Hackney to sell Dalston's "Cultural Quarter"

Hackney has resolved to sell four of its central Dalston sites as one "comprehensive development/ refurbishment package" for "regeneration".  Hackney's Cabinet reached its decision on 23 November without any prior public consultation.

The four sites, to be marketed as the "Dalston Quarter", include the Council's land on part of the Eastern Curve Garden, the former Railway Tavern and the 1865 houses on Ashwin Street, the former CLR James library and the last surviving 1790 Georgian Houses on Dalston Lane.

Hackney owns the entrance land of the hugely popular Eastern Curve Garden. The Kingsland Shopping Centre owns the remainder of the land. The Garden, within Site 1, would be unlikely to survive as we know it if  part were to be developed in a way which compromised present uses.

Although some of the sites are vacant, following demolitions, a number include historic buildings. The Council report states that "buildings with heritage significance will be cherished" but it also reminds of its duty to obtain "best consideration."

Hackney is presently converting the former Railway Tavern,within Site 1, into flats and is marketing the ground floor and basement for commercial uses

V22 Gallery presently occupy these three houses, within Site 1, at 10-16 Ashwin Street for exhibitions and artists' studios

Many of the buildings are occupied by social and cultural enterprises which will be directly affected by the Council's plans for a "comprehensive development/ refurbishment package" . Tenants are often required to give up possession to enable "refurbishment" to proceed. Hackney's report states that the cluster of businesses are "major assets to the character of the town centre" but has also not ruled out private residential development

The last surviving 1790 Georgian houses, within Site 3 at 16-22  Dalston Lane, are occupied in part by Hackney Co-Operative developments and the Farm Shop

The former CLR James library is part of the Council plan. It is part of Site 3 and is presently occupied by Hackney Community Voluntary Services

For three years, since the leaked report "Dalston's heritage under threat", OPEN has been pressing for an extension of Dalston Lane (West) Conservation Area. Although Hackney plan to designate a seperate new Conservation Area covering the High Street, it has done virtually nothing so far to give these town centre buildings heritage protection. Its reasons for delay remain questionable.

Although the Council's "vision" is for a "vibrant exciting quarter"  with "spill out places" and "pedestrian meandering"  (That's enough estate agency waffle. Ed.) it is clear that the existing businesses and diversity already within the area could be at serious risk from the "comprehensive" treatment of all 4 sites, as a single package, which the Council is planning.

Look out Dalston! Don't get hit by a runaway train (Crossrail2)

£30 billion Crossrail2 is coming through Dalston. Hurrah! We'll finally be on the tube.

But look out Dalston! Transport for London has also outlined proposals to demolish and re-develop many of our much loved streets and houses which, they say, is necessary to make Crossrail2 happen.  

Let us take you on a walk around the Dalston streets which TfL have got their eyes on. And consider the implications.  Are there alternatives? Read more here   

Luxury flats will make Colvestone School nursery "resemble a prison"

The featureless rear wall of a block of luxury flats "would not only block the sunlight over much of the playground for most of the day  – making the space dark, damp and cold – but it will also resemble a prison wall" said Dalston's Judith Watt  who has issued Court action against Hackney Council to challenge its' grant of planning permission for the development next to a Dalston nursery. You can help the parents' campaign by signing the petition and Judith's claim by donating towards expenses.

This view from Ridley Road market shows the development site and Grade II Listed Colvestone School. The school nursery's open space is between the site and the school and currently receives adequate sunlight. The three storey block of flats, with ground floor cafe, could be built right on its southern boundary. 

(Judith tells me that, at 9.55m, the wall is about three times the height of the Berlin Wall. Ed.)

The development will block sunshine from the playground as well as the view of the school which is at the western entrance of the St Mark's Conservation Area. The Head Teacher told the planners that the development would make the open space less useable and cause a risk to the toddler's health and their sense of well being. The Council Committee granted permission using the Chair's casting vote  

An architect's shadow diagram showing the nursery school and the overshadowing effect of the new block of flats.

Apart from the shadow making the nursery's play/learning area slippery with moss, slime and ice, sunlight deprivation is recognised as a serious risk factor for toddlers developing rickets which causes deformed bones. Children with darker skin, which absorbs less Vitamin D, are particularly at risk. Due to the increase in cases of rickets England's Chief Medical Officer, Prof Dame Sally Davies said in 2013 that all children should be offered vitamin supplements to safeguard their health. Hackney has since offered free vitamin supplements to all local school children 

The developers, Chan and Eayrs, say on their website, "We believe that simple things like the natural light that fills a space and awakens your spirits...enriches life in a way that is priceless".

(Indeed it does. Perhaps the developers would donate their profits to Hackney to help pay for the vitamin supplements for future generations of our school kids. Ed)

Colvestone school - Dalston resident sues Hackney to Save Our Sunshine

A Dalston resident has issued judicial review proceedings against Hackney's grant of planning permission for private flats which would severely overshadow Colvestone School's nursery playground. It is claimed that the decision amounts to an environmental injustice which will prejudice future generations of children as well as permanently damage the setting of the Grade II listed school building and the Conservation Area.

The legal challenge has won immediate support from local parents and residents who have created an on-line petition "Save Our Sunshine" which urges Hackney to enforce historic property covenants protecting sunlight to the school's land. You can help by signing the petition and, most of all, by going to the community's Crowdfunding appeal and contributing something to the cost of surveyors' evidence and barristers' and Court fees.

This view from Ridley Road market shows the development site and Grade II Listed Colvestone School. The school nursery's open space is between the site and the school and currently receives adequate sunlight. The three storey block, with a ground floor café and flats, could be built right on its southern boundary. 

(Judith tells me that, at 9.55m, the wall is nearly three times the height of the Berlin Wall. Ed.)

The Nursery school playground is used throughout the day, year round, as a learning and play space for children up to 5 years old. The southern boundary will have a three storey blank wall looming over the playground blocking out the sunshine and the sky.

The legal challenge has been issued following a study by independent sunlighting consultants, Anstey Horne, who commented that there would be "an increase of three to four times the existing levels of overshadowing"  and that " we cannot agree with the report's conclusion that the increase in shadowing will be modest and that the area will continue to receive plenty of sunlight."

After the loss of sunshine, the playground will be less pleasant, more gloomy and cold but also "more persistent overshadowing may prevent frost, ice and snow from thawing and increase the growth of moss, slime etc potentially making it more slippery."

The court claim has been served on Hackney, and on the developer Zoe Chan at her Bayswater address. Hackney is expected to serve an acknowledgement of the claim shortly. In the meantime Hackney, Ms Chan and others have commented on the allegations in the Hackney Citizen.

Children already at the school, and those looking forward to joining the nursery class, were not consulted about the development in advance. However news of the development has been greeted with disbelief, not only by parents, but by many younger residents as well.

(The Colvestone School dispute is one of a number of recent controversial schemes involving pressure on Hackney's education land  and the interests of private residential investors. Ed)

Look out Dalston! More demolitions coming with TfL's Crossrail2

TfL has announced plans for public consultation on the development of the Dalston Junction /Dalston Kingsland section of Crossrail2 - a new underground line budgetted at £28Bn. Construction is hoped to start in 2020 with lines running by 2030. TfL's has identified five Dalston sites, marked A-E on the map below, where there will potentially be considerable impact, including demolition and redevelopment of buildings, even streets.

  

The area shaded purple is the proposed underground platform with the new aboveground ticket offices at each end marked with a red triangle. The sites marked are on both sides of Kingsland ( east & west)  and are all said to be required for Crossrail2 construction. TfL suggest that redevelopment of those and adjoining sites could contribute to the cost of the Crossrail2 development (What? More unaffordable TfL flats? Ed.)

The Nat West bank building and its neighbours on Kingsland High Street  are within Site C and, across the road,  all the shops and homes on the south side of Bradbury Street are within Site B.

 South of Dalston Junction 574-586 Kingsland Road  and. across the road, an 1860 terrace of houses and all of Bentley Street south side are at risk of demolition.

For a more detailed analysis  of Crossrail2 impact on Dalston click here

Dalston's previous experience of TfL's consultation regarding the East London Line development did not inspire confidence, as you can read about here and here. It could all have been so much better.

TfL's Crossrail2 consultation will close on 8th January 2016 . Over the next 2 months, we will publish further information to help inform your response to TfL's plans. So watch this space and post comments on this blog.

Contact info@opendalston.net if you would like to join our team which is already examining and preparing a community response to TfLs  plans.

Independent report reveals loss of sunlight to Colvestone School nursery

A leading UK firm of independent environmental surveyors, Anstey Horne, has reported  that a planned development adjoining the Colvestone Primary School's nursery will result generally in "an increase of three to four times the existing levels of overshadowing"  and that the development will leave "around half of the (playground) space in the proposed scheme's shadow for a significant amount of the day for much of the year." Anstey Horne commented that the test applied in the developer's own  report was "simplistic" and "would potentially provide a misleading impression." They go on to state " we cannot agree with the report's conclusion that the increase in shadowing will be modest and that the area will continue to receive plenty of sunlight."

Colvestone Primary School south facing outdoor play/learning area for nursery school children is used throughout the day, year round, weather permitting

The private development of a café and flats obtained planning permission on 2nd September, through the use of the Committee Chair's casting vote, despite strong objections from local parents and the Head Teacher warning of the risk to children's education, health and well being. Hackney's planning officers failed to consult their colleagues in the Learning Trust which is the body responsible for education in Hackney.

How Colvestone Nursery School outdoor play/learning area will appear after the development which has received planning permission. 

Anstey Horne go on to report "The effect of the  proposed scheme will be to completely close of the open aspect to the south....This is of real concern as the additional overshadowing is likely to adversely affect the benefits that sunlight brings to the playground, making the area not just less pleasant, gloomy and cold but also preventing the drying out of the ground and surrounding surfaces. More persistent overshadowing here in colder months may prevent frost, ice and snow from thawing and increase the growth of moss, slime etc potentially making it more slippery. This is obviously of concern given the worst-affected space is dedicated area for young children's play throughout the day and year...not just at break and lunchtimes as was assumed"

The development site was once owned by Hackney and it is subject to a restrictive covenant protecting sunlight to the school's land. Hackney have failed to reply to Freedom of Information Act requests, and a local Councillor's letter, asking whether the Council will now act to prevent the loss of sunlight. 

The developers, Chan and Eayrs, say on their website, "We believe that simple things like the natural light that fills a space and awakens your spirits...enriches life in a way that is priceless".
(Indeed it does, so why are they trying to take our kids sunshine away? Ed.)

Mansion Global USA seeks overseas investors for Dalston's exclusive new tower block “FiftySevenEast”

On line marketeers Mansion Global, part of Dow Jones, has launched its promotion of “FiftySevenEast - Dalston with a view” - the 15 storey tower development on Kingsland High Street (next to Dalston Kingsland station) now under construction. "East London is about more than hipsters" it says. Its about "looking for a return on investment." Prices start at £470,000 rising to £1,500,000. 

 

The FiftySevenEast tower was planned to be 19 storeys, as this image shows, but was later reduced to 15 storeys

Mansion Global's mission is to connect "the world's affluent real restate buyers with prestige properties across the globe", and advises that London's East End is "attracting more and more foreign buyers ". Imperial Dragon, who specialise in UK investment for Asian clients, are also marketing the development. 

The new residents targeted for Dalston - as promoted by the FiftySevenEast marketeers

OPEN Dalston opposed planning permission for FitySevenEast because, although huge profit is derived from stacking up the site, the real cost is the detriment to the surrounding area by over development and a failure to confer adequate community benefit.

The development will dominate the High Street, and so diminish neighbouring listed heritage buildings. Like a lighthouse in reverse, it will block sunlight from local homes, businesses and public spaces, and it will create high winds locally.

News article in London's Evening standard. It refers to an OPEN Dalston meeting arranged with London Mayor, to discuss public space, but Boris didn't intervene to improve the scheme.

Dalston's greatest need, for affordable rentals, family homes and children's play areas, are largely ignored. Of 98 flats there will be only14 "affordable starter homes", all in the front block with their own 'poor door', and even those are at prices requiring more than double the average Hackney household income.

Hackney's former Deputy Mayor, Karen Allcock, and Councillor Laing, were employed by the developer's PR company Four Communications at the time when  it was promoting re-development of the site.

The original scheme was unanimously turned down by the Committee after OPEN Dalston's vociferous campaign and 1,300 signature petition. The amended scheme only received planning permission after a special meeting between the developers and the Hackney Planning Committee, at which the public was not allowed to speak. The meeting was called, we were told, to "clear up misunderstandings" which had led to the earlier refusaL.

After approval the FiftySevenEast scheme was then sold on to Taylor Wimpey which had itself won planning permission to build an exclusive gated development on former public land sold by TfL, above the Western Curve railway tunnels , also on Kingsland High Street.  Both schemes are now under construction.

Taylor Wimpey's seven-storey Western Curve scheme, just south of FiftySevenEast, is also now under construction. It is nearly double the height of its neighbours and even some of the new flats are below British Standards.  Hackney Council provided over £1million in public funds to help  make the scheme possible ( Using public money to fund private investment is also known as 'corporate welfare' - Ed).