforestlibdems.mycouncillor.org.uk/2008/11/17/labour-mp-gerrard-accused-of-hypocrisy-over-post-offices/

Local Lib Dems celebrate government u-turn over post office card accounts http://walthamforestlibdems.mycouncillor.org.uk/2008/11/18/local-lib-dems-celebrate-government-u-turn-over-post-office-card-accounts/

Lib Dems ask council to pledge support to resident proposals for Orford Road reopening http://walthamforestlibdems.mycouncillor.org.uk/2009/05/06/lib-dems-want-council-support-for-post-office-plan/

Lib Dem success as Council agrees to help axed post offices http://walthamforestlibdems.mycouncillor.org.uk/2009/05/11/lib-dem-success-as-council-agrees-to-help-axed-post-offices/

Lib Dems and residents force Labour DAT u-turn

Councillors James O’Rourke and Johar Khan have welcomed the dramatic eleventh hour Labour u-turn after new Leader of the Council, Cllr Chris Robbins, announced that the former St James Street Library building will not become a drug treatment centre  following pressure from local residents and the High Street Focus Team.

Only a few weeks ago, Cllr Robbins, said that the centre (DAT) would be a “wonderful addition” to the area.

But in an apparent ‘fit of spite’ Cllr Robbin’s also announced that the building is to be sold off in a matter of weeks. Upon hearing this Cllrs O’Rourke and Khan contacted the cabinet member responsible for Property & Asset management, Lib Dem Leader, Cllr John Macklin who said:

“Cllr Robbins’ announcement is news to me particularly as we are in the middle of a comprehensive review of all the properties the Council owns. No Council property I’m responsible for will be sold until the review is complete.”

Cllrs O’Rourke and Khan thanked Cllr Macklin for his continued commitment and support for the former library to be used for the benefit of the wider community in the St James Street and Coppermill Lane areas.

Chapel End councillors respond to concerns over Town hall development

(L-R) John Macklin, Bob Belam and Bob Carey recieve the Liberal Democrat Council Group of the Year certificate earlier this year.The Liberal Democrat Chapel End council team have published an open letter to residents in response to concern at proposals for development of the green spacee area behind the Town Hall.

In the letter, local councillors Bob Belam, Bob Carey and John Macklin express their concern at any development of the Chestnut Fields site, before setting out their firm opposition to any development of the allotment sites.

Noting their meetings with residents and local groups, the letter highlights concerns about the increased traffic development would bring to the area before suggesting that much better resident consultation and information is needed from the responsible portfolio holder.

The full text of the letter follows:

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As the Liberal Democrat councillors for Chapel End, we want to respond to those residents who have expressed their concern regarding proposed development plans for the area behind the Town Hall in our ward. There has been a lot of activity recently regarding proposals for large-scale redevelopment of the area, with the inclusion of housing and a new school being mooted.  The site is also earmarked for a ‘Healthy Living Hub’ – a very worthy proposal, no doubt, but one so vague in its title that it is always likely to arouse huge concern.

We want residents to know that we share their enormous concern regarding any loss of green space in our local area.  We have already made sure senior Council officers are aware of our feelings on this and have also met with allotment holders, both to try to keep them informed and to assure them that we are completely opposed to any development of the allotment site.

We also believe that current transport infrastructure, including the Billet roundabout, would be unable to cope with the obvious increase in traffic that such proposed development would bring to the area. This issue needs much greater consideration.

What fuels our concern is the lack of clarity in these wide-ranging plans.  Part of the Lib Dems opposition to the most recent Arcade site plans is rooted in the fact that the report seems to be approving development in our ward by stealth, with a particularly big impact on the future of the Pool and Track.

Chapel End residents quite rightly want much clearer information on any redevelopment plans in order to ensure that these important decisions are not simply made behind closed doors as part of a larger development plan for Walthamstow.

Cllr Bob Belam, Cllr Bob Carey and Cllr John Macklin
Liberal Democrat councillors for Chapel End ward

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