Around Coleridge

Been a busy of couple of days with on-site meetings looking at some of the long standing ward issues:

Grass verges
The East area committee has allocated £25,000 to each ward including Coleridge to tackle problems with grass verges. Last night 2 of our 4 Councillors met (in the rain!) with a City Council officer, to talk about how we can use this very limited amount to help in the main problem area around Chalmers Road and Birdwood Road.

It won't be possible to repair all the verges, and the suggestion was that some of the money could be used for some yellow lining on Birdwood Road (especially round the junctions) that could allow some verges to be protected, and for some of the (much narrower) verges in Chalmers Road to be tarmaced, but with some new trees planted as well. Whilst there isn't the cash to pay for additional dropped kerbs (and it would be unfair on those that have had to pay for this work themselves), I suggested we look into whether a bulk deal on dropped kerbs could be negotiated to see if any residents would like to pay for improved access to drives, with the Council then being able to repair the verges with some hope of them surviving. Very early days, but hopefully plans for some improvements (if not a complete solution) should be forthcoming in due course for public consultation.

Perne Road Shops
As previously reported, the developer has put plans for the Perne Road shops redevelopment on hold until the finance markets improve. They are however working on putting hoardings around the site, and have offered to contribute to some artwork on the hoardings and building. Working with one of our other Coleridge ward Councillors, there was an on-site meeting today with teachers from Coleridge Community College, and a representative from Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination, a charity who work on community public art projects. The plan is for the school to work with the community and produce some public art. Hopefully the school will be taking this project forward with CCI, and with the support of local Councillors.

Tiverton House
Finally, at 7pm this evening, there is a residents meeting at St Thomas' Hall, Ancaster Way to talk about Tiverton House, with updates on the current (much improved) situation, actions since the last meeting, and a plan for the start of the next academic year. All local residents (including Tiverton House!) welcome.

Perne Road Shops Latest

Last Friday I was at a meeting with the owners of the Perne Road shops (and one of our three Labour Councillors!), to find out the latest on redevelopment plans.

It wasn't good news for those looking for an early solution to the problem - redevelopment is currently on hold, due to lack of finance being available for this type of project. Whilst this could change any time, the owners have now offered to provide some funds to improve the site. They plan to put wooden boarding around the site, and will support some type of murals or artwork on the boarding. I have contacted the Council to find out if they could also provide some support, for example to allow local artists to work with the local schools to come up with some ideas for murals or some other type of public art.

It is still unacceptable that the flats on this site have been empty for so long, but in the meantime it would be great if we can get improvements to the site whilst development is on hold. As ever, let me know if you have any ideas.

Perne Road Shops

Just had an on site visit to the Perne Rd/Radegund Rd shops with the owners, Luminus, and their manager for the site, to find out the latest plans, and to again impress on them the urgency of the situation in view of how long residents have already had to put up with the empty flats above the shops and the general mess of the site.

The story is pretty much the same as 12 months ago - encouraging noises, but they still don't know if they are going to extend and refurbish or completely redevelop, due to commercial negotiations. The current favourite looks to be extension and refurbishment, with some plans potentially going to consultation early in the new year. I've heard it all before - but will be asking the Council to look into its powers to take control of the property if owners fail to come up with some firm plans to bring residential units back in to use early in the year.

As an interesting aside, they suggested someone had contacted them interested in taking all three of the shop units - wonder who that might have been...

Perne Road Shops

Elections aside, ward work continues as normal.

I have been chasing progress on the redevelopment of the Perne Road shops site. The planners have finally got back to the applicants with some informal advice, and essentially given their proposals for 19 flats on the site the thumbs down. The concerns raised include lack of car and cycle parking, cramped flats, overlooking of neighbours. It is only informal advice, but does suggest that the planners view the developers first proposal as an overdevelopment of the site.

I am pressing for them to get some amended plans together ASAP...

Perne Road Shops

Finally some signs of movement on redevelopment of the Perne Road shops site - apparantly the owners met with planners on site in April. I have now chased the planning department to ensure they get back promptly to the agents of this site with any comments to try and get all parties moving again.

I fear we are still some way from a planning application likely to be acceptable to local residents and the planners - the onerous planning regulations from the City Council are really not helping...

Perne Road Shops

The Perne Road shops saga is extremely frustrating for local Councillors - the only powers that the Council has (i.e. the Council policy of compulsory purchase to bring empty property back into use) are draconian and not be be used lightly (particularly if the owner appears to be co-operating), but progress towards bringing a scheme in front of planners seems to have been dragging on for ever.

About three months ago we wrote to nearby residents about plans for the Perne Road shops that had just been presented to us by the owners and their agent/architect to bring the flats back into use - with planning discussions apparantly imminent. At the time we didn't give too much detail, as it did all seem too good to be true, and so it has been that months have passed - we have twice chased up the planning department and the owners about progress in this time. It does now however sound like they are ready to move forward with one or other plan for the site, after progress in commercial discussions.

We aren't holding our breath, and if things aren't demonstrably moving soon, it may be time to remind the owners that the Council does have powers to take action, even if we are a long way from that stage at the moment.

Perne Rd/Radegund Rd Shops and Flats

The state of the site at the junction of Perne Road and Radegund Road is a major source of requests for action, and after repeated calls to setup a meeting, on Monday I met with the developers, their architects and agents, and a representative from Coleridge Labour party , who is also pressing for action.

The developers reassured us that they are keen to bring the site fully back into use as soon as possible, and after delays due to commercial issues that needed to be resolved, they are now preparing to submit plans to the Council.

The current plans that we were shown on Monday are to refurbish the existing building, whilst extending it at the rear and into a new roof level to increase the number of flats. The shops would continue to trade if they wished to during the refurbishment works.

I certainly had a number of questions about the plans, in areas such as quality of design and materials, cycle and car parking and energy efficiency of the building, as well as the potential effect on neighbouring properties. Although the architect was aware of the potential issues, and confident that the plans address them, residents, planners and Councillors will want to review detailed plans. I made it clear that residents need to be consulted on the plans, and the obvious need to redevelop the site as soon as possible shouldn’t stop any potential concerns from being addressed as far as possible.

The developers seemed keen to take up the suggestion of consulting residents ahead of submitting a planning application, to maximise the chance of any issues being resolved at that stage, and proposed some type of exhibition of the plans, when questions can be raised, although if there are any urgent questions at this stage, please let me know and I can forward them. The owners aim to talk to the planners and highways authorities as soon as possible, and will then consult residents. They hope to obtain planning approval by the summer, and construction could take 12 months.

My priority remains to ensure the building is brought back into residential use as soon as possible, whilst continuing to support local independent shops at this location, as long as the plans are acceptable to local residents.

We have been at this stage before and then hit by delays, and plans are very much subject to change at this stage, so I have asked the Council’s planning department to let me know if they have not been contacted by the developers in the near future and I will be straight back on the case!

Tiverton House still for sale

There has been some bad news on the empty property front - all the potential buyers of Tiverton House have fallen through, and the Council has now put the building, former sheltered accommodation for the elderly, back on the market.

Rather than make expensive refurbishments to bring up to current standards, the Council decided to try selling the building with a view to using the money to fund other refurbishments elsewhere in the City. A number of bidders proposing different uses were in the frame, but they are now back to square one.

I have raised concerns for a while that the Council wouldn't be able to sell the building, and was also worried about some of the proposed uses from potential purchasers. They better have a plan 'B' in place in case they can't sell at the right price, to bring the property back into use.

The Council leaving residential property empty makes it all the harder to put pressure on private developers, like the owners of the shops and boarded up flats on the Perne Rd/Radegund Rd junction. Clearly there are huge problems in both the residential and commercial property markets at the moment, but I am trying to (re)arrange a meeting with the owners via their agents to see what the prospects are for bringing forward a redevelopment scheme.

Perne Road Roundabout Shops

I've finally managed to track down the new owner and agent for the shops/flats at Perne Road roundabout (the City Council didn't know who owned the building now!), and have let the agent know my concerns, namely:

- not wanting to lose local shops in any redevelopment,

- the run-down look to the site at the moment,

- security concerns about empty buildings (even if this aspect is better than it was),

- and the need to bring the flats back into use as soon as possible.

Hopefully the developers will agree to my request for a meeting which should clarify their hopes and aspirations for the site, and I can impress on them the urgency of the situation.