Building project aims to restore green space near Mill Lane

Last summer, there was consternation when trees and other vegetation were cleared from a strip of land running north of Mill Lane, beside the railway and behind houses on Fordwych Road. Besides representing the loss of one of the few natural habitats in the area, this seemed to presage the start of a major building development.

Now SLLB, a firm of architects, are preparing a planning application to build on the land. They are seeking the public's views on their proposal before submitting it to Camden council.

According to their consultation website, the proposal would restore a significant amount of green space, with sensitivity to biodiversity. There would be a large building to the front of the site, along Mill Lane, comprising flats and houses. The existing building, shown in the picture above, would be demolished to make way for the new structure. The architects say:

We have been working on a scheme which will result in the land being acquired from the current owner and the open space restored to a green, biodiverse state. This is something we believe strongly to be in the public interest. It is however only possible to achieve our aim through enabling development.

This artist's impression below shows what the scene above might look like following the development.

Daniel Smith of SLLB told Northwest 6 that the site owner approached them following the furore caused by his removal of the trees and vegetation from the land last year. They now have a commitment from a housing association, Genesis, to join the development and they would expect other backers to come on board if the proposal gains planning approval.

The proposed green space would not necessarily be a public space. One option is that it could be a subscription park, to which local residents would have access if they paid an annual fee. A model for this exists locally at Mapesbury Dell. Another option, is that there would be no public access and the space would be managed to promote biodiversity. This is apparently the option preferred currently by Camden council.

Daniel Smith says the purpose of the current consultation is to gain insight now into the public's concerns or other opinions so that the architects can address these in the design of the planning application. SLLB ask you to submit any opinions before 29 April.

Changes to local roads

After seeking our views last year, Camden Council is making some changes to roads around Mill Lane.  These are intended to make things safer for pedestrians - particularly children going to school.

Mill Lane itself is to get two new zebra crossings.  Work to install these has already begun - adding to the density of roadworks already happening in the area thanks to the Thames Water excavations.

A 20 mph speed limit is to be imposed on the roads around Beckford School - Dornfell Street, Broomsleigh Street, Glastonbury Street and Ravenshaw Street.  80 per cent of the 186 respondents to Camden's survey supported this measure.  But only 48 per cent expressed support for raising the junction - bringing the road level to that of the pavement - where Dornfell Street meets Ravenshaw Street.  So this proposal will not proceed.

Mill Lane traffic management

Businesses in Mill Lane are expressing concerns about proposals intended to improve pedestrian safety.

Two primary schools (Beckford and Emmanuel) are on or close to Mill Lane, so a lot of children walk along it to get to school.  Camden Council has been seeking the views of the public on its plans to calm traffic along the road through measures such as additional zebra crossings, and lower speed limits on the roads around Beckford school.

Businesses on Mill Lane have told the Ham & High that the scheme is a costly mistake and that Camden should be spending the money on measures to improve the flow of traffic.  Yiannis Pareas of the Mill Lane Traders Association questioned the validity of the council's consultation:

"They should be coming out here and talking to us, as we are all very keen to talk about Mill Lane and the pockets of streets in the area.  We have been crying out for loading bays outside some of the businesses, like Brandon Tool Hire. Vans have to stop on the road and then block buses and traffic.

"And so many people are complaining about the traffic lights installed on the junction with West End Lane. They only let three or four cars through at a time, then cars are queuing up and send pollution right into the school."

Part of this appears to be how to manage the tension between the needs of shops on Mill Lane - who need loading and parking facilities if their businesses are to thrive - and pedestrians, particularly schoolchildren, who need safe streets.

However, the views of the traders receive some endorsement from the local lobby group West Hampstead Amenity and Transport - whose Virginia Berridge tells the Ham & High that she also suspects the consultation was inadequate:

"It was a tick-box exercise and bosses haven't given enough attention to the comments people gave.  We understand traders would like more loading bays on Mill Lane. But we are also concerned for pedestrians and about the tail-backs from the unwanted traffic lights at the junction with West End Lane.  A study into pollution levels affecting the school was carried out and we have been asking for the results, but so far they have not been made available."

It's not clear to what extent other shops in Mill Lane share these concerns.  You will recall back in November that the manager of Bake a Boo was describing the area as a great place to do business.

Parking in Ravenshaw, Broomsleigh, Glastonbury and Dornfell Streets

Controlled zone
Originally uploaded by Grievous Angel.

You may have seen in the latest edition of Spotlight - the Liberal Democrats' local newsletter - that Camden will review the operation of the controlled parking zone in the four streets around Beckford School (Ravenshaw, Broomsleigh, Glastonbury and Dornfell Streets). The council will seek the opinions of residents.  There's also to be further consultation on the parking zone in the Greek roads north of Mill Lane (Achilles Road, Agamemnon Road, etc.)

One of the questions likely to be put to residents is whether the controlled hours in these streets should be extended to all day, as is already the case on Mill Lane and elsewhere in West Hampstead.

This development follows the completion of last year's consultation on parking controls across the borough.  A report on the results of the consultation was considered by councillors in November.  Referring to the streets south of Mill Lane, the report draws attention to campaigning activity undertaken in the neighbourhood at the time of the consultation:

"The consultation results show that opinion is divided about hours of control. A ‘survey’ was undertaken by some residents in this sub-area indicating an interest in longer hours, though this was not undertaken as a formal petition with signatures. Correspondence was received from residents in this area questioning the motives behind those undertaking the survey, who had misrepresented the Council’s own consultation, claiming that the Council was going to split the zone. Given concerns that the ‘survey’ may be biased the detailed findings are not included here."

Based on this information, and a petition from residents of the Greek roads seeking longer controlled hours, councillors decided that further consultation was appropriate in the CA-P(c) area which covers the Greek roads and some of the streets south of Mill Lane. (See earlier post for a map of the zone.)  The report says this further consultation will cost council tax payers £25,000.

The council will discuss the likely shape of the consultation with local groups before sending a questionnaire to homes in the area.  Councillor Flick Rea has told Northwest 6 that it will be several months before we receive the survey:

"It will not be until early summer at earliest.  A notice will be sent round by Camden - as before to set up a Steering Committee which will decide the terms of the consultation. Then every household will receive a consultation form.  The terms are likely to be the introduction of all day restrictions in common with most of the rest of West Hampstead."

The council may also undertake parking occupancy surveys in order to inform the final decision.

Changes proposed for local roads

Camden Council is seeking your views on plans aimed at making local roads safer for pedestrians.  There would be a 20mph speed limit in the roads around Beckford School (Broomsleigh, Dornfell, Glastonbury and Ravenshaw Streets) and a raised junction at the end of Dornfell Street where it meets Ravenshaw Street.

It is also proposed to add two new zebra crossings to Mill Lane.

If you live in this area of West Hampstead, you should already have received a consultation pack.  You have until 11 January  2008 to submit your views.

Future of Hampstead Heath

The City of London has published a report on its consultation on how it should care for Hampstead Heath.

Around 2,000 responses were received in one form or another - which is a reasonably high figure by the standards of most public consultations and a measure of the value of the heath to local people. That said, while the responses were predominantly from people living in the postcode areas around the heath, no figure is reported for respondents from NW6 so perhaps we don't value the heath as much as our neighbours in Swiss Cottage or Golders Green

Not many surprises in the findings. People want to protect the heath from further development. But there are conflicts of view between different kinds of users - e.g. pedestrians and cyclists.

The City of London says it "will now examine people’s comments in detail, before making suggested changes to the draft management plan."

Progress can be followed on the Hampstead page at the City of London's website.

Are changes proposed for CA-P controlled parking zone?

Leaflets have been distributed to houses in Ravenshaw, Broomsleigh, Glastonbury and Dornfell Streets warning of changes to the local controlled parking zone which would severely restrict where residents of these streets could park in West Hampstead.

As far as I can tell, this is a significant misreading of the situation.

The leaflet is put out in the name of the "Support Our Play Streets Residents' Association" - an organisation of which I have never heard. It has raised the alarm apparently in response to a consultation which Camden council is currently conducting on controlled parking zones across the borough.

This consultation is seeking the public's views on issues such as the size of zones, when they operate and arrangements for motorcycles and electric vehicles. In fact, the explanatory notes on Camden's websites explicitly rule out "significant changes to the zone boundaries and hours/days operation in the short-term".

Confusion may have been caused by a map published as part of the consultation, which shows our zone - called CA-P - split into three sub-zones (click on map above). This reflects the current implementation of the CA-P - whereby parking restrictions are enforced at different times in different parts of the zone.

So while the controlled hours in Ravenshaw, Broomsleigh, Glastonbury and Dornfell Streets - part of CA-P (c) - are between 1000 and 1200 Monday to Friday, the controlled hours in West End Lane - part of CA-P (a) - are between 0830 and 1830 Monday to Friday. These hours affect when people who don't have a CA-P parking permit can park in the zone, but residents with a CA-P permit displayed on their vehicle can park anywhere in the zone at any time.

There is - at this stage - no proposal to change this arrangement. Were such a proposal to be forthcoming, Camden would be obliged to consult on it.

Camden's consultation document on controlled parking zones runs to 12 pages. You have until Friday 22 June to submit your views to the council.

Future of Hampstead Heath

Parliament Hill
Originally uploaded by Grievous Angel.

The Corporation of London is consulting on the future of Hampstead Heath. It has issued a draft management plan and is seeking your views.

Find out more and submit your views online at the consultation webpage. You have until 20th May.