Do you know of an unloved space in the capital that could be developed into a green oasis providing relief from the hustle and bustle of the city?

The Mayor, Boris Johnson, is calling on volunteers and community groups to apply for grants of up to £20,000 each to help transform London’s unloved spaces into ‘Pocket Parks’ – tennis-court-sized green retreats for local neighbourhoods to enjoy. Nearly sixty parks have already been selected with an offer of funding, but forty more are needed – grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 are available. Applications will close at 5pm on 10 March.

If you have any questions about submitting an application please contact or tel. 020 7239 1286.  More information

In addition to the larger proposals for development – those which hit the news – our everyday bread-and-butter covers many smaller applications. These might include advertising boards and Highways’ proposals, as well as over-ambitious domestic applications. We respond by using the short-cut offered in Planning Alerts mentioned above. To take one example, the Shepherds Bush Telephone Exchange in Uxbridge Road. We objected to it, the Council refused permission and we have just received notice that the Planning Inspectorate has received an appeal from British Telecom. Outcome: not yet.

Flyunder

At a packed meeting at the Town Hall on 12 February the Transport, Environment and Residents Services Select Committee presented the draft Feasibility Report on the Flyunder, and took questions from the audience. The report is clear and well presented and may be read  here (See pp.6-29).

The completed report will be sent to the Mayor in March with a view to enlisting GLA support. There is much still to learn about the implications of a tunnel but a surprise to many – including myself – is that the longer the tunnel, the less traffic is likely to use it (p.14), i.e., a shorter Option 1 tunnel will scoop up more traffic (and be less expensive). The shortest proposed version buries the Flyover only – if it was extended west by a few yards to clear the Town Hall and Furnivall Gardens it would help deliver the environmental and amenity benefits that we seek while not increasing surface traffic.

The Council’s Email Alerts to Planning and Licensing applications are always informative. To never miss a planning application in your area, register with the Council. You specify the area you are interested in – and it’s as easy as that. In addition to receiving prompt notice of applications you can click through to the application itself, look at the documents and, if it is a small application, click on ‘Make a public comment’ and write your comments in the box provided, then receive a receipt (and your comments) in your email Inbox. If your concern is of interest to the Hammersmith Society please forward to us. We’ll be glad to respond.

Walkabout site proposal, Shepherds Bush

Following on from my previous brief report (7 November 2015), some of your Committee (with Committee Members from the Hammersmith and Fulham Historic Buildings Group) have attended two consultation meetings with the management of the Dorsett Hotel and their consultants who are designing the new scheme for this building which sits between the hotel and the O2 Empire Theatre.

Destination, Creation and inclusion

The Council have published this draft strategy and are seeking comments before the end of January. The report can be accessed here. The Hammersmith Society is currently assembling its response.

Riverside Studios

There were worrying reports in the Evening Standard and local news bulletins before Christmas, suggesting that there were problems with the funding of the fit out of the replacement studios which are due to re-open in 2017.

Standard – Riverside Studios

The Hammersmith Society strongly supports the return of the Studios in its new home and format. You can see the layout of the new premises at www.riversidestudios.co.uk

Unfortunately William Burdett-Coutts and Guy Hornsby are both out of the country presently so I have been unable to get their comments : A meeting is being arranged with them on their return.

Cineworld Hammersmith

In the next few weeks, you can expect to see the closing of the Cineworld Cinema in King Street. Many have used this for all our years of living in Hammersmith. This will mark the commencement of the Town Hall/King Street Regeneration Project. The revised and generally more popular mixed use scheme was approved back in November 2013. It will be a phased scheme providing replacement offices for the Council where the cinema is now, about 200 new residential units, a new public square with shops, restaurants and a new Curzon cinema. No doubt there will be publicity and more specific information on the programming of the project.  Watch this space!

Hammersmith Bridge

Work is still in preparation for the major repairs and strengthening of the bridge. The works are being sponsored by TfL but organised by engineers from our Council.

Tenders are being sought from specialist companies. The cost and time required and potential closures will depend on the responses. However, it is now likely that the works will not start before the late summer. Ian Hawthorn, the Council officer supervising the project, will keep us posted on the outcome of the tenders and the implications on programme and closures. He also confirms that the works will include the complete repainting of the bridge.

Time for a change of colour? I have mentioned this to you before but received no response . . . . !?