BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FOR WEST NORWOOD AND TULSE HILL?
Businesses in West Norwood and Tulse Hill are looking to formally join together to drive growth in the town centre.
Funding has been secured from Lambeth council and the Mayor of London with a view to creating a Business Improvement District, boosting the area as it fast becomes one South London’s most thriving communities.
Last summer saw the opening of the West Norwood Health & Leisure Centre, it was announced last month that Picturehouse will open a four-screen cinema in Norwood High Street alongside a refurbished public library and West Norwood Feast has been a booming community market since 2012.
Now, with a growing number of independent businesses opening along Norwood High Street, the West Norwood Business Association in collaboration with Lambeth council and Cross River Partnership regeneration specialists are proposing the formation of a BID, which will create even more opportunities for businesses and the community.
If given the go ahead after a ballot, the West Norwood and Tulse Hill BID would be the seventh in Lambeth, making it the London borough with the most BIDs.
Cllr Jack Hopkins, Lambeth council cabinet member for jobs and growth, said: “We’ve already seen with six other BIDs across Lambeth town centres what a positive impact it can have to bring businesses together and create an income for that specific area.
“Local people and businesses know what the priorities should be in West Norwood and Tulse Hill and this is their opportunity to lead.
“A strong business community means a strong local economy and that breeds a stronger community with more opportunities for Lambeth residents.”
Owen Dallison, who owns the Lazy Rhubarb café in Station Rise near Tulse Hill station, said: “The West Norwood and Tulse Hill area is on the up and both businesses and residents have high aspirations for its future.
“The business community is already making the area more attractive and with a BID we can do even more.”
The GLA have approved £30,000 of funding from the Mayor’s New BID Development Fund to continue Lambeth’s BID development work with local businesses. Lambeth council have already committed £50,000 from the Community Investment Fund.
Marco Modulo, who chairs West Norwood Business Association, said: “West Norwood has great potential to provide more for businesses. “The recent investment from the Mayor’s Outer London fund has really helped – it is now the time to capitalise on that.”
If local businesses agree to the formation of a BID, each business in the area will contribute a small levy into a BID fund which will be used to address their set priorities such as cleaning and greening the high street, increasing the marketing and footfall for local shops, restaurants, cafes, pub and leisure facilities, reduce business costs through group purchasing and develop a forward plan of actions and opportunities for West Norwood and Tulse Hill. (Source: Lambeth council press release.)
BUILDERS FINED £300 EACH FOR BREACHING NOISE REQUIREMENTS
Two men pleaded guilty at Bromley magistrates court on 14 January 2015 to breaching a notice restricting the hours in which noisy building works could be conducted.
They were fined £300 each, plus a £30 victim surcharge and were ordered to pay £447.50 in costs for not complying with a Control of Pollution Act 1974 section 60 notice by continuing to carry out work creating unacceptable noise outside the allotted hours.
The pair were served with the notice on the 30 September 2014 restricting the hours in which construction works could be completed after council officers witnessed them undertaking out-of-hours construction work.
The notice restricted potentially noisy building works to 08:00-18:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00-13:00 on Saturdays in order to minimise disturbance to nearby properties.
A Bromley council public protection division officer witnessed continued building works on 5 October 2014 in breach of the notice requirements.
Cllr Tim Stevens, executive member for public protection and safety said: “The council act in such cases to strike a suitable balance between protecting neighbouring properties from undue disturbance and allowing reasonable hours for potentially noisy construction works to be completed.
“But where our requests to keep the works within the guideline hours are ignored, we have no option but to resort to formal legal action.” (Source: Bromley council press release.)
NORTH END IMPROVEMENT WORKS
A four-week programme of works is set to transform North End improving Croydon town centre’s main pedestrian thoroughfare, say Croydon council.
This will see broken pavements fixed and repairs made to drains and gullies to prevent flooding.
EM Highways has been appointed to carry out the works, which are part of Connected Croydon, a £50m project to transform the town centre through improvements to the high street and infrastructure.
“The works are being carefully staged to minimise disruption to businesses and shoppers, with some of it taking place in the evening and noise being kept to a minimum” said a Croydon council spokesperson.
“Letters have been sent to residents and businesses affected informing them about the works.”
Cllr Toni Letts, cabinet member for economic development, said: “Our high streets are extremely important to the prosperity of the borough and that is why we’re improving them.
“De-cluttering, cleaning and updating North End will help boost business by making the area look and feel more attractive and a safer place to shop and visit.
“The programmed work is taking place during evenings so as not to impact on business and we are confident that any disruption will be kept to a minimum.”
For more information about the North End improvement project please visit:www.croydon.gov.uk/northend (Source: Croydon council press release.)
A NEW BRAND FOR LONDON ROAD – CAST YOUR VOTE NOW
Residents and businesses in London Road are asked to vote for a new brand for the area, as designed by a local company.
Thornton Heath-based designers Future of Croydon were given the task of creating a logo for London Road and now it is down to the public to choose the one that they would like to see represent the place they live and work in.
Councillor Toni Letts, cabinet member for economic development, said: “London Road is already changing thanks to the multi-million pound improvement works currently under way.
“Creating a brand for London Road will enhance this transformation while instilling a sense of pride and good feeling for the residents and businesses who live and work in the area.
“We’re also delighted to be using local talent in Future of Croydon.”
Director of Future of Croydon, Ashley Wyllie, said: “This is all about creating a lasting impact for London Road and creating an identity that represents and celebrates what’s good about the area.
“It’s something that will bring more people down to enjoy London Road and see it as a destination to visit for the experience, bringing everyone together and increasing the pride people feel about London Road.”
View the designs and cast your vote at www.croydon.gov.uk/londonroad or by using the voting box in the Enterprise Hub, CVA Resource Centre, 82, London Road, Croydon, CR0 2TB. Email [email protected] for more information.
The closing date for voting is Friday, 20 February.
For more information about Future of Croydon visit www.futureofcroydon.co.uk or follow @FutureofCroydon. (Source: Croydon council press release.)