CARA Barbecue - Cancelled

Unfortunately due to various circumstances, the annual CARA barbecue scheduled for Sunday 13th July has had to be cancelled. Looking at the weather, it might not turn out to be such a bad thing!! The CARA Committee hope that people won't be too disappointed, and look forward to organising next years event instead.

Noise – don’t suffer in silence

An update on complaining about noise disturbance

At a meeting in July, RBK’s Principal Pollution Control Officer explained some of the difficulties of tackling occasional noise from a moving source such as Turk’s disco-boats, but was very willing to take action if there were well supported complaints. As a condition of its extended license Turks has fitted noise-limiting devices to its disco-boats, but the level has yet to be agreed.The Officer intends to monitor the noise level in the CARA area one night when Turks has a late booking.

Riverside residents who are disturbed need to collect and log the relevant information (see next section) including the name of the boat (easier said than done in the dark!). CARA Committee also needs to build up a file of complaints so that we can take action if necessary. Two riverside residents,have offered to gather up disco-boat noise complaints so please copy emails to Kingston Council to Rob Baldwin; Claire Ferguson (CARA Committee member).

RBK has recently changed or moved some of its web-pages on noise complaints, so here are some updated useful links:http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/environmental_health/noise_nuisance.htm defines “statutary noise nuisance” and the kind of information the Council needs in order to take action: how often the noise occurs; its duration; how loud it is; the time of day/night; the character of the noise (whether it has any particularly annoying characteristics); the nature of the area. You can download RBK’s form for logging noise disturbance from http://www.kingston.gov.uk/logsheet_-_domestic_noise1.pdf.

http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/environmental_health/noise_nuisance/noise_from_licensed_premises.htm explains the situation regarding licensed premises such as Turks disco-boats and Boaters (which can now sell alcohol and have music up to midnight on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays - a condition of their licence is that no doors or windows are left open when music is being played).

If you need to talk to a member of the Environmental Health Service you can phone 020 8547 5536 or email environmental.health@rbk.kingston.gov.uk.

To complain about noise on-line, go to http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/environmental_health/noise_nuisance/noise_pollution_form.htm

New Bus Stop For Local Shops

Great news! A new bus stop for the Richmond Road shops has finally been agreed by TFL, and signed off by the Kingston Town Neighbourhood Committee this week.

After campaigning for over 2 years with local councillors on the general improvements to the parade, it has now been agreed that a new bus stop will be installed in the Richmond Road, Kingston-bound, outside nos. 138 and 136 (Kenneth Gee Workwear and R.A. Bevan & Sons).

So at last people can get off right by the shops which will hopefully stimulate more people to shop, eat and socialise locally.

RBK approves Power Station development

RBK Development Control Committee have now approved the Power Station site hotel and apartment development. No objectors were registered to speak at the Development Control Committee Meeting which took place at the Guildhall, so there were only speakers for the proposal: NPL, the applicants, and Tommy Moran of the Moran hotel group, who are still keen to be part of the project.There were no opportunities for comments or questions from the floor, and there were surprisingly few members of the public there (though lots from NPL and the architects). Cllr Osbourne at one point referred to the "absence of outrage" at this latest proposal as evidence that it was much more acceptable than previous ones.

The Service Director (Planning and Development) recommended approval in his (very detailed) report, and councillors' questions and discussion tended to focus not on the principle of the development but on detail, e g phasing, terms and conditions, parking and traffic, the proportion and concentration of affordable housing, the safety of the electricity substation, noise, rubbish and recycling. RBK appeared inclined to accept the lower proportion of affordable housing than originally envisaged, wanted by the developers for reasons of "financial viability", in order to achieve regeneration at last of the site and a hotel development that was widely supported. RBK had set conditions, e g to prevent the developers racing ahead with expensive flats for sale and lagging behind on the hotel and affordable units. Council officers were confident that the concerns aired had been or could be dealt with and that the conditions laid down for the developers were sufficient. When it came to the vote only Cllr Mama was against, with 8 (I think) for. It now has to go to the Mayor of London for approval, but as the GLA apparently is supportive, this seems likely.

New hotel gets go-ahead (from Kingston Guardian)

Charity Fund Raising Barbecue (and entertainment) at the Pavilion

The Canbury Pavilion team are running an event on Saturday 5th July at 7pm in aid of the Ladirani Trust. a charity which supports children in Malawi who have lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS.

Tickets £10 inc BBQ and entertainment from an African Drum group!!

Contact Trevor Willis or Kate Tebb or failing that drop us a line and we'll pass on details.

Consultation On Hotel Planning Application *NEW*

Many people will have received a letter from Roy Thompson at RBK concerning the revised planning application made by NHP for the erection of:

(a) A part 7 / part 7 / part 8 storey building on the east side of site around the EDF substation (on Skerne Road) for a 180 bedroom hotel (with conference, banqueting & meeting facilities) and 121 flats; and (b) 2 blocks (part 6 / part 8 and and part 9 / part 11 storey) providing 235 flats on the west part of the site (the Riverside); together with parking and amenity space on the site of the old Kingston Power Station, Skerne Road, Kingston-upon-Thames.

These latest proposals are different from those previously refused permission in October 2007 (06/12424/FUL) in the following respects:

The Riverside proposals:

• have been entirely redesigned
• there would be two blocks arranged around a central courtyard
• the overall height of the proposals has been drastically reduced
• there would be 13 more flats in this part of the site
• vehicular access to the site remains off Henry MacCauley Avenue but the entrance to the underground parking has been relocated further south within the site.

The Skerne Road proposals:

• there are detailed changes to the external appearance and its scale and mass
• the proposed hotel has been increased from 150 to 180 bedrooms
• the proposed flats have been redesigned internally, some are enlarged and thus there would be 27 fewer flats in this block.

You can see a copy of the application at:

1. The Environmental Services Help Desk, 2nd Floor, Guildhall 2 between 8.45am and 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am to 4.45pm on Fridays.
   
2. Kingston Library during normal opening hours.

You can also view applications on the Council's website at www.kingston.gov.uk

After a huge amount of debate the CARA Committee is broadly supportive of these new proposals as we wish to see improvements to this long neglected but strategically important site for the town centre, creating a solution of which everyone can be proud of.

We would also encourage all interested parties to comment on this application (both those who are 'for' and those 'against'). In fact the Council welcomes relevant comment as part of the consideration of the application. Please write, e-mail (including your name and address) to dc@rbk.kingston.gov.uk, or comment directly at www.kingston.gov.uk by 21st April 2008, quoting the reference number 08/12146.

Presumably this will be reviewed at the Development Control Committee scheduled for Thursday 5th June 2008 at 7.30pm at the Guildhall.

(Click on the image for a larger view of the plan)