After the first Ask the Architects event there was a briefing given by Ruth Angel (RBKC head of regeneration) for Councillors. These questions were asked by Cllr Blakeman, one of our Notting Dale Ward Councillors. Many of the questions were given to her by estate residents, both in advance and at the Silchester Residents’ Association meeting the night before.
You can see the proposals or options that the questions are about on this page.
1
What criteria are used to determine viability?
A number of criteria have been used and each have been assessed as ‘Red – Amber – Green’ for each option. There will be an explanation in the report to the Council’s Cabinet
2
May we have the viability calculations for each of the options?
These are confidential as they are commercially sensitive. They will include all costs, such as decanting, rehousing, buying out leaseholders, demolition, rebuilding, ground works – minus income (sales and rental streams). This will be a high level exercise and RBKC is working on high level figures only at the moment.
3
Reference is made at the consultation exhibition to “planning requirements”. What are these “planning requirement”?
CBRE were appointed as consultants and hired Porphyrios to develop the options. The planning requirements are as set out in the current Local Development Plan Core Strategy, including the section on the Latimer “place”. These could change as a result of the Local Plan review.
4
Will the Council prepare a full Supplementary Planning Document if the decision is taken to go ahead with demolition and redevelopment?
No decision has been taken as yet.
5
Will there be full public consultation on this SPD?
If there will be a SPD, the usual public consultation procedure will be followed.
6
Reference is made at the consultation exhibition to “commitments to residents”. What are these commitments?
As set out in the document tabled at the consultation:
Tenants, leaseholders and freeholders directed affected by redevelopment can be assured we will:
• Be sensitive to the concerns of the existing community and the desire to remain near friends and family
• Provide at least the same amount of social rented floor space as currently
• Give all existing Secure Tenants the option of remaining in the same area, in a property on the same terms and conditions and rent level
• Phase moving so that the majority of people only need to move home once
• Offer an attractive package to allow tenants to move at no cost
• Repurchase properties at full market value from any leaseholders who wish to sell their homes but fear they are unable to do so because of the Council’s proposals
• Wherever viable, offer resident leaseholders the opportunity to buy a Shared Equity property on the new development.
7
Is Option 0 really “do nothing”; or does it provide full funding for a comprehensive refurbishment to meet residents’ needs?
RBKC/TMO would continue with the current asset management strategy and identify any refurbishment options at a later stage.
8
Where is the centre of the community in the plans? Currently it is Waynflete Square which is used for events and many residents use the area as a meeting place, and to enjoy as families, throughout the year and the children use the play areas. The plans do not allow for a centre of the community.
In Options 4, 5 and 6 the Bramley Square and Silchester Square green spaces are the centres of the community. These are just high level, indicative drawings at this stage.
9
Cllr Feilding-Mellen has told residents that the architects will produce a further option that retains Waynflete Square. When will this option be available for consideration?
This will be advised.
10
Where is the Community Centre – the Latymer Community Church (formerly the Latymer Christian Centre) provides activities for local people of any faith or none and is used extensively. It is the hub of the community and has wider impact as it used by other groups daily for community, health, youth and other activities, as well as being available for hire by the community. If including residents and building community is part of the outcome for the regeneration a Community centre is not just a ‘nice to have’, it is a prerequisite.
This will be advised. RBKC is in conversation with the owners and replacement is included in the viability calculations. This also applies to Action Disability K+C at their Whitstable House premises.
11
The blocks in the foregrounds of the illustrative images are shown at 5 storeys in height. Assuming that the overall viability depends on substantial amounts at much higher levels, where will these be concentrated?
This will be advised. These are notional options at this stage.
12
The proposed residential blocks run very close to the Westway. What measures will be put in place to protect residents from air and noise pollution?
This is an issue for consideration and steps will be taken to mitigate these problems, as for example, at More West, which is triple glazed.
13
The bulk of the new housing on the new streets runs east to west. With street widths of approx. 18m (including footways and on street parking and trees) and block heights of up to 12 floors, how is it proposed to allow any daylight or sunlight into the properties, and allow anything to grow in the ‘enclosed gardens’
Formal daylight and sunlight studies will be undertaken and made publicly available.
14
Will provision be made to refurbish Frinstead House or any other building that remains in situ?
Yes, for any building that remains in situ.
15
The council has talked about the provision of various types of dwellings (size/tenure). Is the relationship between block facades and dwelling types to be entirely arbitrary?
This will be advised. It is very unlikely that there will be any “poor doors”. Inside the building there may be separate cores because of service charge differences. RBKC aspires to build “tenure blind”.
16
How will this look from the rear of the blocks, also bearing in mind that they will be looked down on and into from the Westway?
No answer. [This question is not clear.]
17
One assumes that the conversion of ‘public realm’ from gardens to an extensive network of new streets is something to do with creating easily identifiable addresses and narratives of private ownership, but what will the loop road running where the tennis courts are at present contribute to the development, other than providing an ideal environment for anti-social behaviour and increasing traffic and air pollution in what is already the most air polluted part of the Borough?
This point is noted and will be taken away for consideration. It was also noted that the Options did not recreate the old Victorian street patterns.
18
Will the Pig and Whistle public house be re-provided and, if so, where?
RBKC has a SPD against the loss of public houses. This SPD will be honoured.
19
Will Buggsi’s shop be re-provided, and if so, where?
This will be advised. There will be more commercial space for shops in the Bramley Road “town centre”, so reprovision would be possible. RBKC will have a conversation with the owner.
20
Where is the much needed health and well-being centre?
This is under consideration. There has been no conversation with the Clinical Commissioning Group as yet.
21
Do any of the Options include a purpose-built children’s centre?
This is neither ruled in or out at this stage.
22
Where is the public park (previously it is Waynflete Square)?
See reply to Question 8. Play equipment can also be provided in all the gardens.
23
Will the same ratio of public amenity and green space per person be maintained, or reduced after regeneration?
This will be advised and is a probability.
24
How many hours of sunlight will there be on any new public/green space
This will be advised. The daylight and sunlight studies will form a part of the planning application.
25
Where tenants now have on-site parking, will they be offered comparable access to safe parking in the new underground car park?
This will be advised. The planners will require the replacement of existing parking spaces. Any new properties will be permit-free. Existing tenants will retain existing rights to parking spaces, even if they are temporarily decanted. There will be no parking spaces for new residents.
26
What will happen to any pram sheds/outside storage? Will there be comparable storage facilities offered on site?
The amount of storage space will be better than in existing properties but inside the buildings. The planners will insist on parking spaces for bicycles.
27
Will there be any community kitchen gardens, and if so, where?
This will be advised.
28
How many new units/percentage of the total number of units will be sold on the open market?
This will depend on the option that is chosen. The scheme must pay for itself and the sale of market properties will have to pay for the whole development. Options 4 and 5 can replace all existing dwellings and include an additional percentage of affordable homes.
29
How many new units/ percentage of the total number of units will be sold for shared ownership?
RBKC will develop properties for intermediate rental, not for shared ownership.
30
How many new units/ percentage of the total number of units will be available for intermediate rent?
This will be advised and see response to Question 29 above.
31
Will they be rented at 40% total household income?
Yes, in accordance with RBKC’s intermediate rental policy.
32
How will the residents of the shared ownership and intermediate rented units be selected?
Access to intermediate rentals will be through the Coucnil’s Allocations Policy for Intermediate Rent.
Priority will be set as follows:
• Those who live and work in RBKC
• Those who live in RBKC
• Those who work in RBKC.
RBKC will be mindful of the needs of existing tenants of buy-to-let properties on the Estate.
33
Will they be offered first of all to households currently in temporary accommodation and/or on the allocations register?
Access to intermediate rentals is via the Council’s Allocations Policy but everyone currently in Temporary Accommodation and on the Allocations Register will be informed of the opportunity.
34
Will they be offered to long standing sub-tenants of buy-to-let landlords?
As above – and RBKC is looking to agree a policy for these residents.
35
Will all non-social rented homes be offered first of all to all existing residents of the estate, no matter what their tenure?
This will be advised and is under consideration.
36
Given that marketing abroad raises prices, will the private units be marketed abroad?
This will be advised.
37
If it proves impossible to sell all the market units locally, will they then be marketed aboard?
This will be advised, but probably.
38
If private units are bought to let, who will be responsible for managing these properties and their repair and maintenance?
RBKC will continue to be the head landlord and will wish to develop a unified management structure.
39
Who will take responsibility for any damage or repairs caused by units with absent or irresponsible owners? How will this be managed, e.g. if an empty unit floods?
This will be advised.
40
If the price of units rises during marketing, will the higher price be applied to shared owners who are already going through the process?
Probably not.
41
How will current residents be consulted on:
• the principle
• the process
• the timetable
• the design of the development; and
• will their views change anything?
RBKC is meeting the Chair of the Residents’ Association to flesh this out. There will be (probably) monthly meetings with the sub-committee of the RA established for this purpose. In addition, RBKC will appoint an independent tenant and leaseholder adviser.
42
What is the estimated weekly rental in new units for tenants for 1/2/3/4 bedroom flats?
This will be advised, but they will be in line with RBKC’s Target Rent strategy. New build properties will be exempt from sale under the Housing and Planning Bill if/when enacted.
43
What is the estimated weekly service charge in new units for tenants for 1/2/3/4 bedroom flats?
This will be advised and the implications will be discussed with the RA sub-committee.
44
What is the estimated annual Council Tax charge for new flats?
This will be advised, but will be higher than at present.
45
Will there be gas for cooking, if not, what is the estimated cost of electricity bills?
This will be advised.
46
Will the architects produce new sample drawings of the building that show the genuine perspective, rather than those provided at the consultation meeting that showed much smaller flats at the higher storeys?
This point is taken on board for any future consultations.
47
Why do the Options all include new roads into the estate that will bring in extra traffic, air pollution and noise?
RBKC wishes to restore the old street patterns. Noted that the “loop” road is new and does not recreate an older pattern. [Freston Road was previously the southern continuation of Latimer Road and was not attached to Silchester Road in the manner proposed here.]
48
Will tenants on time-limited tenancies be offered a new home in the re-developed estate?
This will be advised, but they will probably receive an offer under the terms of their existing time-limited tenancy agreement.
49
Will residents who are offered new homes have to move more than once?
RBKC’s aspiration is that most residents will only have to move once, but cannot give a firm guarantee that this will apply to everyone.
50
Will resident leaseholders be offered shared equity if they cannot afford to buy a flat in the redeveloped estate?
This is under consideration and forms a part of the viability assessment.
51
Why is it necessary to justify the loop road beside the tennis courts be including one unnecessary dead end road within the estate?
RBKC will look again at this.
52
Will the ACAVA building be re-provided, and if so, where?
RBKC will be in discussion with ACAVA and it is under consideration, depending on their future needs.
53
Why has the council not advised the users of the units in the ACAVA building of the proposal to demolish their workspaces
RBKC has advised ACAVA.
54
If the ACAVA building is not re-provided, what alternative arrangements will be made for the present users?
ACAVA has a current lease that will either be re-provided or purchased back by RBKC.
55
Will each dwelling include some form of private outside space, such as a balcony or terrace?
This is a firm condition for planning permission.
56
When facilities are re-provided, such as the Latymer Community Church and the Pig and Whistle, will the Council give an assurance that the new facilities will be completed and ready for occupation before the old facility is demolished?
This will be advised and RBKC understands the concerns.
57
Given the difficulty that CapCo is facing in selling its new flats at Lillie Road, can the Council please advise what would happen if the scheme were to run out of money before it was completed?
This will be advised. Much more work has to be done on this area and it will also depend on whether RBKC appoints a development partner for the regeneration project.
58
What has been the response of the other landlords affected by these proposals – Notting Hill Housing Group, Catalyst Housing Group, Octavia Housing and London & Quadrant?
All have had a meeting with RBKC except London & Quadrant, which is due soon. Reponses so far are “an interesting idea”, “will work with you” – but it is too early to receive formal responses from them. RBKC would have to buy out all the landlord interests. RBKC is also to meet Westway Trust.
59
Will the residents and their representatives have an opportunity to get together with the architects to explain to them how the estate works and what their priorities are?
This will be through the RA sub-committee.
60
When will the outcome of the Issues and Options stage go to Cabinet?
Either in April or May.