Entries tagged with “Neil Gerrard” from Working For Walthamstow
Fighting for the Future of the EMD meeting 29 March 2009.pdf
I've had no word from the Church yet as to when the 'exhibition' they propose will start but will of course keep you all updated as and when I get further information. In the meantime feel free to circulate these minutes and encourage others to sign up for updates on this issue by emailing me. Furthermore, for the technically minded of you, I have now set up a twitter #tag which can be found on #walthamstowEMD and there is also a facebook group which can be found here.
I'm going to post below a number of emails and documents relating to the future of the EMD that I have been sent. Apologies in advance if the formatting is difficult to read.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Seamus Lalor"
To:
Cc: "Anne Byrne"
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 2:42 PM
Subject: EMD Cinema
Dear Mr Martin
Thank you for your e mail dated 22 March 2009 regarding the EMD Cinema
which has been passed to me for attention.
The plans which are currently on display form part of a pre application
discussion with this Council and a response is currently being framed.
UCKG have advised that a formal planning application is likely to be
submitted within a month. During that month it is likely that
additional information will be prepared for submission and the plans may
have altered. However, when that finalised application is submitted
there will be a further opportunity for the public to submit
representations which will be assessed as part of that application.
Your current e mail will however be retained for consideration.
It is intended that the local community will have access to parts of
the building and the attached pre application summary has been submitted
as part of the pre application submission as a statement of intention.
It is certainly the applicants intention to retain and renovate this
important listed building which is now on the English Heritage
"Buildings at Risk Register". It is clear that it is not in the best
interests of the Town Centre for the building to remain disused and fall
into further decay which is one of the reasons why the current
proposals, which differ from those submitted in 2003, must be given
careful consideration when the application is submitted. Part of this
assessment will be traffic and pedestrian impact as outlined in your e
mail.
The Council is statutorily obliged to respond to any application
submitted for the building but cannot impose the inclusion of a cinema
in the development proposals as the Council has no legal interest in the
site. A planning application considers the uses to which the building
will be put but the existing or proposed owner has no relevance to the
consideration of the land use issues. Any planning decision rests with
the land and not any individual or organisation as this would be
discriminatory. The applicant has stated that it is uneconomic to
restore the building as a cinema venue but that there would be the
opportunity to show film in one of the converted spaces, but this would
be ancillary to other uses. However, plans for the adjoining Arcade
site are progressing and presently intend the inclusion of a cinema
which will be accessible for all sections of the community. It is also
intended to create a leisure centre (including two swimming pools), some
small retail units and residential uses. An application is anticipated
over the summer.
I trust that I have responded to the points raised at this stage but
please look at the final plans when submitted and let me have any
further observations you would like to be considered as part of the
applications assessment and eventual consideration by the Council's
Planning Committee.
Yours sincerely
Séamus Lalor
Interim Head of Development Management
Development Management
Environment and Regeneration
Waltham Forest Council
GO4 Sycamore House
London E17 4JF
Tel: 020 8496 6700
Fax: 020 8496 6902
Dear Stella,
In response to your emails, I regret that I must decline your invitation to participate in a public meeting on March 29 as we simply do not have the resources to send anyone along. All of UCKG's senior management team have long standing engagements for that day, which were arranged many months ago as part of our ongoing pastoral work.
As I advised back in February, when you first mooted the idea of a public meeting, "we are fully committed to communicating widely with the community and stakeholders as soon as possible, and will provide opportunities for local people to question our development team and receive individual answers."
I am expecting to finalise details of a prime opportunity for information sharing within the next few days, with confirmation of the date of our upcoming public exhibition.
We believe that this format is preferable to a public meeting because it enables all attendees to receive individual attention from the professional team without having to stand up and speak in public. That way the more retiring members of the community will be heard equally with those who are most articulate, which we believe to be both fair and democratic.
While we appreciate that you did not want an advance briefing on our plans, we would still welcome you to the exhibition.
I enclose a statement from the UCKG HelpCentre to be read in full at the meeting.
Yours in Prayer
090327 _ Public Meeting Statement.pdf---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: stella creasy <stella@workingforwalthamstow.
Date: Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Subject: Re: 186 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17
To: Pr Paul Hill <pph@uckg.org>
Cc: Neil Gerrard <gerrardn@parliament.uk>, Terry Wheeler <cllr.terry.wheeler@
Dear Paul,
Thank you for your email and for setting out your intention to engage with the community. I think it is important for me to be clear about my requests and my interest in this matter and to state that I would have to decline an offer of an an individual briefing on this matter. Given the interest in the future of the EMD cinema building, I believe it is vital any discussions are open to as many local residents so I would prefer to equally participate in a public meeting along with other local residents. Therefore if you are available to come to Walthamstow to give such a briefing I would urge you to use the time this would take to accept the offer as made by Neil Gerrard to chair a public discussion on your plans that could be open to all interested parties. Indeed, as I appreciate how much work goes into a planning application I believe you may find it useful to have such a discussion early on in your project planning so that you could gather feedback from local residents and ideas for how best to use this much loved local landmark. My experience of working with local residents in Walthamstow shows that they can often challenge and inspire in ways which bring fresh and valuable insight and ideas to any project!
I look forward to hearing from you as to whether you will accept the offer, even in only in principle, of such a public meeting as chaired by Neil Gerrard. I will as you request pass on your views to the local community and would of course be happy to help with identifying dates, venues and times for such a public meeting as and when appropriate in the planning process.
I look forward to hearing from you in due course,
kind regards
Stella
On Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 12:15 PM, Pr Paul Hill <pph@uckg.org> wrote:
Dear Stella
It concerns me that you appear to be making assumptions about the content of our ongoing public engagement programme.
In acknowledging your email I wanted you to appreciate that you, Neil Gerrard MP and the constituents of Walthamstow are important to us.
As I said, it is our intention to offer you and Mr Gerrard an individual briefing at the first possible opportunity within a wide ranging consultation programme that started with the recent informal meeting with Waltham Forest Council members and officers.
For the interim, I would advise that we are fully committed to communicating widely with the community and stakeholders as soon as possible, and will provide opportunities for local people to understand our proposals, question our development team and receive individual answers.
As regards timing, I'm sure you will appreciate that there is a lot of work in preparing and drafting a planning application to the stage where it is ready for public consultation. We are working on proposals that will deliver a range of high quality facilities for the community including performance space as reported in the local media, within a fully restored Art Deco building. The UCKG HelpCentre is strong on community outreach and conservation as demonstrated by the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park.
If you wish to update the people who have contacted you with the content of this email, please do so. For our part, we will contact you about a briefing date within the next few weeks.
Should you have any further questions in the mean time, please feel free to call me on the number below. Alternatively, you are always welcome to speak to Matthew Turpin, a member of the project team, on 07887 846 699.
Yours in Prayer
Property Acquisitions Manager
d +44 20 7686 6006 ext 6108 | f +44 20 7686 6035 | m +44 7595 511 291
a UCKG Office Suites 24 Coleridge Road Finsbury Park London N4 3NP
As an active participant in the campaign to save the EMD cinema back in 2003, you might expect me to have strong views on its future. It's also why I'm hoping Cllr James O'Rourke has done his homework before giving his support to plans put forward by the UCKG to reapply for planning permission to turn the building into a church. On his blog he outlines their intention to resubmit plans for how they want to use this building - which judging by his description alone sound little different to the original proposals they submitted.
Like many local people I'm keen to see cinema brought back
to Walthamstow - and also to see this important Walthamstow landmark
building really is
open for the use of all the local community. The ownership of the
building by the United Church of the Kingdom of God means we are at
their mercy in finding a way forward. However, my investigations into
quite what community involvement meant
in practice in Catford and Finsbury Park as well as the details that
came out during the original
planning application show we as local residents have grounds to be concerned about this turn of events. If
the UCKG are serious about
contributing to Walthamstow's social fabric we need to see explicit
guarantees built into the planning agreement that will ensure the
theatre
and film screen they propose are open for hire on a regular basis to people of all
faiths
and for all forms of entertainment without threat of censure.
I've worked with many different groups locally to support our young people because I believe passionately that we need to ensure every one of them is given the encouragement and opportunity to achieve their potential. I know our current MP Neil Gerrard feels the same. That's why we've organised a workshop for organisations working with our young people to help identify where projects and activities are happening locally - and where they're not.
It's going to be on the Saturday 24 January in the afternoon (venue tbc), the police and representatives of local public services are coming along too and it will be informal so you can drop in for a coffee and cake as well as participate in the discussion. If you are part of a local voluntary group working with young people in Walthamstow and you're interested in attending or finding out more get in touch.
Neil Gerrard, a long-time member of the APPGG said: "Walthamstow has been synonymous with greyhound racing for as long as anyone can remember. It really puts us on the map and is one of the iconic images associated with East London. Of course the land is valuable for development but in this economic climate and with the recent slow down in housing I am concerned that we may end up with the area left abandoned for years. I hope there is a chance for a reprieve for the sport in Walthamstow, even a temporary one, and I am willing to help in brokering any deal to save racing there. If that is not possible then I want to ensure that the future of the greyhounds is secured- either to be racing at other stadia or retired into homes as pets."
A letter co-signed by APPG joint chairman Andrew Rosindell (MP for Romford) and Lord Bilston (formerly MP Dennis Turner and a supporter of his local Monmore Stadium), calls for a meeting with Walthamstow Chairman of Directors Charles Chandler and Managing Director, Jack Chandler. It includes: "Considering the high welfare standards that the track has been proud of, including supporting both the local rehoming organisations for many years, members were extremely disappointed by the level of compensation reported to us that has been offered to secure the future of the greyhounds from the Walthamstow racing strength or in the local retired kennels.
"Members would also like to discuss the short-term lease of the land for the continuance of racing. Walthamstow MP Neil Gerrard has been approached by a party considering that possibility and we would hope that this is an area that would not be blocked unnecessarily by the Chandler family."
If you want to be kept upto date with any developments following on from Neil's intervention and the APPG get in touch.
Whatever the weather there will be plenty of activities for local children of all ages including facepainting and adventure play as well as free refreshments for all ages! The afternoon is an informal opportunity for local families and those who work with them to come together, have fun and have their say about what help and support children, parents and grandparents need to succeed in Walthamstow. There are many changes taking place locally and nationally that will affect families- from the new parental leave rights, to changes in tax credits and benefits as well as the new surestart and childrens centre services - and I want those in power to hear first hand from people in Walthamstow what they think of these changes and what our priorities for our locality are. I'm keen too that those who work with families participate so that they can bring their experience to our discussion and also get to know each other too.I hope you'll be able to join me, Neil and James for some lovely cake and a great opportunity to make sure those in Westminster hear the voices of those in Walthamstow. This event is sponsored by UNISON and has been organised by Walthamstow Labour Party.
Anyone who would like to hold a stall on the day or know more about the event is welcome to get in touch.
Post Office Ltd revealed last month that it would be rethinking its decision to close the branches in Forest Road, Chingford Road and Orford Road, in the light of local opposition. However, we've learned this week that they still intend to close the Chingford Road and Orford Road branches. The Forest Road post office will remain. Neil Gerrard and I have been working closely with local residents on these issues and we've put out a press statement that I've reproduced here in full for information.
Neil Gerrard, MP for Walthamstow, and Stella Creasy, local community campaigner, today welcomed the news that the Forest Road Post Office is to be kept open but expressed their anger and dismay at the decision that two Post Office branches in Walthamstow are to close. "We are pleased that the Forest Road Branch has been reprieved and that the Post office listened to the concerns we and others raised" said Neil and Stella "but we cannot understand the logic of the decisions on the other two branches. The arguments that appear to have been accepted as justifying keeping this branch open, such as the needs of elderly people living nearby, apply with equal force to the other branches. The result of these decisions will be that many local people will find it much more difficult to access Post Office services. The High Street Post Office is already inadequate to handle the number of people using it, and these closures will make that situation worse. When the review of the original closure proposals was announced Postwatch specifically asked that action should be taken to improve the queuing times at the High Street main Post Office. This was in recognition of the fact that more people will go there if other Branches are closed. This has been totally ignored by the Post Office. For many people who now use the Orford Road and Chingford Road branches it will be very inconvenient to have to travel to the High Street or other branches. We are particularly disappointed that the Post Office have ignored the strongly held views of local people and have simply failed to answer the clear and strong case that was put forward for keeping all three branches open. We want to thank those local residents who supported the campaign to keep the Post Offices open. We will now be seeking an urgent meeting with the Post Office about these decisions and will be asking what plans they have to improve the services provided at the High Street Crown Post Office.
Neil Gerrard recently met with London Underground which has taken over the upgrading of the Victoria Line. He wanted me to share with readers of this site the outcomes of his meeting and the details of the ongoing engineering works. LU stated that, originally, the whole project was scheduled to be completed by 2013, but they are now aiming for a late 2011 finish. The upgrade will include 47 new trains, new signalling, renewed track, and a new control centre. This will result in an increase in capacity, and improved journey times.
The current early closures have allowed the work to be speeded up and LU are aiming to have the bulk of the engineering finished by the middle of next year. Closures should become fewer over time, and probably the current period of early evening closures will not be repeated. There are still some uncertainties, arising from the fact that LU have taken over this project from Metronet, and so still have to satisfy themselves that everything is going to keep to schedule. The key point however seems to be that although the whole project still has 3 years or more to run, the latter part of that is the bringing in of the new trains rather than continued major engineering works. I hope this is of interest and I'll keep updating this site if I get any further information on these works.
There will be a replacement bus service from Finsbury Park to Blackhorse Road and Walthamstow Central and at present I am informed the Liverpool St - Chingford service will run as usual. You can download a leaflet detailing the closures and also some weekends when the Victoria Line will not run at all here.
Both Neil Gerrard and myself are frustrated by this sudden action, despite previous assurances that no such closures were proposed. Neil is also writing to London Underground to ensure that there are no simultaneous closures of the Victoria Line and the Liverpool Street-Chingford overground line. I will update this blog as to their response and any details of further disruption.
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