Newsletter December 2009

Leswin Area Residents Association is launched
On the 21st October, a very well attended inaugural meeting took place in the Old Fire Station to set up (or re-launch) the Leswin Area Residents Association (LARA).
The idea for it began with a few locals talking to each other and asking if anyone knew about what was going on in Leswin Place. This led to a pavement conversation where it was suggested that a residents' association would create a stronger voice for the whole area to be heard - and get results.
Every door was leafleted and an amazing number of people came. Many local concerns were raised ranging from antisocial behaviour issues, traffic, cycle paths and the proposed building development. Cllr Louisa Thompson said it was the largest such meeting she'd been to in Stoke Newington. She responded instantly to some of the concerns raised, promising to feed back on others.


Building a Community
On the up side we talked about how the residents' association could be brilliant for getting to know your neighbours better and encouraging a positive sense of community. We could organise a local festival! Gardening club? Blog site? Meet the neighbours social? What about something for young people? Some are interested in cycling facilities others for publicising information on trades people and more.
Key Aims
The key aims of LARA are to foster a community spirit among the neighbours, to help make improvements to the area, to tackle planning issues and traffic problems.
. While we have some current major issues such as the Leswin Place development and the use of our roads as ‘rat runs’, many other ideas to develop the community have already come forward.

LARA Geographically
LARA covers approximately Leswin, Bayston, Darville, Batley, Tyssen and Hollar Roads, Glading Terrace, Leswin Place and the houses on Brooke and Evering Roads that back on to the ‘square’.
Those residents who have been in the area for some time will remember that there was a residents association of the same name that did some excellent work some years ago. Working together we can be just as successful as they were.
 

Next LARA Meeting
The next full meeting of LARA will be held on:
Wed 16th Dec 7pm
at the Old Fire Station (61 Leswin Road)

All residents of the LARA area welcome
Help build your community. We want to hear your views and we need your participation to help LARA succeed

LARA Social Evening
LARA will be having a social gathering in the New Year. A chance for neighbours and friends to gather, chat, eat, drink and generally have a good time. Watch this space for details.

Community Advisory Panel (CAP)
Helen Ford from our Committee reported back from the local CAP meeting. The Community Action Panel (CAP) is a group that meets bi-monthly to discuss policing issues affecting your ward. Chaired by residents the group works together with police and Hackney Council to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. There is also room to discuss environmental issues which may be contributing to the level of crime in an area.
The good news is that the police reported decreasing levels of crime in and around the estate and a large drop in the anti-social behaviour being caused by a group of youths earlier this year.

Update on the Leswin Place Development
The Planning Department at Hackney Council agreed to meet a delegation from LARA to discuss the issues troubling residents about the Leswin Place development.  Below is a summary of the meeting.  A fuller report will be available at our next meeting.

• How did Hackney council manage to 'lose' important documents for the appeal in 2009? Officers explained that the planning department had decided that the bulk of the residents issues and the council’s own reservations about the 2005 scheme were dealt with in the 2008 application. It is unlikely that they would have made a difference at the appeal.

• What exactly is the position now? The conditions imposed at the Appeal remain to be clarified i.e. details of the design of the frontage of the B1 units need to be approved by the planners and also the materials to be used in the scheme. 

• Where does it go from here? Before beginning work on site, approval must be given which will cover the construction details, the engineering calculations and issues such as Means of Escape in Case of Fire.  The Fire Brigade will comment on the scheme at this point.  Residents will be within their rights to maintain a close eye on what is happening and call in council officers if any deviation from the approved scheme is witnessed.  All adjoining owners will have rights under the Party Wall Act and an Agreement will be needed with each adjoining owner if any building work is likely to affect the garden walls.

• Why has the enforcement order issued in 2005 never been enacted? The Enforcement Order against change of use to residential for the current buildings is still on the books at Hackney, because the buildings are deemed unfit for residential use.  It is likely that the council will move to enact the Enforcement Order in the very near future.

Cycling Issues
LARA approached Councillor Louisa Thomson regarding cycling issues in the area. Louisa has advised that 11 additional cycle stands will be installed on Church Street overall, by the time the works are finished. She also notes that a lot of the issues raised with regard to road safety (both for cyclists and pedestrians) are linked to the one way system, and as any changes to the gyratory is a longer term project, focussing on more immediate improvements to roads the Council actually control is a productive way forward in the meantime.
With regard to the specific suggestions about contra flow cycle lanes on Brooke Road, Evering Road and Stoke Newington High Street – in the first instance, Louisa will contact Streetscene at the Council to ask for their views on this. Transport for London control the High Street and Evering Road which means it may take a while for them to respond. Louisa also promised to get in touch with Hackney Cycling Campaign who are working to improve cycling in the area, particularly the one way system. She suggested it may be an idea to invite them to a future LARA meeting.


More news to follow.....