· Consultation on Longfield Crescent and Wood Vale Housing new build schemes as part of New Homes, Better Places programme.
· The Windmill
· Employability Programme
Minutes:
New Homes , Better Places Programme- presented by Leigh Pattison, summary as follows:
July 2012 Target of 250 new homes set by Mayor and Cabinet.
September 2012 Feasibility studies with architects commences.
May 2013 Mayor & Cabinet agreed to progress Mercator Rd site as Phase 1 of the programme.
Summer 13 Lewisham Homes to progress the New Build programme.
September 2013 Planning permission for Mercator Road received.
December 2013 Mayor & Cabinet agree to progress the next five sites of around 100 homes as Phase 2 of the programme
Agreed 80/20 ratio of rent to private sales with private sales cross subsidising the rented homes
February 2014 Mercator Road starts on site
March 2014 Mayor & Cabinet agree to bid for GLA grant for Phase 2 homes
May 2014 Target for new homes Council homes doubled to 500
June/July 2014 Consultation with residents on the Phase 2 sites
September 2014 Mayor & cabinet approval sought to progress Phase 2 sites to planning
September 2014 Planning for Phase 2 sites submitted
September 2014 Approval sought to progress with feasibility studies on Phase sites
The Windmill - Mary
McKernan gave a brief summary to the
meeting about the Windmill Public House on Kirkdale. Local residents and customers first
became aware in June 2013 that the Windmill was under threat of
becoming a Sainsbury's Local supermarket. Working together
with the Sydenham Society and CAMRA, they applied to have the
Windmill listed as an Asset of Community Value. Lewisham
recognized the facility's importance as a social gathering space
and added the Windmill to the borough's ACV register in December
2013. ACV status means that if the owner decides to dispose
of the property's Freehold or issue a lease for a term of 25 years
or more, he must inform Lewisham Council of his intention to do
so. This then triggers an initial six week moratorium, during
which a Community Interest Group may express an interest in bidding
for the property and request a six month moratorium in order to
have time to organize their bid. During the moratorium the
owner can negotiate with anyone he chooses, but can only enter into
a contract with a Community Interest Group. Of course,
the owner doesn't have to accept the Community Interest Group's
offer, but at least it gives the community a chance to save its
vital community gathering places.
In January 2014, immediately following the Christmas/New Year
season, the owner closed the pub. As Sainsbury's only
intended a short-term lease on the Windmill, ACV status could not
prevent the disposal of the property. Mary reported that the
Community Interest Group continued to battle six planning
applications from Sainsbury's, which, had they been approved, would
have rendered it not practicable to revert to use as a pub when
that lease expired.
Happily Sainsbury's has now withdrawn from the Windmill site and
the pub's Freehold has recently been put on the open market.
The Windmill Action Group is now looking into various methods of
funding, business models and partners, in the hope of restoring the
Windmill to its central role in a regenerated Kirkdale.
[Update post meeting: The Windmill Action Group (WAGS) can be
reached on windmillactiongroup@virginmedia.com
WAGS would especially love to hear from potential
investors.]