Unauthorised Battersea Power Station Helipad – NO ACTION

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The unauthorised use of the grounds of the Battersea Power Station as a private helipad has received no action under the ENFORCEMENTS section of the Wandsworth Council’s Planning Application Committee agenda to be discussed at today’s meeting.

Residents have been expressing concerns since as early as June 2003 about helicopter flights causing noise and disturbance, and according to the Committee report:

DETAILS:  The number of helicopter flight movements (a landing and take-off) at
this site within the power station is logged by the Battersea Heliport and its monthly returns shows that the current level of movements is between 14 and 56 per month over the last year, an average per month of about 35 movements.   This compares to a monthly average of between 30 and 51 movements per month over the last ten years, with a peak in activity during the months of May, June and July 2007 (93, 96 and 92 movements, respectively).

All other breaches of planning control in Wandsworth Borough by small businesses are being enforced by the Committee, but nothing is being done to enforce the removal of the helipad:

RECOMMENDATION:  That the committee endorses the view that it is not
expedient to take enforcement action against the use of part of the site of Battersea
Power station for the take-off and landing of helicopters, based on the current level of usage, and that the complainants be informed accordingly.

One rule for the rich and powerful, and another for smaller, less well-connected enterprises?

Click Battersea Power Station for more blogs

For more on Helicopters at Battersea Power Station
See our Battersea Power Station project pages for more information and videos.
Or visit PlanA our general blog on urbanism, planning and architecture.

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Silwood Land for Silwood Residents?

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As part of the continued regeneration of the Silwood Estate, an application has been submitted by London & Quadrant Housing Association for planning permission on vacant land that residents wanted to be used to provide play areas for their children. After a series of quarterly meetings in which residents were unable to obtain information from L & Q representatives as to status of the Lewisham Council-owned land, it has become apparent that the housing trust themselves have made a bid for it. According to Planning Application DC/09/73169/X , L & Q are seeking permission to build tower blocks ‘ranging from 2 storeys… to 6 storeys’ in the area north of Silwood Street. Residents have requested that this issue be raised at the next Silwood Community Meeting.

Click Silwood Video Group for more blogs
Or visit PlanA our general blog on urbanism, planning and architecture.
See our Silwood Video Group project pages for more information and videos.

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Free No Pain Gain Guide to Gain Download: A Community Guide to Planning Obligations

Planning applications are often a very private collusion between local councils and private developers and it is difficult for local residents to involve themselves in, let alone influence, the decision-making process. With plans to redevelop Battersea Power Station at a delicate stage and three months left to make objections to the current plan (see REO’s current application here), we have uploaded a pdf copy of the ‘No Pain Guide to Gain’ booklet. Produced by the Ethical Property Foundation, the pamphlet details how residents can make full use of the ‘Section 106 agreement’, which is a legal agreement obligating the developer in question to provide beneficial services and schemes for the local community.

This article from the Battersea Power Station Community Group website in 2006 demonstrates REO / Treasure Holding’s attitudes towards section 106 and community participation.

WPCT Consultation Thursday 29th April

Battersea Power Station

Primary Care Trust Consultation

at

DRCA Community Centre

Behind TESCO Metro in Battersea Park Road

Charlotte Despard Avenue SW11 5HD

Thursday 29th April 2010 – 12 noon to 2.00pm

There will be 3,700, luxury flats, riverside park, hotel, tube station surrounding the Grade II* listed Power Station which will become a retail centre.

Real Estates Opportunities Socio Economic Survey shows there will be “negligible” impact on health provision in Wandsworth from the redevelopment (also “negligible” impact on education and open space)

Tell Us What You Want So See Provided on the Power Station site

Wandsworth Primary Care Trust/ National Health Service

elaine.curley@wpct.nhs.uk

WRUG – Wandsworth Rights Umbrella Group

Hosted by DRCA – Doddington & Rollo Community Association

You can also download a pdf of the ‘No Pain Guide to Gain’ booklet which gives information on how to become actively involved in planning developments here at Spectacle’s planning and commissions blog.

Battersea Power Station Planning Applications

Battersea Power Station Planning Applications Overloaded with Information.

On the 22nd October 2009, the planning applications for Battersea Power Station were submitted and made available to the public. The public then had until the 1st February 2010 to submit their objections and comments.

The plans with reference numbers; 2009/3575, 2009/3576, 2009/3577, 2009/3578.

Application 2009/3575 contained four application documents, which were made available to the public on the 22nd October last year. The application also contained approximately 20 reports many in several parts (up to eleven) and many with numerous appendices. Over three hundred drawings of the proposed plans were also included; these were only made available to the public in December 2009.

The sheer volume of materials provided about the plans and the limited time available to respond,  made it very difficult to firstly access all the information and to make a fully informed opinion on the plans.

For more information on the applications click here

Details on Spectacle’s Battersea Power Station Project

To watch interviews and footage from the Power Station visit Spectacle’s Archive

Planning alerts and tescopoly

You can now check out what planning applications are pending in your local area through a new website PlanningAlerts. This is useful for those interested in monitoring ‘regeneration’ of urban and rural areas.

It also is possible to monitor the progress Tesco, one of Britain’s biggest planning monsters. To find out what they are up to look at Tescopoly a site dedicated to monitoring all things Tesco.

Visit PlanA our general blog on urbanism, planning and architecture.

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