Category: Council

Conway’s Update on Beckenham Improvement Works – 26 Mar 2017

The Beckenham Improvements Works first week concluded . The first week of an initiative to improve Beckenham High Street has successfully been completed. The scheme is designed to make the town more attractive to visitors and shoppers by day and night. A major objective is to support existing businesses and encourage new businesses to invest in the town centre.

The High Street investment improvements will create a more attractive and safer pedestrian environment. Improvements will include:

  • New paving and road surfacing
  • Improved and attractive lighting
  • Improved road crossings and bus waiting facilities
  • Better facilities for cyclists
  • Improved amenity spaces including Beckenham Green

Much planning and consultation has been carried out since the scheme was proposed in 2012. The cooperation and input of the Beckenham Business Association, Copers Cope Resident Association and West Beckenham Residents Association is gratefully acknowledged, with their input key in shaping the nature of the scheme.

Businesses and interested residents who want to follow the progress of the work over the next 18 months can sign up for the regular updates that will be sent. Visit here to do this.

Beckenham is most definitely open for business and the Council’s contractor, Conway, will be liaising directly with local businesses when work is being carried out directly outside a retail business so that the exact nature of the work is understood. At all times, Conway will seek to minimise disruption with traffic arrangements throughout the work specifically designed to ensure that the town can continue to be accessed and visited.

First week update report

Work has proceeded in line with expectations, with work continuing to be finished at the Beckenham Junction and the traffic management measures installed and working reasonably well.

The Council has been monitoring traffic conditions to make sure that vehicles can access the town centre and as part of this, traffic engineers are currently examining whether further measures can be taken to minimise congestion and potential ‘rat running’. Specifically, reports about HGVs using The Drive are being investigated and the potential to rephase the traffic lights at Beckenham Junction are being examined following some reports of traffic queuing, affecting bus journeys and other motorists.

Work for the week ahead

Work on the raised footway between Coppers Restaurant and Spa will be completed by Monday of this week and the steps will be opened up. Excavation work will then take place at the corner of Bromley Rd with High Street by Nat West. Customers requiring the ATM will have to access this via the steps on the lower section of the High Street. .Additional work will be taking place at the junction of Albemarle Rd on the forecourt to Kinleigh estate agents.

Work on the Thai Restaurant Corner and around into Rectory Rd will be completed towards the end of the week, with all barriers then removed, bringing the approach to the traffic lights back to two lane traffic.

Work on the Church Green side of the High Street continues with kerbing being laid and some paving and therefore barriers will remain in place.

Traffic Diversions and Bus Diversions are now in place

Inevitably, traffic management will alter slightly as the scheme progresses, with the objective to minimise inconvenience. Current arrangements are outlined on the Council’s website including information about bus routes and a link to TfL’s website.

Thank you for your understanding and support

This is an exciting time for the town as work gets underway and although every effort will be made to minimise disruption, some disruption at times will be inevitable and your understanding and support is appreciated in advance. If further specific information is needed or it appears that there is an unforeseen problem when the work is underway, Conway’s Helen McConnell can be contacted, for help and advice. Helen, the Liaison Officer is the scheme contact for businesses and residents. Helen can be contacted on Mobile Tel 07917 518 529 or email Beckenham@fmconway.co.uk if needed.

Benedict House, Copers Cope Road: Proposal for a Residential Support Centre, February 2017

Two applications are currently being considered by London Borough of Bromley’s planning officers proposing the change of use of Benedict house, a former nursing home, to a Residential Support Centre.

LBB’s Director of Housing has provided a briefing document, below, to answer some of the concerns that have been raised so far:

What is the Proposal?

Benedict House has recently been purchased by developers who are seeking to redevelop the site for high quality apartments. Time is required to prepare for redevelopment meaning that Benedict House is likely to be vacant for up to 2 years.  In the interim the developers have offered the opportunity for the LondonBorough of Bromley to utilise the building for up to 2 years for use as temporary accommodation to help meet its statutory rehousing duties.

Why is the accommodation needed by Bromley for use as temporary accommodation?

The number of households presenting at risk of homelessness has increased steadily in recent years. For the majority, the reason for homelessness is that they are experiencing difficulties in affording the increasing costs of renting or buying a home.  A reduction in new build accommodation, increase in private sector rents and changes within social housing has meant that move on housing options havedecreased and the numbers in temporary accommodation has risen to unprecedented levels. This has meant that to meet the level of housing need the Council has had to utilise costly forms of insecure nightly paid accommodation which frequently falls short of requirements in terms of location and quality.  The use of Benedict House for up to 2 years would provide much needed local temporary accommodation whilst longer term housing solutions are identified.

Who decides which people would be placed into Benedict House?

The Council would retain full control over nominations throughout the periodof use. This means that the Council would decide who is placed into the accommodation and for how long.

Would people be placed from outside of the borough?

No, as the Council controls who is nominated only those households with a local connection with Bromley would be eligible. These would be residents who live and/or have permanent employment within the borough.  Prioirty would be given to those households who currently live, work or have children in schooling near to, or on direct transport links to Copers Cope Road.

What type of People will be placed?

Local people, mainly families or couples, who have become homeless throughno fault of their own and to whom the Council owes a statutory duty to assist in rehousing. A full assessment would be undertaken before any household isnominated and only those households who have been assessed as able to fully maintain a tenancy independently where the need is solely for housing rather than support would be eligible to be placed into Benedict House. The scheme would not be open to those people who are deemed vulnerable requiring intensive support to be able to manage a tenancy because of their vulnerability, such as those with enduring mental health needs. The council has alternative specialist support schemes which provide more intensive support for these people.

Who will manage the schemes?

The scheme would be managed by Omega Mears. They already work with the Council sourcing and managing a number of temporary accommodationunits and have a long track record of successful temporary accommodationand tenancy management. It is proposed that 24 hour on site management is provided. Mears would also provide ongoing advice and support to residentsin partnership with the Council to assist households to secure settled accommodation and ensure that they do not become homeless again. For example helping to access employment for those who may not currently be in full time employment.

Would I be able to contact anyone if I had concerns or queries about the Scheme?

Yes, full contact details of the Mears staff and Council’s housing needs team would be made available to all local residents so that they would be able to make contact should they have any queries or concerns at any point.

What type of tenancies would residents have? Can you guarantee that they would have to leave at the end of the 2 years?

All residents would be signed up to a licence agreement. This is a non-secureagreement meaning that they would not hold any interest in the property or have any rights to remain in the long term. The agreement sets out residents’ responsibilities and the conditions they must meet to be eligible to stay in the accommodation. This includes their conduct and the conduct of any visitors to the scheme. As the agreement is not a ‘protected agreement’ it can be brought to an immediate end should any resident or their visitor breach these rules or the Council require vacant possession. In this way conditions can be actively enforced to ensure that the scheme operate successfully without disturbance or disruption for any other residents in the scheme or local community and can ensure vacant possession at the end of the period of use as temporary accommodation.

To view the applications, and submit your own comments, click on the links below:

16/05442/PLUD

16/05849/FULL1

Remember to include your name and address in any correspondence otherwise your comments will not be registered.

Residential Support Centre / Hostel proposed on Copers Cope Road, January 2017

Applications have been submitted for proposed change of use of a former nursing home on Copers Cope Road to a Residential Support Centre.

Benedict House, on the corner of Park Road, was in use as a nursing home until last year, when it closed following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission which found it to be inadequate (click this link to read article in the Bromley Times last summer).
Omega Mears, a care service provider, proposes to lease the building from the current owner, Spring Capital Management, with the intention of using it as a ‘residential support centre’ to provide ‘accommodation, care and support services’ for ‘homeless families, vulnerable young adults and emergency housing requirements arising from healthcare needs and other issues’.
Two separate applications have been submitted: the first for a certificate of lawful proposed use (as a residential support centre) ; the second for a temporary change of use from a care home to a residential support centre.  We believe  the purpose of the second application is in case the first one is refused.  Both applications are supported by letters from Bromley Council’s Education, Care & Health Services department.
The letters from LBB EC&HS point to the fact, amongst others, that numbers housed in temporary accommodation has more than doubled in the last five years, hence the increasing requirement for facilities such as this, particularly for parents and children who have become homeless through no fault of their own.
No external alterations are proposed to the building and there is no increase in the number of bedrooms from when it was in use as a nursing home.  There are 41 bedrooms in total: 35 double, 5 single and 1 disabled.  30 bedrooms are ensuite.  Omega Mears have submitted a comprehensive Management Plan and the facility will be supervised 24 hours a day.
You can view both applications in full, including the Council letter and Management Plan, and comment on the proposals by clicking the links below:
CCARA has written to the assigned planning officer and ward councillors requesting  that an informal meeting, or drop-in session, is held by council officers and representatives from the service provider, for residents to gain a clearer understanding of the exact proposals and ask questions in order that an assessment can be made of any areas of concern before the application is considered by the Council’s Planning Committee.

Beckenham Town Centre Improvements Update, including detailed drawings – May to June 2016

The last 2 months have seen significant progress on the detailed design for the multi million Town Centre Improvement Scheme. The scheme is coming together now and work is due to start this summer.

At the last Working Group updated designs were circulated and local people provided feedback. We recommend you read the complete minutes of the meeting at the following link:

Since then detailed construction drawings have been issued, these are not yet in Bromley Councils website, we have uploaded them below.

  1. Beckenham Green and Beckenham Junction
  2. Thornton’s Corner
  3. Bromley Road, High Street Junction (near Lloyds and St Georges Church)
  4. High Street, Fairfield Road junction (near Card Factory)
  5. High Street, Kelsey Lane Junction (near Zizzi’s)
  6. High Street, The Drive Junction (near Sainsbury’s)
  7. War Memorial

At the next working group meeting the construction drawings will be discussed in some detail and we will provide as much clarity as possible.  In the mean time we would appreciate your feedback on the construction drawings to chairman@coperscope.org.uk .We will also be requesting the Council undertake more extensive consultation on these now detailed designs with local people.

 

 

Beckenham Town Centre Working Group March 2016

The minutes and supporting documents from the last meeting can be found at:

March 2016

Our association was most vocal on the Council’s inaction to pursue an Article 4 Direction for Beckenham Town Centre to remove the permitted development right to convert offices to residential without planning consent. Most office space has now gone in the High Street, the lack of employment in Beckenham will have an adverse affect on the local economy and the vibrancy of our town.

We also suggested that the paving samples be laid elsewhere in the High Street, outside Zizzi’s is a dark spot and it is hard to visualise how the paving will look along the whole High Street.

In regard to new street lamps we noted that along the main high street pedestrian space is an issue and that the most compact slim line lamp columns should be installed and where possible lights should be installed on buildings.

 

Town Centre Improvement Update and Copers Cope AGM – 8pm Weds 30 March 2016, Beckenham Public Halls

Our Annual General Meeting is at 8pm Wednesday 30th March 2015, Beckenham Public Hall, Bromley Road, Beckenham.

Representative from the Post Office workers union (CWU) will provide information on the proposed closure of the Beckenham Post Office on Rectory Road. Bromley Council will be attending to provide an update on the TfL funded public realm improvement scheme for Beckenham Town Centre with an opportunity to ask questions afterwards. Local Councillors and our MP are expected to attend. All local people welcome.

Beckenham keeps Town Centre Manager for 12 months longer

Local pressure has prevailed and Beckenham will retain its Town Centre Manager (TCM) for 12 months longer. Beckenham and Penge were set to lose their Town Centre Managers at the end of March,  see our previous post.

The Beckenham Town Centre Team and Penge Town Centre Teams turned up in force at the Renewal and Recreation PDS Committee on Tuesday 26 January 2016 where the fate of the remaining Town Centre Manager for the whole borough was to be decided. Representatives from our Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association, West Beckenham Residents’ Association, Beckenham Business Association and the Penge Town team sat in the public gallery. Having previously written to all the Councillors on the committee as well as all local councillors we were pleased that the points we raised were put forward.

The committee was split, however there was enough support from three Councillors (Cllrs Auld, Michaels, & Wilkins) in agreement with us that a Town Centre Manager (TCM) must be retained during the feasibility and planning for a Business Improvement District (BID) and any transition period to a successful BID. Cllr Wilkins counter proposed for the TCM to be retained for 12 months, this proposal was carried and we are pleased to announce that subsequently the portfolio holder has agreed to retain the TCM for 12 months and find alternative funding for an officer to take the BID forward. The decision can viewed at the link below.

R&R Town Centre Management Decision

We would like to thank Cllrs Auld, Michaels, and Wilkins, make special mention of Cllr Brooks from Penge and Cator who made an in person representation to the committee on behalf of both Penge and Beckenham and Cllr Morgan the portfolio holder.

12 months is most definitely an improvement on the previous proposal of no TCM, however we would have preferred a commitment to keep the TCM in place until day one of the BID as happened in both Orpington and Bromley. We will continue to monitor the progress of the BID and TfL public realm improvements. If in 12 months time neither have progressed we may well need to lobby to retain our TCM for longer.

Bromley Council CUT support to Beckenham Town Centre – comments by 17.00 Tues 26 Jan 2016

  1. Bromley Council propose to stop providing all support to Town Centres by removing Town Centre Manager (TCM) posts, including the TCM for Beckenham and Penge.  Bromley hope to implement a Business Improvement District (BID) where businesses pay a levy and manage their own Town Centre affairs in Beckenham and Penge as they have done in Bromley and Orpington. Usually BIDS are implemented whilst maintaining TCM support to ensure a seamless transition from Council support to the BID (this is how the Council implemented the BIDs in Bromley and Orpington). For Beckenham and Penge there will be no TCM for 18 months to 2 years until a BID is implemented and there is absolutely no guarantee Beckenham and Penge businesses will agree to a BID. We could end up with no TCM, no BID and a run down town centre. The Council are doing this at a time when Beckenham is just about to embark on its most significant public realm improvement in 30 years. The Beckenham TCM has played an integral part in the TfL funded improvement scheme for the last 3 years and to remove the TCM post just before work commences is madness.

Read more about the proposal that goes to the Renewal and Recreation PDS Committee next Tuesday 26 January 2016.

http://cds.bromley.gov.uk/documents/s50035959/Future%20of%20Town%20Centre%20Management%20and%20BIDs%20Development%20Strategy.pdf

http://cds.bromley.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=117&MId=5385

The Beckenham Town Centre Team (chaired by the Copers Cope Area Residents Association, and including the Beckenham Business Association, Beckenham Society, West Beckenham Residents’ Association among others) and the Penge Town Team have written the following letter requesting the Renewal and Recreation PDS Committee REJECT this proposal.

“This is a joint letter to you from the Beckenham and Penge Town Centre Teams with the support of our Town Traders’ and Business associations. We are writing to you because we believe that the changes proposed in Agenda Item 7d will be harmful to our town centres and in particular will make it more difficult for you to reach the agreed Council policy on Town Centre Development.

The Beckenham and Penge Town Centre Teams were formed from traders and residents to help pave the way towards the replacement of traditional Town Centre Management with BIDs, in accordance with council policy. We share and support your determination to make this process a success. However, we have been dismayed to learn that under this proposal both remaining TCM positions will be made redundant from April 2016. We have been working to your previous timetable which continued our traditional Town Centre Management for a further year. We appreciate that the replacement model of employing one dedicated BID officer on a 2 year fixed term contract will allow a greater focus on promoting the BID process but we believe that neither of our towns are currently in the position to take this forward without the expected support of a TCM.

The immediate loss of TCM risks undoing the achievements of recent years; the process of transformation will become self-defeating making the acceptance of a BID by local traders less rather than more likely. Neither of our local business associations are currently enthusiastic supporters and more direct work needs to be carried out. 

The justification for attempting to implement a BID without TCM support appears to be a belief that replacing a TCM with a dedicated BID officer will speed up the process. By changing your approach, you will in fact put the whole process in these towns at risk. History supports our contention. LBB successfully implemented BIDs in Bromley and Oprington whilst maintaining TCMs throughout the process. This is a formula that works, enabling the Council to drive through a BID and provide a seamless transition.

The scope of the proposed dedicated BID officer is unrealistic. It will not be possible for one person to successfully implement 2 BIDs (in Beckenham and Penge), be the liaison point for the existing BIDs (in Bromley and Orpington), provide phone TCM support by phone to businesses, Town Teams and other bodies (as suggested by Martin Pinnell) and manage any cross over from the Beckenham Public Realm Improvement and Penge NHB proposals. Put simply, having only one resource will not speed up the process.

The prosperity of a place is measured by its centre, whether this is a High Street or a small shopping parade. We believe the accelerated removal of all TCM support will result in lower standards. It will become more difficult to resolve issues arising from litter, commercial waste, street clutter, fly-posting, empty shops etc., and this will be detrimental to the amenity, vibrancy and prosperity of our towns. Convincing business to go into BID whilst simple issues go unresolved (as there is no TCM) will make the process more difficult and one BID officer will not have the capacity to assist.

We also question the Council’s timings. Support from traders is more likely after the current improvement schemes have been implemented rather than during a period of significant change. Our towns cannot be without TCM support during this period.

The report argues that only Beckenham and Penge have dedicated Town Centre managers implying that other places have no support. In fact, the TCMs have provided assistance for events, town initiatives, and streetscape issues in West Wickham, Chislehurst, Petts Wood and Biggin Hill amongst others. All these town centres will be disadvantaged by the proposals. Volunteers will not have the expertise nor the time to take on these responsibilities.

Town Centre Management is not just about Christmas lights, markets and town centre promotions; it is about improving local amenities for local people. Beckenham has recently been awarded the Prestigious Purple Flag for a well-managed night-time economy, having made changes that make Beckenham safer and more pleasant for revellers, businesses and local residents. It is the first place to achieve this status in the borough and one of only a handful if places in London. This aspirational achievement was product of the TCM and Town Team working together. The assessors were especially impressed by how TCM led this co-ordinated approach between council officers, police, businesses and residents associations and how well these groups worked together. It would be remiss of the Council not to support maintaining the Purple Flag whilst a BID is being set up.

The recommendation in the report asks you to support implementing BIDs in Beckenham and Penge by the withdrawal of TCM. You are being asked to make this decision before a feasibility study of the likely success of a BID in Beckenham and Penge (wholly different towns to Bromley and Orpington) has been undertaken. If this proposal goes through, the BIDs could fail simply because of lack of TCM support in the crucial build up period.

For our part, we support BIDs for our towns and want the process to be a success, To achieve this, we believe the Council should revert to the original plan to retain a TCM for a further year. Further funding is available to support the BID process and small amounts could be released from the TfL proposals for Beckenham and from the NHB proposals for Penge. Running both the TCM and BID for just one year would lead to a more positive outcome for the Council and for our towns. We call on the Scrutiny Committee to reject the officer recommendation in this report and ask for further consultation to develop a proposal which has a greater chance of success.

We hope you will consider our comments in the positive way they are intended and support our desire to make the BID process a success in both Beckenham and Penge.”

In the current climate we are concerned that all proposals to save money get the green light regardless of their chances of success. We encourage local people that are concerned about the loss to Town Centre Management support to voice their concerns asap by 17.00 Tuesday 26 January 2016 to:

  1. Your Ward Councillors
    • Clock House: Vanessa.Allen@bromley.gov.uk, Ian.Dunn@bromley.gov.uk, Sarah.Phillips@bromley.gov.uk
    • Copers Cope: Russell.Mellor@bromley.gov.uk, Michael.Tickner@bromley.gov.uk, Stephen.Wells@bromley.gov.uk
    • Kelsey and Eden Park: Alan.Collins@bromley.gov.uk, Peter.Dean@bromley.gov.uk, Diane.Smith@bromley.gov.uk
    • Penge and Cator: kathy.bance@bromley.gov.uk, Kevin.Brooks@bromley.gov.uk, Peter.Fookes@bromley.gov.uk
  2. The Renewal and Recreation Portfolio Holder and the current head of Town Centre Management: Peter.Morgan@bromley.gov.uk, Martin.Pinnell@bromley.gov.uk
  3. The Renewal and Recreation PDS Committee:  Ian.Payne@bromley.gov.uk, Michael.Rutherford@bromley.gov.uk, Douglas.Auld@bromley.gov.uk, Julian.Benington@bromley.gov.uk, Peter.Dean@bromley.gov.uk, Alexa.Michael@bromley.gov.uk, Neil.Reddin@bromley.gov.uk, Michael.Tickner@bromley.gov.uk, Angela.Wilkins@bromley.gov.uk, Anna.Begley@bromley.gov.uk
  4. Please also cc us in at chairman@coperscope.org.uk

Bromley Council budget 2016-17, tell us your views

Message from Bromley Council

Dear Resident,

I am pleased to send you a link to an Update Special about giving your views as senior councillors set the budget for 2016-17.

Tell us what you think:

Fill in the online survey up until 6 December 2015 www.bromley.gov.uk/budgetviews

Contact your residents’ association – we will be meeting with representatives very soon. [Email us at chairman@coperscope.org.uk, we are meeting with the Council on Monday evening 30 November.]

Talk to your ward councillor or email leader@bromley.gov.uk.

Kind regards

London Borough of Bromley, Civic Centre

 

Bromley Community Fund grants available from £500 to £3000

The Bromley Community Fund responds to the changing needs and hardships faced by local people. It sees local charities and community organisations as being at the forefront of tackling these issues. Priority for funding will be given to organisations who can demonstrate that they are responding to the most acute needs of our community.

In particular, applicants must be working in Bromley in one of the following areas:

  • Increasing educational achievement for disadvantaged young people
  • Supporting older people and their carers
  • Support for other vulnerable people and communities

The fund is currently open to applications for grants of  between £500 to £3000. For more information click on this link Bromley Community Fund.  Applications must be made by 5pm Monday November 30th.

Have your say – Plan for development in Beckenham and the borough – consultation ends 31 October 2015

Bromley Council are asking residents to comment on the Local Plan for the borough which sets out development for the next 15 years, including proposed development sites for future school, employment and housing use across the borough.

Comments are invited on the development sites identified as Draft Site Allocations. It also includes a limited number of new and revised policies, and designations which provide the context for the draft site allocations, and the requirement of the Local Plan to be in general conformity with the London Plan. For Beckenham the main points are in regard to schooling.

Local people have until October 31 to respond . See link below for more information

You may recall that in March 2014 the Council asked for comments to develop the Local Plan.  The Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association responded with the following suggestions.

  • A policy on all Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs). There has been an increase of planning applications to convert properties into HMOs in Beckenham and stronger planning policies are required to ensure HMOs are of a decent standard. Other boroughs have such policies.
  • A stronger policy of control over the conversion of office buildings to flats to ensure that Beckenham retains office workers who boost the High Street economy.
  • A policy that requires planning applications for shop fronts to ensure that the cables and water pipes on the party walls are maintained. Beckenham High Street has a number of poorly maintained party walls between shop fronts.
  • More robust policies on locally listed buildings, tall buildings and the skyline to ensure that the character of Beckenham is retained.
  • A policy on protecting natural heritage (the plan refers only to built heritage) such as Beckenham’s heritage tree stock.
  • Securing additional commuter rail services in London (more services from Beckenham to Blackfriars and beyond, plus Beckenham to Clapham Junction)

As none of these suggestions has been incorporated into the plan, we will be responding to this consultation and requesting them again.

Office space in Beckenham Town Centre is now a critical issue.

There have been over 20 applications involving small scale conversions over shops while 7 large office block conversions (from office to residential) have either been approved, are pending, or have been refused but likely to be subject to appeal.

On 13 October 2015 Planning Minister Brandon Lewis announced that the temporary permitted development rights that have enabled offices to be converted to new homes without having to apply for planning permission will be made permanent. We have asked the Council to implement an  Article 4 Permitted Development Class J for Beckenham Town Centre, which will remove these permitted development rights and require developers to seek planning permission to change office space to residential. Bromley Council have implemented an Article 4 in Bromley Town Centre. We encourage residents to respond to the consultation requesting an ‘Article 4 Permitted Development Class J for Beckenham Town Centre’. Without office workers our town centre will become a dormitory town with little day time economy, affecting the occupancy of shops and the number of independent retailers.

Local Plan for Beckenham

The Draft Local Plan does not focus much on Beckenham, but the notable points are:

  • Beckenham Town Centre has been proposed as a ‘Key Office Cluster’ which the Council would like to safeguard.  Beckenham Office Cluster is very small, only Burrell Row.  Respond to the consultation if you agree or do not agree with the boundary. While we agree with the proposed boundary, we also suggest that an Article 4 Permitted Development Class J for the whole Town Centre must be a cornerstone of any policy to safeguard office space.
  • 2 x new free primary schools have already been approved in Beckenham (Harris Academy and Langley Park)
  • 1 x new free secondary school,  The Beckenham Academy had approval from the Secretary of State for Education, although no site currently has planning permission.
  • Harris Beckenham, Manor Road and the former Co-op sports ground in Balmoral Avenue have been identified as potential sites either for an expansion of the existing school or for a new Harris secondary school. Respond to the consultation if you agree or do not agree to the former Co-op Sports Ground, Balmoral Avenue being used for the secondary school.
  • The new Langley Primary School will require re-designation of the existing two schools (Langley Boys and Langley Girls) complex from Metropolitan Open Land to Urban Open Space to allocate land for an additional primary school (Langley Park Free School). Respond to the consultation if you agree or do not agree to this re-designation.
  • The Council will safeguard the land and route alignment for  investment to extend the Tramlink from Beckenham Junction to Crystal Palace.
  • One of four areas in the borough suggested for Areas of Special Residential Character (ASRC) status is  Central Beckenham (including The Drive, Church Avenue, The Crescent, top of Rectory Road). Note the High Street has recently been designated a conservation area. ASRC status will offer residential areas which are able to demonstrate special character with some planning protection in addition to that conferred by other policies in Bromley’s Unitary Development Plan.

How to respond

The consultation document is available with the opportunity to make your comments up until 31 October 2015.

You can view, download and comment on the consultation document on the Local Plan Consultation Portal.  In order to make online representations, you will need to register or have already registered on the Local Plan Consultation Portal.  We have produced a guide to registering on the portal which you may find useful. Once registered, you will automatically be informed of future Local Plan consultations.

The easiest and most convenient way to give feedback is online through the Local Plan Consultation Portal. However, if you do need to send your comments by post please address them to Chief Planner, Planning Division, Directorate of Regeneration and Transformation, Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley BR1 3UH.

Please let us know your views too by emailing chairman@coperscope.org.uk

Bogus drainage repair scam

Bromley Trading Standards are investigating the following incidents:

Incident 1 – A Beckenham resident was cold called and told there was a problem with a neighbour’s drains. He allowed men into his back garden to inspect a manhole cover and they told him work was needed to clear a blockage. The resident paid a large deposit for machinery needed to do this work, was told he also had damp in his property and paid a further £10,000 to resolve both “issues”.

Incident 2 – An elderly resident in Orpington was cold called by a young male in shorts and told that there was a problem with a blockage in a neighbour’s drains. The resident was asked for permission to inspect his drains and he agreed. The male lifted the manhole cover and left. The resident was then telephoned by a man claiming to be from a company attempting to sort out the problem. He was told a deposit of £4,000 was needed to hire machinery to clear the blocked drain and was asked for a banker’s draft. The resident refused and then received a call from someone claiming to be from the Council who applied more pressure in an attempt to obtain the funds. The resident again refused. The resident then received a call from another male pretending to be one of his neighbours, again applying pressure and trying to appeal to the resident’s good nature. Luckily, the resident knows his neighbours and did not fall for it. When they continued to phone, the resident advised he had informed Trading Standards and the Police after which the caller hung up.
Call Bromley Trading Standards Rapid Response team on 07903 852 090 if you are suspicious of anyone offering any type of property repairs and look out for any neighbours who may be vulnerable to this type of caller.

Flower Beds at Thorton’s Corner and sale of toilet block

The Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association have successfully registered the flower beds and surrounding land not built upon at Thornton’s Corner as an Asset of Community Value (which means the Council have to offer it to the community before selling it privately).  The main purpose of doing so was to ensure the community was informed if any additional land was sold alongside the toilet block (concerns were raised of corner being redeveloped with a larger footprint than the existing toilet block).

Unfortunately no community groups were able to submit a bid to acquire the toilet block. This is not surprising as it would not cost effective to continue to run the building as a toilet and the cost of repurposing the building would be prohibitive.  The toilet block is now up for sale (it does not include any additional land), the particulars can be found below. Hopefully the new purpose of the building will enhance the High Street.

If no buyer is found the building will be demolished, we will ensure to engage with the council if demolition will occur to see if the building can be utilised or influence what will go in its place to enhance Thornton’s Corner

 

 

 

Show your support for a cycle friendly Beckenham and Bromley Borough

Bromley Council have published their draft Cycling Strategy, but it is good enough?

Bromley Cyclists part of the London Cycling Campaign are encouraging local people to email their local councillors and tell them more needs to be done. The have created a simple web form that asks for your name, email and post code, then provides you with a draft email that automatically gets sent to your local councillor. Supporting a cycle friendly Beckenham could not be easier.

Show your support for a cycle friendly Beckenham here

 

 

Beckenham Public Toilets is listed as an Asset of Community Value

The Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association has been successful in its application to have the Beckenham public toilets listed as an Asset of Community Value.  This means that should the Council decide to sell the building they must offer time for the community to  time to come up with a bid for the building when it is sold.

This is a last resort, we urge the Council to continue to provide a public toilet or to retain the building for community use.

Sale or demolition of Beckenham Public Toilet Building – 3 days left to object

The Council have confirmed their intention to close the public toilets and either sell them (presumably with favourable planning permission in the wings) or demolish them.

Despite receiving 44 objections against closing the public toilets and only 1 in favour  the Environment PDS Committee has recommended that the Council Executive agrees to:

  1. The closure of Beckenham, Bromley and West Wickham High Street public toilets from 31st March 2015;
  2. Declare the Beckenham public toilet surplus and offer it to the market, on the basis that if offers are not forthcoming that it should be demolished; and
  3. Authorise the expansion of the Community Toilet Scheme as the alternative provision.

Local residents have been contacting us concerned that the toilets will close as there is a genuine need for public toilets in Beckenham, the Community Toilet Scheme  has proven  inadequate and is unwanted, a  relatively cheap public service will be closed against local people’s wishes even though an increase in Council Tax is inevitable, there is no information on what will replace the toilet block, or whether the Council may include the flower beds in the sale/demolition and a public space will be lost, that closing the toilets is short-sighted given the £3.2 million investment in Beckenham Town Centre.

There are 3 days left to object. Email (until 30 Jan 2015) to express your objections to csc@bromley.gov.uk, you may also wish to copy in your local Councillors and the Council Leadership/Portfolio Holder that make up the Executive.      

 Further information can be found below:

Local people campaign to save Public Toilets – News Shopper Photo Call 2.30pm, 11th January 2015.

Our Association and has been contacted by many local people objecting to the closure of the public toilets at Thornton’s Corner. The News Shopper are running an article on this issue and are holding a photo call for those objecting to the closure at 2.30pm, this Sunday 11th January outside the public toilets.

It is likely the Council will recommend closure of the toilets to save money.  Very little information has been provided to local people, significantly how much the toilets cost to run, how often they are used, what alternative provisions will be made and how accessible alternative toilet facilities will be. There is also no information about what the Council intend to do with the building once the toilets are closed (in Elmers End the freehold was put up for sale).

We will be lodging an objection to the closure of the toilets noting that local people have not been adequately consulted and that not all relevant information has been considered. We also encourage residents to  raise their concerns directly with the Council  by 15 January 2015 via email to csc@bromley.gov.uk. Please provide your name and address in your email to the Council so they register your comments officially. You may also wish to cc us in at chairman@coperscope.org.uk and also contact your local councillor(s).

 

 

 

 

 

Closure of Beckenham Public Toilets due to be decided at Council Meeting 11 Feb 2015

There are only three public toilets remaining in the Borough (Beckenham, West Wickham and Bromley Town), the Council have decided to close Penge public toilets.

It is highly likely the Council will recommend closure of Beckenham’s public toilets. Many residents have raised concerns about the loss of the public toilets especially given the community toilets in the town are inadequate. We encourage residents to  raise their concerns directly with the Council  by 15 January 2015 via email to csc@bromley.gov.uk. Please provide your name and address in your email to the Council so they register your comments officially. You may also wish to cc us in at chairman@coperscope.org.uk and also contact your local councillor(s).

Limited information is available on the Council’s website, see link below:

CLOSURE OF BECKENHAM, BROMLEY AND WEST WICKHAM PUBLIC TOILETS