Controversial Shortlands School Gets Planning Consent

pengeandcatorcouncillors's avatarPenge and Cator Councillors

The Harris organisation have got planning consent for a new two form entry primary school on the site of the former care home for the elderly at Kingswood House in Shortlands.  The site is located at the junction of Kingswood Rd, Mays Hill Rd, Queen Anne Avenue and Valley Rd.   People living near to the site and Shortlands Residents Association were forced to ask freedom of information questions to get details of the planned scheme from Bromley Tories.

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Bromley Council Update Newsletter Autumn 2014

In this edition you will find information on how residents in the borough can make senior councillors aware of their views as they reach the difficult decisions  that have to be made about the budget for 2015/16 and beyond. The Council has to save more than £60 million over the next four years from an annual net budget of just over £200 million.

Bromley Council Update

3 weeks to go until Christmas On The Green, Sat 29 Nov 2014

Beckenham celebrates the arrival of the festive season with a day of live entertainment, funfair, hot food and drinks, the Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association Annual Candlelit Procession, Christmas Lights Switch On and a community sing-a-long. Look out for Father Christmas, Nanny Christmas, Mrs & Mrs Becks and a large walking Candy Cane. This year, as well as some amazing entertainment on The Green, we have the Haverettes All Girls Marching Band leading the Procession and performing in the High Street.  See more on the Christmas On The Green page.

XMAS_2014_A6_Postcard1

 

Beckenham’s Remembrance Day Service Sunday 9 November 2014

Beckenham’s Annual Remembrance Day Service will be held at Beckenham War Memorial on Sunday 9th November 2014 at 10.50 am.

The Parade will form up at 10.15 am in St George’s Road (adjacent to St George’s Church), to move off at 10.25 am to the War Memorial via Albermarle Road and Beckenham High Street to form up on the road around the Beckenham War Memorial roundabout. Following the Service, the Parade will re-form and march off to return to St George’s Road via the High Street, The Drive, and Church Avenue for the march past in Bromley Road outside St George’s Church and dispersal by the Mayoral Representative in St George’s Road Beckenham.

Wednesday 5th November 2014 Silent Walk in Beckenham Place Park

Meet at the Mansion at 1.00pm. This could be described as a listening walk, as there are so many different sounds that go unnoticed on our usual rambles around the park chatting away nineteen to the dozen. An unusual walk which has been enjoyed in the past. We sit for a few moments at the end to reveal just how many things we’ve heard.

For more information check out www.beckenhamplaceparkfriends.org.uk

 

Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel Oct 2014

Our Association is on the panel, news from the latest meeting below.

Crime figures for the Copers Cope ward continue to fall overall, although there have been a number of thefts from garages recently and domestic burglaries with entry through the rear of the property. The main problem, however, remains anti-social behaviour, but the police are concentrating on tackling this.

Our ward police team have had their shifts changed so they now finish at 4am, with frequent personal calls to check licensed premises and a special ‘rowdy patrol bus’ of up to seven officers maintaining a presence out every weekend.

Also, Operation Equinox is an ongoing Met-wide tactic with teams devoted to targeting ‘violence with injury’ crime.

In Beckenham town centre and surrounding area the emphasis over the next few months will be on preventing shop lifting and theft from persons – crimes that tend to increase over the winter/Christmas season. Police officers will be giving maximum support and advice to local businesses, but everyone can help prevent crime by taking greater care with wallets, bags and possessions.

Harris Academy Bromley, Lennard Road – Building Project

If you’re passing Harris Academy Bromley  (the old Cator Park Girls’ School) over the next few weeks you will notice the beginning of a large building  project.  A seven-phase building programme to provide a new science block, sports hall, and revamp the interior of the whole Academy, will keep the school functioning throughout the 2½ year project. The early works phase (all internal) will start in November, and outer blocks will be stripped out March/June. The listed frontage will be left unchanged.

The contractors will work between 8am & 6pm on weekdays, and 8am-1pm on some Saturdays. Dust, noise and vibration levels will be constantly monitored and controlled. A regular newsletter will be issued by Kier, and photos and progress will be updated on the Academy website.

The work should be completed by April 2017. Any queries can be directed to Project Manager Ron Francis, ron.francis@kier.co.uk

St George’s Chamber Orchestra 10th Birthday Concert – 7.45pm Sat 1 Nov 2014, St George’s Church Beckenham

10th Birthday Concert – Welcoming back founding conductor Madeleine Venner – Saturday 01st November 2014 7.45pm

  • Mozart Cosi Fan Tutte Overture K588
  • Beethoven Romance No 2 in F Op 50
  • Wagner Siegfried Idyll WWV 103
  • Interval
  • Beethoven Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21
  • Conductor Madeleine Venner
  • Leader Dominic Moore

Find out more about the SGCO at http://sgco.co.uk/

Book in advance from The Beckenham Bookshop and St. George’s Church Office (Monday to Friday until 3.30pm). Best seats will be reserved for pre-concert sales. Tickets also available on-line at http://www.stgeorgesbeckenham.co.uk and on the door.

St. George’s Church is on the corner of High Street and Bromley Road Beckenham BR3 1AX.

83 Copers Cope Road Housing Development – Planning Application

A planning application has been submitted by The Oakwood Group for a private development of eight, five-bedroom, detached houses on the light industrial land to the rear of 83 Copers Cope Road, adjacent to the rail line.  The land was, at one time, the site of a dairy but has more recently been occupied by a number of individual businesses.  The existing mixture of one and two-storey buildings, dating from the 19th and 20th centuries, is proposed for demolition.  The new houses are two-storey, plus accommodation in the roof spaces.  The application follows a public consultation meeting that was held in August.

Further details can be found at Bromley Council’s planning website under reference 14/03384/FULL1

Bakerloo to Beckenham? A survey of local people.

Beckenham residents will be the most affected by a Bakerloo Line extension to Hayes with 5 stations (New Beckenham, Clock House, Elmers End, Eden Park and Beckenham Junction) included in the proposal. Our survey seeks your feedback so our Residents’ Associations can ensure Bromley Council’s response to Transport for London (TfL) reflects the views of the people of Beckenham.  Bromley Council, Lewisham Council and Southwark Council will all be lobbying TfL and the Mayor to get the best outcome for their residents. We want to be sure Beckenham is heard.
You should also complete the official TfL consultation located online at
www.tfl.gov.uk/bakerloo-extension

 

Sunday Bus Service on 352 and 354 Routes – Sign the Petition

In the 21st century in London there are bus routes that do not operate on Sunday or Public Holidays.

The 352 bus runs from Bell Green Sainsbury’s in Sydenham to Bromley North Station, via Beckenham High Street. It travels between 3 retail destinations through the quieter residential roads of Northern Beckenham, Eden Park and West Wickham that are not served by any other means.  The 354  bus runs from Bromley North, Ravensbourne, Beckenham High Street, Copers Cope, Clock House, Birbeck, Anerley, Penge West through some quiter residential roads.

The contracts for both bus services will be up for renewal in the next 12 months, sign the  following petitions to request TfL provide a modern bus service for Beckenham.

Beckenham wide Residents’ Meeting Tonight – Bakerloo Extension Discussion – 8pm Beckenham Public Halls

Have your say!  Our annual Open Meeting with the West Beckenham Residents’ Association starts at 8pm at the Beckenham Public Halls. We expect the Bakerloo extension to be a big topic for the evening, come along and raise any issue directly with our local Councillors.  A panel of councillors from every Ward will take your questions.

 

Opportunity to join the Patient Advisory Group at the Beckenham Beacon

The Bromley Clinical Commissioning group located in the Beckenham Beacon are looking for local people to join their Patient Advisory Group (PAG) to help shape health services in Bromley Borough.

There are plenty of ways to get involved. From completing a quick online survey, to being part of a focus group that will meet to discuss a particular health topic, you will play a vital role in improving the overall experience of healthcare in Bromley for patients and the public.

For more information, and to join, visit:
www.bromleyccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/Pages/get-involved.aspx
Or contact patient.query@bromleyccg.nhs.uk

Bakerloo Tube Extension to Beckenham – Public Consultation ends 7 Dec 2014

TfL plan to extend the Bakerloo line to Beckenham and Bromley. It will cost £2-3 billion, work would start in 2023 finishing by 2030 and it will need private funding from developers building residential and commercial developments along the proposed extension. A public consultation is underway and ends on 7 December 2014.  Local people can have their say at:

Bakerloo MapWhat will it mean for us?

This depends on which option TfL implement:
Extend the Bakerloo as far as Lewisham only.
Local residents can change onto the Tube at Lewisham. There will be no change to existing rail services from Beckenham, West Wickham, Bromley and Hayes.
Extend the Bakerloo as far as Hayes and Beckenham Junction
The Tube will run along the Charing Cross to Hayes rail line and the existing overground Southeastern Rail service will be lost. Residents travelling to London Bridge and Cannon Street who previously used South Eastern will need to change from the Bakerloo line to National Rail at Lewisham.  For Beckenham Junction existing National Rail services to Victoria and London Bridge will remain unchanged, the Bakerloo line will be an additional service as it will run along the currently unused track to New Beckenham.   There will be more trains if the Bakerloo line is extended. On the Hayes line there would be 15 Tube trains an hour  compared with 4 at present,  and on the Beckenham Junction line there would be 6 tube trains an hour in addition to the current National Rail trains.
Extend the Bakerloo as far as Bromley
This can only happen if the Bakerloo line is extended along the Hayes National Rail line and will involve a new tunnel being dug. The option to go as far as Bromley is only a possibility at this stage, TfL have no commitments to go this far.

What do local people think?

We are keen for your views, please let us know by emailing bakerloo@coperscope.org.uk

We have been flooded with comments about this proposal from local people. The main points raised are listed below. Please let us know any new points so we can share them.
Advantages:
  • More trains per hour.
  • Increased capacity which will be needed by 2030.
  • Shorter journey times claimed by TfL.
  • More flexibility of being on the Tube network.
  • Will bring commerce and business into the local area.
Concerns:
  • Loss of National Rail services and no direct service to London Bridge and Cannon Street.
  • Replacing National Rail from Hayes will free up platforms at London Bridge, our loss – another area’s gain. Why can’t additional trains be run on the existing National Rail line?
  • If rail line is lost it cannot be considered at part of the CrossRail 3 project from SE London to NW London.
  • Arrival at Charing Cross is less convenient underground than current arrival at street level.
  • Tube journey may take longer, slower trains.
  • Tube trains have 25% less seats per carriage and are only 8 carriages long, commuters will more likely need stand.
  • Its is unlikely TfL will run 15 half empty trains per hour  to Hayes, with many trains will stop short closer to London Beckenham and West Wickham residents will not likley see an increase in train frequency.
  • Service disruption due to TfL strikes and no rail option.
  • Unstaffed stations, current policy is to reduce staffing at Tube stations.
  • Lack of amenity on Tube trains, no toilets, less seating, heat in summer, cannot take cycles on.
  • Overcrowding once past Lewisham.
  • Effort of change to National Rail at Lewisham and likelihood of standing for remaining journey into London.
  • Cost, disruption and timescale of the project
  • Over development which cannot be supported.  The plan is for the Bakerloo line to support local development which means more people, more high density housing, and more pressure on local infrastructure such as schools, GPs etc.
  • Change of character of local area – people choose to live in Bromley as it is relatively low rise with green spaces.
  • Does Beckenham West Wickham and Hayes need a Tube line? Will housing and population grown over the next 15 years warrant the Tube. Should the Tube run to high growth areas like Lewisham and  Bromley Town Centre on independent track and in so doing maintaining the capacity of the National Rail line to Hayes.
  • Are there different, less expensive alternatives to improve transport in the borough?

Let’s make this a balanced debate, all points of view welcome, email bakerloo@coperscope.org.uk

Have your say – Residents’ Forum and Open Meeting – 8pm Weds 15 Oct 2014 Beckenham Public Halls

Our Association is holding a joint Open Meeting with the West Beckenham Residents’ Association. Between our associations we cover the whole of Beckenham and so have invited a panel of councillors from every Ward to take your questions.

Come along and direct your concerns to the panel. Join us from 7.45pm, at the Beckenham Public Halls, Bromley Road, Beckenham.

We look forward to seeing you there.

2014 Beckenham Residents Meeting