SEBRA NEWS W2 AND THE POLE CAME TUMBLING DOWN! ISSUE No 86 SPRING 2016 1 CONTACT CHAIRMAN Contact John Zamit Email [email protected] Phone 020 7727 6104 From the Mobile 077 6806 8277 Address 2 Claremont Court, Queensway, Chairman London W2 5HX he production of this edition of or ‘anti-business’, nor are we "Nimbys." We for the site and sufficient value to improve the SEBRA magazine has been seek proper debate with Westminster City the entrance to Paddington Station and a Herculean task. I have often Council to find common ground on how to access to the Bakerloo Line. wondered if we would see light develop our neighbourhoods for the benefit Tat the end of the tunnel. We missed of all while preserving our rich heritage for Create Streets Christopher Tanous, our retired Editor! future generations. A social enterprise and research institute is I would like to thank Steve Olive of Missing In this case, many people felt that the running a competition for alternative, street- Man Media and also Wilford Augustus for council and developers were attempting based designs for the Paddington Sorting their invaluable assistance. Thanks also to to sneak an extremely tall building through Office site. They welcome submissions Broad Oak Colour, who will have printed the application process over the Christmas from professionals as well as residents, the magazine in record time and to Adrian and New Year period. There was a feeling neighbours, local schools and people who at Edox Ltd for his patience in printing out of being let down by the people they elect work in the area. Closing date for entry is numerous drafts for me! to serve their interests. 9th May. Visit www.createstreets.com I hope you think all the hard work has been I was often asked how Westminster City Soulless, Lifeless and Lightless worthwhile. Please feel free to let me know Council could consider entertaining an Developments what you think of the new look; suggestions application which flew in the face of their to improve the magazine are welcome. tall buildings policy, if, as is customary on The lights are out in Westbourne House large applications, pre-application advice is in Westbourne Grove and in the Queens 'Poles Apart' sought. I explained that one cannot stop building along the road. Hardly anyone an owner submitting an application but lives in these luxury apartments. SEBRA As I move on to more pressing issues, I ask believes these developments should myself why it had to go so far and how it is the general feeling was that some people in the council, along with the GLA, had serve as examples for WCC. Such luxury that the council and residents remain poles developments only exacerbate the apart on their views for local development. given their blessing as they found the public realm benefits very tempting. The situation, by forcing communities to Special thanks to all of our members, local level of discontent which lies in the wake disintegrate when starting new families. councilors, especially Brian Connell and his of this application is something that leader fellow Bayswater Ward councilors,w plus Philippa Roe and her deputy Robert Davis Westminster Council is aware that many other local resident's associations for their must address. of the foreign investors who buy these support. Huge thanks to Barbara Weiss at flats are not eligible voters and they do not the Skyline campaign for the monumental A Better Plan spend money in the shops and restaurants efforts she made in getting the Pole axed. in our neighbourhood. This "buy to leave" The SEBRA view on the harm caused approach does nothing for our community. Let's not rest our laurels though as we by a skyscraper in the area has been well expect that this was merely the first round publicised. Sir Terry Farrell, a respected local of what could be a long battle. architect, was a strong opponent of the Renzo Piano tower. Like many residents and I would also like to establish that SEBRA SEBRA, he believes Brunel’s Grade 1 listed welcomes development; we understand our Paddington Station is the wrong place for existing infrastructure needs maintenance a skyscraper. His masterplan demonstrated Best Wishes and modernising. SEBRA is not ‘anti-growth’ that streets can deliver enhanced volume John Zamit - SEBRA Chairman SEBRA SUMMER GARDEN PARTY 4th July 2016 - Cleveland Square 6:30pm Make a Date in Your Diary! 2 SAFETY VALVE & LOCAL NEWS SEBRA Safety Valve This popular forum enables SEBRA and its members to "blow off steam" about anything affecting their lives, activities and freedoms and those of other local residents and local businesses. E-mail: [email protected] THE BAYSWATER ROAD / QUEENSWAY DEVELOPMENT - "A BULBOUS BLOCKHOUSE" icky Hessenberg, local resident heavy duty slabs with wind ruffling the My question is, which I have put forward of Westbourne Park Villas, water on the Round Pond. over and over again is – why is there no writes: Councillor Robert Design Review Panel for Westminster? Davis, Deputy Leader/Cabinet Furthermore, I would like to point out A Design Review Panel would ensure NMember for the Built Environment is that ‘affordable housing’, a contribution to that these truly dreadful types of quoted as saying: “Westminster has a which will be made by the developer to ‘architectural-abhorrence’ would be rich architectural heritage and it is the the borough as printed in the statement weeded out well before they could even council’s duty to protect this” – why then from PLP Architecture, is not the same as come before the planning committee. is he and Westminster City Council hell- ‘social housing’ and that is what is needed bent on trashing this heritage? in our area. Developers have the money, but they do not necessarily possess the architectural Yet again, as local residents, we have to In addition, what have the poor residents taste required for big developments such as this; which if passed, would be write to protest about the new building of Fosbury Mews done to deserve such there for many years to come. Please development that is being proposed for high-handed treatment by Fenton Whelan support us in condemning this scheme Bayswater Road and Queensway. The and PLP Architecture? Have the architects with no equivocation. images on the WCC website show a of this scheme even paid a visit to the bulbous blockhouse which is quite out site? It would appear not; because if they of keeping with the generic architecture had, perhaps a more sympathetic building along the Bayswater Road. might have come about. Although in general the design of the Historic England has quite delivered a buildings in Bayswater Road is a mixed total condemnation of what is being bunch, this particular proposal has to take offered to us as a replacement for the the prize in being the most unattractive buildings that are already there, and on in its size, bulk and so-called “decorative the effects that this scheme will have on features” which are apparently (according views from the parkland. It is hoped that to the statement from PLP Architecture) Westminster Council will send the whole supposed to bring to mind “ripples of project back to the drawing board for water”: quite difficult to equate these major reconsideration. 3 SAFETYLOCAL NEWS VALVE & LOCAL NEWS "SAVE WHITELEYS' HERITAGE" - CAMPAIGN UPDATE arl Montgomery, local SEBRA Committee and I write now to object to of significance of a designated heritage member of Westbourne Street, the application due to the substantial asset, local planning authorities writes: "SWH" have organised and unjustified harm it would cause to should refuse consent, unless it can a petition to Westminster City the listed building and the deleterious be demonstrated that the substantial CCouncil with the purpose of ensuring the impact it would have on the Queensway harm or loss is necessary in order to proposed redevelopment of Whiteleys Conservation Area. achieve substantial public benefits that retains the principal architectural outweigh that harm or loss” or all of features of this Grade II listed building The most significant elements of this for the benefit of the community. four criteria apply. listed building and its interior include the circular and octagonal domes and the These elements include Historic England area beneath their corresponding atria. They raise concern and consider the 1) The octagonal and round atria with Within the circular atrium, accessed by Plans to be harmful in letter of 15 their magnificent Edwardian domes, way of the impressive main entrance December to WCC. “Westminster 2) The ornate Italianate staircase - a replica vestibule, is a spiral staircase. Although City Council should give great weight of the La Scala Opera House in Milan - to the conservation of heritage assets they have been restored over the situated below the round atria and dome for their special architectural or decades, the atria remain largely in their historic interest. As heritage assets 3) The central pillared entrance with its original form and together they provide intricate vestibule, stonework and bronze are irreplaceable, any harm or loss an eloquent and dramatic evocation of statues. should require clear and convincing the spatial and sequential grandeur of the justification. 4) A retail ground floor with north to south building’s interior. entrances that allow visitors, shoppers We urge you to support this campaign. and the community, access to view and The relocation of the staircase and Please write/email expressing your enjoy these delightful historic features. entrance vestibule screen and the re- support to: siting of the circular dome would fail to The Victorian Society preserve their significance, which lies Several respected Conservation SAVE WHITELEYS HERITAGE Organisations object strongly to this in their being experienced sequentially March House, 14 Westbourne and as an ensemble.