Category Archives: Neighbourhoods

by | October 8, 2016 · 20:46

Dudley House 6: Consultation on a new planning application

Following last April’s exhibition at St Mary’s Church, developer STS Group Investments has, this summer, submitted a planning application to convert and extend, above and behind, Dudley House on The Grove, Isleworth.

Dudley House, September 2016

Dudley House, September 2016

The plans show the creation of 9 one bedroom, 6 two bedrooms and 2 three bedrooms flats at this former nursing home site together with associated service and parking proposals. This scheme is for private dwellings.

Proposed front elevation at Dudley House, The Grove, Isleworth

Proposed front elevation at Dudley House, The Grove, Isleworth

A number of documents can be found on the LB Hounslow planning website filed under the reference 00523/C/P14 and are also available for inspection at Isleworth Library but some are included here:

Comments on this application may still be made up until a decision is made; at the time of writing there is no indication as to when the council’s planning committee will consider it. The next three meetings are scheduled to take place on 3 November 2016, 1 December 2016 and 12 January 2017.

All previous posts on Dudley House can be found here.

TL 8.10.2016

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by | October 8, 2016 · 17:16

Osterley Library has friends

Longer term residents will be familiar with this one.

St Mary's Crescent, Isleworth

On St Mary’s Crescent since 1966

Though, no matter how long people have had the pleasure to live in Osterley & Spring Grove Ward, Hounslow’s largest and greenest, everyone should by now be aware of the scale of unnecessary cuts in government funding in name of austerity. Just 24% of the London Borough of Hounslow’s spend is raised by Council Tax.

Locally, mooted closures of Osterley Library have been fought off three times since 1992. Its and the neighbouring Osterley Bowls Club site being mentioned as potential for development on pages 43, 44 and 48 of this council document has again raised interest.

Late last month, the Osterley & Wyke Green Residents Association circulated this flyer that encouraged some 50 residents to a meeting at Thistleworth Tennis Club to discuss the possible fates of both facilities.

Osterley Library opened by past Labour strongman Alf King 50 years ago

Osterley Library opened by past Labour strongman Alf King 50 years ago

It was explained at the meeting that whilst the site could be developed for housing, the property strategy document states Osterley Library would be relocated should this be likely to happen.

For where it is and what it offers, Osterley’s library is a valuable local resource and more people are encouraged to join and use it.  The place offers not just books but newspapers, magazines, information, computers, quiet study space, regular activities for children and adults as well as a good reason for otherwise isolated people to get out of the house and see folk.  Apart from our three parks, Osterley Library is the only council facility in the whole of Osterley & Spring Grove Ward.

Osterley Bowls Club may be another matter. Reduced and attempts to encourage new membership and other factors raised such as local parking controls within the Osterley Station CPZ give club officials cause for concern.

To assist, the possibility of revising controlled hours on St Mary’s Crescent has been discussed with the council’s traffic team. It has been agreed that residents there will be written to before the end of October asking whether they may wish the same controls as in Jersey Road (east of the Osterley Park main gate), Monday to Friday 10am to 12pm rather the current weekdays 9.30am to 5.30pm.

Osterley Bowls Club since 1936

Osterley Bowls Club since 1936

To find out more about Osterley Bowls Club please go to www.osterleybowlsclub.org

A Friends of Osterley Library group has been set up and people are asked to write to info@owgra.org.uk to join.

Useful background, legislation and current policy on libraries can be found on this HM Government site.

TL 8.10.2016

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by | July 22, 2016 · 14:11

Southern Fail: Sadiq would do better

Claire Perry MP couldn’t hack sorting it and resigned as Railways Minister last week.  Labour Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, on the other hand is keen to take responsibility where hapless ministers and private sector pirates continue to fail commuters.

A GTR Southern train - GTR's recent new timetable removed 300+ daily services

A GTR Southern train – with government blessing, GTR’s recent new timetable removed 300+ daily services

Hounslow commuters change trains at Clapham Junction, many from Osterley & Spring Grove Ward’s Syon Lane and Isleworth Stations to get to work at Victoria, Croydon and elsewhere using Southern Rail franchised to Govia Thameslink Railways.  A few conversations I’ve had with constituents include horror stories of half length trains, jammed and hot carriages, delays and cancellations caused, in the main, by a badly managed franchise where the onus is on cutting costs and boodting shareholder profits at the expense of a vital public service.

This week the Mayor of London wrote to the Transport Secretary asking for TfL to be put in temporary charge of the Southern part of the GTR franchise.  His letter to borough councillors describing that approach can be found here.

In 2014 the Department for Transport agreed to pay GTR £8.9 billion over the seven year franchise with GTR receiving all passenger revenues.

GTR owner, Go-Ahead Group plc Chief Executive David Brown received £2.16 million in total between July 2014 and June 2015, with the majority of this comprised of bonus payments.

TL  22.7.2016

 

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by | July 21, 2016 · 11:02

Freeloaders to be nabbed

Hounslow Council’s planners advise, “agents’ boards will be a breach of the advertisement regulations if not placed on the property to which they relate.  If they are on the highway, then the highway authority can remove them and it is normally the highway authority that would enforce in such cases.”

Offending Thorgills, Dexters, Chase Buchanan and Anderson Knight boards at Osterley

Offending Thorgills, Dexters, Chase Buchanan and Anderson Knight boards at Osterley

First raised with Hounslow Council’s busy Planning Enforcement Team early June 2016, I later found out that the common but prohibited practice of estate agents placing advertising on the Great West Road, Osterley Station subway railings was actually a matter for Transport for London.

Following correspondence, heard from TfL yesterday that estate agents Thorgills, Dexters, Chase Buchanan and Anderson Knight will be written to and given seven days notice to remove these boards. Should they fail to comply, TfL will do it and seek to recover any expenses incurred.  A copy of TfL’s communication can be found here.

Unless on the A4, A30 or A406 which are Transport for London’s (report via tfl.gov.uk/contact), our highway authority is Hounslow Highways to whom similar breaches can be reported by visiting http://www.hounslowhighways.org

It’s not just flytips that rankle.

Happy to follow up if problems not resolved.

TL 21.7.2016

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by | July 19, 2016 · 12:00

Useful fact finding visit to Transport for London

It was a pleasure as ever to hang with Councillors Guy Lambert (Labour, Brentford) and Sam Christie (Labour, Bedfont) the one who brokered a positive meeting at Transport for London in Southwark yesterday morning. On the way I was unaware I nearly squashed a Pokemon, Pidgey, near the Young Vic on The Cut, SE1, hadn’t a clue, sorry.

Councillors Guy Lambert, Tony Louki and Sam Christie on the 10.44 Hounslow Loop from Chiswick to London Waterloo for our TfL meet

Councillors Guy Lambert, Tony Louki and Sam Christie on the 10.44 Hounslow Loop from Chiswick to London Waterloo for our TfL meet

Of mutual interest for the three of us was the continuing saga of house building conglomerate Barratt unable to facilitate uninterrupted service for the 235 at its western terminus, Great West Quarter; crowding on some routes; ability to access West Middlesex University Hospital from all parts of the borough and overall bus reliability in Hounslow.

Positive news is that brand new and latest lowest emission buses will be introduced by when the 235’s bus operations transfer from Abellio to Metroline in January 2017.

Those recalling last year’s consultations on local services may know that TfL still considers the routeing of the H28 and E8 as unfinished business. There was and remains concern that the removal of route H28 from Wood Lane, Isleworth will make access to the West Mid very difficult from as far away as Cranford and Heston. Replacing it with a double decked E8 down Amhurst Gardens would mean the removal of the last of that road’s mature trees. Expect more consultations in early 2017.

Not enough time to cover all the Transport for London issues affecting Osterley & Spring Grove Ward but a number of items were left with our host to consider and respond to, including:

A4 Great West Road junctions

  • improving phase turnings at Wood Lane
  • improving surface crossings at Gillette Corner
  • pedestrian subway safety at Gillette Corner
  • preventing eastbound driving on the southside between Jersey and Gresham Roads
  • future proposals for this TfL owned stretch.

New Ridgeway Road controlled crossing

  • reinstatement of the grass verge
  • marking the cycle lane following completion of the recent works
  • remedying the northside cycle lane pinch point by pedestrian crossing
  • reinstatement of bus stop U Great West Road/Ridgeway Road.

Great West Road at Osterley Library

  • establishing short term parking in the layby east from Thornbury Road.

Great West Road environment

  • protection and maintenance of verges, shrub beds and maximising pavement widths
  • clarifying TfL bollard policy
  • managing curtilage hedge encroachments on footways
  • cycle lane maintenance and safety
  • managing tree growth that impedes cyclists
  • TfL’s tree maintenance and planting programme
  • maintenance schedules.

Councillor Sam Christie’s notes of the meeting can be found here.

Pokemon Pidgey almost a Size 8 gonner on the way to TfL

Pokemon Pidgey almost a cropper from my size 8s on the way to TfL

Always happy to hear from residents about local public transport and the Great West Road.

TL 19.7.2016

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Filed under Brentford, Great West Road, H28 bus, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Public transport, Roads, TfL, Traffic, West Middlesex Hospital

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