Save the Sutton Estate resolved to oppose the proposed demolition and redevelopment of the Sutton Estate on Cale Street, and the Committee at a recent meeting resolved again to resist the loss of any of the blocks. Affinity Sutton’s planning application was refused 14 months ago, in large part because there would be a reduction in the amount of social housing contrary to the London and Local plans. Clarion (of which Affinity Sutton is a part) appealed the decision in June last year, coincidentally the day of the Grenfell disaster. In an effort to push their plans through with minimum delay, they now propose to bring the amount of social housing floorspace in the new blocks to a figure that meets basic replacement levels (but not actual number of flats) by making minor amendments to the scheme – changing two rows of “mews houses” on the Elystan Street side of the estate to 33 social housing units
The attached flyer LINK invites local residents to a consultation in St. Luke’s Hall this Saturday morning and Monday evening to assess levels of support for the amendments. Visitors will be invited to approve the amendments and results will be used by Clarion to support their case for approval of the entire redevelopment scheme at the Appeal Inquiry to be held in May this year.
Whatever you think of the significance of the proposed amendments, remember when you respond that if they can show widespread approval of the amendments and they win the appeal, they will continue with demolition of the estate and construction of a new layout of the estate with a block of luxury flats along Cale Street at the top of St. Luke’s Street and a road through the estate nearly opposite the top of Astell Street.
We attended the "Consultation" meeting at St Lukes this evening.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting and concerned gentleman from Earls Court who considers the original Sutton Estate to be an excellent model of affordable housing told us NOT to engage with any Clarion representatives, reason being they notch it up as number, fulfilling their consultation process.
The Planner in attendance (a resident of Wimbledon) who had been representing Clarion for 10 years in their planning matters with RBKC, when asked:
1. Had no idea who the CEO of Clarion was "I don't know about things like that" he replied.
2. Had no idea how many private properties Clarion planned to put on the market replacing affordable housing on the Sutton Estate "I can't remember, plans have changed" he replied.
3. Had no idea what the annual turn over and profit of Clarion was "I don't know about things like that, Clarion have Charity status", he replied.
4. Had no idea of the total value of the private properties which were planned to replace Sutton Estate "I don't know, its probably in the projection somewhere" he replied.
In conclusion its the same old, same old - RBKC money over lives and death to social cohesion!