TfL re-applys to Hackney to build a private gated community in Dalston

Transport for London , with its partners Taylor Wimpey, have re-applied to Hackney Council for planning permission to build a 90% private gated community on Dalston public land. The original plans were withdrawn last January and, following some design changes, TfL claim Hackney planners now back it as an "exemplar design". Hackney deny that, but confirm that "revised proposals addressing previous concerns" have been lodged. You can see the planning application documents here . We urge you to let Hackney know you views. 

 
TfL acknowledges  that the earlier designs were considered  "uninspiring and repetitive" but it now describes the new designs for the Western Curve's northern block as 'sculptural' and which 'responds' to local character. One change has been the reduction from 8 to 7 storeys.  TfL claims the designs now "respond...to the ambitions of the community". (Do you agree?  Ed.)

The two sites, northern and southern, are above TfLs Western Curve rail link, which runs from Dalston Juction towards Canonbury. Hackney has contributed over £1million towards building concrete slabs over the tunnels to support taller buildings. Hackney & TfL have both ignored OPEN's Freedom of Information requests for details of their deal so any conflict of interest will not be made public.

Of 106 'units' to be built on the two sites there will only be 9 flats for social rent - that is 8.5% whereas the Council and GLA policies aim to achieve 35% for social rent (ie 37 flats in this case). There are some 9,000 overcrowded families with children living in Hackney.

The test for whether it's "financially viable" to provide affordable housing assumes a 20% developer profit on investment ie £200K profit for every £1m spent. The difference here though is that this is public land with investment already paid for by the public. Where is the public benefit for Dalston from the development TfL are proposing?

 Let Hackney know you views. Do it NOW here.

The developers are trying to maximise their returns by overscale buildings - at the permanent expense of our local environment. Last year they appealed to the Government Inspector against the Council's policy of 4-6 storeys for the sites. Their appeal failed, but nevertheless their current application is for 6-7 storeys.  TfL have a history - look at The Slab and Dalston Square.

The proposed block on TfL's southern site at Dalston Junction by Ashwin Street. Design changes include adding more balconies and replacing cheap materials with more expensive finishes.

Dalston is one of the most densely populated wards, and one of the most deficient in green space, in London. All of TfL's public  land will be privatised by enclosure within the sites, with no open or green space accessible there to the public.TfL says that Hackney opposes new public space but the Council's design guidance for the sites states that "new and improved areas of green open space and/or public realm will be encouraged" and Hackney's guidance is also consistent with GLA policy.  TfL also imply the police don't want any public open space for safety reasons.

Happily, TfL's eco-consultants have been able to confirm that no foraging badgers, otters or great crested newts will be put at risk by its development in Dalston. Sadly, TfL will be providing no play space for children living in the development or locally.

Let Hackney know you views. Do it NOW here.

TfL's consultant's report states that the design of the northern site is such that overshadowing will be "Substatially Adverse" for this Edwardian terrace, which includes upstairs living accommodation . Even the privatised amenity space for residents within the new development will be 90% overshadowed. The new blocks will loom over the surrounding buildings.

This fine 1903 terrace at 37-49 Kingsland High Street includes listed buildings but they will be reduced to below British sunlight standards. TfL have not commissioned further studies despite their consultant's recommendations to do so.

The 6-storey block on the Southern Site, which will extend up Kingsland High Street east side, will enclose Ashwin Street and conceal views of the recently restored Reeves and Son building and the Shiloh Church. They have always enjoyed an open aspect, with good sunlight, because there were one and two storey buildings on the site before TfL demolished them to work on the tunnels.

TfL's sunlight consultant has not reported regarding the lower floors of the Reeves and Son building's west elevation because, TfL says, sunlight there is "not required". The building will be enclosed and overshadowed by TfL's 6-storey development. Ashwin Street will become a "shared space" for HGV delivery vehicles ( to do three point turns) and pedestrians.   

TfL's proposed 6-storey block will extend up the High Street and enclose the west side of Ashwin Street.

You can see the planning application documents here and, before it is too late,  Let Hackney know your views. Do it NOW here.

( PS TfL have asked for a further meeting with OPEN to discuss, and propose £15,000 funding, to identify the potential for developing public green space elsewhere in Dalston. We will report further on this blog about that in due course. Ed.)

Hackney denies TfL's claim that it backs "exemplar" gated community

Hackney have publically denied TfL's claim that its officers have described TfL amended plans for a new gated community in Dalston as of "exemplar design".

TfL withdrew its planning application last January and last week it issued an official brochure promoting an amended scheme . The brochure states: "We have since engaged again with officers to resolve these design matters and have revised the scheme accordingly to meet their wishes. Officers have now confirmed that the revised and substantially improved scheme can be supported as an exemplar design"

TfL describes the new design of the Western Curve's northern block now as 'sculptural' and which 'responds' to local character.

A Hackney Council spokesperson has responded to say: "Hackney Council planning officers have not described the design proposals for the Dalston Western Curve sites as 'exemplar'. Officers raised concerns with regards to the design quality of the initial planning application on this site and revised proposals addressing previous concerns have just been submitted. This application and the consultation period is ongoing and officers have yet to form a view on the revised application."

"Exemplar design" is an important word in the planning world - exceptional design is used to  argue for a departure from plannning policies. The Dalston Area Action Plan policy for TfL's northern site is for buildings of 4-6 storeys. TfL's design is for 6-7 storeys.

OPEN's solicitor has sent  a request to both Hackney and TfL requesting production of their record of the discussions held concerning the design of TfLs amended scheme.

TfL claim Hackney planners back its "exemplar" gated community

TfL reports that its amended scheme for a gated development on Dalston's Western Curve has been described as of "exemplar design" by Hackney's planners ie a model which Hackney would like to see copied or imitated. Previously its plans, TfL acknowledges, were described as "uninspiriring and repetitive".

TfL describes the Western Curve's northern block now as 'sculptural' and which 'responds' to local character.

TfL's amended plans follow the withdrawal of its plannning application last January, after criticism by the local community and Council plannners. The amended plans have removed the 8th storey ( except for the corner tower), and set back the 6th and 7th storeys, of the northern block on the corner of Bolyen Road and Kingsland High Street. TfL describes the reduced height as a "substantial concession" - although the Council and government approved Dalston Area Action Plan identifies 4-6 storeys only as suitable for the site.

The block on the southern site, extending north from Dalston Junction, will dominate the street scene and obscure views and light from Ashwin Street and the Reeves and Sons Printhouse building and Shiloh Church.

Other design changes include more variation to the frontages, upgrading cheaper to more expensive finishes, increased room heights to flats, more balconies etc.

From the outset TfL, a public landowner,  rejected OPEN Dalston's requests for public green space to be incorporated within the designs. It insists that all the public land would be enclosed as amenity space within its new private development in which some 90% of flats will be for sale.

OPEN Dalston's illustration of the potential for linking green spaces through Dalston above the Western Curve railway tunnels

We met TfL's bosses, the GLA, and put forward detailed evidence of need and designs to illustrate what would be possible. Providing green space is known to increase well-being. It also increases land values (see, for example, the High Line effect) but TfL say our plans would make their scheme "financially unviable" . TfL says that Hackney agrees that public green space would be "inappropriate", although the Council's official design brief for the sites refers to "encouraging" the provision of  open green space.

OPEN Dalston understands that TfL has now re-submitted its plannning application for the sites and we anticpiate  that Hackney's planners will recommend the scheme to the Council's Planning Committee. In the meantime we still await TfL's response to our proposals for greening other local TfL owned sites for which it presently has no development plans

Hackney's plastics legacy

Hackney's Lea valley industries were innovative. They discovered and manufactured plastics.The exploitation of this scientific legacy has had a global reach.


"Midway" - a film by Chris Jordan

Just recently a sperm whale died on a Spanish beach with 17kg of plastic in its stomach.

Photo of the River Lea - by the  2012 Olympic Site

"I remember that a wise friend of mine did usually say, 'That which is everybody's business is nobody's business.' "  Izaak Walton, Piscator, who fished the Lea in the 17th Century.  

In other words, it's everyones' problem but noone's responsibility.

UPDATE

JLT comments below that you can find out about solutions here:

Council grant development approval. Dalston playground land to be sold.

Last night Hackney's Planning Committee granted approval for a massive residential-led scheme on Martel Place/Dalston Lane - the last undeveloped site on Dalston's Eastern Curve - despite the Council having promised, following public consultation on its Dalston Area Action Plan (DAAP), that there would be a kids' public playground as a priority. A skateboard park had been flagged up.

Kids and parents attended the Town Hall in numbers to protest at the sell off of Council open green land on the site to the private developer but were only allowed five minutes to voice their many objections to the multi-million pound scheme. SAVE Britains Heritage also wrote in to object.

After the hearing one of the kids, Dex, said "It's disgusting. They said the playground must now wait to see if they'll build tower blocks on the shopping centre site. Still, we've now found a great new place for  skateboarding - on The Slab above Dalston junction station."

The Slab, which Hackney helped subsidise, was built by TfL for its buses at a cost of £63million but only one bus, the 488, uses it and there are only five of those an hour. "We can easily dodge the 488, so The Slab is fairly safe" said Dex "We just have to watch out for the police. They chuck us off when we skateboard there, and on the shopping centre car park, but there's nowhere else to go."

Council officers informed the Planning Committee that the playgound was always planned to go on a re-developed Kingsland Shopping Centre site however the site policies in the DAAP makes no mention of it there but expressly refers to the playground going on the Eastern Curve site. Martel Place is part of the 'Eastern Curve Character Area' in the DAAP.

The planning permission departs radically from the planning guidance for the site in terms of height, density, affordable housing and employment space. The value of the land Hackney is selling to the Martel Place developer will increase substantially if the planning permission is eventually upheld. Hackney's Mayor Pipe and the private developer will both be delighted by this windfall.

Because of the size of the scheme Hackney's planning permission will require approval by Boris' GLA. Objectors are entitled to make representations to the GLA

You can sign the dissenter's petition here

Hackney deny children's playground provision.

Hackney has denied that it ever intended to build the promised children's playground as part of the Martel Place development. Hackney owns open green space there which is to be sold to the major private developer which is seeking planning permission for the site.

The 5 -10 storey blocks proposed for Martel Place development at the junction with Dalston Lane leading to the Kingsland Shopping Centre's rear car park.

Following public consultation , the promised "active youth facility" ( for 12 year olds and above) was included in the Council's Dalston Area Action Plan (DAAP) which underwent government inspection last summer. A skateboard park was talked of. It's location would  be at the " far eastern end of the Eastern Curve", which would be renamed as Ritson Place, and it would be developed  as part of the Eastern Curve ( Sites CA5 which includes Martel Place).

All the other development sites on the Eastern Curve have since been built on with blocks of 8-14 storeys. Martel Place, on which Hackney owns the green open land,  is the only remaining undeveloped site on the Eastern Curve. 

Kingsland Shopping Centre car park which has since been lined with the blocks of 8 -14 storeys of Point One Appartments and Kinetica Tower

Although Hackney recognises the severe deficiency of kids play areas in Dalston, it has now informed us that it's "vision" is not to provide the playground as part of the redevelopment of the Eastern Curve sites at all. It says the playground will be provided as part of the redevelopment of the Kingsland Shopping Centre - but that could be years away in the future, if at all. By that time our "12 year old and above" kids will have grown up after more years of playing on the streets!

The redeveloped Martel Place site will comprise massive blocks containing 121 flats but only 15 (12%) will be for affordable rent and those, in a seperate block, appear to have no direct access to the "semi-private" open space within the development. Hackney's policy is to aim for 50% affordable housing in new developments, of which 60% would be for rent ie 36 affordable rental flats in this case..

Council  planners have taken "independent" advice from Hackney's Property Service Department which, in turn, is seeking to maximise the receipt from its land sale. That Department has advised that 15 affordable rental flats are the most that can be achieved to make the deal "financially viable" ie so the developer makes a 20% profit on investment. 

Although the plans depart radically from the Council's own DAAP guidelines for the site in terms of building height, housing density, priority employment uses and affordable housing, the Planning Department will be recommending approval of the scheme to the Planning Committee which will consider granting planning permission on Wednesday 6th March.  A very large number of objections from the community have been made to the scheme.

You can comment on the official plan here
You can sign the dissenter's petition here

(PS  Play Space is so lacking in Dalston that the authorities 'big idea' now is "Play Streets." Ed)

Hackney to sell off Dalston playground.

Public green land owned by the Council is to be sold as part of a major private development in Dalston. 120 flats, in 5 to 10 storey blocks, are to be built on land which had been earmarked as a priority by the Council for a public children's playground.

Artist's impression of the scheme from the Matalan/Sainsbury's car park which has since been lined with 8 - 14 storey towers

The recently approved Dalston Area Action Plan (DAAP) specified that the public playground would be specially landscaped and designed as an "active youth space" for kids of twelve years and over. But there's no sign of that in the development scheme proposed. The GLA London Planners have even suggested that a designated 'semi-private courtyard' should be entirely privatised to give residents in the flats "a sense of ownership". The development will be 87% privately owned. 

Artist's impression from Dalston Lane railway bridge with blocks rising from five to ten stories.

We are told that the Council's Planning Department has already decided  to recommend the scheme although it departs radically from its own DAAP guidelines for the site in terms of building height, housing density, priority employment uses and affordable housing.

The development land's value will increase very significantly if it all goes according to the landowner's plan. The Council will be quids in too if it grants planning permission because it also owns part of the land ! In that case, sadly, Dalston kids would lose out. ( Not to mention the 60 odd artist's who will lose their affordable studios. Ed)

You can comment on the official plan here
You can sign the dissenter's petition here

(PS  Play Space is so lacking in Dalston that the authorities 'big idea' now is "Play Streets." Ed)