A neighbourhood plan for Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks?

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Local residents and businesses have formed a new group to create a neighbourhood plan for the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks area.

The aim of the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks Neighbourhood Planning Forum is to provide an organisation where local residents and businesses can plan the economic, social and environmental development of the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks area.

The neighbourhood forum has applied to Southwark Council to be recognised as a designated body under the Localism Act.

“This would be a major step forward for local people both council tenants and residents along with businesses to ensure that the local community benefit from the developments currently being planned for the area,” said chair Pauline Adenwalla.

Vice-chair Brian Hodge added: “We have seen a considerable amount of development in the area without the promised community benefits being delivered. Key to the future of the area is affordable housing and jobs not just jobs in retail although they are important the nature of retail is changing so some of the focus needs to be on the provision of other jobs. There is still a lot of development to come and our aim is to give all the local community a major say.”

The neighbourhood forum says that it will be working over the next year to involve as many local people as possible and will hold its first AGM in 2014 when recognised as the formal neighbourhood planning forum for the area.

Anyone interested in getting involved can contact the forum by emailing [email protected]

Southwark children pass Olympic flag to Rio representatives

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The event – held at Canada Water Library – was devised by torchbearer Kevin Steward and past Mayor of Southwark Cllr Althea Smith (who served as the borough’s first citizen during London 2012).

Dignitaries including Deputy Mayor of Southwark Sunil Chopra welcomed representatives from the Brazilian embassy, British Olympic Association, British Paralympic Association and legendary paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson to help congratulate Southwark’s young people and look to Rio 2016.

Certificates were then presented to London Youth Games medallists and young 2012 volunteers who have continued their work in Southwark since the games.

Councillor Veronica Ward, cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, Sport, Volunteering and Olympic Legacy said: “We are really pleased to be able to celebrate the achievements of all our young people and their contribution to Southwark since the Olympics. Whether it has been through volunteering for events, giving young people a voice or taking part in the sports themselves, all have become an inspiration to their peers – something we would like to thank and congratulate them for. It was also wonderful to see the signed flags given to Rio as a sign of friendship to children in Brazil from Southwark.”

Councillor Dora Dixon-Fyle, Cabinet Member for children’s servicesm said:”Our children and young people in Southwark have made a tremendous contribution to the local community and our visitors. This event was about recognising those young people who not only took part during 2012 but that have continued to volunteer in their community since.”

Kevin Steward, a London 2012 Olympic torch bearer for Southwark, added: “This event is for the children of Southwark and is something which has never been done before in Olympic legacy history. We hope that these flags will serve as a symbolic reminder of how everyone, especially the children, in the host city is involved in the magic of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Mixed messages from Boris over SE16 slow broadband

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This month our local London Assembly member Val Shawcross (Labour, Southwark & Lambeth) tabled the following question to Mayor of London Boris Johnson:

Are you prepared to take steps as Mayor of London, working with BT and other relevant agencies, to progress the roll out of improved broadband speeds in the Rotherhithe area?

The mayor’s reply has just been published:

Officers at the GLA are working very closely with all the relevant agencies to deliver a step-change in the London connectivity to drive economic growth and jobs.

My office will be happy to help facilitate any discussions between the Rotherhithe communities and Broadband providers to ensure their views are taken into account.

The Super Connected Cities Plan (SCCP) is largely focussed on a demand led voucher scheme to encourage the take up of ultrafast broadband amongst high growth SMEs across all London boroughs including SME’s in Rotherhithe area.

However the Mayor’s reply to a similar question tabled by the Green Party’s Darren Johnson AM offered some hope for local businesses but was less helpful so far as residents are concerned:

The Super Connected Cities Plan (SCCP) is now largely focussed on a demand led voucher scheme to encourage the take up of ultrafast broadband amongst high growth SMEs across all London boroughs including SME’s in Rotherhithe area. It will be ensured that SSCP scheme is promoted in Rotherhithe area so that all eligible SME’s can participate.

While I understand the frustration that some Rotherhithe constituents experience over the speed of their internet access, currently we are unable to intervene directly in matters relating to residential broadband connectivity.

The GLA will next year be looking to publish a document looking at Long Term Infrastructure in London, which will include a section on broadband and I know my team drafting that section will be looking at the situation in Rotherhithe closely.

Albion Street library: housing vs ‘sustainability centre’ controversy mounts

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Sublime Magazine Center for Sustainability

Local controversy is mounting over the future of the former Rotherhithe Library and civic centre in Albion Street.

This week Southwark’s cabinet approved in principle plans to develop new council homes on the site – a move supported by the Rotherhithe Area Housing Forum whose chairman Barry Duckett addressed the meeting in support of the plans.

listen to ‘Albion Street controversy: Barry Duckett addresses cabinet’ on Audioboo


However there is a rival proposal from Sublime Magazine to turn the building into a ‘centre for sustainability and social enterprise.

Sublime claims that the centre will lead  research into renewable energy, environmental design and the delivery of education on sustainable practices. It will promote local skills and manufacture, support social enterprise and media-training activities for local young people.

Sublime’s proposal has been branded as “awful” by Cllr Richard Livingstone, cabinet member for resources, who tweeted:

An e-petition calling on the council to consider the sustainability centre plan has so far attracted 236 signatures. It must reach 500 to force the cabinet to consider their request.

Workspace sells Biscuit Factory development to Grosvenor in £51 million deal

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Workspace Group has announced a £51 million deal for the sale of seven acres of land at the Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey to the Duke of Westminster’s Grosvenor  Britain & Ireland company.

The deal relates to seven acres of the 11-acre site. Workspace obtained planning consent in May 2013 for 800 new homes  together with new business space.

Grosvenor already owns a three acres site at the nearby former Southwark College campus in Keetons Road which was sold by the new LeSoCo college earlier this year.

Peter Vernon, chief executive of Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, said:   “This is a very exciting opportunity for Grosvenor to help transform two currently underused sites in a vibrant London location, through a mix of new homes, community facilities, public spaces, and retail links complemented by Workspace’s innovative business hub.

“In addition to owning and managing great places in central London, our team has delivered large scale place-making projects across the UK for many years.

“We have exciting community developments in Barton, Oxford; Springside, Edinburgh; Liverpool and in Cambridge.   This site in Bermondsey is an opportunity to use these skills to build and manage much needed housing for London too.”

Grosvenor Britain & Ireland says it will now consider the two sites together before consulting the local community on its development plans.

Under the terms of the Biscuit Factory agreement with Grosvenor, Workspace will receive £51 million in cash. £48 million will be payable on a phased basis as vacant possession is achieved on the 7 acres of land being sold for the residential redevelopment.

Full vacant possession is expected to be achieved by January 2016. A further £3 million in cash will be payable on completion of each stage of the redevelopment.

Grosvenor will  construct for Workspace a new commercial building (with 47,000 sq ft of net lettable space) at an estimated cost of £11 million, on the land retained by Workspace. This increases the amount of business space at the Biscuit Factory  to 270,000 sq.ft.

Grosvenor will also be responsible for all required infrastructure improvements, including landscaping and the creation of a community park on a further 1 acre of the site being sold to Grosvenor.

“This is another milestone for Workspace in its redevelopment activity,” said Jamie Hopkins, chief executive officer of Workspace Group.

“We are delighted to have a partner of the calibre and track record of Grosvenor to take forward the residential component of the redevelopment.

“Once completed this will be a thriving residential and business location, providing Southwark with its largest hub for small and growing businesses. This partnership will deliver significant value for our shareholders and considerable benefit to the local community.

“London has the opportunity to become the entrepreneurial capital of the world.  It is important that we continue to redevelop sites like this across London, that will attract people and businesses who are looking to live and work in dynamic locations with good transport links at the centre of the city.”

Canada Water Area Action Plan discussed by Southwark cabinet

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This week Southwark’s cabinet approved the latest version of the planning policy document for Canada Water, revised to take into account the pending redevelopment of Harmsworth Quays.

listen to ‘Canada Water Area Action Plan – Southwark cabinet’ on Audioboo

Once approved by council assembly the document will be subject to an examination in public before it is formally adopted.<

“The principal reason for the revisions to the Area Action Plan is the relocation of the Daily Mail Group print works from Harmsworth Quays, making a very substantial area of land available for redevelopment,” said Cllr Fiona Colley, cabinet member for regeneration.

“Our vision is to prioritise non-residential uses on the site, in particular education uses including the opportunity for a new campus for King’s College London. This vision was strongly supported in the consultation on the proposals.

“Southwark Council owns the freehold of the Harmsworth Quays site and so, alongside the changes to the AAP, officers in the regeneration team are working closely with King’s College and British Land (who have acquired the Daily Mail Group’s lease on the site).

“We hope to come back to cabinet within the next few months to agree a process for developing a masterplan for the area which meets the vision as set out in the AAP revisions.”

Rotherhithe cake designer shortlisted in national wedding awards

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Roma Finlinson imageA wedding cake designer from Rotherhithe  has been shortlisted in a national wedding awards scheme. Roma Finlinson, founder of Sweetness Cake Boutique is in the final ten cake designers in the hitched.co.uk Breakthrough Awards.

Roma trained in French patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu before starting her own cake company. She said: “I have always loved baking and found cake designing and sugar craft to be a fantastic outlet for my creativity. I wanted to do something I am passionate about on a daily basis that gives me a sense of achievement and fulfilment.”

The awards are run by wedding website, hitched.co.uk to recognise new talent in the wedding industry.

60 people (ten in each category) have been shortlisted by expert judges in six categories: wedding cake design, wedding floristry, wedding stationery, wedding photography, wedding hair styling and honeymoon hotels.

The 60 shortlisted have been narrowed down from hundreds of entries from all over the country with the editor of Wedding Cakes magazine, Jenny Royle selecting the ten cake finalists.

Sweetness Cake Boutique opened in 2012 and Roma says: ‘It was the realisation of a dream I have had for years.”

The company specialises in bespoke wedding cakes with beautiful sugar flowers and intricate piping detail. Roma gets most of her inspiration from her clients. She said: “My clients are a constant source of inspiration to me – I love hearing about their unique ideas that they have for their big day and coming up with a design that encompasses their vision of their personalities.”

To vote for Roma, simply go to http://www.hitched.co.uk/HBA/vote/  and click on Roma Finlinson in the wedding cake designer category.

2 tonnes of illegal fireworks seized in Galleywall Road

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IF

Police have seized  almost two tonnes of illegally stored and sold fireworks with a net explosive weight of approximately 230 kg.

The haul was found at a property in Galleywall Road when police executed a search warrant on Thursday. A man was arrested at the premises.

Southwark Council trading standards officers also seized a “considerable quantity” of counterfeit items.

A 61-year-old man has been bailed to return to a south London police station in November.

Detective Superintendent Chris Hafford said: “This is a fantastic example of partnership working. We will continue to work together with our partners to reduce anti-social behaviour and increase safety around Halloween and bonfire night.

“We hope this find will go some way towards ensuring the local community can enjoy the festivities safely.”

Southwark Park’s official fireworks display will be held on Tuesday 5 November.

£250,000 to create new police base at Seven Islands

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Southwark Council is to spend £250,000 on works at Seven Islands Leisure Centre to create a new base for police officers formerly based at Rotherhithe Police Station.

The cash comes from saving the council has made on its rent bill by buying the freehold of its Tooley Street headquarters.

From a newly published council report:

Rotherhithe Police Station is scheduled for closure and disposal. The council has offered part of Seven Islands Leisure Centre as a neighbourhood policing team base for the North East cluster. The MPS have confirmed that this is operationally useful and their property team have carried out a site visit and are working with officers to the most feasible use of the site. Whilst this is still in the early stage, the estimated cost to the council of the work needed to bring this into use as a police base is in the region of £250,000.
Architects have been commissioned to undertake a feasibility survey at the leisure centre site that considers the MPS operational requirements. This will be completed by early October 2013 and will establish estimated costs and options for the site. The cost of the feasibility survey is £8,000 and is included in the £250,000 estimated project costs for the police station.
The same report reveals that the council plans to spend £40,000 on closed circuit television at Greenland Quay:
Close [sic] Circuit Television (CCTV) at Greenland Quay – As part of the CCTV refresh programme two redeployable cameras were due to be sited at this location. This area has experienced high volumes of robbery and snatch incidents over the last 12 months. The funding will enable us to provide three fixed zoom public space surveillance cameras and operational connection to the councils CCTV operational control room. Re-deployable cameras are not a suitable option here due to the lighting columns. A design specification will be

Peter Andre visits Rotherhithe Primary School

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Peter Andre talks to Rotherhithe Primary pupils

Pop singer and reality TV star Peter Andre called into Rotherhithe Primary School this week to take part in a special assembly on keeping safe and recognising abuse, neglect and bullying.

Peter is a keen ambassador for the NSPCC and works with them to highlight protection and safeguarding for and of young children. He took part in the assembly for pupils in years 5 and 6 and the event was also filmed by a TV crew for his ITV2 reality TV series.

Headteacher Galiema Amien-Cloete said: “It was a fantastic experience for the pupils and Peter was great. He really got through to them the importance of keeping themselves and their friends safe.

“He even agreed to become an ambassador for Rotherhithe Primary School and promised to return for our international cultural event next summer!”

Councillor Dora Dixon Fyle, cabinet member for children’s services, was also at the event.

She said: “We can’t overstate how important these messages are and it is wonderful that schools like Rotherhithe Primary take the initiative to work in innovative ways with partners like the NSPCC to get these messages across to children through exciting events like this.”