LAMBETH CAUSING PEOPLE “UNBEARABLE STRESS” – Decision to demolish Central Hill estate delayed until February…..TOMORROW’S PLANNING COMMITTEE CANCELLED
Lambeth council have been accused of putting “unbearable stress” on people living on the Central Hill estate, Crystal Palace – after a decision to demolish it was delayed yet again.
Lambeth council’s cabinet was set to effectively rubber-stamp the decision to demolish Central Hill – one of six estates it wants to knock down as part of its hugely controversial and highly unpopular ‘Homes for Lambeth’ scheme – at its meeting tonight (Monday 16th)
Nicola Curtis, secretary of Central Hill tenants and residents association, told News From Crystal Palace on Thursday: “It was supposed to be on Monday but Lambeth have cancelled again. “They have not told the residents of this fact.
“We knew because Lambeth council’s democratic services told us when we inquired about the venue.
“It took a week for Lambeth to inform the resident engagement panel officially and they have not told the residents.
“This process has put unbearable stress on the residents and is completely unfair on them. “It would seem the residents are just an afterthought in Lambeths scheme.”
Association chairman Karen Bennett told News From Crystal Palace on Thursday: “We were told that our decision would be 16th January……obviously they only publish the agenda for any cabinet meeting in the week prior to the actual meeting.
“They had not yet published the agenda with the inclusion of our estate decision when they changed it again to 6th February.
“We take ALL dates given to us with a pinch of salt due to the fact that they have changed it so many times, but that doesn’t change the fact that these are dates they HAVE given to residents.
“Having said that, they have not yet formally advised residents that the cabinet meeting will NOT now be 16th January 2017.”
News From Crystal Palace understands that a recent legal judgment – either on the Cressingham Gardens estate at Tulse Hill or a separate High Court case involving Southwark council and the Aylebsbury estate at Walworth – has thrown up a few legal questions about residents losing right-to-buy, with Lambeth council council officers wanting to look again at the legal aspects as a precaution.
Lambeth’s Conservative opposition leader Cllr Tim Briggs told News From Crystal Palace: “They would be right to look carefully at this, because basically it is a legal loophole.
“How else could a landlord use its own failure to get repairs done as an excuse to demolish
homes, and end people’s legal rights to buy them?
“For us, taking away the right-to-buy shows the hypocrisy of Labour councillors and their contempt for residents, as they sit in their private homes, telling residents we can’t have what they have.”
CARNEGIE LIBRARY HERNE HILL
Lambeth council have cancelled tomorrow night’s (Tuesday 17th) planning committee.
News From Crystal Palace understood that another major Lambeth controversy – plans to turn the Carnegie library in Herne Hill into a glorified gym – were due to be on the agenda but Lambeth say this was never the case.
The next planning committee is due to be held on Tuesday February 7th – the day after the next cabinet meeting (February 6th) when Central Hill demolition plans should be on the agenda.
News From Crystal Palace has been told that the Carnegie library IS set to be on the planning committee agenda for February 7th.
But a Lambeth council spokesman told News From Crystal Palace: “In regards to Central Hill, the issue was never included on January’s Cabinet agenda.
“In terms of Carnegie, again, I do not believe that a date had been set for the planning application to be decided.
“Both issues are still outstanding for a decision, and in neither case was a commitment given that it would happen on any specific date.”