Future looking bright for the Durning Library

Wednesday saw a highly successful public consultation day at the Durning Library.

Hundreds of residents gave their views about what they would like to see at the Library in the future.

The day finished with a meeting rounding up the themes from the day. Chair of the Friends of the Durning Library Priscilla Baines said she was feeling positive about the future and felt the consultation was actually going to lead to improvements in the services.

Officers promised to come back in four weeks' time with firm proposals for changes to opening hours and responses to some of the creative ideas for new services and uses for the building.

Pictured: The Library Commission's visit to the Durning Library, where they saw how well-used and valued Durning Library is by residents.

Glasshouse Walk playground plans submitted

VGERTA and Lambeth Living have submitted a planning application for the playground at Glasshouse Walk. The plans will transform the dilapidated playground into a green and welcoming new facility. The plans have been drawn up after extensive consultation with the local community, and the funding has been secured thanks to VGERTA's hard work.

Support or comment on the planning application here.

Watch a video on the case for change at the playground.

Dates announced for Fire HQ planning appeal

The Planning Inspectorate have now set the dates for the London Fire Authority'a appeal against Lambeth Council's decision not to grant planning permission to their scheme for the Albert Embankment, Whitgift Street  and Black Prince Road.

The dates are:


23 October 2012 - deadline for comments from interested parties (residents)

26 February 2013 – date of the inquiry.

The case is now on the Planning Inspectorate's website.


Your councillors objected to the plans - read our objection here.

Costa Coffee proposes 25m hopper for Old Paradise Street

Costa Coffee have submitted a planning application to increase the capacity of their roasting facility next to the railway on Old Paradise Street.

The plans include a 25 metre high hopper for roasting coffee - about the same height as the police building and Sugden boilerhouse chimney on the same street.

The plans have the potential to affect residents of Gabriel House, and users of Lambeth High Street Recreation Ground (Old Paradise Gardens).

You can view and comment on the plans here.

Big changes proposed for Lambeth Community Care Centre on Monkton Street

The Lambeth Community Care Centre has been providing intermediate care for people recovering from operations since the 1980s. It's a peaceful, comfortable and attractive facility; with a large and stunningly beautiful garden and a loyal Friends' group.

The local NHS is now proposing changing the Centre into a specialist facility for people recovering from amputations. This a major change and the Friends are concerned that everybody with an interest in the centre is made aware. They are holding a special meeting at the centre on 2 October - please contact us for more details of how to attend and how to join the Friends.

The NHS Consultation document about the proposed changes is here.

Photo: Edward Cullinan Architects

Kennington Park masterplan on display

Lambeth Council have commissioned a ten-year masterplan for Kennington Park.

It is on view in the Durning Library (167 Kennington Lane) this week - 17-22 September.

Lambeth have prepared a questionnaire, to get the views of park users on where priorities should lie.

The Friends want to get the views of park users to influence future developments - please fill in a questionnaire at the Library.

Council listening to residents' Northern Line Extension concerns

Lambeth Council have appointed tunnelling experts Ramboll as independent technical consultants to examine Transport for London's plans for the Northern Line Extension, which are are progressing quickly.

At an exhaustive three hour meeting this evening, chaired by London Assembly Member Val Shawcross, experts from Ramboll listened to the detailed concerns that residents have about the construction and operation of the Northern Line Extension.

Issues included:
- the exact location of the construction shaft in Radcot Street (not yet decided)
- the effect on adjacent properties
- air quality next to the shaft
- parking during construction (the gin distillery was suggested as a possible site for parking)
- traffic circulation through 'Methravia' during construction
- size and quality of the construction vehicles
- hours of construction work
- noise - construction of tunnels and operation of the trains
- capacity of Kennington station - for additional trains and additional passenger interchange
- boundary issues - discussions with Southwark
- process for monitoring any settlement or damage caused by tunnelling
- the need for maximum noise mitigation around the 'Kennington Loop' - where the NLE will meet the existing track and be at its most shallow - and the need for the existing track on the Loop to be upgraded to reduce noise disruption.
- how to manage Kennington Park during construction, reproviding the dog exercise area and ensuring community projects aren't forced to close.
- which shaft site has been decided for Kennington Green - the distillery is preferred and residents want the trees protected
- the proposed permanent shaft at Claylands Green which is fiercely opposed by local residents there and TfL are now examining whether other options are possible.
- what noise and effect the permanent ventilation shafts will have.

There was a clear consensus from residents and councillors that
- Lambeth Council must demand the minimal construction disruption to residents possible.
- Lambeth Council must insist on the highest possible noise mitigation work for the operation of the trains.
- Lambeth Council must specify construction techniques which are least noisy and least disruptive to residents.
- Ramboll need to examine TfL's plans in great detail and not be afraid to challenge them to improve the project's effects on Lambeth's residents.

Councillor Mark Harrison said 'the meeting was a really useful and detailed airing of all the many concerns that Lambeth residents have about the Northern Line Extension. Now independent experts Ramboll can go away and examine TfL's plans in detail and get answers to the questions raised'.

Duchy Arms and Area licensing reviews because of noise disruption

 The Council's Noise Service has applied for reviews of the licence for two separate premises in our area because of disruption to residents caused by noise.


The Duchy Arms, 63 Sancroft Street


Grounds for review:

Lambeth Noise Service is making this REVIEW as a result of noise complaints received from residents and following an inspection of the premises.

Complaint History

A total of five complaints have been received this year from four different complainants:

22.1.12 at 00:42 hours - loud amplified music & bass - complainant lives in Newquay House, Sancroft Street SE11 5UN. Officers called back but received no reply.

6.5.12 at 00:46 hours - loud music and shouting - complainant lives in Courtenay Street SE11 5PH. Call cancelled by complainant before officers arrived.

26.5.12 at 01:43 hours - loud music from a non-amplified musical instrument - complainant lives in Newquay House, Sancroft Street SE11 5UN.

14.7.12 at 02:27 hours - loud shouting outside pub, 6-12 people drunk since 23:30hours.
Complainant lives in Newquay House, Sancroft Street SE11 5UN.

21.7.12 at 12:32 hours (Email to Cllr S Morgan) - loud amplified music, over 40 people drinking in the street, singing, shouting, smoking, arguing, swearing. Police attended having been called by another neighbour.
No statutory nuisance has been substantiated by noise officers due to the noise being lowered, stopped, or no visit being made.

Noise Officers visited the premise on 31.7.2012 at 17:25 hours and spoke to the Designated Premises Supervisor. Officers were advised that there is no automatic noise control device installed at the premises to control amplified music. There is a juke box connected to five loudspeakers and DJ's bring in there own sound equipment. There is a small wall-mounted volume control device which is manually operated and can be easily tampered with by staff. Officers do not consider that the wall mounted device is an appropriate means of controlling amplified music noise on the premises.
There is only one A4 sized public notice displayed on the rear exit door to the car park asking customers to leave quietly. Officers recommended that further signs should be placed on each of the other two exit doors.

Officers are of the opinion that the failure to install a sound-limiting device which is set to officers' satisfaction is a breach of the licence condition under Annex-2, No.2 the prevention of public nuisance. .

Furthermore, the failure to display 'quiet' signs on all the exit doors is also considered to be in contravention of Annex-2 condition (No.2) the prevention of public nuisance.

To prevent public nuisance, officers recommend the following:

1. The terminal hour be reduced to 23:00 hours.

2. A suitable automated sound limiting device be installed at the premises to control all amplified music and/or speech. The device shall be set at a level determined and approved by the Licensing Authority (Noise Officers) and thereafter maintained at the approved level for the duration of use.

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer: Sarah Williams
Telephone: 020 7926 6141 Email: SGWilliams@lambeth.gov.uk

Area - 67-68 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TP  

Grounds for review:

This Review is being made on the grounds that the premises generate noise complaints from local residents. Officers believe the activities at these premises engaged the public nuisance element of the licensing objectives.

Noise officers visited Albert Embankment on 26.8.12 at 08:00 hours and observed loud amplified bass music emanating from the premises known as Area. Officers visited a complainant living in St Georges Wharf and clearly heard loud bass music while standing in the complainants bedroom. The officers reported that although the bass was clearly audible it did not amount to a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act.1990. However, the officers believe that the degree of interference and annoyance caused by the bass music noise did engage the public nuisance element of the licensing objectives under the Licensing Act 2003.

At 08:33 the officers revisited Albert Embankment and confirmed the source of the noise as being Area night club. Officers observed that the main entrance door was kept wide open white the inner lobby door was closed. Officers met Mr Ryan Elder, the Licensee and together they inspected the music sound system & DJ console. Officers believe that there is no automatic sound limiter in place to satisfactorily regulate and control the volume of the music. Officers believe that a compressor unit is connected to the sound system but they are not satisfied with the settings as bass noise continues to emanate from the premises into the surrounding area and remains audible in residential premises.

Officers consider the following conditions should be applied to the premises licence.

1. A suitable automatic sound limiting device shall be installed at the premises to control all amplified music and/or speech. The device shall be pre-approved by noise officers and the acceptable level of noise shall be determined and set to officers' satisfaction and thereafter maintained at the approved level for the duration of use.

2. Both lobby entrance doors should remain closed while regulated entertainment takes place and that the doors should be operated one at a time to allow patrons to enter and leave the premises with minimal noise escape.

Officers additional concerns or comments:

Noise officers are concerned about the opening hours of the venue and would prefer to see terminal hours brought back to a more reasonable time, for example 03:00 hours.

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer: Mrs Sarah Williams
Telephone: 020 7926 6141 Email: SGWilliams@lambeth.gov.uk





Deadline for representations for either case is 28 September 2012

Read our guide to licensing

Feel free to contact us for advice about making a representation.