Tag Archives: Osterley & Spring Grove

by | July 9, 2023 · 15:26

NatWest Bank Closure: Protest at 10.30 am Tomorrow, 10 July 2023

NatWest Bank, bailed out by the people to the tune of £46 billion and still 39% Government owned, are using spurious statistics, poor consultation and erroneous assertions to shut down the last remaining and accessible bank between Hounslow and Chiswick.  It’s the only one with a customer car park and also located within the Council’s London Road 30 minutes free Stop and Shop parking facility.

Last bank standing: NatWest, 486 London Road, Isleworth

No amount of online, video or telephone banking can replace a human face to face physical transaction whether elderly or any other citizen within the 30% without the means, online savvy or inclination or just likes going out.

NatWest Isleworth: Elderly customer with their carer drew up to the front door to use this most accessible of bank branches

Recent pavement surveys by NatWest customer and Isleworth resident, Madhuri Kapila, show buoyant footfall at 468 London Road.  There has also been a keenness to sign this letter to letter to NatWest Head Office and, so far, 150 customers, many elderly, greatly concerned and fearful of the closure, have participated.

NatWest Isleworth: Open during convenient hours 5 days a week

Daily attendance at the branch, of late, shows around thirty customers per hour, more if ATM users are included, translating to at least 750 user per week.  NatWest profits for 2023/24 show a 50% jump to £1.9 billion in the first three months of the year; why should the company need to close a long established and well used branch operating from Freehold premises?

NatWest Isleworth Branch: Night safe

All of the many shopkeepers Madhuri has spoken to (NatWest did not reveal of having spoken to any of our traders in its public relations pieces), are greatly against the proposal.  They see the bank as an anchor business for London Road as well as a banking facility for them and everyone else.

Last Friday, Madhuri and I visited NatWest Headquarters at 250 Bishopsgate to present the collected letters but no one was available to receive them nor this additional letter to Dame Alison Rose, Group Chief Executive Officer of NatWest Bank..

Ruth Cadbury MP also wrote this letter to NatWest Bank asking for a meeting and for the closure to be withdrawn.

Recently publishing a booklet for bank branch visitors, NatWest used a mixture of pre, during and post pandemic figures, with obscure graphics, to justify their current stance.  The decision really did appear to have been made prior to any  real consultation and, responses from NatWest since seem at best repetative and standard public relations deflections but at worse, some may describe as lip service and sham going through the motions.

Please show your support in any or all of these ways:

NatWest Bank Isleworth: Please maintain the Welcome

Download, complete and immediately return this letter to Keep Nat West Bank Open via email KNWBOpen@gmail.com

Ask that the closure decision be reversed.  Email or write to Dame Alison Rose, Group Chief Executive Officer, 250 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AA: or email alison.rose@natwest.com and cc KNWBOpen@gmail.com

 

Monday 10 July 2023 at 10.30 am.  Join a peaceful protest against the closure outside NatWest Bank, 486 London Road, Isleworth, TW7 4DD.

Tell your friends.

Thank you.

 

TL 9.7.2023

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by | June 22, 2023 · 17:20

Seccombes: Insurers Authorise Rebuild

Following one of the longest tooth pulling events, Seccombes Builders Merchants Managing Director, John Seccombe has advised that, the end of discussions earlier this week between loss adjusters and insurance companies for both his company and the boy racer’s, meant that permission has been given to proceed with the reconstruction of the Syon Lane building.

Seccombes: Scaffolding up since 5.2.2023 when the poor driver lost control

Unlikely to commence before early July, Seccombes’ contractor is now discussing changes to the supporting scaffolding, up since early February, to enable safe working on and around the damaged building.

With changes, access can be created to dismantle the building in its entirety from the roof down to ground level.  It will then be possible for the scaffolding to be removed.  An assessment will then be made as to whether safe construction may begin without the tiresome traffic restrictions in place.

Seccombes: Temporary lights on Windmill Lane may be removed by the end of July

The footway here on Syon Lane is very narrow, presenting a danger to anyone working outside the wall and building.  So, following assessment and discussion with Hounslow Highways, it will be clearer as to what restrictions will be necessary during the rebuild.

Seccombes are, expectedly, cautious about offering any timescales but it is estimated that the entire rebuild could take as much as eleven weeks; Mr Seccombe will keep providing updates with any changes that happen.

Seccombes: Rebuild likely to end late Summer

The company says that they values everyone’s patience and hopes that residents and visitors appreciate that there is light at the of end of the tunnel.

 

TL  22.6.2023

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Filed under Hounslow Highways, Middlesex, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Road works, Roads, Sky, Traffic, Wyke Green

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by | June 4, 2023 · 08:39

Vine Lodge: Latest demolition application

A new planning application to demolish the oldest dwelling on Isleworth’s Church Road, within the Spring Grove Conservation Area, is being considered by Hounslow Council.

A previous application to build two houses, LBH planning reference P/2022/0601, was refused in March 2022, and was reported here, this latest (P/2023/1409) is for the building of eight flats.

The site for application P/2023/1409, in context

The above is an extract from a whole document showing all drawings for this proposal, accessed here.

Residents have produced this flyer highlighting their views and to encourage submission of further comment as part of the planning consultation process.  Comments can be submitted beyond the stated deadline.

TL  4.6.2023

This report has been provided for information, the author, a member of the council’s planning committee, will make no determination in advance of a hearing, should one occur.

 

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Filed under Neighbourhoods, OSG documents, Planning, RAs, Spring Grove, Thornbury Road

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by | April 11, 2023 · 08:54

Syon Lane: Seccombes, Scaffolding and Signals

Since the incident of 6 February 2023, enquiries have been made on behalf of residents and updates received from the company, Hounslow Highways and the Police as to when repairs will start on the damaged building and consequential traffic delays between Great West Road and Tentelow Lane ended.

Seccombes: Intensive and robust scaffolding

Last week, the company’s Managing Director, Mr John Seccombe, advised,

“Despite repeated pleas to them [the insurers] to move as quickly as possible, the insurance process has been painfully slow and methodical, frustrating a quick resolution.  Our contractor has finally been given go ahead to start peeling back the damage on Tuesday 11 April in order to access hidden parts of our 200+ years old building.  This will ensure the structural engineers have a full understanding of the task ahead.

Seccombes: Up close building damage

“These ‘enabling works’ are critical but will lead to ultimately having the scaffolding removed.  It is still unclear as to how long this stage will take but we are sure we will finally be seeing some visible progress.  We will update you all again when the Engineers have completed these final tests and we have a working timescale.

Traffic queueing: Jersey Road at Wyke Green

Seccombes: Remnants of the boy racer’s smashed motor

Syon Lane northbound towards the Three Bridges

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Filed under Events, Great West Road, Hounslow Highways, Middlesex, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Road works, Roads, Traffic, Wyke Green

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by | March 20, 2023 · 01:55

Spring Grove Conservation Area Demolition: Part II

The builder attempted, by pleading guilty, to take the entire rap for last year’s jungli style demolition at 18 Grove Road, when he and the owner appeared before Uxbridge Magistrates Court last November.  Not only did he and his firm, UK Landmark Construction Limited, cop over £8,000 in fines, costs and victim surcharge, building company director, Mr Sayeed Naveed Akhtar, acquired a criminal record as a result.

18 Grove Road: Inside the hoardings April 2022

The property owner, Mr Mohammed Ali Khan, of Thornbury Road, had pleaded not guilty on 18 November 2022 so waited until 3 February 2023 to return to the Uxbridge court to be tried for his part in the illegal demolition of 18 Grove Road.  Hounslow Council was represented by lawyers with ready to participate witnesses from its Building Control Services and a neighbour impacted by the demolition.

The defence decided not to call any witnesses.  However, it is felt that the presence of a number of individuals ready to testify for the council resulted in the defence changing their tactics by agreeing to Hounslow’s evidence as full facts.

18 Grove Road: Impacts on the streetscene February 2022

After a long deliberation, the magistrates returned to find Mr Khan guilty of demolishing a building without notifying the local authority.  They adjudged that Mr Khan had instructed his contractor to demolish the building and was, therefore, ultimately responsible for failing to notify the council of the demolition as required by section 80(2) of the Building Act 1984.

Proceeding to sentence Mr Khan, the magistrates imposed a £3,360 fine for the offence, £2,493.34 prosecution costs and victim surcharge of £190, a total of £6,043.34.  A collection order was made in the event that he defaults on these payments.

18 Grove Road: Remaining original features February 2022

It is the Department of Justice that sets the fines tariffs per type of crime that courts dispense.  What was meted appears chicken feed but, as a result of being found guilty, Mr Khan is now a criminal as well as his builder.

Whilst this concludes the demolition prosecution, it does not resolve the issues on site.  There is still a dangerous structure notice in place and this will remain until the front façade is allowed to be removed or the house is rebuilt.

18 Grove Road: Residents meeting Hounslow Council Planning, Planning Enforcement and Building Control Officers March 2023

A new application needs to be approved for the construction of a new house (in the style of the previous).  Neighbours and Ward Councillors are keen to see this happen but, based on their thus far experiences with the owner, are seeking maximum legislative and planning policy safeguards.  Hounslow Council Planning, Planning Enforcement and Building Control are aware of this through recent meetings following the submission of new planning application, P/2022/3149.  Residents are keen for protection via planning conditions.

Copyright, no publishing  or copying without the author’s permission.

TL  19.3.2023

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