Residents First

New dawn for West Ken and Gibbs Green estates

Cllr Harry Phibbs writes:

On Monday evening the Hammersmith and Fulham Council's Cabinet approved the next step for thousands of new homes and jobs, with the redevelopment of the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates. The proposals have prompted an unprecedented campaign of lies and bullying from the Labour Party and the far left. Especially creepy was the way children as young as four were approached and exploited. Also residents unable to speak English had their names put on forms which had already been filled in. 42 objections to the scheme came from children under 11.

Residents were told by objectors that they would not be offered replacement housing - or that if they were, it would be in Barking and Dagenham. Leftwing activists from Paddington and students from LSE were bused in to spread a message of scaremongering. A "drop in" session to answer questions for local residents about what was on offer was disrupted by protestors from outside the area.

Yet the more residents find out about the opportunities the more they support them. That was shown by majority support for the scheme among those who gave their individual responses in a recent consultation - rather than being "persuaded" to put their name to a standardised response giving someone else's view. Some residents who intially allowed their names to go on the pro forma rejection, then gave another response backing the plan.

Vine Square play area launched

Over 100 residents came together to celebrate the official opening of the new play area at Vine Square within the Maystar Estate off Star Road on Wednesday 6 June. They were joined by the newly elected Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Councillor Belinda Donovan, who cut the ribbon and celebratory cake to declare the play area officially open.

Children enjoyed the new play equipment, and took part in sports activities, face painting and community games.

The new play area, designed by Groundwork’s landscape architects encourages imaginative play, with equipment including new swings, a wobble bridge and dish, climbing net, slide, boulders and a seating area, set within a grassy, undulating landscape.  The height of the boundary wall was lowered to open up views so that the space feels safer, all the fencing was replaced and the extensive area of hard surfacing was removed and replaced with grass and play mulch to make it safer for children’s play. Now a hub of activity and energy the adventure play area provides both a play space for children as well as a much needed community space for events and activities.

Earls Court progress report to go before Cabinet

A progress report around the decision on whether to include West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates in the planned comprehensive redevelopment of Earls Court is due to go before Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s Cabinet.

The report will include the draft terms of a Conditional Land Sale Agreement (CLSA) with developer Capital & Counties, the owner of Earls Court exhibition centres.

It also includes the preliminary findings of a consultation with residents into the substantive terms of the CLSA, which includes the offer to Tenants, Leaseholders and Freeholders negotiated by a Steering Group of residents living on the estates.

A decision on whether to include the estates in wider plans for the area is likely to be made in the comings months but H&F Council Leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh said he wanted to put as much in the public domain now as possible so people can be clear on where the Council is in its thinking.

Archbishop and Council Leader open renovated church

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Reverend Rowan Williams, joined Council Leader, Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh to officially open a renovated Hammersmith church recently.

The outgoing Archbishop was guest of honour at St Andrew's Church, in Fulham Fields and was joined by more than 200 congregation members.

His visit marked the end of a £3m upgrade of the church which includes the STAR Centre, a new community facility to be used for classes, homelessness projects and a nursery.

Ending the borough divide at Earls Court

Cllr Nick Botterill's speech to Monday's council meeting

Tonight we are deciding whether or not to endorse a policy which translates an emerging vision of renewal into a practical framework; a template which will guide the future development and regeneration of this important part of London for at least the next two decades.

There are some who say that local government in this country is generally pretty irrelevant. Some councils live this maxim and take the view that there is merit to be had in dodging the taking of tough decisions; rather the epitaph “they did nothing at all but they did it very well!”

We on this side do not believe that success lies in not taking tough decisions. We here believe that it is only by having a vision with a clearly desirable endpoint AND by having the sound judgment and confidence to deliver that endpoint AND by following a robust process that actions for the benefit of ALL the people will come to pass.

The aspirations and benefits for this 90 acre area are truly grand:

Safest Parks

Two parks in Hammersmith & Fulham have won a prestigious award.

Normand Park in Fulham and Brook Green in Hammersmith were both awarded the coveted Silver Safer Park Award at a special awards ceremony at City Hall.

Closer working between residents, the police and the council is one of the main reasons why they have been named amongst the safest open spaces in London.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has its very own, council-funded Parks Constabulary, whose officers work every day of the year to keep the borough’s parks and open spaces safe. The officers provide a friendly face for  visitors to the borough’s parks but also deal with crimes including vandalism and drug taking, and issues regarding dangerous dogs.

West Kensington and Gibbs Green consultation deadline is March 12th

Residents have until March 12, 2012 to have their say on whether West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates should be included in wider plans for the area.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council is consulting on a potential land sale agreement with developer EC Properties which has proposals to build 7,500 new homes across the redevelopment area.

The council and residents must weigh up the benefits regeneration could bring - including new homes, new community facilities and job opportunities for people living on the estates, against the disruption that major development inevitably causes.

The extended consultation period will allow residents time to respond to more information that has been requested by some residents about the potential Conditional Land Sale Agreement (CLSA).

H&F Council has this week reaffirmed how the proposed CLSA includes important conditions that seek to protect residents' interests, including:

Pick up a Pocket home

Residents who are priced out of the private housing market can now pocket a brand new home on Star Road, Fulham.

Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council has teamed up with Pocket Developments to sell the 18 apartments on the new site at just 80 per cent of the market value. This means that the starting price for a studio is under £150,000 and a one bed £220,000

The total discount for the 18 properties is almost £1m and averages at just under £54,000 for each property.

The development comprises 14 one beds and four studios.  Each apartment has been carefully designed by award winning architects PRP to create a space where residents will feel at home.

Some apartments have a patio and everyone has access to a communal garden. All the apartments are equipped with built-in wardrobes, cycle parking, large windows and, most importantly, under floor heating so that radiators don’t get in the way of your furniture.

Anyone who currently either lives or works in Hammersmith & Fulham and has done so for at least a year, is not already a home owner and has a current household income below £64,000, can buy a Pocket apartment.

In order to express your interest in our W14 apartments you must first register with H&F Home Buy by completing an online application form at www.lbhf.gov.uk/homebuy.

H&F Home Buy is dedicated to getting local residents onto the housing ladder amd has helped 600 people into housing over the last four years through schemes like this.

Councillor Andrew Johnson, Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for hard working residents who may not ordinarily be able to afford to live in the borough to lay down roots and get onto the property ladder.

“This council is determined to create a Borough of Opportunity by helping people to fulfil their dreams of purchasing their own home. We are delighted to team up with Pocket Developments and I am sure that there will be great interest in all of the apartments.”

For help with registration, please contact h&f Home Buy on 020 8753 6464 or email h&fHome-buy@lbhf.gov.uk.

Once registered, applicants will be invited to reserve apartments with a deposit of £200 and following mortgage lenders’ approval, successful applicants will complete the purchase in the same way as an ordinary property. Please note that a mortgage lender may require a deposit on the loan.

This Pocket development has been created in partnership between Linden Homes, Wates Developments and Pocket.

Tenants slam insults from The Guardian and Lib Dems

The more residents on the Gibbs Green and West Ken estate find out about the truth of the redevelopment proposals  the more support they have. Opponents of the scheme are finding it hard to adjust. Left wing activist Jonathan Rosenberg has the cheek question the credentials of residents on the two estates who back the scheme although he doesn't live there and they do.

Rather than accept their right to a different view some on the Left seem to regard the residents who back the scheme as having a "false consciousness". In some way residents campaigning to back he scheme are to be dismissed as "bogus" campaigners. Failed Lib Dem council candidate Paul Kennedy really should apologise for his insulting comments that they are "confused." Perhaps this arrogant outsider should swapping his luxury home in Barclay Road with a flat on one of the estates. Then he might understand their aspirations rather than sneer at them.

Another step towards thousands of new homes and jobs

Another step towards creating thousands of new jobs and homes at Earls Court was taken at H&F Council's Cabinet meeting on July 18.

Councillors have agreed to enter into an ‘exclusivity deal’ with, EC Properties Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Capital & Counties (Capco) which could eventually lead to a development bringing new, modern homes for people living on the West Kensington & Gibbs Green estates.

The parties will work exclusively for the next year on a potential land sale agreement to include the estates in the redevelopment area. In order to enter into the exclusivity agreement, EC Properties will pay the Council £15 million, £10 million of which is refundable if a deal is not agreed within the one year timeframe.