The Dame is a lady but sees corporate bullshit when it stares her in the face.
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| Donny Gordon Capco Boss No friend of the poor |
So dire are things young(and extremely nice) Graeme Gordon has had to dip into his pocket and buy a couple of penthouses.
Now the wily CEO of Capco has written this nonsense(in red).
He gives the impression ruthless Capco wants to help the homeless; in fact all they want to do is intensify Earl's Court development to offset the huge losses faced.
Well done, Cllr Wade for 'calling out' these Jo'burg rogues.
“We have an existing planning permission for 7,500 new homes, but we’ve just suggested to the Greater London Authority that it could accommodate 10,000 homes and we want to play a role in providing as many homes as possible in London”
Cllr Wade says.....
"Ian Hawksworth, Daily Telegraph on 26 July, 2016, The boss of Capco (the developers of the Earl’s Court site).
So, what are these new homes going to look like, and are they the homes that we need? Will they provide homes for working Londoners and will our Keyworkers be able to afford them, either for rent or shared ownership?
Throughout the consultation, residents were repeatedly told by officers that if there were changes to the Masterplan then the planning permissions would have to be called-in.
There are a lot of questions that need to be answered.
Will the ‘intensification’ be distributed over the entire 77-acre Opportunity Area or will it place additional pressure on the 22-acres within RBKC? We need to know.
So, what are these new homes going to look like, and are they the homes that we need? Will they provide homes for working Londoners and will our Keyworkers be able to afford them, either for rent or shared ownership?
Throughout the consultation, residents were repeatedly told by officers that if there were changes to the Masterplan then the planning permissions would have to be called-in.
There are a lot of questions that need to be answered.
Will the ‘intensification’ be distributed over the entire 77-acre Opportunity Area or will it place additional pressure on the 22-acres within RBKC? We need to know.
The proposed increase of 31% is a material change and therefore the Council should be prepared to call-in the planning application. This is not a just a cosmetic change to design, and not something that can just be passed without consultation with residents.
With these changes, and increased uncertainty, where is our replacement for the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre and what further impact will it have on Earl’s Court businesses.
This is a re-think of the Masterplan, this will change the demographics of the site and place further pressures on our local infrastructure: road, tube, schools and GPs.
Many feel that the ‘improvements’ put forward within the present planning permission failed to deal with the existing problems of the area: air quality, traffic and shortage of primary and secondary schools, so it is hoped that with a ‘new vision’ there will be an opportunity to create a more integrated community where people live and homes are homes and not just for investment.
This is where we live, we need to know and we need to be consulted. "
With these changes, and increased uncertainty, where is our replacement for the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre and what further impact will it have on Earl’s Court businesses.
This is a re-think of the Masterplan, this will change the demographics of the site and place further pressures on our local infrastructure: road, tube, schools and GPs.
Many feel that the ‘improvements’ put forward within the present planning permission failed to deal with the existing problems of the area: air quality, traffic and shortage of primary and secondary schools, so it is hoped that with a ‘new vision’ there will be an opportunity to create a more integrated community where people live and homes are homes and not just for investment.
This is where we live, we need to know and we need to be consulted. "
Thank you Dame for bringing this to our attention. The CapCo guy from Joburg, with the trash name "Donny", does not have the slightest interest in the community and affordable homes. He is just looking for ways to make money and shoveling bullshit in the direction of City Hall. It is a ploy to "divide and rule" between the Hornton Street Tories and the Labour boys in City Hall. Lets hope that the bureaucrats see through this nonsense.
ReplyDeleteWe could not have a better person than Cllr Linda Wade on the job. She needs our support. The reptile from Africa will not pull the wool over her eyes. And she is definitely not a brown envelope person which is a big problem for our friendly CapCo insects
This is an example of a ruthless developer who may be in trouble attempting to manipulate the system for his own benefit. If he goes bust, an empty, half built site is not in the interests of the Royal Borough. Cllr Wade needs to convene a meeting with the Director of Planning (Graham Stallwood) and figure out what is in the best interests of residents. And then develop an action plan.
DeleteAnd this initiative needs the blessing the Leader, Cllr Paget-Brown. Support from the top is crucial.
Pigs will fly
DeleteMakes on sick to read this.
DeleteIf the scheme goes bust there will be no end of developers keen to buy a central London site with planning permission that has already been cleared. The CapCo vehicle that is developing the site will go bust and lose all its money - some equity from CapCo and the rest from the banks. And the contractors currently working on the site will not get paid what CapCo owes them.
DeleteThis is capitalism, guys
Without this kind of energy and concern from a Ward Councillor, we are all stuffed
ReplyDeleteWhy cant we find more Councillors like Linda Wade??????
ReplyDeleteThere is going to be more of this kind of problem in the short term for high end "buy to leave" properties where sentiment/confidence has faltered and greed driven developers like CapCo are in trouble. This is an opportunity for Hornton Street to be bold and rebalance the development to be more in tune with the needs of society in the Royal Borough.
ReplyDeleteBut be quick! The fundamentals for another property boom in central London for "buy to leave" are all in place. Cheap interest rates, devalued £ and not many safe countries where the international crooks can park their hot money. Sentiment/fashion changes rapidly - one morning in the not too distant future we will read that the buy to leave market is breaking new barriers. We have already seen the £10k/sq ft sale in central London........
The Council holds the cards. The conditions have been breached. It has to be called in. If Mr Stallwood (Director) does not call it in then it is more evidence that brown envelopes are changing hands.
ReplyDeleteThe Leader needs to take a personal interest
I thought that under our new PM Mrs May stuff like this just would not happen. Time for Borwick and Paget-Brown to approach the Prime Minister with Cllr Wade and get this nonsense stopped.
ReplyDeletePigs will fly
DeleteThe Planning Department has spent huge amounts of time and money producing "area plans", "framework plans", "strategy statements" and all manner of star gazing stuff for the Borough. A large team is employed to churn out this stuff.
ReplyDeleteWell for once, it is time to use this documentation for the real purpose of taking a view about what the Earls Court development should look like.
Cllr Paget-Brown needs to urgently establish a Working Party to get the answers and make sure that the Council is not on the back foot when CapCo start to peddle their rubbish proposals to make changes.
Off with their heads
DeleteThe Dame is right to bring this to our attention. Hornton Street cannot afford to sit back and wait for the earthquake. They need to be pro active and decide what we should pursue if the current CapCo scheme collapses, which seems to be on the cards
ReplyDeleteThis is a major accident waiting to happen. Piggy needs to be certain that Hornton Street is prepared.
ReplyDeleteLets hope and pray that the Leader is awake.
This is the kind of situation that good Leaders relish. In my day I would call my top people together for an informed chat "look, this about to happen, what is our position?". No notes, no records. Just prepared for the worst and a clear idea of how we will respond, consult, and bring the stakeholders on board. No panic.
ReplyDeleteOver to you, Leader Paget-Brown
My father called this a fireside chat
DeleteIf only there were more like Linda Wade and fewer of the complacent ruling clique's lickspittles at Hornton Street! At the public meeting that green-lighted Capco's application, sweeping aside unprecedented levels of opposition from residents, I clearly recall K&C stating that any significant change to the Masterplan would result in it being called in. If these latest developments do not constitute significant change, what might? K&C must take the relevant action. The Mayor must also be held to his pre-election commitment as set out in this piece in The Guardian. goo.gl/RmKkPQ refers The honeymoon period is over, Mr Khan!
ReplyDeleteIf you were at the Planning Committee above, 12.13, then please email the Leader and remind him of the commitment by the Council to call in if there are changes to the plan.
DeleteCllr Paget-Brown is very good at replying quickly to emails from residents.
The Dame should follow this development closely and give maximum publicity to activity (or inactivity) in Hornton Street.
ReplyDeleteOur representatives cannot be allowed to get away collusion and laziness which is hinted at in the contributions to this blog.
Cllr Wade deserves 100% support and backing from the hornets.
This is a sick blog
ReplyDeleteThe Dame cannot think what you might mean.
DeleteWith over 1000 daily page views it would seem very healthy...so don't you worry.
Dame, Anonymous 18:06 was using Jamaican patois 'sick' meaning good or awesome.
DeleteThank you, dear 21:34
DeleteThough the Dame often 'wintered' in Jamaica in the '50's and '60's she rarely had the opportunity to pick up the patois. But, delighted to be informed her little blog is 'awesome'
Funniest thing about this is that the land was worth more with Earls Court Exhibition Centre on it than not.
ReplyDeleteCouncil have egg on their face supporting CapCo losers against the residents.
Aouane and Spalding look like they are going to get shafted next election.
Lib Dems should use this opportunity to push their two proposed candidates in the 2018 election
One aspect of all this that is forgotten is the suffering of the Earls Court residents which is conveniently forgotten by the council and newspapers, only the Dame has reported the spread of dust and violent vibrations the residents are on the receiving end of.
ReplyDeleteResidents also have to withstand Saturday work by Keltbray even though the council, Paget-Brown and head of Noise and Nuisance TIM DAVIS have lauded the Code of Construction Practice which since April 2016 states no construction work of any sort to take place on Saturday, Sunday and Bank holidays.
https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/sites/default/files/atoms/files/RBKC%20Code%20of%20Construction%20Practice%20%28April%202016%29_0.pdf
Why then have Keltbray been allowed to work every Saturday since April 2016? Complaints made to Noise and Nuisance from residents have been ignored when calling the switch board up North they hear nothing and see nothing being done.
Not one complaint has been upheld by Noise & Nuisancee against Keltbray since December 2014 with over a thousands complaints received over nearly two years.
Could it be due to Keltbray being generous donors to the Conservative party?
We know the council are in bed with CapCo and Keltbray but it also looks like TIM DAVIS has jumped into the king size too!
What are residents to do when the game is rigged like so many residents have said before we have a local election not far off, the only way to get things done is to punish those councillors who have sat on their hands for far too long.
Dame, the question here is has TIM DAVIS given permission for Keltbray to work on Saturdays?
If so why has TIM DAVIS not informed the Earls Court residents?
It is called "brown envelopes".
DeletePaget-Brown gets angry when Hornton Street is accused of this but piggy is the original head in the sand ostrich.
Dame,
ReplyDeleteOnce again Keltbray worked today (Saturday).
Why and who at the council is doing Keltbrays bidding?
Like Wasp said this is a brown envelopee jobby.
Why are Tim Davis and Paget Brown bending over for the most suspect of demolishers. Even in the industry they are not trusted, cut corners and there have been many accidents at the Earls Court site not reported.
Why is every other builder suppossed to obey the Code of Construction Practice but not Keltbray?