This annual event, held as usual in Chelsea Old Town Hall, provided an opportunity for residents’ associations to meet the new Cabinet Member for Planning Policy, Transport and the Arts, Councillor Tim Coleridge, supported by Graham Stallwood, Head of Development Management.
The main subjects were:
- basements – the Council is seeking to limit the scale of basements, but the policy is challenged by the contractors, especially Cranbrook Basements. Residents offered support for Council’s tougher policy and want Council to do more, such as a ban on Saturday working.
- construction traffic management plans – need for these to be part of the application, for the Council to apply their own policy and be tougher with regard to parking suspensions.
- Brompton Hospital – consultation arrangements (see above)
- Cycling – Council received award for two-way cycling in one-way streets, more suggestions sought.
- 20 mph zones – Council sceptical as average traffic speeds are 15mph – but it was pointed out that is not average speed that matters but highest speeds, which were often in excess of 30mph.
- Enforcement – more enforcement have been hired to increase activity
- Conservation Areas – a new rolling programme for updating the proposals statements has been agreed.
- Thames Tideway Tunnel – get Thames Water to take all waste by barge down the river.
- Lots Road Power Station – concern that Council failed to make the housing permit-free.
- Curzon cinema – concern about loss of large screen cinema (see above)
- Affinity Sutton – concern that development could result in a loss of social housing.
