Charteris Road Car Park - The Current Situation

12.20.25am GMT Sat 16th Feb 2008

Following on from our last story, we received a response to Geoff Seeff's letter of 29th November to Councillor Huggett on 29th January (see attached) - the day of the Area 2 Committee meeting. It appears that Geoff's letter was lost in the Christmas post, which we accept can most certainly happen, but it had not been chased because delays in responding to earlier letters suggested a reluctance to reply.

In the letter Councillor Huggett confirms that it is the Council's intention to ensure that any planning consent for the Charteris Road site must respect the, admittedly non binding, development brief and that prospective developers must be prepared to provide adequate public parking, replace the library and allow for a reasonable proportion of affordable housing. She confirms that the Council's estimates of capital receipts on disposal of the sites take these factors into account and that, if it proves unviable for developers to meet these requirements, then the sale will not go ahead.

We say this is very good news for Woodford residents - and it is good too that this position is confirmed in writing since Councillor Huggett's previous statement was more ambiguous and indeed chillingly concluded with a "get out" clause to the effect that final decisions on car park sales would be taken in the interests of the borough as whole. However, we also observe that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. In the current economic climate, with rising construction costs and static if not falling house prices, we cannot see how a developer can earn a reasonable return from a low rise low density project that has to incorporate all the Council's stated requirements as well offer a worthwhile price for the site. We shall now have to wait and see if the Cabinet is as good as its word if and when it receives tenders from the market place.

In the meantime, in response to pressure by other lobbying groups (eg Save Derby Road Car Park campaign) and the efforts of our councillors, the Cabinet has put all land sale disposals on hold whilst it conducts the BIG CONVERSATION - a borough wide consultation exercise with Redbridge residents to establish their priorities for the various capital projects that are being proposed and their views on the best and most acceptable means of funding them. As Democrats we of course welcome any initiative that engages with the community at large. Indeed we congratulate the Cabinet on taking such a bold step. However, although there is presently no suggestion that this is the case, it is imperative that the process is not allowed to become a rubber stamping operation for the Cabinet's policies. We will, therefore, be following the consultations very closely, as the details emerge and throughout the proceedings, with a view to determining that they are open, fair and effective and will report back in due course.

Related Links:

Attachment Letter Cllr Huggett 29th January 2008 1.

Attachment Letter Cllr Huggett 29th January 2008 2.