Westminster Tower Public Exhibition 24 April

From CLS Holdings:

You are invited to attend a public exhibition detailing proposals for a forthcoming planning application to refurbish our existing offices and convert some to residential accommodation at Westminster Tower on the Albert Embankment.

Before a planning application is submitted to Lambeth Council, you have an opportunity to see the plans and comment on the proposals. The exhibition will include images and detailed information of the plans. Members of the project team will be available to answer any questions.

Our proposal

We are proposing to refurbish the existing Westminster Tower office building, which is now inappropriate for the modern office environment. Additionally, we propose a change of use of some of the office space to housing including shared ownership housing.

The redesign has been carried out to improve energy performance of the building and the built environment on the Albert Embankment. We will also be improving the frontage and façade of the building. The façade will now be mainly Portland Stone to recognise and reflect the character of the Southbank area.

About CLS

Westminster Tower has been owned since the 1990s by Three Albert Embankment Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of local property investor CLS Holdings plc. CLS has its headquarters located in Vauxhall where it has been investing for over 20 years.

We hope you will be able to come along to our exhibition – we look forward to hearing your views.

If you are unable to attend and would like more information please contact us via email, letter or Freephone.

Find out more

Garden Museum, 5 Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB.

Thursday 24 April 2pm-8pm.

Contact us

Freephone: 0800 458 6976

email: newwestminstertower@yourshout.org

Write to: New Westminster Tower, FREEPOST RTGB-KBZB-ZSKJ, Your Shout, 1-45 Durham Street, London SE11 5JH

Website: www.newwestminstertower.com

Your councillors have asked for more information about why the building is not suitable as a modern office, what its current and recent occupancy has been, and how the loss of employment space can be justified.

Victory for residents - 8 Albert Embankment

Local residents have once again secured a major victory against the London Fire Authority’s handling of the plans to develop the site behind 8 Albert Embankment.

Residents of Whitgift House and Whitgift Street, supported by your local Labour Team, have consistently called for the Fire Authority to drop its unsatisfactory developer, Native Land. We are pleased to report that this hard work has paid off, and that members of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority yesterday voted to discontinue using Native Land.

Joining local campaigners Visakha Chandrasekera and Michael Ball at the London Fire Authority HQ this afternoon; Councillor Steve Morgan and Labour candidates Joanne Simpson and David Amos spoke out on residents’ behalf and publicly called for the abandonment of Native Land. Steve and Joanne also both met high level management of the Fire Authority last week to warn the body that they intended to publicly denounce the use of Native Land. Steve and Joanne highlighted three main issues: lack of public transparency, woeful levels of affordable housing and a contemptuous lack of regard for the opinions of local residents.

Your Labour Team is delighted that the Fire Authority has finally decided to listen to the concerns of the community and has realised that an alternative developer would produce a better deal, not only for local residents, but for the financial future of the Fire Authority too. This is a fantastic result and thoroughly deserved of the hard work and dedication of the local campaign.

You can be assured that your three Labour candidates David Amos, Chris Marsh and Joanne Simpson will continue to monitor this issue closely and ensure that the Fire Authority proceeds in its new choice of a developer in a transparent way. Your local Labour team will continue to support residents to ensure we secure the best benefits for the community.

Pictured: local campaigners at an earlier protest against Native Land outside the Fire Station

Residents say no to Fire Authority's dodgy developer

Residents of the Whitgift Estate and beyond have reacted angrily to the London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA)'s decision to continue working with their completely discredited development partner (Native Land) for their plans for the fire brigade sites behind 8 Albert Embankment.

In May the Planning Inspector threw out Native Land's scheme on the grounds it would unacceptably reduce light to Whitgift House and Whitgift Street. This was after a sustained campaign from local residents, supported by local councillors, Kate Hoey and Lambeth's Planning Committee.

The developer has ignored local concerns about light, local businesses, and affordable homes. It claimed that the development would not be viable if it included affordable housing, but has refused to reveal details of the secret deal cooked up between them and LFEPA, which is believed to involved a figure of £40 million.

Residents and councillors recently met with a fire brigade official to explain that the community has no confidence in Native Land and that they must employ a new development partner and start afresh if they want engagement from the local community.

LFEPA have ignored this demand - Native Land have put together a new proposal for the sites. They attempted to exhibit their new plans this evening - but local residents protested outside the sham consultation meeting.

Pictured: Maddy Howatson, Joanne Simpson, David Amos and Eileen Bagge outside the Fire Brigade

Licensing application - Ashtar Lounge (formerly Nar)

Premises Address: Ashtar Lounge - 80 Goding Street, London, SE11 5AW

Activities/times requested:

Live Music
Monday - Saturday   11:00  - 06:00
Christmas Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day
New Year's Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day

Recorded Music
Monday - Sunday   11:00  - 06:00
All official bank holidays and Sundays before bank holidays Mondays to 04:00
Christmas Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day
New Year's Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day

Performances of Dance
Sunday   11:00  - 06:00
Christmas Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day
New Year's Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day

Late Night Refreshment
Monday - Sunday   23:00  - 06:00
Christmas Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day
New Year's Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day

Supply of Alcohol
Monday - Sunday   11:00  - 05:30
Christmas Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day
New Year's Eve 11:00 - 11:00 following day


Enquiries:
Telephone: 020 7926 6144 Email: licensing@lambeth.gov.uk


Prior to determining this application, the licensing authority may accept written representations from Responsible Authorities and Interested Parties on the likely effect of the grant of this application in relation to the licensing objectives, which are:

• Preventing crime and disorder;
• Public safety;
• Preventing public nuisance; and
• Protecting children from harm.

Representations will be disregarded if they are deemed to be vexatious, frivolous, or irrelevant, or if they are received later than the 27 June 2013

See the full application

See our guide to licensing

Victory for Whitgift Street residents as Planning Inspector throws out Fire Brigade scheme for blocking out the light

In a major victory for residents of Whitgift House and 2 Whitgift Street, the Planning Inspectorate has thrown out the appeal by developers of the Fire Brigade Headquarters sites.

Lambeth Council's planning committee rejected the scheme back in December 2011, but the developers appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. An Inquiry was held in February and March this year.

The scheme would have developed the site sitting immediately opposite Whitgift House, replacing the low-rise warehouses with two huge slab towers of 12 storeys and 15 storeys, which would have blocked out most of the light reaching the residents on the other side of the road. The Planning Inspector agreed that the reduction in light to Whitgift House and 2 Whitgift Street was unacceptable, and rejected the developers' appeal.

He stated: 'there would be harm to the living conditions of the occupiers of Whitgift House and 2 Whitgift Street as a result of loss of daylight which would be a substantial loss of amenity.'

Local residents represented their interests at the Inquiry, presenting their own case to the Inspector. Councillor Mark Harrison and Kate Hoey MP supported residents by giving evidence at the Inquiry.

Mark said: 'I'm delighted that the Inspector has listened to residents of Whitgift Street and recognised this development would block out the light from their home lives. This decision vindicates residents' long and effective campaign, for which they deserve huge congratulations. They have shown that bullying developers can be defeated. We welcome new homes and new jobs in Lambeth, but not at any price. I hope a new proposal for these important sites comes forward which respects the rights of existing residents and brings the benefits from development which Lambeth needs and expect.'

Park Plaza's bid to grow taller deferred by Planning Committee

Last night Lambeth's Planning Committee spent an hour and 40 minutes considering the Park Plaza Hotel's bid to add several storeys to the front of their building. Objectors representing residents of 9 Albert Embankment and Salamanca Place did an excellent job questioning the effect the extension will have on light to their homes (which are already some of the darkest and most enclosed residential areas in the borough). In the end the Committee decided they couldn't make a decision because the information the hotel and the council officers were providing on daylight wasn't clear enough.

Councillor Mark Harrison was at the meeting and ready to speak to support residents before the committee deferred the application. He has written to officers to insist on the following:

• That the information from the daylight/ sunlight study for Block C, 9 Albert Embankment be re-presented in a way which is comprehensible to lay people
• That that new presentation be shared with objectors so they have the opportunity to question it ahead of the committee meeting
• That the effect on daylight/ sunlight in the square in the middle of 9 Albert Embankment be outlined:
• Either with a full daylight/ sunlight study
• Or with a comprehensible impartial expert explanation as to why there is no effect
• That the key points of the management plans (for traffic, servicing etc) which will be conditioned be fully outlined in advance of the committee meeting, and that they are shared with objectors so they have the opportunity to question them.

He has also asked for a committee site visit to take place.

Mark argues against Fire Brigade development at Planning Inquiry

On Friday local councillor Mark Harrison gave evidence to the Planning Inquiry which will decide whether the redevelopment of the Fire Brigade HQ will go ahead. The proposed development is over three sites - the riverside fire station building, the large warehouse site on Whitgift Street, and the small site at the corner of Black Prince Road and Newport Street.

Lambeth's Planning Committee turned down the development last year, but the developer is now appealling that decision.

The Whitgift Estate Residents' Association, the Friends of Lambeth High Street Recreation Ground, and the Kennington Association are putting their own case against the development at the Inquiry, as well as the Council.

Here is what Mark said to the Inquiry:

My name’s Mark Harrison, and I’ve been one of the local ward councillors for Prince’s ward since June 2009. I’ve lived in the immediate area for eight and half years, have been very closely involved in the Ethelred Estate’s Tenant Management Organisation for many years and know very well the problems of worklessness and deprivation which many residents suffer from. I’ve also worked very closely with the Whitgift Estate Residents Association, Vauxhall Gardens Estate Residents Association, and Friends of Lambeth High Street Recreation Ground over several years.

Over time as a councillor I’ve come to realise importance of the KIBA policy (Key Industrial and Business Area) and the need to defend it against incursions. Once the principle is conceded developers have opened a door allowing them to develop a residential scheme. The point of KIBAs is to preserve land for employment. In the Newport Street/ Southbank House KIBA there are many businesses employing local people which, because of the nature of their enterprise, could not share their site with housing – like Costa Coffee (70% employees local), and James Knight (50% local employees). We need to have businesses providing jobs for people living locally – residents of local estates who might have low skills and qualifications but who are willing and able to work in a food preparation facility, a mechanics, a dry cleaning facility, or a shop. Central London also needs sites for services like these which enable the West End and Westminster to function, and minimise unnecessarily long delivery journeys. KIBAs allow us to preserve a mix of employment generating uses and prevents Lambeth becoming an economically dead dormitory suburb.

For these reasons the sacrifice of the principle of a KIBA should only be for the most persuasive of reasons and the highest quality building. This is neither – it’s a development with a hugely negative impact on local communities and few benefits.

In particular the offer of 7% affordable housing is totally derisory. If Lambeth is to compromise on the principle of the KIBA policy, and allow a mixed use development, the development HAS to provide both more employment space AND the 40% affordable housing we expect and demand.

I’m not an expert on viability studies – all I know is that they seem to change with the wind and that I don’t trust them for a second – but to me they are irrelevant in this case. Why should we sacrifice this crucial point of principle because a developer claims the sums don’t stack up? Frankly, that is not the problem of residents of our area. If we are suffer the negative effects of this development, then the least we should expect are a decent number of affordable homes and a decent number of jobs. This does not provide this.

The developer has previously tried to persuade me that the development is great because it will enable the London Fire Authority to pay to upgrade its fire stations across the capital. Obviously LFEPA is keen to upgrade Lambeth Fire Station – but how it chooses to pay to do that is not really a concern of local residents. And upgrading fire stations in north London is certainly of no benefit to residents living around this site. It’s up to LFEPA how it finds the cash to upgrade fire stations across the capital, but residents of north Lambeth should not be singled out to foot the bill. We should not be pressurised into accepting an unacceptable development on these grounds.

This alone would be sufficient to reject this development, but then there is the issue of loss of daylight for the residents of Whitgift House, which residents have spoken eloquently about this afternoon, and which I believe the expert witness Mr Littlefair was very clear would be totally unacceptable. In addition to the residents of Whitgift House and 2 Whitgift Street, we need to consider the damaging effects that plunging Lambeth High Street Recreation Ground into darkness will have. We have worked hard as a community over the past few years developing a fantastic refurbishment plan for the park, which will help make it pleasant and safe, and build a new water feature. We have serious concerns that the dingy light left by the development will hinder plant growth and cause the water feature to moss up; as well as reducing the amenity for park users as it is left in the shade.

I would like to also briefly highlight some of the other objections the three councillors for Prince’s ward made to this application:

We’re particularly concerned by Building G, to the east of the viaduct. The plans were for this building to be entirely affordable housing. We strongly believe this would accentuate social segregation and work against the key planning principle of creating mixed communities. In our area we have a cleavage between the rich riverside strip, and the two large and deprived estates on the other side of the viaduct. This development relegates its affordable housing to the side of the viaduct which already suffers from severe deprivation. Building G should contain more private housing, and more affordable housing should be on the west side of the viaduct. We also feel there has been a missed opportunity to include a retail unit in the ground floor of Building G, which would join one of the few local small local parades of shops (Black Prince Road) which is flourishing and expanding. We also feel Building G has an inappropriate appearance – it is surrounded by handsome and well proportioned Victorian buildings which the current design has no relationship to. It appears the architect has designed Building G as an afterthought, unimaginatively using the same style as the unrelated buildings west of the viaduct, and not even bothering to square off the south side of the site to create a right angled building which would suit its prominent corner plot.

Finally there is the level of parking spaces. I’m not aware if the number has changed since we first objected, but we strongly believe this should be a car free development, with the exception of parking for the fire brigade, disabled drivers and car club spaces. This is Lambeth policy across the borough for all developments, and we particularly feel that this city centre location means residents do not need to add to congestion by owning a car.

More road changes around Lambeth

Gas main replacement work is going to result in part of Lambeth High Street being closed for up to three months. The section between Black Prince Road and Whitgift Street will be affected.

The section of Newport Street between Old Paradise Street and Whitgift Street continues to be closed because of building work.

That means traffic will have to go via Lambeth High Street, Whitgift Street and Newport Street to travel north/south.

Officers have also informed us that the developer of 20 Albert Embankment (Hampton House) has applied to vary the kerbline of the pavement and permanently 'stop up' part of the wide pavement there, in order for the building there to be constructed. The plan below shows how the pavement will be squared off and narrowed to accommodate the new buildings.

Licensing: 24 hours for Texaco garage?

The Texaco Garage on Kennington Road (in front of Brittany Point and Prichard House) has applied for a 24 hour alcohol licence.

Premises Address: Kennington Service Station - Petrol Station, 212 Kennington Road, London

Proposed extension of hours –
Supply of Alcohol
Monday - Sunday   00:00  - 00:00

Removal of the following condition –
Restriction in hours for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises.

Current Licensed Hours
Supply of Alcohol
Monday - Sunday   06:00  - 02:00

Deadline for representations: 8 March 2013


Vauxhall club Union has applied for a Sexual Entertainment venue licence. The other gay clubs in Vauxhall applied for these licences last year to regularise some of their entertainment after a change in the law. You can read the minutes of the committee meeting which made decisions about these licences, and the explanations from venues applying for these licences last year.


Premises Address: Union, Arch 66 Goding Street, London, SE11 5AW

Activities/times requested:

Sex Cinema
Monday - Sunday   00:00  - 00:00

Sexual Entertainment Venue
Monday - Sunday   00:00  - 00:00

Sex Shop
Monday - Sunday   00:00  - 00:00

Propose additional condition
We have a concern that the majority of the council’s standard SEV conditions do not apply as they are aimed at lap dancing clubs and therefore we propose that an additional condition which states “The SEV conditions only apply when SEV type activities are taking place.”

Deadline for representations: 10 March 2013.


Current licensing applications can be viewed on the Council's website.
Please read our guide to licensing before making a representation. 
If you'd like advice from your councillors, please don't hesitate to email us.

Update from Duchy Arms licensing review

On 24 January the Licensing Committee heard an application for a review of the Duchy Arms' licence, after noise complaints. Their original licence allowed them to open till 2am. The Committee imposed amendments and conditions to the licence, which are detailed below. These bring opening hours into line with other pubs close to Kennington Cross, and impose conditions to reduce noise disturbance to local residents. You can read the full minutes of the meeting here.

Amendments

The following regulated entertainment is removed from the premises licence: Indoor Sporting Events, Provision of Facilities for Making Music, and Provision of Facilities for Dancing

The times the licence authorises the carrying out of licensable activities is amended as follows:

Films Monday-Sunday 0700-0000
Supply of Alcohol: Sunday-Wednesday 0700-0000; Thursday-Saturday 0700-0100
Live Music: Monday-Sunday 1100-0000 (unchanged)
Late Night Refreshment: Sunday-Wednesday 2300-0000 and Thursday-Saturday 2300-0100
Music and Dance of Similar Description: Monday-Sunday 0700-0000 (unchanged)
Recorded Music: Monday-Sunday 0700-0000

Conditions

No deliveries are to be made to the premises before 7am and after 11pm

The handling of kegs, bottle disposal and similar items will not take place after 11pm, when the noise generated could cause a nuisance, particularly outside the building

All windows and external doors are to be kept closed at all times save for ingress and egress

The beer garden is not to be used for patrons after 10pm

No music is to be played in the beer garden

Park Plaza Riverbank plans to grow taller

The Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel is inviting residents to a public exhibition about proposals for a forthcoming planning application to add further floors and a new frontage to the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel on the Albert Embankment.

Where:  Plaza Suite 10, Park Plaza Hotel Riverbank, Albert Embankment

When:  Monday 26 November, 1pm to 8pm

The scheme will have a particular impact on residents of 9 Albert Embankment. You can find out more at their website.
       

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.

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.

Developers to appeal fire HQ redevelopment

On 31 July it was announced that developer Native Land and the London Fire Brigade are going to appeal Lambeth Council's decision to reject their plan to redevelop three sites around Albert Embankment and Whitgift Street.

Residents of Whitfgift House have been fiercely opposed to the scheme, which will deprive most of their homes of sunlight for much of the year. Local councillors supported residents by making our own objection when the scheme went to the Planning Committee last year.

The appeal means that the Planning Inspectorate will now decide whether the multimillion pound redevelopment goes ahead.

Fire Authority spin doctors messed up the announcement of the appeal by accidently copying Kate Hoey MP into their email discussion about when to reveal the news. They revealed their main motivation by saying 'I am keen the timings are exact on this. £40million is not a sum to be sniffed at and the comms are important to get right to help with the appeal.'

Kate Hoey responded:

'We will fight the fire authority tooth and nail over this ridiculous scheme. As a publicly accountable body they have totally ignored the wishes of the local community. The developer they are in cahoots with are being greedy and involved only to make huge profits. They will not get away with this.'

Updated: Licensing applications

There is a lot of licensing activity in our ward at the moment so we have updated our story from a couple of weeks' ago.

Full details of current alcohol and sex licence applications are on Lambeth's website.

Please read our guide to licensing before making a representation. If you'd like advice from your councillors, please don't hesitate to email us.


Superway Express - Shop 344 Kennington Lane London

Trading Standard request for review of the licence due to
- underage sales
- selling of single cans, risking encouraging street drinking
- employing staff illegally
- confusion over identity of designated premises superviser

Representations will be disregarded if they are deemed to be vexatious, frivolous, or irrelevant, or if they are received later than the 25 July 2012

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer:
Pamela Riley
Telephone: 020 7926 6164
Email: PRiley@lambeth.gov.uk

UK Black Pride
Kennington Park
18 August 2012

Activities/times requested for this event:

Live Music
Saturday 14:00 - 20:00

Recorded Music
Saturday 12:30 - 20:30

Performances of Dance
Saturday 17:00 - 18:00

Provision of Facilities for Dancing
Saturday 12:30 - 18:30

Supply of Alcohol
Saturday 12:30 - 20:00

Representations will be disregarded if they are deemed to be vexatious, frivolous, or irrelevant, or if they are received later than the 16 July 2012

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer:
Esther Jones
Telephone: 020 7926 6144
Email: EFJones@lambeth.gov.uk


Nigerian Carnival UK
Kennington Park
20 October 2012

Activities/times requested:

Films
Saturday 12:00 - 17:00

Live Music
Saturday 12:00 - 18:00

Recorded Music
Saturday 12:00 - 18:00

Performances of Dance
Saturday 12:00 - 18:00

Entertainment Similar to Music/Dance
Saturday 12:00 - 18:00

Provision of Facilities for Dancing
Saturday 12:00 - 18:00

Representations will be disregarded if they are deemed to be vexatious, frivolous, or irrelevant, or if they are received later than the 26 July 2012

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer:
Esther Jones
Telephone: 020 7926 6144
Email: EFJones@lambeth.gov.uk


Sex Establishment Licences in Vauxhall

The Government changed the law two years ago to create a new sexual entertainment licence, that was separate from the previous licence regime. Lambeth did a consultation on the matter and has since adopted these rules. As a result any venue offering such entertainment needs to apply for a new licence.

Most of the press on this subject relates to men paying women to strip, but this is not what is going to happen in Vauxhall. In fact, the position will be that the activities in the clubs will continue as they always have done. They do not intend pay people to strip. We have included some explanations from the clubs concerned.


Bar Code, Arch 69, Goding Street, London, SE11 5AW

New activities/times requested:

Sex Cinema
Monday - Sunday 00:00 - 00:00

Sexual Entertainment Venue
Monday - Sunday 00:00 - 00:00

Sex Shop
Monday - Sunday 00:00 - 00:00

Representations will be disregarded if they are received later than the 15 July 2012.

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer:
Esther Jones
Telephone: 020 7926 6144 

Email: EFJones@lambeth.gov.uk

From the owner of Barcode:

The position is that we are not applying for anything new as what we are requesting was already a part of our licence until it was separated out by the local authority.

We are not a going to be offering any new or different entertainment because of this licence. This application is being made to keep our licences concurrent and so we can, if we wish form time to time have male Go-Go dancers performing without having to make special applications for such shows as well as being able to possibly host an amateur strip event from time to time.

There will be no exploitation of performers nor will anyone 'paid to strip'.


Covert, Arch 65, Goding Street, London, SE11 5AW

New activities/times requested:

Sex Cinema
Monday - Sunday 00:00 - 00:00

Sexual Entertainment Venue
Monday - Sunday 00:00 - 00:00

Sex Shop
Monday - Sunday 00:00 - 00:00

Representations will be disregarded if they are received later than the 15 July 2012.

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer:
Esther Jones
Telephone: 020 7926 6144
Email: EFJones@lambeth.gov.uk


From the owner of Covert:

HRH Clubs Limited, the owners and operators of Fire Nightclub, Area Nightclub and Covert Nightclub, pride themselves on offering their customers an enjoyable, safe and well managed entertainment service. We value our customer input and also value the views of the local community. For this reason we wish to clarify the reasons that we have applied for the Sexual Establishment Licences.

New legislation was passed by Parliament meaning that any venue that wished to provide nude or striptease entertainment require a Sex Establishment Licence. Premises also showing adult R18 films also require a Licence. The regime provides numerous safeguards to ensure this type of entertainment is provided in a safe, proper, legitimate and controlled manner. We have historically provided ancillary entertainment at our venues that falls into these categories and have done so without complaint.

As a result of the new legislation, we are required to apply for the licences in order to continue to provide the entertainment that we offer at some of our events. The type of relevant entertainment we provide includes GoGo dancers, R18 or special shows. All this type of entertainment is ancillary to the primary nightclub use. There will be no change whatsoever to our current operation, we will not be opening a lap dancing club or similar, we simply wish to maintain the status quo and legitimately continue the ancillary entertainment we have previously provided for many years.


In Oval Ward Fire and the Eagle have also applied for Sex Establishment Licences.

Thames Tunnel Albert Embankment works changes

Thames Water have made some changes to their plans for Albert Embankment in response to comments made during their second phase of consultation, which ended in February 2012.

They are now proposing the entrance to the works site will be between Tintagel House and Camelford House.

Information about these changes are available on their website.

A drop-in session will be taking place to find out what they are proposing for Albert Embankments:

Public Exhibition 18 and 19 June, 2 - 8pm
Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel
18 Albert Embankment
SE1 7TJ

This consultation closes on 4 July at 5pm

Eastbury House redevelopment consultation

The Eastbury House Consultation will take place at the Carmelita Centre, Vauxhall Walk on the 21st and 23rd June.


- Thursday 21 June 2012: 5pm-8pm
- Saturday 23 June 2012: 10am-1pm


Please see attached invitation for more information or you can visit http://www.eastbury-house.co.uk/index.cfm?articleID=1


To comment on the application please visit http://planning.lambeth.gov.uk/online-applications and use reference 12/01768/FUL/DC_KTH to view the planning documents.

Diamond Jubilee weekend in Prince's ward

The weather could certainly have been better, but that didn't prevent people in our area enjoying the Diamond Jubilee weekend. On an occasion like this it reminds us how lucky we are to live in the centre of the world's greatest city. Here are some photos from this weekend:

On Sunday the Albert Embankment was packed with people watching the River Pageant

The Queen is just about visible in white!

The offices and hotel windows were full of spectators.

VGERTA held a street party on Monday outside the Carmelita Centre

VGERTA held a street party on Monday outside the Carmelita Centre

Residents of Cleaver Square did a brilliant job decorating their houses

Cleaver Square's street party 

Planning update

Apologies for the lack of blog posts over the past month - Cllr Steve Morgan has been keeping residents up to date with planning and licensing news via email. If you haven't done so already, please sign up to his occasional emails by sending him a quick email request.

Two important pieces of planning news from the past month are:

The Pathways project at St Anselm's Church has been given planning permission.

This scheme will transform the church into a community hub for several activities - including a restaurant, new hall, after school tuition, and accommodation. You can read the planning committee report here, and minutes from the meeting here.

The scheme had a lot of support from many residents in Kennington, but was opposed by residents living close by in Sancroft Street and Cardigan Street. After careful consideration local councillors decided to support the scheme because of the increase in positive activity it will bring to Kennington Cross.

A developer is holding a consultation about redeveloping Eastbury House on the Albert Embankment.

Eastbury House is one of the postwar office blocks on the Albert Embankment. Developers have a consultation website setting out their proposal to replace it with a 28 storey mixed use tower.

One way system for Albert Embankment service road

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE A ONE-WAY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES IN ALBERT EMBANKMENT (SERVICE ROAD)

(Note: This notice is about the Council’s proposal to introduce a one-way system for vehicles in the service road fronting Nos. 9 to 20 Albert Embankment. Objections may be made - see paragraph 6)

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth propose to make the Lambeth (Prescribed Route) (No. *) Traffic Order 2012 under section 6 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

2. In brief the general effect of the Order would be to impose a one-way system for vehicles in the service road fronting Nos. 9 to 20 Albert Embankment in a direction from north-east to south-west.

3. This would improve safety for pedestrians and vehicles requiring access to and egress from properties and businesses which lie within the Albert Embankment service road.

4. If you have any enquiries about this matter, please telephone the Council’s transportation Group on 020 7926 0728.

5. Documents giving more detailed particulars of the Order are available for inspection Mondays to Fridays between 9.30am and 4.30pm (excluding bank holidays and public holidays) until the last day of a period of six weeks beginning with the date on which the Order is made, or as the case may be, the Council decides not to make the Order at the offices of Lambeth Borough Council’s Transportation group, 2nd Floor Blue Star House, 234–244 Stockwell Road, London, SW9 9SP. To arrange a viewing please contact 020 7926 900 and select the Transport and Highways option.

6. All objections and other representations relating to the proposed Order must be made in writing and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made and should be sent to Barbara Poulter, Transportation, 2nd Floor, Blue Star House, 234-244 Stockwell Road, London SW9 9SP, by 17th February 2012. Any objection may be communicated to, or seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.

Dated 27th January 2012

Abu Barkatoolah

Head of Transportation

Thames Tunnel construction will avoid Albert Embankment Gardens

Thames Water have begun Phase 2 of their consultation on the building of their sewage tunnel under the Thames.

This major project will involve a huge temporary construction site at Albert Embankment, between Vauxhall Bridge and Albert Embankment Gardens.

The most important piece of news for our area is that they have accepted Lambeth's suggestion that works access for the site be alongside Lacks Dock (the slipway used by the Ducktours), rather than across Albert Embankment Gardens. This will protect the Gardens and the historic Embankment wall, and minimise disturbance for residents of Peninsular Heights.

Cllr Mark Harrison said 'I'm really pleased that residents and our green space will be protected from disruption by this decision'.

Follow this link to see all the details of the Albert Embankment consultation, including the construction works and the permanent changes to the Embankment around Vauxhall Bridge.

Pictured: Albert Embankment Gardens will not be disfigured by a road for lorries running across it.