Our Committee member Richard Jackson has long been campaigning for a statue of Brown who lived on Hammersmith Mall for 13 years at the height of his career. He moved here to be near the numerous tree and plant nurseries in the area. 2016 is the 300th Anniversary of his birth. It seems others around the country are equally keen on the project. Richard writes “Following the three television programmes ‘Titchmarsh on Brown’ (More 4) which featured Hammersmith and the rediscovered drawings of an unbuilt landscape in the Belvoir Castle archive, we were contacted by Laury Dizengremel, the Artist-in-Residence at Belvoir Castle who is offering to erect a lifesize realistic statue to Brown in a public place, paid for by public subscription. This dovetails in with our proposals perfectly.

The eminent landscape historian, John Phibbs, had recommended Hammersmith to her as a suitable site. With the enthusiastic support of the Leader of the Council, Cllr. Stephen Cowan, we have started to sound out local amenity societies with a view to finding an appropriate site . . .  This is a project whose time has come. . .”

It understood that several Mall sites are being considered but it seems unfortunately there is still some local opposition to the project.

For more information on Capability Brown, visit www.capabilitybrown.org

News in brief . . . .

Triangle Site : The last commercial scheme was refused permission:  A new residential scheme has been submitted but officers are waiting for additional information before the scheme is ‘validated’ and consultations can commence.

Walkabout Site : The developers (Dorsett Hotel) are in the process of setting up consultation on a new scheme prepared by the architects for the hotel conversion and not the perpetrators of the much disliked 16 storey tower.

Cambridge Grove : Former piano and aircraft factory : Currently offices behind Banim Street – to stay as offices. Pre-app. consultations with the developers/architect are on going including a site visit. There are contentious items on the scheme to be resolved.

Savoy Circus : We have written criticising the external appearance of a student hostel scheme (but not the principle) on the site of the former cinema/bingo hall on the corner of Westway/Old Oak Road. It is an important gateway coming into Hammersmith.

Latymer Boat House : We have responded to an application to refurbish and update the 1960s glazed building on the Mall. The plans also involve an extension at the side adjacent to Latymer House which is a Building of Merit. Generally we liked the scheme but have one or two concerns around the location of the extension.

Town Hall Development : It seems that the revised scheme will finally commence on site in the spring with demolition of the Cineworld cinema as the first phase. (There is to be a replacement cinema in due course). Some details are currently being reviewed.

Policing is another area where serious cut backs are being considered – or accurately forced on the Metropolitan Police. The H and F Safer Neighbourhood Board is chaired by David Millar, a Hammersmith Society member. They are organising two public consultation events in Hammersmith under the heading of ‘Have your say on crime, antisocial behaviour and policing where you live’ as follows :

• Tuesday 17 November : (6.30pm for 7pm start) : Newbigin Theatre, St Paul’s Centre Hammersmith Broadway W6 9SJ
• Monday 30 November : (6.30pm for 7pm start) : The Conference Room, Askew Road Church, Bassein Park Road, W12 9BH

Light refreshments will be provided : For more information contact : csu@lbhf.gov.uk or call 020 8753 2816

Supported by the Mayor’s Office for Policing for London.

There is a new Council consultation on a proposal to stop weekly collections:  It’s all about saving money : What do you think?

I live in a house and have space to store rubbish – unwillingly for two weeks – but what if you live in a small flat where storage is a real problem ? Weekly bin collections are surely the least we can expect in a civilised community.

Please go to the consultation

As previously noted, our former Hammersmith Society Chairman Rosemary Pettit is chairing the Council’s Commission on Air Quality.

Unfortunately she is finding it a bit slow getting off the ground which is a pity as it is becoming an increasingly hot topic with the VW emissions scandal and new evidence on diesel pollution in the form of nitrous oxide particles and the potential announcement on Heathrow. There have been a number of newspaper and TV articles recently and other Boroughs seem to be actively involved with King’s College London and UCL who are both carrying out investigations and have monitoring stations.

For many years there has been rivalry between Hammersmith and Fulham. We were after all separate Boroughs until a Local Government reorganisation in 1968 when they were combined.

Environment Award 2008: Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre

The Fulham Society and the Hammersmith Society have different outlooks and there has been some ill feeling – usually towards us because we have had the temerity to comment on schemes for the Maggie Centre (We gave it an award), Thames Wharf and Fulham Football Ground (both of which we can see from Hammersmith Bridge).

Now there is a new broom in the form of Fiona Fowler (wife of the former Cabinet minister Lord Norman Fowler) who will be taking over as Chairman of the Fulham Society and we think relations are set to be more positive.

For two if not three of the last AGMs we have given a Wooden Spoon to the Council for their lack of a policy on street tree pits – that is the area around the base of the tree in the footpath. We have shown that there is no consistency of treatment which varies from just earth, to hoggin, to black tarmac to various forms of ‘bound gravel’. This is despite the formation of a StreetSmart guide adopted by the Council about 10 years ago after much exhortation by the Hammersmith Society. Lots of Borough’s deal with this problem successfully. It is a difficult problem as trees have to receive water, their roots go all over the place and dogs do nasty things on them.

As a result of our campaign, Harry Phibbs has been particularly tenacious in trying to get answers from Council Officers : They have recently come up with a new product – another form of permeable bound gravel which is being trailed at the moment around the Brackenbury area and Kings Street/St Peter’s Square – see illustration.

What do you think? Looks smart – will it last?

An alternative approach – not necessarily suitable for all locations – or certainly busy ones – is the personalised planted approach. I understand this is being trailed in Fulham (I am afraid the photo is from another Borough – but the principle is the same).

What do you think? Please contact Harry Phibbs or the Highways Department with your views.

Not wishing to pre-empt a winner for next year’s Environment Award but we will certainly be looking at the nearly complete offices for DunnHumby on Little Brook Green. This building next to the Brook Green Tesco store was last used by Access self Storage. It has been superbly converted, refurbished with original pattern windows and topped with a wonderful new roof extension by architects Collado Collins – Take a look when you are next passing by. You can also admire it from the Hammersmith and City Line.