| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Commerce Road Public Consultation | |
| Posted by: | Stephen Browne | |
| Date/Time: | 28/11/09 09:29:00 |
| Simon Unfortunately Commerce Road is not the only area of Brentford to suffer like this - south of Brentford High Street has had the developer take the same approach, taking other sections of the High Street with it because less businesses = less foot traffic = less custom for the businesses left, so the spiral continues. Fortunately dedicated groups like the High Street Steering Group are onto that and have managed to encourage (some) change in mindsets so councils don't try to fleece existing and new shop owners with extortionate rents, and also arranged for extra parking to access the High Street. Not a small task, and ongoing. Some years back there was a planning application for 'rabbit hutches' up to 16 stories high which the local community had refused then had to spend over 30 continuous days in a planning appeal because the developer thought they had the divine right to get what they wanted. Fortunately the Planning Inspector threw out the appeal but not without leaving some holes in the paperwork that might cause complications later on, though we have tried to lobby the Council to close them. In any event the latest attempt is far more interractive with the community - as it should have been from the start - and ISIS with British Waterways are taking a much better approach establishing local community views before going to the planning stage. Interestingly our attempts to get the two major players to talk (ISIS and Ballymore - south of the High Street developer) have resulted in a slight stand-off by Ballymore. Seems they might think they are too big to play with someone else, another developer. Our reasoning behind this is to attempt to not have plans for similar purposes (small offices built on both developments surely would see an over supply) be approved causing an ongoing ghost town effect albeit in a brand new build. All that said, it is the continued an ongoing actions of the local community that ensure Brentford gets more of what it needs and not more of what devlopers want us to have. We all must keep attending local meetings and writing to council where appropriate. Writings in forum such as this, as interesting as they are, do not sway council planners, only letters on their desks do. |