EFRA Newsletter - October/November 2016

Welcome to our latest Electronic Newsletter. We are covering in particular the decision to expand Heathrow Airport by building a third runway. But we are also focusing on the proposals to develop Orion Park (the large site opposite Northfields Station), the new waste collection service and the plan to place our Northfields Ward into a revised Parliamentary Constituency for Brentford and Chiswick. 

If you have not yet paid your membership subscription for the year May 2016 – April 2017, please complete the form at the bottom of this Newsletter and send to our Membership Secretary (Clive Herring). We need your continued financial (and other) support when, for instance, challenging Heathrow expansion and working on the proposals for Orion Park. 

Heathrow Airport Expansion 

So finally, a decision has ‘sort of’ been made! Again, it is in favour of a 3rd runway at Heathrow. This is the same decision as was once made by the Labour Government in 2009. It was subsequently thrown out by the 2010 election of the Coalition Government. 

However, it is not all over yet as the Government has stated that there will be yet another year’s consultation before a Parliamentary vote. This is presumably to get the legal challenges out the way so that a vote can be ‘decisive’. We shall see. 

Anyway, ‘assuming’ that the decision is actually confirmed in a year’s time, what will it mean to EFRA residents? 

Up-sides: 

1. MorehandyflightoptionsfromHeathrow. 

1. 2. More local employment in the Heathrow area. 
   
   Down-sides: 
   
   Seven years or so of construction and roadwork disruption around Heathrow and M4 and M25. 

2. 50% more landings and take-offs overall. 

3. A new runway whose approach from the east lines up with the A4 
   
   bringing the noise profile much closer to EFRA area than the current two 
   
   approaches from the east. 

4. A major increase in the potential for continuing un-healthy and illegal air 
   
   quality over all of West London. 

EFRA believes that it is far from proven that extra airport capacity is needed at all, but if it is, that Heathrow represents the worst, not best location for it is based on noise and air quality grounds that are fundamentally wrong, and potentially illegal. 

There is a good review from Simon Jenkin in the Evening Standard which you can read from the link below. It is of course up to you as to who and what you believe. http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/simon-jenkins-expanding- heathrow-will-be-a-monumental-blight-on-west-london-a3378226.html 

Should you believe, like the majority of EFRA members, that Heathrow Expansion is misguided, then please join us and many more larger and stronger organisations in making yours views heard via the many legal routes available now and over the following period. This is crucial. If R3 is built we will be getting a reminder more frequently than we do now – which is every 45 seconds! 

MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AT ORION PARK 

We are hearing reliable reports that developers are proposing to submit plans for a major mixed use development on Orion Park which, we understand, will be predominantly for housing. Orion Park is the employment site between the underground track and the homes in Belsize Avenue, Mayo Court and Jefferson Close. The entrance to this large site is on Northfield Avenue just to the north of the Underground Station and on the opposite side of the road. 

Any overdevelopment of this site could have adverse implications for the neighbouring residents and our community. We would be particularly concerned about proposals to construct tall and/or bulky buildings which would be both out of character with the local housing and could also shadow the neighbouring homes. 

The restricted road access to the site means that vehicle movements of future residents could also create problems. We are keen to work with local residents, the Council and the developers to ensure we achieve the best possible outcomes for the prospective development. Don’t forget - EFRA has a good track record of resisting inappropriate local developments. 

We will email again as soon as we know more. 

Waste management 

The new wheelie bin collection service was introduced in June and, after initial teething problems, seems to be operating reasonably smoothly. We have been representing individual residents who have experienced problems with the service and have worked with our local Councillors on more general concerns around fly tipping and the replacement of oversized bins. Indeed we accompanied our local Councillors on a ‘walkabout’ with the Council’s new Director of Environmental Services on 17th October looking at waste management issues in our area. Rubbish collection from flats above shops remains a problem in the EFRA area. To help alleviate that problem we are pressing for the placement of large commercial bins in some parts of our neighbourhood as waste collection points from flats and similar premises. 

On the walkabout we noticed that some residents are leaving their new bins on the public footpath on a permanent basis. This causes an obstruction and is against the law. So far the Council is simply advising residents to place the bins within the boundary of their premises but eventually action may be taken to enforce the law. 

The ongoing cuts in the local authority’s budget have seen street sweeping in side roads reduced from a weekly to a three weekly cycle. You can help keep our streets clean by putting rubbish outside your property into one or other of the wheelie bins for collection by the Council’s refuse contractor (if your bin has sufficient capacity of course). On a more positive note, the Council will be employing additional street sweepers again during the leaf fall period up to 

Christmas. 

Improvements along Little Ealing Lane/Northfield Avenue 

For the last year or so EFRA has been working with local Councillors and Council officers on proposals for the area around the Plough and outside Mount Carmel and Little Ealing schools. The works are designed to improve road safety and enhance the streetscape. The improvements by the Plough are now virtually complete (but see below about the planting of shrubs at the junction). The work by the schools involves the creation of two zebra crossings and a westbound cycle lane for some of Little Ealing Lane. During the course of the contract parking places have been restricted. Hopefully parking pressures will ease once the improvements are completed. The funding for these so-called ‘Corridor 4’ works is coming from Transport for London (TfL). 

Brightening up the Plough junction 

As part of the improvements at the Plough junction, you may have noticed that the Council has inset in the new pavements three beds that will soon be planted to make the area look more attractive. EFRA has said it will try to get a small group of volunteers together to help maintain the beds (and perhaps get a small plaque installed so our contribution is recognised). We are therefore seeking a few volunteers to carry out occasional maintenance tasks; gardening skills would obviously be useful but not essential. Please 

email helen.a.johnson@btinternet.com if you are interested. 

King Fahad site, Little Ealing Lane 

Ealing Fields High School (no relation) opened its doors to its first pupils in September. The school currently operates from a location in Boston Manor but is planning to move to the King Fahad site in September 2018. To that end Ealing Council issued a CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) on 30th August to purchase the site from the current owners for redevelopment of land for the new school and associated facilities. Closing date for objections was 3rd October. We will keep you advised of any significant developments going forward. 

Parliamentary Boundary Changes 

As part of a plan to reduce the number of Parliamentary Constituencies in London from 73 to 68, the officially sanctioned Boundary Commission is proposing that Northfields Ward (where EFRA is based) be transferred from our current constituency (Ealing Southall) to a revised constituency of Brentford and