- Police Station redevelopment.
The EFA (Education Funding Agency) have advised the Council that they intend to pursue a 210 place school on the Police Station Site. Further details are given in the AGM minutes but in summary:-
The School wrote to the DHRA that minister level support for a 210 place school had been obtained and a new proposal would be submitted for a 210-pupil school. In the DHRA committee’s opinion, all the issues which have led neighbours to oppose the first application for a 420 pupil school remained in the case of a 210 school, only somewhat diluted (playground noise, traffic, disruption, pollution, damage to a listed building and lack of need).
The committee also believed that it would be impossible over time to hold the School to remain at 210 pupils. Given that DHRA had been assured that the Education Funding Agency were adamant originally that the school needed to have 420 pupils to be economic, it was mysterious that 210 was now deemed viable. The DHRA committee unanimously opposed the proposal.
Funds had been generously contributed to the first appeal. If a second campaign were necessary, contributions would be requested again. There would also be a new political dimension to the campaign, in view of public criticism of the allegedly costly and unsatisfactory Free Schools initiative.
A vote by show of hands was taken at the AGM:
A. Would the meeting support a proposal for a 210-pupil school which did not grow beyond that? Defeated
B. Would the meeting support a proposal for 210 on the understanding that in time, it would increase to 420 pupils. Defeated.
- Neighbourhood Plan
Again this was discussed at the AGM but in summary the Forum and Hampstead Plan had been four years in gestation. A draft Plan was now about to be submitted. Residents were urged to become members by signing up, which is free, at www.hampsteadforum.org/join. The draft Local Plan can be seen at Keats Library and at the Freemasons Arms. It is important as numerous issues relate to DH. Votes from members would be vital. Importantly, plans to alter traffic arrangements in South End Green would see a major increase in traffic, as north-bound traffic would be sent up DH. This is an important issue and all residents are encouraged to be involved.
- Rubbish
Rubbish remains a problem at the top end of the street. Cllr Stark has said that this had been improved with an agreement with the commercial properties but no improvement had been observed yet.
- ERUV.
A planning application for an ERUV round Hampstead village is still currently being considered. (The application relates to around 82 poles, almost all 5.5 metres in height, linked by nylon wire, in locations from Platts Lane down to Chalk Farm and Swiss Cottage. Of these 82 poles some 40 were around Hampstead. These are identified as being on sites in the following streets:
West Heath Rd; Branch Hill; Redington Rd; Templewood Avenue; Judges Walk; Lower Terrace; Heath Street; Cannon Place; Holford Rd; Well Walk; Christchurch Hill; Willow Rd; Willoughby Rd; Pilgrims Lane; Keats Grove; Downshire Hill; South Hill Park; Parliament Hill; Nassington Rd”).
They are designed to form a linked chain around the area, to permit Orthodox members of the Jewish faith to carry on with aspects of their lives at certain times.
For Downshire Hill it would mean 5 ½- metre poles with twine at the lower end of DH. Camden Council have informed us that it was still considering the application for each pair of perimeter poles on a location basis, and was apparently minded to grant approval if it could clarify these issues for all pole locations. It would finally be decided at a public planning committee meeting. At the AGM the chairman asked for a show of hands as to agreement or not with non-residents not allowed to vote.
By a count of 15 to 7 the AGM did not agree to the ERUV proposal and S D Ainger said he would reflect these views to the Council.
- The Garden party
The garden party this year will be held in September. Further details to follow.
S D Ainger
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