The Council have announced (11 August) the setting up of a resident-led Air Quality Commission. This will be chaired by our own Rosemary Pettit (former Chairman of the Hammersmith Society). For more details, visit the Council website here

Again I reported on this in my previous News Updates. I have since attended a meeting of the Grand Union Alliance which is a grouping of the many interested groups (and individuals). Interests range from the strategic views for this whole development area to the very personal effects to which many existing residents will be subjected.

The worry is that the OPDC will just become another vehicle for large developers to promote their interests but on the other hand the possibility exists for something really amazing to come out of it. One of the major worries is that it will take between 18 months to 2 years for the OPDC to develop its Local Plan – with added consultation (Public Inquiry etc.) on top of that : In the meantime developers such as Car Giant are pushing on with their plans and have to be assessed against the Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Planning Area Framework (OAPF) which is supplementary planning guidance to the Mayor’s London Plan, although this is not formally adopted yet. Apparently there were 3,500 responses to the consultation on this of which 3,400 were QPR supporters. Remember QPR have no land ownership within the OPDC area at present!

Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 Agreements

The Council recently released their latest ‘H & F planning news’ : This may be accessed by visiting http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Directory/Environment_and_Planning/Planning/

The main change here is the introduction on 1 September 2015 of ‘The Community Infrastructure Levy’ or CIL as it is referred to. The news bulletin explains what this is for and how it will be charged on all relevant planning applications for creation of new dwelling or floorspace over 100 square metres. The article does not fully explain how in most cases CIL will replace Section 106 contributions. However, within the above website link you can read how CIL and Section 106 contributions work together. (Councils cannot apply both to the same development).

Heathrow vs Gatwick

Further to my News Update of 8 July, this rumbles on with many articles in the Press and arguments amongst potential candidates for the London Mayor next year.

The London Forum of Civic and Amenity Societies have commented extensively. Visit www.londonforum.org.uk

HACAN (Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise) have also published extensively. They are organising a Central London Protest Rally on 10 October at 11am. Visit hacan.org.uk and www.no3rdrunway.co.uk. The latter has the official map showing potential flight paths. Our member Christina Smyth who also headed up the Council Commission on Heathrow, has been asked to join HACAN’s Management Committee, so we should be getting news updates from her.

As reported in my last News Update, there were consultations recently on the Car Giant proposals and for the new HS2/Crossrail Station for Old Oak Common. I thought the Car Giant proposals seem to be heading in the right direction :

Visit www.oldoakpark.co.uk

We would like to see more use being made of the canal and there is much detail to be developed before an expected planning application is submitted by the end of this year.

But the current proposals for the HS2 station are dire beyond imagination. (See attached images). The ‘photo montage’ purports to show what the new station might look like in 2041 : But there is no reference to the proposed development around the station – 24,000 new homes : 55,000 new jobs. The station looks like a massive  – well, bus shelter? – which has landed from outer space with no connections to its surroundings. And why have a whole raft of sidings for Crossrail suddenly appeared in the middle of the development area? (East of the station). Local groups including the Grand Union Alliance and Friends of Wormwood Scrubs are also rightly incensed. If this is how HS2 treat local people, it is not surprising that there is so much opposition.

The Davies Commission has now been published. Its main recommendation is in favour of a Third Runway at Heathrow, but does not rule out the possibility of a Second Runway at Gatwick.

Read the full report

Unsurprisingly the recommendation for Heathrow in particular has prompted a torrent of articles and commentaries. Below are some of the places where these can be found :

• www.londonforum.org.uk
• hacan.org.uk

Other sources include the regular blog from Andy Slaughter MP, the Chiswick W4 newsletter and many others.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council commissioned its own resident led report earlier this year – as previously reported.  Our Vice Chairman (and former Chair) Melanie Whitlock was one of the members of the panel.
The report and update comments can be seen at :
www.lbhf.gov.uk/Directory/News/Hot_topic_Heathrow.asp

Improved proposals adopted and planning permission granted

There was very welcome news in July 2013 when the Council announced that it was withdrawing its plans for the Town Hall redevelopment. The new leader, Cllr Nick Botterill, said the Council would be going back to the drawing board, that new proposals for the site would go no higher than the Town Hall extension and it would listen to residents and amenity groups in order to find a more acceptable solution. The footbridge over the A4 will no longer be part of the scheme. That, and the reduced height, will be a tremendous relief to local residents.

Meanwhile we and Save Our Skyline will be pressing for an early meeting with the Council to seek to ensure a good design solution to this vexed site and to incorporate retention of the cinema in a reinvigorated form to give real regenerative boost to the area. Many congratulations are due to Save Our Skyline for their highly effective campaign without which this turnaround would not have happened, and to all the thousands of residents who wrote and emailed the Council, the Mayor of London and the Government.

Reminder from Rosemary’s last newsletter : There is a suggestion from the Council that registering the building as an Asset of Community Value would provide an additional level of protection. Rosemary Pettit is currently assembling this application

If you can support this campaign, please contact her at