Bolney Meadow Estate Housing Office

Presentation Housing Association have taken over direct management of the Bolney Meadow Housing Office. Bolney Meadow Estate was formerly part of the South Lambeth Estate when run by Lambeth Council.

Following the stock transfer in 2008, an office on the estate was opened at the Melcombe House Annexe on Kibworth Street. Presentation had initially contracted out the running of the office to a private company, but have now taken it in-house.

The new phone number for the Bolney Meadow Office is 0800 1979799

Objection to Windmill Row cycle bays

As local councillors, we have formally submitted an objection to the plans from Transport for London regarding cycle bays on Windmill Row.

There is very little space for parking as it is, and there are plenty of other alternative sites in the area which could be used for the cycle hire scheme.

We strongly support the idea of the cycle hire bays and very much hope that both Kennington Cross, Vauxhall and the Oval area benefit from these, but this particular site should have never made it onto the list.

Vauxhall Park Summer Fair - thank you for your comments

Oval Ward Lib Dems held a special advice surgery at this month's Vauxhall Park Summer Fair.

We were joined by Lib Dem London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon and we held a consulation session on the proposed new 42 storey development at Bondway to hear what people think.

Most residents were opposed to the plans, a few were supportive - but everyone was very clear that if permission does get given, the planners must make a sizeable contribution to local facilities such as Vauxhall Park and nearby streets - known as Section 106 contributions.

Thank you to everyone who commented.

42 storey tower block plans are launched

Plans have been submitted to Lambeth Council for a 42 storey tower block on the site of the Bondway Self-Storage depot (69-71 Bondway) opposite the far end of the Vauxhall Bus Station (ie the part of the bus station furthest away from the tube entrance).

Some residents have already been in touch with us to express concern at the height of the proposed building as it is on the edge of the area earmarked for new development and will dominate the nearby low-rise residential area around Lawn Lane, Langley Lane, Vauxhall Grove and Bonnington Square as well as Fentiman Road and the nearby Vauxhall Park.

These photos show the view from the junction of Langley Lane and Bonnington Square.

You can comment on-line via this link on Lambeth Council's planning website, but as your local ward councillors, we also want to know what you think - email us at oval.news@googlemail.com

Oval Cricket Ground - Secretary of State gives go-ahead to hotel and extra seats

Following the public enquiry, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has given the green light to plans by Surrey County Cricket Club and Arora International Hotels for the demolition of the Lock, Laker and Peter May stands and the creation of an additional 1,830 seats (the precise number of seats was confirmed at the public enquiry) and a hotel.

Oval's local Lib Dem Councillors supported local residents over their concerns regarding the loss of daylight, extra noise, traffic and disturbance, we wrote to the enquiry about them and Councillor Andrew Sawdon raised these and other concerns at the public enquiry alongside residents of the Kennington Park Estate, Kennington Oval and Rothesay Court (near the Oval tube).

The plans originally went to public enquiry following the Health and Safety Executive raising concerns over the proimity of the nearby Kennington gas holders, but the Secretary of State has now decided that these concerns (and those of the residents) do not warrant refusing permission.

The permission did come with restrictions on the hours of operation of the building work (and, once finished, the buildings themselves) and noise restrictions, and we will be keeping in contact with local residents to ensure these conditions are adhered to.

Gin Distillery, Montford Place

Oval's Lib Dem Councillors have been listening to local residents in Montford Place over their concerns with the planned vistor centre to the Gin Distillery on Kennington Green. We have raised the following concerns with the council:

1. Residents are concerned about seven day opening.

2. Residents are concerned about the hours of operation and would wish to see a condition regarding closing, particularly in relation to hospitality.

3. Residents are concerned about coaches and about how coach parties get from the parking place to the entrance – they would wish the visitors not to have to pass along Montford Place.

4. Residents do not wish for the exit to be from the shop, but from the same point as the entrance.

We are also concerned that there should be a plan for the boundary treatment and for the stub end of montord place up to the barrier and for parking:

- The barrier needs to be moved northwards still allowing for access (ie two loading bays northwards) the released space can be used for additional KSR parking bays

- In order to compensate for loss of parking some of the single lines on the boroughs (eastern side) of the northern part of Kennington Place should be removed (also white crossover lining) and replace with residents parking bays.

- There should be a decent streetscape scheme to resurface and plant etc.

- Design should be submitted in advance of any planning decision, and not left as reserved to be dealt with later.

Thank you for voting!

Thank you to everyone who voted for Sarah Ludford MEP and the Lib Dem team in Oval Ward in the European Election campaign. Sarah was safely returned as London's Liberal Democrat MEP.

And in neighbouring Princes Ward, Lib Dem John Roberts achieved an 8% swing from Labour to Lib Dem and nearly halved the Labour majority in the by-election caused by the resignation of a Labour Councillor who claimed £15,000 in allowances for a year and a half but had moved to Bristol.

The swing, if repeated, would be more than enough for Labour to lose control of Lambeth.
Full results on this link.

Don't forget to vote on Thursday!

Thursday is election day in the European elections and the neighbouring Princes Ward by-election. We have been campaigning to support our colleague John Roberts who is standing in Princes (on the left of the photo) and Sarah Ludford MEP (2nd from left) and the Lib Dem team in the European Parliamentary race. Just a few more votes would see a see a second Lib Dem London Euro MP, Jonathan Fryer, elected.

For more details on Sarah's campaign, visit http://www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk/

Don't forget to vote - polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm. You don't need your polling card to vote!

Helping create a safer estate

We have persuaded the council to come up with some funding to demolish a tall wall on the Mawbey Brough Estate, near the Mawbey Arms pub.

Residents had told us the alleyway just didn't feel safe, especially in the evenings. We hope that the lower wall will make sure the alleyway feels safer and helps reduce the fear of crime. We are now calling on the council to find the funding for railings on top of the wall.

Vauxhall Society

Are you intersted in the Vauxhall area and want to support the Vauxhall Society's work?

Details below of their open meeting coming up next month.



7.30 for 7.45 - Wednesday 17th June 2009

St Stephen’s Church Annexe,
Corner of St Stephen’s Terrace and Wilkinson St SW8 1DH

OPEN MEETING
WORKING TOGETHER: PLANNING OUR AREA OURSELVES

For all local organisations and peoplewho care about their neighbourhood and our whole area:
Kennington, Vauxhall, Oval and around.

Can we act together to strengthen our voices?

How can we all keep and use the Vauxhall Society’s huge amounts of useful present day and historical information on the whole area,
its planning expertise and influence, and its connections? Or shall we lose all this?

The Vauxhall Society’s AGM will follow the open meeting at 8.45 at the latest
The Vauxhall Society is the Civic Society covering the north of Lambethand adjoining areas of Southwark and Wandsworth. It was founded in 1969 and benefits from being a member of the London Forum of Civic Societies. The Society exists to encourage interest in and care for the character, history and future of the area, to maintain and improve the quality of life of all who live here, and to conserve the natural and built environment of the area.

It is consulted by the planning authorities and others on development proposals, supports local organisations in opposing unsuitable developments, and researches local history.

Yearly membership: organisations £5, individuals £3, students and 60+ £1.50

Free micro-chipping day for dogs and cats

Tuesday June 16th between 4pm to 8pm sees a free micro-chipping day for dogs and cats at the North Lambeth Housing Office, 91 Kennington Lane, SE11 4HQ

Although it is aimed specifically at residents on Lambeth Living managed estates (ie Lambeth estates), anyone can bring their dog or cat along.

Specialists including the RSPCA and the police consider micro-chipping to be a good way of re-uniting lost pets with their owners and also the most effective method to tackle anti-social behaviour from dogs as it provides a record of the owner's identity.

Battersea Power Station - have your say!

The developers of the Battersea Power Station are holding a second set of public consultation meetings and are keen to hear the views of Lambeth residents as well as Wandsworth ones.

The intention is to submit a planning application to Wandsworth Council in the summer and if permission is granted then the first stage of development would be finished by 2014 and the final stage by 2020.

There is a lot happening in Vauxhall and Nine Elms, and we do think it is important that local people get involved and have their say.

The public exhibition is taking place on:

Thursday 4th June 12pm-8pm
Friday 5th June 10am-6pm
Saturday 6th June 10am-5pm

At:

Gate 2 on Kirtling Street, which is just off Battersea Park Road (which leads from Nine Elms Lane at Vauxhall Cross).

If you cannot make the exhibition, you can write to the developers at:

Battersea Power Station Community Views, FREEPOST, 5th Floor, Holborn Gate, 26 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1QB.
email: info@battersea-powerstation.com
Telephone: 0845 262 2625
http://www.battersea-powerstation.com/

Although the applicaiton will be considered by Wandsworth Council, as local ward councillors in Lambeth, we will be given the opportunity to comment as any development will affect the Vauxhall and Oval areas. Let us know as well what you think.

Supporting extra buses

We have had an official reply from TFL regarding improvements to local bus routes 59, (Streatham Hill to Kings Cross) 133 (Streatham to Liverpool Street), and N133 (Mitcham to Liverpool Street) .

TFL are proposing that the 59 will get the frequencies increased in the daytime Monday to Saturday to every 6-7 minutes and an increase in peak hour journeys going North to Kings Cross to a bus every 5 minutes, and an extra bus at the start of the day.

The 133 bus will see an extra journey in the morning and evening peak periods and the N133 will see frequency improved from a bus every 30 minutes to a bus every 20 minutes.

These improvements still have to finally be confirmed by TFL but we have written in support of them as local Lib Dem Councillors.

Helping the South Lambeth Library

Last weekend we were delighted to see that work had finished on the backyard of the South Lambeth Library to bring it into use as an outside space for library users, following a succssful campaign and lots of hard work by the Friends of the South Lambeth Library.

The rennovation work was mostly funded by us as local councillors with some funding from the Friends of the South Lambeth Library. Lambeth gave £12,000 as a "Ward Purse" for various local projects and it is up to councillors to agree what it should be spent on.

We agreed that part of the money should go towards rennovating what was just an unused, derelict backyard space. The official opening will be very soon and we hope that we have a good summer so library users can enjoy it!

Little things mean a lot!

Oval's Lib Dem councillors know that very often it is the small things we can do to help that make a real difference to people.

A few of the more recent issues include getting action on the following issues:

- dumped rubbish cleared away on Kennington Lane (pictured above)

- ensuring the council took prompt action to help repair his home when a Harleyford Court resident was flooded by the flat above

- A resident contacted us on Richborne Terrace after a year-long battle with Lambeth Council for a smaller wheelie bin outside their house, we ensured the council took action and delivered the correct bin within 4 days of being contacted about it

- A Fentiman Road resident contacted us about double yellow lines that were incorrectly painted outside her house - it has been a long drawn out process to get the traffic order to remove these lines but we should be there in the next week or so

- graffiti reported and removed on South Lambeth Place (leading to Vauxhall train station)

- street lights repaired on Oval Way by the new Lilian Baylis School

- ensuring the council refunded a Sirinham Point resident on the Ashmole Estate for the electric heaters he had to buy after the boiler broke down over Christmas and the New Year

- helping a Wyvil Estate resident with complaints about anti-social behaviour from a nearby flat; we were pleased that the noise has now abated!

- working with residents on the Mawbey Brough Estate to get a high wall demolished which will we hope mean more visibility and a reduction in the fear of crime, as well as in the longer run being a catalyst to regenerate the nearby play areas

- supporting Kennington Park Estate residents over the new floodlighting being installed at the Oval Cricket Ground

- Helping a Crewdson Road resident who was a leaseholder with the council resolve a long running dispute over a major works bill

The work continues all year round!

Thames Water and graffiti

Readers of this blog may have seen the works by Thames Water to replace the old Victorian water mains in the Oval and Vauxhall area.

Everyone appreciates how important the works are to stop old pipes from leaking precious water but we have asked the council and Thames Water to ensure that when the pavements are replaced, the markings are then removed. The problem is that if left alone they attract more graffiti (we have one example on Meadow Road, SW8 that we have reported to the council).

Residents win fight to stop expansion

Local residents, supported by local Councillors, have persuaded the Council not to grant the FIRE nightclub at Vauxhall Cross permission to have extra capacity by expanding into adjacent arches. The club at the moment can hold 1,435 people and FIRE wanted to increase this by 25%.

Residents (and councillors) have stressed that they did not oppose the club itself being in operation, but nearby streets have had problems with anti-social behaviour and nuisance on club nights including taxi touts operating at all hours and there was a strong concern that any expansion in numbers would make matters worse. There were 30 objections received by the council from local people - which is a significant number.

One resident reminded the Council's Licensing Committee that when FIRE was closed two years ago for a 6 week period following a drug raid by the police, the area was far more peaceful at night; so it was not a problem caused by other clubs in the Vauxhall Cross area.

Councillor Andrew Sawdon spoke on behalf of one objector, along with 3 other local residents.

The local Viva Vauxhall residents blogsite has more details.

Congratulations John!

Congratulations to John Roberts who has been selected as the Lib Dem Candidate in the Princes Ward by-election, which borders onto Oval Ward at Kennington Lane, Kennington Road and Kennington Park Road (John is pictured above with local Lib Dem Parliamentary Campaigner and London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon).

We are backing John to win, he has lived locally for 20 years and has worked hard for the local community, for instance his hard work to support the Vauxhall City Farm, which is loved and valued by many people, including many Oval Ward residents.

You can read more about the by-election here and here.

New US embassy website

Following our previous post on the news that the US embassy are developing plans for their new site at Nine Elms, we see that they have set up a website giving more details, and a map of the plans can be found here.

As before, we have concerns over traffic and the ability of the local transport system to cope - Vauxhall tube station is very busy at the moment! But we will keep an eye on the plans as they develop.

The website gives you the chance to comment on this application.

Oval Cricket Ground - public enquiry date and floodlight testing

We have been told that the result of the public enquiry into the proposed hotel at the Oval Cricket Ground will be available around the first week in June.

Also, Surrey County Cricket Club are testing the new floodlights at the Oval Cricket Ground on the evenings of April 29th and 30th.

The plan is to test both the level of lighting on the pitch and to check that no lights are shining into people's homes.

Local councillors continue to raise the concerns of residents on match days to do with noise and anti-social behaviour. If you do have any problems with noise on those days you can always let us know or contact Surrey County Cricket Club's line on 020 7820 5656.