Tag Archives: Unsa Chaudri

by | November 26, 2024 · 07:04

The new wall at St Christopher’s Close

A number of citizens have queried the appearance of a new wall on Thornbury Road by the southbound H28 Eversley Crescent bus stop.

Newly constructed wall to Thornbury Road (pre wall Google picture, below)

Now enclosing a previously open amenity space, the land was, in fact, always part of the freehold of 42 St Christopher’s Close.

A planning application to erect the wall was submitted in February 2022, with a recommendation to approve via Planning Officers’ delegated powers.  Residents, concerned with the apparent loss of 50 years of open amenity space, asked Ward Councillor Unsa Chaudri to refer and speak on the officer report to a full LBH Planning Committee for determination by councillors. Taking place in June 2022, with residents also making a case, I argued that permission to enclose this long enjoyed and council maintained open land, within the Spring Grove Conservation Area, should be refused and this was supported when a vote was taken.

Subsequently, the applicant, as is their prerogative, lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate which, following consideration, allowed the appeal in December 2022.  The Inspector approved the application with a condition that the new wall brickwork should match that of the neighbouring Fairways development; reflecting some aspects of the 1860s Davies Estate milieu.

TL  26.11.2024

 

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Filed under H28 bus, Neighbourhoods, Planning, Spring Grove, Thornbury Road

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by | September 10, 2023 · 10:51

Grove Road and College Road Junction Works

Ward Councillor Unsa Chaudri and I met on site with residents and Hounslow Council traffic officers to discuss this project when first proposed in early 2019.  Although some reservations were transmitted then, approval came via this Chief Officer Decision report in June 2020.

Grove Road and College Road junction November 2022

Slow forward to a couple of days before August Bank Holiday when, out of the blue,  we received another shout that month long works are about to start on this long forgotten (by us) decision to reduce the junction width of Grove Road and College Road by almost two thirds from the current 24 metres to 8 metres.

Grove and College Roads junction proposal

The scheme involves pavement widening, creation of a kerb level speed reducing surface, removal of the traffic island and three “rain gardens” designed to capture drainage water and feed plants to be located there.  This is being undertaken by Hounslow Highways who recently wrote to tell affected residents.

Traffic officers advise that the purpose of the scheme is to reduce junction approach speeds and improve road safety, elevating pedestrians so that they are more visible to oncoming traffic thus obviating the need for the current pedestrian refuge.  This has been explained via this LBH Traffic Team letter and detailed design currently being delivered locally.

A Rain Garden in situ

Nearly all street works come with diversions and here is a map for this one.  Hounslow Highways have been reminded of their responsibility to ensure that any temporary signs, including the diversion signs, are routinely checked.

The 2020 Chief Officer Decision included a sister proposal at the Ridgeway Road and College Road junction but is now on hold as there is no current funding available for this.  However, councillors are informed this will be reviewed as part of any future potential traffic reduction measures over the wider area in Osterley and Spring Grove Ward.

TL  10.9.2023

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Filed under College Road, Council Business, Hounslow Highways, London Road, Neighbourhoods, Road works, Roads, Spring Grove, Traffic

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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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Filed under London Road, Neighbourhoods, Osterley, Spring Grove

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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 | March 16, 2023 · 09:34

Borough Road War Memorial: Two new additions

Borough Road War Memorial College Plaque 3.3.2023

A new plaque was unveiled at Borough Road War Memorial on 3 March 2023 by the 57th Mayor of the London Borough of Hounslow, Councillor Raghwinder Siddhu.  He was accompanied by residents, pupils (including talented bugler, Max), staff and trustees of Isleworth and Syon School, former Borough Road College lecturer, John Hunter, and Osterley and Spring Grove Ward Councillors Tony Louki, Unsa Chaudri and Aftab Siddiqui.

The Mayor and locals at the Borough Road War Memorial Plaque unveiling 3.3.2023

It records the names of former Borough Road College staff and students who gave up their jobs and education to take part in World War I and World War II, killed and never returned.

The installation features an engraving and faces Lancaster House, the main college building vacated in 2006, nine years after its takeover by Brunel University, and crest of the college.

Borough Road War Memorial unveiled 14 May 1921

I raised the idea for this new plaque in 2018 because the names of those who perished were not visible locally as Brunel University had previously removed an indoor memorial to its Uxbridge campus.  During 2015, Brunel had made approaches to Hounslow Council to completely relocate the whole, almost 100 years old stone memorial too but this failed as it was strongly resisted by all Ward councillors at the time.

At Borough Road War Memorial: Restored Heston and Isleworth Borough Council light column

This memorial project also coincides with the installation of a rediscovered and then refurbished lamppost of the former Heston and Isleworth Borough Council, restored and recently installed by Hounslow Highways.

The names of the dead were shared by the Brunel University London Archives whose 2014 research is available via a QR code present on the plaque allowing access of detailed biographies of those named.

I am grateful to Miss Helen Bowman, Conservation Officer at the War Memorials Trust, whose sound advice helped us bat away Brunel’s cheeky claim; Vanessa Bevilacqua and colleagues from the Hounslow Council Transport Team for procuring the plaque; Sabeel Khan of the Hounslow Council Highways PFI Team for overseeing Hounslow Highways’ renewal and connecting of the light column; Hounslow Council Communications Team’s Mr Yagnesh Nakaraja for sharing pictures.

TL 16.3.2023

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Filed under College Road, Events, Hounslow Highways, Neighbourhoods, Schools, Spring Grove, Traffic

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