Here Be Dragons

Kew Bridge Road Development

An exhibition of the planning application submission is taking place today Friday 11th July 3pm-7pm and tomorrow Sat 12th July 11am-3pm. This exhibition, in the Brentford Community Boating Arch under Kew Bridge, gives the local community the chance to view the proposals, including a model of the scheme, and put questions and comments to staff from John Thompson and Partners and St George.

In conversation with Malcolm Wood, the Land Director for St George PLC, I was surprised to hear that an exhibition has been arranged to take place in the Green Dragon Lane Cabin on Tuesday 15th July. Does anyone else know about this? Strange that whoever organised this has seen fit not to publicise it.

Update: a leaflet went out on Monday 14th July and another is due today Tuesday 15th July.

Council Tax Re-banding

Currently five properties within blocks 10, 14 and 15 have successfully challenged their Council Tax banding valuation and are now classified as Band A backdated to 1st April 1993 and resulting in refunds of up to £1500. This would seem to indicate a high probability of success should the other properties in the blocks decide to appeal their Banding.

Proposed new stadium for Brentford Football Club

Brentford’s hopes of moving to a new 20,000-capacity stadium have been boosted after they were given an option to buy a 7.6-acre site at Lionel Road. The proposed new home for the Bees is close to their current Griffin Park ground, which would be redeveloped into residential housing if they relocate. “This is a major milestone and a huge step forward,” said chairman Greg Dyke. “Our aim is to move into a new stadium in Lionel Road and to move there as a club free of debt.” The land in question was identified by Brentford in 2002 as their preferred site for their new home. Dyke added: “We need a modern new stadium, to keep the club in Brentford, and we want a brighter financial future which will mean we can compete more effectively in the Football League. This deal will help us do all three. “There’s still a lot of work to be done but today is a big day in the history of Brentford Football Club.”

Ethics and Morality

What a sad day it is when a co-operative sells out and takes the 40 pieces of silver from big business to the detriment of their customers as Coop Homes has done in their “arrangement” with Southern Electric.

Coop Homes manages and provides management services in the area of Social Housing. People living in Social Housing are typically amongst the lowest paid members of society and many receive Benefits.

Southern Electric, in common with the other major energy suppliers, discriminates against the less well off. If you are unwilling or unable to pay by direct debit you will pay more. If you are unfortunate enough to use a prepay key meter you will pay a lot more for the privelege. If you are a low energy consumer you will find the old standing charge loaded onto the first energy units you use.

So, Southern Electric are happy to have customers delivered to them on a plate, Coop Homes are happy to take their 40 pieces of silver, and the rest of us pay for it all.

What exactly is the moral and ethical justification for this?

Ethical Energy – what Coop Homes should be recommending

Ebico is a not for profit supplier of Gas and Electricity where everyone pays the same flat rate for every single unit of energy regardless of usage or payment method.

If you are a low energy consumer you will save money. If you cannot or will not use direct debit you will save money. If you are using a pre payment key you will save loads of money.

Find out how much you might save on Gas here.

Find out how much you might save on Electricity here.

To apply for Ebico Gas and/or Electricity click here.

Ironically, Southern Electric actually do the admin for this scheme.

Kew Bridge Road Development Update

On Thursday 19th June applications were made to Hounslow Council relating to the Scottish Widows site at Kew Bridge Road as follows:

1) Application for Conservation Area Consent (Details here.)

Demolition of Waggon & Horses, boundary walls and associated structure walls and removal of 6 trees.

2) Planning Application (Details here.)

170 residential units, retail, cafe/restaurant, office and public house

The images in the slide show are from a previous exhibition and will be updated shortly.

Read more…