December 2007 News Part 2
ALLIANCE ROAD WIDTH RESTRICTION
This sorry saga continues. On 26th October 2007 we reported to Ealing Council’s Engineer responsible for the site that the gate to the width restriction had been unlocked and opened on the afternoon of the 25th October. The gate was then closed and relocked in the afternoon of the 30th October. The gate was again unlocked and opened during the afternoon of the 1st November, which we reported on the 2nd November, but has remained open to date (29/11/2007). We understand that once again Ealing Council does not have a spare padlock with which to lock the gate. We have suggested to both the Engineer and Cllr. Barchuk, in our letter of 11th September that the padlock should be secured with a chain to prevent it being removed from the site when it has been unlocked, but to no avail.
In a report to the Acton Area Committee meeting of 21st November 2007 it states “Officers have been advised of ongoing deliberate damage to the width restriction and that repairs have been carried out”. The report also states “Officers are discussing the option for further CCTV monitoring to catch the individual causing the damage”.
In a letter to WARA from Cllr. Barchuk dated 3rd November 2007, he states “I’ve asked for the CCTV to be re-instated to catch the miscreants”. However, when we raised this matter with him after the Acton Area Committee meeting on 21st November, he was unable to provide us with the date of installation.
SAXON DRIVE, JUNCTION WITH NOEL ROAD, REALIGNMENT STUDY AND SAXON DRIVE TMO
A brief for a feasibility study has been issued to consultants and officers expect a design to be prepared by the end of November 2007.
Issues relating to the ‘No entry’ restriction (which does not have a valid Traffic Management Order) will be incorporated into this project. New traffic orders will be advertised as part of any resulting scheme.
LAND ADJACENT TO WESTERN AVENUE AND ALLAN WAY
At the end of July 2007, TfL submitted a Planning Application (P/2007/3456) for a housing development on the sites they own at the A40 end of Allan Way two sites.
A previous Application in 2004 was refused, both by the Ealing Council Planning Committee and at a subsequent public inquiry in 2006. The main reason for refusal was that the proposal did not comply with the Green Corridor Policy. From a review of the plans for the new development it appears that this proposal still does little to comply with the Green Corridor Policy. In the summary of amendments post planning appeal document, TfL claim that with the building line moved back “the average width of Green Corridor is increased to over 20 metres (an increase of approximately 5-6 metres as average)”. However, this is a somewhat false claim. With the house line moved back, the parking area and access road has been brought to the front of the development; about ⅓ of the frontage between Court Way and Allan Way, and about ½ the frontage between Court Way and Kathleen Avenue. There will be no more than a width of 10 metres in these areas between the A40 and the access roads. Therefore, the proposed development does not achieve the average 25 metres width required for the Green Corridor.
We have written to Planning to object to the current plans, as have a number of residents of Court Way and Western Avenue.
PLANNING APPLICATION: 8 WESTFIELDS ROAD
The application to build two two-storey dwellings on a vacant site in Westfields Road, on which a single bungalow was previously located, was refused planning consent at the 17th October 2007 meeting of Ealing Council’s Planning Committee. The reason for refusal was that the proposed development by virtue of its scale and design was considered to be out of character with the pattern of development of the bungalow grouping of which the site forms part. It would therefore be harmful to the character and appearance of the locality.
The site is currently overgrown with weeds and is used as a dump by fly tippers, and has become a serious health and safety hazard. WARA have contacted the agents and requested that the site is cleared of all rubbish and weeds as a matter of urgency, and that the mesh fencing is repaired to make the site secure.
NORTH ACTON PLAYING FIELDS
During the weekend of 10th and 11th November, the south facing front and the west facing end of the pavilion were quite heavily graffitied. We reported this to Ealing Council on 12th November and contractors cleaned off the graffiti on 13th November. It’s good to know that the graffiti removal section of Ealing Council has its finger on the pulse.
Despite all the monies that have been spent on the pavilion over the last couple of years, as far as we are aware, the pavilion still remains closed to both local residents and the public. The building works that commenced in the Autumn 2005 have still to be completed, as the access for people with disabilities has never been installed, nor has the provision of landscaping around the pavilion ever been carried out, despite both being conditions of planning consent being granted on 18th September 2005. This is yet another sorry saga in our midst.
ROAD RESURFACING
Some residents may have noticed that Cecil Road has been resurfaced recently. This raises the question as to why this road has been resurfaced, when there are others in the area where the road surface is badly worn or heavily patched and carry a greater volume of traffic on a daily basis. Cllr. Barchuk informs us that the decision on which streets to resurface is taken on the basis of a grading exercise undertaken each year. The scores from the grading are moderated to give more weighting to major roads within the Borough. While this system ensures a fair allocation of road resurfacing works across the Borough, there is a question as to whether this approach adequately identifies those residential roads that carry significantly more traffic than other residential roads. Roads will be graded over the winter and Cllr. Barchuk will be looking at the results to see if the list of roads prioritized for re-surfacing properly reflects their relative importance to users.
BURGLARIES
Residents are reminded to be alert and keep their homes secure. Recently a home in Court Way was burgled. There have been further break-ins in Saxon Drive.
