Hackney Council last night rejected a proposal from the Stamford Hill Neighbourhood Forum (The Forum), which had wanted to use the Localism Act of 2011 to take over responsibility for planning decisions in the wards of Cazenove, Lordship, New River and Springfield. The council cited “clear tensions within the community in North Hackney”.
Leabridge Conservative councillor Linda Kelly, who is chairman of The Forum, told East London Lines that she will continue to seek to form a neighbourhood forum. “There is more than one option in the Localism Act, so we’ll go to plan B. It’s as simple as that.”
Community group, Hackney Planning Watch (HPW), which is opposed to the formation of neighbourhood forums and the devolution of planning powers, has welcomed the Council Cabinet’s decision, announced at a meeting yesterday (July 22) to reject the bid in favour of designating a new, more suitable “neighbourhood area”.
A statement on the group’s website says: “While Planning Watch had serious concerns about the declaration of a Neighbourhood Area, we were reassured by the commitment given to the Cabinet by Councillor Guy Nicholson that it is the Council’s intention to go further and declare an Area Action Plan.
“Under an Area Action Plan, the Council would continue to have democratic control over planning policy in the area, and would, perhaps for the first time, seek to develop an inclusive strategy for addressing the various needs in the area.”
Jane Holgate of HPW told ELL: “We believe from talking to people in the community that neighbourhood forums are not popular and are not wanted by most people. People would prefer the council services to be run by their local council – that’s what we elect councillors for.”
HPW collected some 2,500 signatures from local people opposed to what they see as an attempt to “rip up the rule book” and grant approval for developments, such as unsuitable extensions to homes, that they say would be rejected under local authority planning rules.
There have been concerns that the area’s large Haredi Jewish community, represented by the Stamford Hill Neighbourhood Forum, had wanted to use the Localism Act to build unsuitable extensions to their homes.
Councillor Kelly rejected the allegation that the forum exists to grant untrammelled planning to those in the Haredi community.
‘The Stamford Hill Neighbourhood Forum was supposed to bring people together. It was not just about planning. It wasn’t about the orthodox Jew at the bottom of the road getting a loft extension. It is much more than that. It’s to do with the looking at traffic, looking at education and trying to find a consensus that we could build on.
“Hackney Planning Watch, from what I understand, seems to be fixated on this idea that these people just want loft extensions and that they should be stopped.”
Under the Planning Act, groups of at least 21 people can apply to take over responsibility for planning decisions, including where homes, businesses and shops are built and how they should look, within a designated area.
The Council Cabinet also rejected a rival bid from the North Hackney Neighbourhood Forum, which was originally founded by members of HPW, though they have since distanced themselves from it and actually asked the council to reject it.
Hackney Council will now propose a new “neighbourhood area” for which it will invite new proposals, though this could take up to two years.
‘Hackney Planning Watch’ are not a “community group”, they are yet another self-interest opposition group and have no right to say they are representative of the community.
Dear ‘you what?!’
You have clearly been misinformed about the nature of Hackney Planning Watch. HPW is a local community group that has been in existence for over 15 years. It is concerned with issues relating to planning, particularly unauthorized developments and lack of enforcement against these by the local planning authority.
HPW is made up of all sections of the local community and has open meeting for all those that share these concerns. During its many campaigns over the years it has held public meetings, consultations and undertaken research and consultation to inform local residents about planning issues that affect the community.
We have produced many newsletters and leaflets that have been distributed to the whole community as well as lobbying the council to change its policies and to provide a better service to residents in Hackney.
Jane Holgate,
So why do you routinely fail to post comments on your site made by Hackney residents who hold differing views from your own? I’ve had many comments “awaiting moderation” for months whilst other later comments from your supporters have been posted.
This is clear evidence that you are not a group concerned with inclusive community, but rather are pro-actively alienating voices within the community who don’t agree with your position.
Furthermore, what gives you the right to claim to speak for the whole of Stoke Newington with claims such as “Stokey says no to Sainsburys”?
As the article above states: ‘HPW collected some 2,500 signatures from local people’, I think that gives us the right to describe ourselves as a local community group which represents a significant viewpoint in the community.
Perhaps ‘you what?!’ would like to share their definition of a community group?
A community group would be concerned with the whole community and would not deliberately alienate voices within that community who hold differing views from their own. It would also not falsely project the views of its leaders on to the entire community and then use its name in order to bolster its position (“Stokey says no to Sainsburys”).
Those are the (dubious)actions of specific issue campaigning groups and you should know the difference.
It is good to see a debate about local issues….
However, there is a major planning application which will impact East London.
Over in the London Borough of Newham, we have London City Airport. In previous years, they won expansion to increase flights from 76,000 to 120,000 flight (1 flight every 98 seconds).
However, whilst they grow to that capacity, they have put another planning application to increase terminals sizes and extend runways and for permission to use bigger planes.
This airport opened in 1987, and it was only allowed to use small “propeller” planes for VIP businessmen. However, over the years it has broken its promises to residents and uses bigger noisier jet planes. The planes haves have been getting bigger over the years and it is only going to get worse. Heathrow only started as a tiny airfield… look at it now. The aviation industry is relentless. It will not take a No. There can be no co-existence with london city airport, as they are a constant threat. They have pushing for the last 25 years. This is why I believe I believe the airport needs to shut down.
More expansion is going to impact more and more people, as they fly more planes over East London. For instance Victoria park has a lots of aircraft noise. We never use to experience such problems.
Over in Newham, there is a transient population, people don’t know how to fight the local council. The Airport has blighted the area like the Royal Docks.
Add to this, is the political problem in Newham, which is a dictatorship. The Mayor in Newham is an elected Mayor (he does what he likes). All his 60 Councillors are from the Labour party and they have to be obedient to the Mayor, otherwise they get booted out or loose portfolios.
We need help, because local people don’t know how to campaign and object to this expansion. Newham is not like Hackney.
Also, with expansion City Airport, there may be more Heathrow jets, as they try to juggle the air space around East London. Heathrow jets are already overflying East London, because they are landing over at Heathrow.
Even Boris Johnson, who does not like aircraft noise did nothing to stop expansion of London City Airport. The airport claims it needed expansion for new routes for business, but the routes have been to Mallorca and Ibiza, hardly justification to fly from an airport from a city airport in a residential area.
Hackney is only a few miles from London City Airport….
Heathrow has a strong group to oppose the third runway, but around London City Airport, we don’t have that.
This is why one day, some of you in Hackney sitting in your gardens and wondering why are there so many aircraft flying overhead. You may wonder why did n’t the residents in Newham do something to stop expansion?. The Council was taken to Court over the decision, but the case was lost. But we need support, as some key people, sold up and left the area….
Dear Anon
We would be happy to follow up on this but you have not provided any contact details. Please email us(contact form on the site) so that we can get in touch,
Best
ELL