New Preston Community Library building delayed due to supply chain problems

 I was in the Preston pub, Preston Road on Friday and noticed that the Preston Library building site opposite was shrouded in sheeting and totally silent - no work in progress.

I understand that there is slippage on the scheme which consists of flats and a ground floor library space. It is now not expected to be completed until at least August with further delays possible.  The delay is blamed on supply chain issues.

The expectatation was that the Preston Community Library, saved by volunteers after Brent Council closed the original library along with 5 others, would move into the building in Spring 2023 after being housed temporarily in Ashley Gardens. 

Brent-Labour In Thatcherite Gloves: ISN’T IT JUST AN IRONY?

 

Last week an air ambulance landed at the post demolition library site to take an injured child to hospital

 

Guest post in a personal capacity by Bastôn De’Medici-Jaguar 

Your Community Archer

 

On April 27^th, the South Kenton and Preston Park residents, in a forum organised by the Residents Association (SKPPRA), scrutinised the council candidates for the elections this coming Thursday. The goal, one can infer, was to understand the policy position of the diverse candidates who presented themselves for questioning (democracy lives on). 

 

At the heart of this meeting was the hot topic of the recently passed Brent Council Planning Committee motion for the redevelopment of the Preston library. The issue is a sensitive one for the residents of SKPP – and rightly so. A consultation return indicated that 98% of the residents opposed the development, which Labour insists is to provide homes for people in the Borough. No one doubts that there is a housing crisis in Brent or indeed London. The simple controversy is this – the people do not want this kind of housing – small and exorbitantly expensive. One resident at the meeting “rightly” points out that no one in the community can afford the price tags attached to these properties. This then begs the question: who is Brent building for? The answer is anyone’s guess. 

 

The plot of land for the intending site was once the home of the Preston library. That has now been demolished to put the block of twelve flats on [Ed: a new space for the library will be provided in the block]. The actual bone in this matter is that the proposed infrastructure goes against local planning regulations. But Brent has nonetheless hammered its imprimatur to the deal. The controversy was such that the residents, through the faithful gatekeeper, Doreen Gill, launched a judicial review in the High Court. The High Court held that the proposed development was contrary to the Local Plan and found against the Council. Oh, how could they? The Council sidestepped the ruling of the Court and is pushing ahead with its machination. 

 

At the SKPPRA meeting last Wednesday, residents asked the panel of candidates, “Should the High Court's ruling be respected?” The obvious answer is yes. However, Labour-led Brent Council, represented by Councillor Daniel Kennelly at the meeting, submitted that the ruling is respected. How so? The tactic used to circumvent the Court’s ruling was a piece of legislation from the long laid to rest Thatcherite government, allowing planning regulations to be disregarded. This, Kennelly vehemently advocated and submitted, is a Conservative piece of legislation, and if anyone wanted it to change, the Conservatives are in power and thus have the clout to change it. I suspect this was directed at Cllr. Michael Maurice – a Conservative Councillor who was in the audience. Very well said and indeed correct, Cllr.Kennelly.  But there is a mistake. Brent Council is controlled by Labour. And it is this Labour council that has gone back in time to reach for the archaic legislation. This behaviour  frustrates the Court’s decision and launches an onslaught on democracy – disregarding the will of the people, and has ripped open the sacred veil of servanthood. Brent-Labour has strapped its hands in the Thatcherite gloves. Brent is now a carved-out autocratic island in a supposedly largely democratic nation. When judiciary rulings are stifled, fundamental rights can do nothing but take flight. With Brent-Labour's punching power amplified by the Thatcherite gloves,  it has winded society and flatlined the voice of the people, causing the fundamental right of 98% of SKPPRA's residents to take leave.

 

Bastôn is the Green Party candidate for Kenton. Read his election statement HERE

Preston Library Quiz Night IN PERSON! - Monday at the Preston Pub

 

Book a table HERE

From Preston Community Library:

After a very long absence, we have decided it's time to take the Preston Library quiz back to The Preston.  The pub have very kindly offered to let us use their own quizmaster, so the format will be slightly different, but all of the proceeds will go to the library and I'm sure the quiz will be the same hugely enjoyable evening as before. The library quiz will now be at 8pm on the first Monday of every month, starting this coming Monday, 2nd May. If you wish, you can book a table on the pub's website (see link below).  Tickets are £5 [with £3 concessions], pay on the night.  

 

LETTER: Promises, Promises...

 Dear Editor,

 

It is local election time and existing and prospective councillors are on doorsteps or in hustings making promises. We recall our community’s experience of an election promise.

 

On the 7^th May 2014 at a public meeting in St. Erconwald’s Church Hall, Councillor Roxanne Mashari then a member of Brent Council Cabinet and still a Councillor today said:

 

‘Therefore this Labour administration the Labour Party in Brent will offer the building at a peppercorn rent to a local community group who can provide a sustainable community library and that is our pledge’.

 

The ‘building’ was the Preston Library Building – the only publicly owned community space in our area. The matter was an election issue because the Labour administration closed the library in the face of widespread opposition.

 

Years of evasion followed while the Council looked for every possible excuse (school use need etc.) to renege on their promise.

 

Eventually Brent submitted a planning application for the redevelopment of the site and faced down persistent, reasoned, and evidenced opposition that the redevelopment was contrary to their promise, is contrary to the Local Plan, will increase the flood risk, and will result in climate abuse. Brent ignored these issues in years of ‘community consultation’ and twice granted planning consent for their own development. The matter then proceeded to the High Court for Judicial Review.

 

At the second Judicial Review – the first one quashed the planning consent – and faced with a High Court Judge finding for a second time that the development is contrary to the Local Plan – the Labour administration instructed its lawyers to invoke the Senior Courts Act – a law introduced by the Thatcher Government to limit the involvement of ordinary citizens in government decisions.

 

To the astonishment of many including their own supporters a Labour Council (who persistently say they are constrained by Tory Government cuts) used the tools of the Thatcher Government to impose its development on our community.

 

On 26 June 2020 in a video meeting – we asked the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to honour Councillor Mashari’s Pledge. They did not deny the pledge or what it meant for the library, but the Chief Executive replied that an administration coming into office after an election could never be bound by the promises made by a candidate for council in an election campaign.

 

The pledge was referred to the Council’s Monitoring Officer who administers the Brent Members Code of Conduct. This describes the expected integrity, accountability, and honesty of members – qualities which most residents would see as relevant to a failure to keep a public promise.

 

In a decision published on 26 August 2021 the Monitoring Officer decided that too much time had passed since the pledge for it to be in the ‘public interest’ to investigate the matter. She added - as an individual Member of the Council and the Cabinet, Cllr Mashari had no power to make a binding commitment on behalf of the Council or Cabinet.

 

Residents should therefore heed the advice of the Monitoring Officer - candidates cannot make promises and don’t be patient when they mislead.

 

Despite Brent Council’s appalling treatment of our community, we believe in free speech and a right of reply. On the 15 October 2021 we asked Councillor Mashari to explain why she had not kept her promise because we intended to publish this review and wanted to give her a right to reply.

 

Within an hour Councillor Mashari replied that she would make a substantive response by next Tuesday. (19 October 2021).

 

On the 23 October 2021 she said she was ill but would address the points you have made here thoroughly. Please be assured that I will reply as soon as possible.

 

We never heard again from Councillor Mashari.

 

It seems for Brent councillors ‘next Tuesday’ just never comes. ‘Next Tuesday’ never comes either for Brent Council’s ‘promise’ to tackle the climate emergency.

 

Brent Council demolished the library in December 2021.

 

Instead of giving the building to the community as Councillor Mashari promised, it was given to a demolition contractor to take to landfill to aid in the Council’s destruction of the planet.

 

Michael  Rushe,

Chair

South Kenton Preston Park Residents Association

 

The Preston Library site and 'Our exceptional and Priceless Planet'

 This Guest Post is the view of the authors and not necessarily that of Wembley Matters. Guest Post by SKPPRA (South Kenton Preston Park Residents' Association).

 

Yesterday the UN Secretary General of the UN António Guterres told humanity at the COP26 conference in Glasgow - ‘We face a stark choice: either we stop [the addiction] or it stops us’[1].

 

Here in Wembley Brent Council gave an instant response to the UN that afternoon when contractors for the Council started work on the climate destroying redevelopment of the Preston Library site. In the words of Mr. Guterres - Brent Council have decided not to stop climate destruction but to stop us!

 

The library development is a disaster for the climate and for our local community which has fought for so long to retain a library use at the site. The local community strongly opposed the development in 90% of the responses made to Brent Council in the pre-application consultations and in the town planning process. The proposed development reduces community use at the site, overlooks and impacts on the amenity and privacy of the adjoining owners, and was found by the High Court in two separate Judicial Reviews to be contrary to the requirements of the Local Plan.

 

Brent Council was only able to avoid the quashing of the planning consent for a second time by invoking The Senior Courts Act – a Thatcher Government statute designed to limit individual and community involvement in local government decisions. The present Council, it appears has strong addictions not only to climate abuse but to the methods of its political opponents back as far as Mrs. Thatcher in the 1980s.

 

SKPPRA (South Kenton Preston Park Residents Association) and the residents living next to the Preston Library Site in Wembley have for more than three years sought to plot a better course for the community, the site and for the planet.

 

Brent Council proposes to demolish the existing Preston Library building and to build a new library on the same site a few metres away from the existing building. Residents know this is unsustainable and a climate destroying development. The proposal results in an avoidable emission of six hundred tonnes (600tCO₂e) calculated using the ICE database at https://circularecology.com/ for the demolition and rebuild of the library building.

 

To mitigate these emissions ten-thousand trees (one third of the street trees in Brent) need to be planted and mature for ten years to offset the avoidable emissions in the library development.[2]   Brent to be carbon neutral by 2030?

 

The Community’s initiative not only saves the building and the planet, but avoids the emissions caused by the development, retains the trees destroyed by the Council, and avoids disruption to the underground river - Crouch Brook at the site.

 

The initiative is a response to the consequences of climate change, the recent floods in the area, and to Brent Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration (July 2019) which says that the Council will work with residents ‘every step of the way’[3] to make the borough carbon neutral by 2030.

 

 

Community Proposal for Preston Library site with the retention of existing library (yellow), trees and new housing (grey). The existing library is demolished in the Brent Council Scheme to form a car park.

 

The UN IPCC report (9^th August 2021) advised that this was the last report where there was still a chance to take emergency action to avert a climate disaster. The SKPPRA community and Brent Council know the critical ‘every step’ and ‘emergency action’ now means the immediate retention of the existing Preston Library building.

  

The Council Leader noting the publication of the IPCC report [4] said ‘we can change our wasteful consumption of finite resources,  .. we can cease to be a drain on this exceptional and priceless planet…. To do nothing is to condemn ourselves and our descendants to untold misery and chaos. This is a climate emergency, we must act now’. 

 

For five years however Councillor Butt has refused to consider or respond to detailed objections to the development and refused to look at the alternative proposal or even take any step of the way with residents.

 

Referring this hypocrisy to the Mayor of London, to central Government Departments[5], to Barry Gardiner the local MP, and to Kier Starmer (Leader of Councillor Butt’s party) received no response other than the advice that avoiding the effects of climate change - was a ‘local matter.’ The UN Secretary General doesn’t agree.

 

Residents have invested time and resources in preparing an alternative proposal to save a valuable community resource and to prevent climate change.

 

In contrast - the Council has failed to apply its own policies on sustainable development, refused to explain or publish the cost of the development, and refused to consider any alternative proposals as promised in the Council’s own Climate Emergency Declaration.

 

Unfortunately, we live in Wembley but not on Councillor Butt’s exceptional and priceless planet.

---

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/01/digging-our-own-graves-world-leaders-speak-cop26

[2] Calculated using https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator

[3] Brent Climate & Ecological Emergency Strategy 2021-2030 (April 2021) Page 2.

[4] https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/cllr-muhammed-butt-on-the-recent-floods-8240446

[5] Several referrals to Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG)

Somali author Hashi Mohamed at Preston Community Library on March 3rd

From Preston Community Library

Local author Hashi Mohamed’s “People Like Us'' has been receiving national press and broadcast attention in the last few weeks since its publication by leading publisher PROFILE. He is coming to Preston Community Library as part of his UK-wide publicity tour on March 3rd.

Hashi arrived in the UK aged 9, a penniless, stateless, parentless refugee from the civil war in Somalia speaking no English.

Raised on benefits in Wembley, he is now a barrister in Lincoln's Inn and prolific broadcaster. He speaks in schools across the country and is mentor to an incredible 22 people. It could have all gone another way. The book is a gripping account, and an invaluable part of the debate on Social Mobility, the lack of...

Reviews

‘I found myself nodding in agreement with every word of People Like Us – Hashi Mohamed has written a moving, shocking, clear-eyed account of the increasingly rare phenomenon of social mobility using his own extraordinary story as a spine’  Grayson Perry

‘Finely written...an ambitious and far-reaching attempt to rethink the whole stalled project of social mobility’  Sunday Times

‘A work of courage and hope by a very remarkable individual’ Philippe Sands

Come and hear Hashid talk about his amazing journey through some of the lowest performing schools in Brent, to Oxford and the Bar, and join the debate.

Early Notice - controversial planning applications coming up at Brent Council Planning Committee on January 22nd

The next Planning Committee on Wednesday 22nd January, 6pm,  at Brent Civic Centre will be deciding some controversial planning applications:

1 Olympic Way, Wembley, HA9 0NP (Ref. 19/0395) PDF 485 KB

Preston Library, Carlton Avenue East, Wembley, HA9 8PL (Ref. 19/1305) PDF 997 KB

Granville Centre, 80 Granville Road, London, NW6 5RA (Ref.19/2378) PDF 774 KB

19 Dudden Hill Lane, London, NW10 2ET (Ref.19/2688) PDF 834 KB

Playground, Salusbury Primary School, Salusbury Road, London, NW6 6RG (Ref.19/2136) PDF 336 KB

To request to speak on any of the applications contact: Contact: Joe Kwateng, Governance Officer  Email: joe.kwateng@brent.gov.uk; 020 8937 1354

'Pearlies' at Preston Library tomorrow 4.30pm -head about the Pearly Kings and Queens

Crunch day for Preston Community Library at Planning Committee on Wednesday 21st August

Ground floor plan showing flat and accommodation entrance and library space

Frontage from Carlton Avenue East

Preston Community Library is at the centre of a planning decision to be made by Brent Planning Committee on Wednesday August 21st LINK. The community library emerged from a fierce campaign against closure and campaigners decided to run a volunteer library to safeguard the site and service until a council run service was reinstated. Recently the library was commended in the Bookseller's Library of the Year Award, the first volunteer library to receive such a commendation.

Campaigners won the status of Asset of Community Value (ACV) for the library and its retention is guaranteed in Brent Council's redevelopment proposal that includes provision of a new building with 12 affordable flats on the site as well as a smaller library space.

Supporters of the library have varying views on the proposal with some supporting the development as a way of ensuring the survival of the library and the replacement of a flimsy building which is not fit for modern purposes. They accept that the  smaller floorspace will be more flexible and adaptable than the current classroom layout. Others oppose the development because the library provision will be smaller than the current floorspace and they wish the library to continue as it is - often without any redevelopment to provide housing.

There are 67 objections in all including that from the South Kenton and Preston Park Residents Association.  Ground include the height and density of the proposed building, its failure to fit in with the local 'metroplitan style' semi-detached houses, traffic impact, overlooking of nearby gardens, lack of play-space for children and danger of surface flooding. Neighbouring Twinstar Car Sales oppose the development partly due to it overlooking their premises but also because it limits their own redevelopment proposals. An earlier submission by them was turned down.

Councillor Kennelly in hs submission recognised the benefits of re-providing the library facility to allow its continued operation in the long term, but highlighted concerns regarding the impact of the proposal upon the privacy of the properties on Longfield Avenue and the need to remove windows/balconies facing onto these properties, 
that the design of the building is not in keeping with the character of the area and could set a precedent. 

I would expect Cllr Michael Maurice, who is a member of the Planning Committee, to recuse himself from this agenda item as he has expressed strong views on the proposal. 


Three supportive comments claimed that 
the proposal will provide much needed affordable housing within the borough in a decent standard of accommodation, that the 
 site is in a sustainable location close to local amenities, transport links and schools 
and the proposal will allow the long term operation of the library to take place on the site in a 
modernised building 

As shown in the plan above the library space will be provided as a shell at this stage and Preston Library will fit it out themselves using the £268,000 they were granted from Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy that was conditional on the redevelopment going ahead. LINK


Below I have reproduced three views from the Council Planning Portal to illustrate the issues:

NEUTRAL

Since this development was first proposed in 2010, I have read and reviewed the many ideas and suggestions from Brent Council. Previous proposals failed to provide adequate provision for a Library or community space. This space has always been and remains an integral part of our community in Preston Ward. Since 2016, I have seen a more engaged approach from Brent Council and a willingness to listen to the community. Although these plans require further alterations, the basic provision for a sustainable community library in the long term is the most important factor in my decision to support this development as a resident and councillor.

The space available to the community will be maintained and modernised. It will allow the Preston Community Library and Hub to build upon their hard work and success by granting long term security both financially and structurally. The current building is approaching the end of its natural life and will require substantial work to maintain the current standards. By supporting this proposal, I believe that the long term future of Preston Community Library and Hub will be secured.

However, I am concerned that the current proposals do not meet the necessary safety concerns for the development to proceed in its current format. Firstly, at every public meeting local residents have expressed their concerns over privacy and child safety. The proposals have continuously failed to meet these concerns. To help protect residents, I propose that all balconies are removed from the final design and no windows overlook the residents on Longfield Avenue. The safety and protection of vulnerable residents should be the first priority for the Planning Committee.

Secondly, the design of the building does not keep with the local architecture. This community has a traditional metropolitan look, which these proposals do not reflect. I am concerned that this will open the floodgates to applications that do not reflect the traditional beauty of the local area. Therefore to maintain the high standards in the local area, these proposals should be reviewed once again.

Finally, I do not believe that adequate planning or consultation has been completed in regards to the impact of increased traffic and reduced pedestrian access whilst work is being completed. I would strongly question any survey that has been completed by the council and ask why they have asked for such little public engagement on this issue. It is my belief that the current proposals will hurt local business and impact upon the lives of both elderly and vulnerable resident. It will lead to an increase in pollution and congestion. The lungs of young residents are most affected by the fumes from parked traffic, I implore the Planning Committee to ask Brent Council to think again about these proposals.

I want to make very clear that my support for this project hinges upon the guarantee of the long term future of the Community Library and Hub. Should the Committee or Brent Council attempt to reverse these plans and commitments that have been made to the community, I would be unable to continue with my support.

FOR

I strongly support this development, because it will provide a new and better laid out and equipped library, rather than it having to make do and mend in a building that has seen better days. I agree with an earlier comment that the library is an important resource for the community which allows people a safe creative environment to interact and encourages diversity, and that it has a positive function in social, health and economic terms.

I also, unlike most of the people opposing the development, positively welcome the development of affordable housing, particularly at a time when across London around 80% of new market housing is affordable to only 20% of working households and there is marked reluctance by private landlords to let to households claiming Housing Benefit.

Brent Council's housing strategy acknowledges that the opportunities for large-scale new development in Brent are constrained by land availability and costs, so smaller developments must play their part in helping to provide homes for those who don't have them or are poorly and insecurely housed.

We in this community should welcome this opportunity to increase the affordable rented housing stock. Too many of the comments opposing the development simply smack of nimybism.

AGAINST

We wish to make you aware of a number of strong objection that we have with regards to the proposed development of  Preston Community Library. As an immediate neighbour to the site of the proposed development, we are of the view that the proposed development will have a serious impact on our standard of Living. Our specific objections are as follows.

1 Detrimental impact upon residential amenities.

We believe that the proposed development is a direct contravention of the policies, it does not respect local context and street pattern or in particular, the scale and proportion of surrounding buildings and would be entirely out of the character of the area, The proposed Development is 4 storey building and is much higher than neighbouring property. The proposed dwelling incorporates an external balcony at front and rear of development unlike any other neighbouring property, so the scale and design of the development will be entirely out of keeping.

The proposal would demonstrably harm the amenities enjoyed by local residents, in particular safe and available on-road parking (see point 6), valuable green space (see point 4), privacy ( see Point 5) and the right to enjoy a quiet and safe residential environment.

2 Need To avoid town cramming

We believe that the proposed development is a direct contravention of the policies. The proposed dwelling would significantly alter the fabric of the area to serious cramming in what is a low density road, The proposed dwelling have very small garden, but the nature and orientation of the plot means that the garden would actually be very small for a four-story dwelling, particularly compared with the large plots typically enjoyed by the surrounding properties. The proposal allows very little space for landscaping and we believe that it would lead to gross over-development of the site. The proposed development would not result in a benefit in environmental and landscape term, to the contrary it would lead to the loss of valuable green space.

3 Communal Play Space Policy S4 (Mayor of London)

We believe there is no Communal Play space for children and Young people in accordance with the requirement of Policy S4 Play and informal recreation as per Mayor of London Plan (Minimum for 10 children)

4 Protection of valuable open space under TPO

We have grave concerns about the adverse effect the proposed development would have on large tree will be removed this will affect wildlife haven for many birds and valuable contribution to the street scene and area and are an amenity for local residents.

5. Loss of privacy and overlooking

The proposed site of development and scale that the primary amenity area of our garden, resulting in a serious invasion of our privacy.

We believe that the proposed development is a direct contravention of policy of the District Wide Local Plan. The design of the proposed development dose not affords adequate privacy for the occupants of the building or of adjacent residential properties. Particularly, with regard to their right to the quite enjoyment of garden amenities. We would urge you to consider the responsibilities of the council under the Human Right Act in particular Protocol 1, Article 1 which states that a person has the right to peaceful enjoyment of all their possessions which includes the home and other land. We believe that the proposed development would have a dominating impact on us and our right to the quite enjoyment of our property. Article 8 of the Human Rights Act stats that person has the substantive right to respect for their private and family life.

6. Inadequate Parking and Access.

We believe that the proposed development does not provide sufficient parking space to meet these requirement ( As specified in transport report this kind of development require 14 space for flat resident plus about 5 space for library users plus disable space for both library user and flat resident) in addition to this , there is already intense on street parking pressure on the road on Carlton Avenue East, Longfield avenue, Fernleigh Court, and we believe the proposed additional parking provision will damage both highway safety and residential amenity.
Also proposed development showing hoarding taking public footpath and parking bay outside library and will create blind spot junction and will increased on road safety and accident.

7. Our other objection are listed below.

1) Nuisance and annoyance obstruction of the view
2) Twinstar similar Development been refused by Brent council reference 08/3173
3) Consultation meeting 76% Neighbours and library user object the development proposal
4) We believe proposed Development will create overshadowing in our property

We would be grateful if the council would take our objection into consideration when deciding this application. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with a representative of planning department to illustrate our objections at first hand.