Tag Archives: Jane Pickard

February 16, 2012 · 9:37 am

A new commuity garden

A piece of wasteland in Lakeview Road is being turned into a community garden thanks to efforts of local residents,  Lambeth Living and their contractors.

Getting ready for spring

Getting ready for spring

Local councillor  Jane Pickard explains that the family next door “ were fed up because the area was a mass of brambles and bushes which invaded their own garden and were pushing the fence over”.  Jane  got in touch with  the Portobello  Tenants and Residents Association who had been talking about using the land for a community garden.

Now  not only has the land been cleared and prepared for gardening, but the family next door had their damaged fence replaced and will be  growing fruit and vegetables on one of the beds.

To get growing in 2012  get in touch with the Portobello TRA or email Jane Pickard.

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January 9, 2012 · 10:13 am

Fire station planning appeal

Proposed Fire Station site

Proposed Fire Station site

Lambeth council refused planning  permission  to build a new firestation for West Norwood on the site of the care home at 210 Knights Hill in January 2011. The main reason for refusal was that regular activities such as training for fire fighters would cause  too much noise in a  residential area.

The Fire Brigade then appealed to the independent Planning Inspector against the council decision. The Planning Inspector has arranged to  listen to the arguments for and against the proposals at the YMCA , 40 Stockwell Road SW9 9ES  on Wednesday 25th January . The hearing is in public but anyone wishing to speak to the Planning  Inspector must be present  at 10am to indicate they wish to do so. For advice on planning appeal hearings see: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/pins/taking-part_planning-hearing.pdf

If you would like an more information about this hearing please contact Cllr Jane Pickard  jpickard@lambeth.gov.uk.

Details of the original planning application can be seen via  the Public Access database quoting  ref 10/02504  : http://planning.lambeth.gov.uk/publicaccess/. For detailsof the appeal quote case 2156756  at http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/appeals/online/search

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September 16, 2011 · 9:44 am

Snooker Club Update

West Norwood Snooker Club in Waylett Place

West Norwood Snooker Club in Waylett Place

The local police, residents, businesses and councillors have concerns about anti-social behaviour around the Snooker Club in Waylett Place off Norwood Road and the impact of late night music and drinking at the Club on West Norwood town centre and nearby residential streets.  The Snooker Club is used mainly as a night club and only a few snooker tables are left.

For a number of months the local police have been working with the owners of the club to try to improve behaviour at the club.  Sadly recent events, including the tragic murder of a young man close to the club in August, suggest this approach is not working. Local councillors have now asked the Lambeth Licence Committee to review the licence arrangements. The Snooker Club is licensed to sell  alcohol from 12noon to 5am everyday and for music & dancing from 8pm to 5am Wednesdays to Sundays.

If you would like to comment on the licence and the running of the Snooker Club you must write to Lambeth Licensing, Blue Star House, 234-244 Stockwell Road, SW9 9SP or email licensing@lambeth.gov.uk. The deadline for comments is Wednesday 28th September. The Licence Committee only looks at problems under four headings: public safety, preventing crime & disorder, public nuisance and protecting children from harm.

Alternatively you can  contact Cllr Jane Pickard on: jpickard@lambeth.gov.uk or 07805 943 085. Jane can pass on comments to the Licence Committee on your behalf  – and you can choose to remain anonymous.

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June 1, 2011 · 12:30 pm

Plans for new Julians school get green light

Gabriel House SE27 0JF to become a primary school

Gabriel House SE27 0JF to become a primary school

West Norwood’s new primary school came a step closer to reality last month when councillors on Lambeth’s  Planning Applications committee approved plans for the building in Wolfington Road.

Many residents will have seen the models and drawings for the school during extensive consultations over the past few months. The plan presented to the committee has not changed significantly and involves internal adaptations to Gabriel House, built nearly a century ago, plus a new, modern building on the back.

Two hostels owned by Lambeth Council will be demolished to make way for the school’s outdoor play area which will also extend down the tree-lined bank behind the current car park as far as Devane Way.

The vast majority of residents who commented on the plans support the scheme . Some people raised concerns about parking & traffic problems in Wolfington Road and the proposed loss of  the footpath from Wolfington Road to Devane Way .

Cllr Pickard  put these concerns to the committee and it was agreed to carry out a detailed assessment of usage of the footpath and amend the planning permission if necessary. It was also  agreed to include traffic calming near the school entrance..

The new two-form entry school building, to be managed by Julian’s School, is due to open in 2012, Building work is  due to start this summer.

Children will join the new school from this September – in temporary classrooms on the Julian’s site.

For details see item 13 on agenda of  Lambeth Planning Committee 24th May 2011: http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=600&MId=7595

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April 7, 2011 · 9:25 am

Tennis Club Planning Application

Tennis Club Gates

Cllr Jane Pickard at the Tennis Club gates

Many residents were opposed to  plans to build 58 flats on the site of the West Norwood Tennis Club. Cllr Jane Pickard took up these  concerns  and in December 2010 the council rejected  plans.

The developers are now appealing to the independent Planning Inspectorate to take a fresh look at the council’s decision. If you want to comment on the appeal or the council’s decision you can do this online at  http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/appeals/ . After  finding  details of case 2144277 online you can submit your comments  – but please note the deadline is Wednesday 20th April 2011 .

To see details of the original planning application  look at the Public Access database on Lambeth ‘s web site http://planning.lambeth.gov.uk/publicaccess/ and quote ref 10/01836 . The council’s reasons for refusing this planning application are given in the decision notice below.

tennis club refusal dec10

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January 24, 2011 · 10:29 am

Fire station to stay at Norwood Road

Local councillor , Jackie Meldrum, outside 210 Knights Hill

Local councillor , Jackie Meldrum, outside 210 Knights Hill

The London Fire Brigade’s  proposal to move West Norwood’s  fire station to a new site at 210  Knights Hill was thrown at by councillors on Lambeth’s Planning committee on Tuesday night. Objectors argued the fire station would create too much extra noise & nuisance in quiet residential streets. For details of the meeting see this section on Lambeth’s website.

Local councillor Jane Pickard backed objectors who said the Fire Brigade  was wrong to think they could not modernise  the existing fire station at 445 Norwood Road after it was listed as a  building of historical and special interest in 2006. During discussions with the Fire Brigade over the last few months it became clear that fire fighter training could be very noisy for residents living close by to the new station.

The Planning committee agreed with objectors and fire chiefs said they would now look again at  converting the station at 445 Norwood Road rather than moving elsewhere.

Jane said  “ This is really the best result for everyone. The fire fighters can get a better working conditions inside the existing building,   the  attractive front of the building could be preserved,  West Norwood will not suffer a derelict listed building which may be hard to convert to flats  and residents of Knights Hill neighbourhood will be left in peace & quiet.”

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November 13, 2010 · 7:21 am

Secret location of new primary school uncovered! Latest Update

 

Photo : Jackie Meldrum & Jane Pickard at site of new school

Councillors Jackie Meldrum & Jane Pickard at site of new school

Update: Due to public pressure the meeting at Nettlefold Hall extended opening to 9.30pm

The new primary school for West Norwood will be in Wolfington Road and this November everyone can have a say about the new plans. Drop in to Nettlefold Hall, upstairs from West Norwood Library, between 2pm and 9.30pm on Wednesday 24th November 2010 to meet the people working on the new school. The architects, Shepheard, Epstein & Hunter, want to know what you think of the plans before they submit a planning application to convert the office block on Wolfington Road into a new primary school.

This  new primary school for  West Norwood is due to open in September 2011 thanks to funding agreed by the Labour government before the May elections. Julian’s school will manage the two schools together and for the first year temporary classes will be on the Julian’s School site at the top of St Julian’s Farm Road. In the next week or so the school admissions pages on the Lambeth web site should have information on how to apply for reception places at the new school for the 2011/12 school year – before the closing date of 14th January . Click here for the admissions page.

There is an increasing demand for primary school places across London, particularly in West Norwood, and as a next step the council wants to rebuild  the Julians School on Leigham Court Road as  a 2-form entry school so  doubling the number of places.  The council is struggling to make £80m of cuts to its budgets and is looking for money from the government to rebuild Julians School. Like other councils Lambeth is waiting to hear about the new coalition government’s funding plans to help tackle the shortage of school places in London.

Local councillors, Jackie Meldrum and Jane Pickard, know how important it is to have a good local primary school and have been pressing the council to expedite plans for the new school. Families living just south of West Norwood station have struggled to find a  primary school in easy walking distance. This new school will be a welcome addition to the West Norwood community.

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November 1, 2010 · 7:26 pm

Local Policing

Knights Hill police team , councillors & Val Shawcross

The Knights Hill police team , councillors & Val Shawcross

The introduction of local policing by Ken Livingstone, with a dedicated local team out and about in every neighbourhood , has been welcomed by residents throughout London. The teams have been a success and helped  create  safer neighbourhoods and reduce  crime.

Responsibility for policing in London lies with, the London Mayor . Police borough commanders are worried the massive cuts in public spending expected next year will have an impact on police numbers on the ground. We  will  post the latest news on this web site.

If you live between Elder Road, Crown Dale, Leigham Court Road, Knollys Road and Norwood Road (in Knights hill ward) your local team is the Knights Hill Safer Neighbourhood Team based at Gipsy Hill police station. Last weekend the police team met up with local ward councillors and Valerie Shawcross, our elected representative on the London Assembly. You can email Valerie about London and policing matters  at  Val@valshawcross.com.

For more information on the Knights Hill police team  see http://www.met.police.uk/teams/lambeth/knightshill/index.php. Contact the team by email  KnightsHill.snt@met.police.uk or by telephone  020 87212618  or 07920 233844. Of course in an emergency always call 999.

If you would like to know more about policing matters in your local area you can sign up to receive regular  email/text  alerts at   http:///www.communitysafe.gov.uk. Email is free and text messages should cost no more than 10/12p per message. You can opt in or out of the service at anytime.

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October 11, 2010 · 8:15 am

New housing planned for Tennis Club site

Cllr Jane Pickard looking at the existing outdoor tennis courts

Cllr Jane Pickard looking at the existing outdoor tennis courts

Developers latest plans for the  West Norwood Tennis Club are for 58 flats  in a six-storey block at 128 Knights Hill SE27 0SR on the corner with Cheviot Road.   Half the flats are to be for sale and half for rent as ‘social’ housing. A small gym, two squash courts and  two  tennis courts are included in the plans. Local residents are petitioning the council against the scheme.
Details  of the planning application (ref 10/01836) can be seen at  West Norwood Library or on the Lambeth web site

If you would like to comment on the planning application quote  ref 10/01836  and email tpac@lambeth.gov.uk or write to TPAC at Phoenix House SW8 2LL.

A planning application (ref 07/00438) was refused in July 2007 for 60 flats in a 9-storey block, 4 houses and a 3-storey sports facility on the same site and the appeal refused in May 2008.

Enquiries about  membership of the Tennis Club can be made at the club house – entrance on Cheviot Road.

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October 3, 2010 · 1:32 pm

Leisure centre gets approval

Leisure centre gets approval

Leisure centre gets approval

On Wednesday 29th September planning permission was granted for the Norwood Hall project – for a health centre and leisure centre together with a customer contact point on site of Norwood Hall opposite the West Norwood station.

There has been enormous support for the project from residents across West Norwood over the last couple of years. At the meeting of the Planning Committee  on Wednesday the GP from Knight’s Hill surgery spoke in favour alongside Susan de Swarte, chair of Norwood Forum, Cllr Niranjan Francis from Gipsy Hill and Cllr Jane Pickard from Knight’s Hill. All emphasised the importance of the pool to regeneration, the benefits of having exercise opportunities on the same site as the health centre and the fact that West Norwood had so few leisure facilities.. A former Tory councillor for Gipsy Hill argued against the plans. After discussion a few minor changes were accepted and the plans agreed.

The next steps include getting planning permission from Boris Johnson Greater London Authority, confirming government approval for the project and appointing contractors. If all goes well  work should start on site in February 2011.

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