Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: Rejection of Brent Cross Cricklewood Planning Application (Barnet application reference C17559/08)
Brent Friends of the Earth are extremely concerned about the proposals for the Brent Cross/ Cricklewood development on many levels:
We do not believe that this plan has been adequately publicised within the Brent and Barnet areas affected, despite the wide ranging impact it will have on the local environment. Furthermore we do not believe that an adequate time scale has been allowed for consultation.
We endorse concerns expressed by Brent cyclists on the lack of provision for cyclists and pedestrians within the plan. It seems that the developers have prioritised the needs of motorists at the expense of all other road users.
We are dismayed that consultations are being solicited before the main transport proposals have been published. This allows for decisions affecting these aspects of the plan to be made without proper public input. Moreover, we are very disturbed by the fact that the detailed proposals made by the Sustainable Transport group have been entirely ignored by the developers.
We would hope that a constructive dialogue could take place between the developers and local campaign groups such as ourselves, Sustainable Transport, Brent Cyclists and local residents’ groups. To date our observation of how the developer has dealt with such groups at local meetings seems to indicate a disregard for these groups.
We are concerned that the level of social housing included in the plan is inadequate for the needs of the local community. Moreover, the provision of recycling facilities is inadequate even for the level of housing proposed, and does not meet the government’s recycling targets for 2010.
Over 29,000 extra vehicles daily on our roads is unacceptable. We therefore ask that you obtain Section 106 planning-gain money from the developers for the Brent Cross Light Railway or a similar plan, instead.
We hope to be able to make a more detailed response to the plans in the future as we have only had time to make preliminary observations within the timescale allowed.
Yours sincerely,
Stefanie Schmiedel (Brent FoE Co-ordinator)
Brent Cross/Cricklewood development
