Hounslow Council's Local Area Plan includes a review of existing sites allocated for building, including building on Park Road Allotment Gardens in Isleworth, despite the various existing plan policies it contravenes.

The Park Road allotments are identified as open space and an Asset of Community Value in the Local Development Plan. However, the designation does not prevent this privately owned land being built upon.

Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland, has submitted plans via Northumberland Estates, which manages the Duke's interests, to build 127 homes on this Metropolitan urban land next to his Syon Park estate in Isleworth. The plans, which do not include any affordable housing as defined by planning guidance, are strongly opposed by the local community.

Last year, Hounslow Planning Committee rejected proposals for the development despite the Council's planning officers recommending approval.

Northumberland Estates have filed an appeal with the planning inspectorate. The Isleworth Society has been granted Rule 6 status for the purposes of the hearing and will take the lead on opposing the application with the aid of barrister representation.
The Public Inquiry is due to be held in October this year over a number of days at the Free Church in Boston Manor Road, Brentford.

The Duke has previously faced opposition to develop­ment plans at Alnwick, his country residence in North­umberland. In 2014, proposals for more than 200 new homes in the town were opposed but subsequently given the go-ahead.

The Park Road Allotment site is the last remaining part of Old Isleworth that is undeveloped. There have been allotment gardens on this wildlife haven since at least 1915 and the site forms part of the historic setting for the 600 year old All Saint's Church.

Once this tiny remaining part of Old Isleworth is developed, it will be lost for all future generations.

Hounslow Liberal Democrats were collecting signatures for a petition opposing the development last weekend at a farmers and gardeners market in South Street, Isleworth.

Joe Bourke, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Brentford and Isleworth and local council candidate for Isleworth said "Allotments and Metropolitan open land are continually under threat across the borough. These amenities are highly valued by the local community as evidenced by the long waiting list for plots. There preservation as community assets is worth fighting for."

The Lib Dem petition calls on Hounslow Council to comply with its statutory obligation to provide adequate allotment plots in the borough and, to this end, to investigate the feasibility of an application for compulsory hiring of the Park Road Allotment Gardens Isleworth, in accordance with the provisions of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908.

Charles Rees, a retired barrister and Liberal Democrat council candidate for Homefields Ward in Chiswick said "Hounslow Council have the power if they wish to exercise it under s.39 of the 1908 Act together with Schedule Part II of the 1908 Act, Provisions for Compulsory Hiring of Land by Councils. These parts of the 1908 Act are still extant. Hounslow Council is a competent authority to exercise these powers under the Act by virtue of being a borough council. The Smallholdings Allotment (compulsory Hiring) Regulations 1936 also apply; they deal with the procedures involved in a Council compulsorily hiring the land for allotments."

Please sign our petition to show your support:

Notes to Editors:

Link to Planning inspectorate appeal (case reference 3192092)

https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?caseid=3192092

Published and promoted by Sean Bourke at 104 Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9LN and Carl Pierce on behalf of Hounslow Liberal Democrats at 3 The Greenway, Hounslow, TW4 7AJ
Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Hounslow Council's Local Area Plan includes a review of existing sites allocated for building, including building on Park Road Allotment Gardens, despite the various existing plan policies that contravenes.

The Park Road allotments are identified as open space and an Asset of Community Value in the Local Development Plan. However, the designation does not prevent this privately owned land being built upon.

Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland, has submitted plans via Northumberland Estates, which manages the Duke's interests, to build 127 homes on the plot next to his Syon Park estate in West London.

The plans, which do not include any affordable housing as defined by planning guidance, are strongly opposed by the local community.

Last year, Hounslow Planning Committee rejected proposals for the development despite the Council's planning officers recommending approval.

The Duke has previously faced opposition to develop­ment plans at Alnwick, his country residence in Northumberland. In 2014, proposals for more than 200 new homes in the town were opposed but subsequently given the go-ahead.

The Park Road Allotment site is the last remaining part of Old Isleworth that is undeveloped. There have been allotment gardens on this wildlife haven since at least 1915 and the site forms part of the historic setting for the 600 year old All Saint's Church.

Once this tiny remaining part of Old Isleworth is developed, it will be lost for all future generations.

Joe Bourke, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Brentford and Isleworth said "Allotments and Metropolitan open land are continually under threat across the borough. These amenities are highly valued by the local community, as evidenced by the long waiting list for plots. Their preservation as community assets is worth fighting for."

"Hounslow Liberal Democrats will be running a stand at the Shrewsbury Walk Market off South Street, Isleworth next Saturday (28 April) where we will be collecting signatures for a petition against the proposed development of the Park Road Allotments. Please do come along and support our campaign to preserve this site."

Please click here to add your signature to our petition.

Notes to Editors:

Link to Planning inspectorate appeal (case reference 3192092)

https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?caseid=3192092

Published and promoted by Sean Bourke at 104 Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9LN and Carl Pierce on behalf of Hounslow Liberal Democrats at 3 The Greenway, Hounslow, TW4 7AJ
Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Chiswick Liberal Democrat Local Manifesto 2018

Chiswick Liberal Democrats' manifesto pledges to fight to stop Brexit, support EU citizens and make Chiswick greener and healthier.

Chiswick residents face a stark choice in the Local Elections on the 3rd of May. Voting Labour is a vote for Jeremy Corbyn, Brexit and four more years of a complacent Labour Council. Voting Conservative means backing Theresa May, a Hard Brexit and pro-Brexit councillors.

"We think it is time for a change from the dysfunctional two-party system and a return to open, tolerant, liberal values" said Helen Cross, candidate for Turnham Green Ward. "That means sending a clear message through the ballot box to the Conservatives and Labour to stop this damaging Brexit".
The Liberal Democrats have an ambitious vision for Chiswick, and you can see our candidates talk about our manifesto on our Facebook page here.

Our manifesto pledges are:

1. Fight to Stop Brexit

Vote Liberal Democrat in May to send a message to the Conservative Government and Labour's non-opposition, that Chiswick residents don't support a hard Tory Brexit. The Liberal Democrats are the only national party campaigning for an #ExitfromBrexit with a referendum on the final Brexit deal, giving us the option to stop Brexit and remain in the EU.

2. Support our local EU Citizens

Vote Liberal Democrat to show you support the EU nationals who live and work here. Liberal Democrats back our EU citizens' right to stay, work, love and build a future in the UK. The Conservatives have used them as bargaining chips.

We will campaign for a proper, specialised council support service to help EU citizens to understand their rights and navigate the purposely difficult UK Citizenship application process.

3. No Third Runway

The Conservatives back a third runway at Heathrow. Labour is divided and non-committal, and won't fight against a third runway. The Liberal Democrats are the only major party united in opposing a third runway or expansion at Heathrow. Chiswick voters can't trust the Conservatives on Heathrow, but the Chiswick Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign with others to stop Heathrow expansion. Better doesn't have to be bigger.

4. Reduce Pollution

Liberal Democrats have a plan to make Chiswick a healthier place for all. We will:

• Get the A4 through Chiswick included in the Ultra Low Emission zone, reducing pollution and improving the health of Chiswick residents. See our campaign here.
• Install a green barrier on the A4 to reduce car pollution impact for the residents and schools near the A4.
• Implement traffic light synchronisation to reduce stop / start traffic on the High Road (the biggest impact on pollution levels) and look at reducing the speed limit.

As councillors we will take advantage of existing funds for green spaces (like Green Capital) and embrace green initiatives like the All London Green Grid and TfL best practice to make the case for these improvements. Hounslow Council has failed to address the increasing amount of harmful pollution from the A4. We therefore promise to produce transparent indexes based on TfL's own Healthy Street Indicators to hold the Council and TfL to account.

5. Improve Public Transport

Liberal Democrats for Tube Users

Together with Caroline Pidgeon, our Liberal Democrat in the GLA, we will continue to pressure TfL to make the Piccadilly Line stop at Turnham Green.

Liberal Democrats for Bus Users

The Labour Mayor of London is cutting bus services everywhere. Liberal Democrats will fight any proposed cuts to essential bus services in Chiswick.

Liberal Democrats for Cyclists and Pedestrians

We support better facilities for both cyclists and pedestrians, and will work to ensure the CS9 cyclesuperhighway improves access and facilities for everyone in Chiswick - pedestrians, users of public transport, and cyclists. Read more about our assessment criteria for CS9 here.

6. Improve parks and community spaces

We support the protection of Chiswick's green spaces and parks, which are an essential part of what makes Chiswick such an enjoyable place to live and work. As councillors we will work with local groups to improve accessibility and park facilities in Chiswick.

Dukes Meadows

We support the Dukes Meadows Trust 3 pledges (read more here). Paths and other public areas there need to be upgraded (with assistance if necessary from the Hounslow Community Infrastructure Levy). The Council and Lampton360 also need to work more transparently with the Trust, clubs and organisations to manage and maintain Dukes Meadows to a high standard.

Chiswick Back Common

We want to see improvement to lighting and facilities in Chiswick Back Common.

7. Fight Crime

Chiswick Liberal Democrats and Ealing Liberal Democrat Councillors are working together to campaign against the closure of Chiswick Police Station by the Labour Mayor of London. We firmly believe in the importance of community policing and will fight to retain the same level of police presence in Chiswick.

Vote Liberal Democrat for a fair, open and tolerant society and better local government.

Click here to read more about our Chiswick candidates.

Notes to editors

For enquiries on this release please contact:

Helen Cross, Leigh Edwards or Chris Gillie, candidates for Turnham Green ward at liberalchiswick@gmail.com

Published and promoted by Sean Bourke at 104 Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9LN and Carl Pierce on behalf of Hounslow Liberal Democrats at 3 The Greenway, Hounslow, TW4 7AJ
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Hounslow Green Party and Hounslow Liberal Democrat Joint Press Release

Hounslow Greens and Hounslow Liberal Democrats have agreed to stand aside in two of the Hounslow wards in May's local elections, because the deeply flawed first past the post (FPTP) voting system favours the two largest parties in Hounslow and penalises alternative parties.

Consequently, there will be no Green candidate standing in Turnham Green ward and no Liberal Democrats standing in Brentford ward. Both parties believe that this is the best way to break through the Blue/Red ceiling which the FPTP voting system inflicts on Hounslow.

Both parties agree that Hounslow Council is less representative and its decision-making is poorer for not having the benefit of Liberal Democrat or Green voices in the Council Chamber, but this electoral pact does not necessarily imply support for each other's policies locally or nationally.

Both parties would also like to thank all those voters who voted for them in the past in these wards.

Both parties also hope that our supporters who wanted to vote Green in Turnham Green or Lib Dem in Brentford will agree with us that the constraints of the electoral system have forced us to make some difficult choices to get more diverse voices on Hounslow Council.

Both parties will continue to fight hard to change this outdated electoral system.

Published and promoted by Sean Bourke at 104 Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9LN and Carl Pierce on behalf of Hounslow Liberal Democrats at 3 The Greenway, Hounslow, TW4 7AJ
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Chiswick Liberal Democrats welcome the Mayor's reported statement that CS9 in Chiswick must not compromise pedestrian space.

Sadiq Kahn in a People's Question Time on 1st March was recorded as saying that reducing paving space on the south side of Chiswick High Road as part of CS9 "can't be right"(1).

"It is about time that the Mayor has come around to the Chiswick Liberal Democrat position, that improved cycling provision on the High Road must not come at the expense of pedestrians" said Helen Cross, Liberal Democrat Council Candidate for Turnham Green Ward.

"It is disappointing that it has taken this long to come to this conclusion, if TFL had followed its own planning guidance and Healthy Streets approach, we would have a CS9 design that was fit for purpose for both cyclists and pedestrians" she continued.

Chiswick Liberal Democrats outlined their position in an extensive submission to the CS9 consultation where they highlighted their concerns over poorer pedestrian experience and the impeding of access to public transport for vulnerable groups. Read their submission here.

Now that CS9 has been approved to proceed, Chiswick Liberal Democrats expect TFL to work proactively and transparently with the people of Chiswick to ensure that the detailed design of CS9 works for everyone in the area.

Chiswick Liberal Democrats have developed a set of criteria they expect to be met by the final design for the scheme:

• Demonstrably better provision than currently in place for both cyclists and pedestrians on the High Road, and evidence that the scheme will improve all Healthy Streets Indicators
• Any cycle lane is single carriageway i.e. one way only, flowing the same way as the traffic (in order to optimise both pedestrian and cyclist safety)
• The cycle lane will ideally be on-carriageway but segregated, though we are open to creative options that do not reduce pavement space or impede accessibility for vulnerable groups (particularly regarding bus stop islands)
• Bus routes must not be compromised, the design must demonstrate that all bus routes within Chiswick should at least maintain current frequency and journey times (this includes the 272 and E3 whose route times have yet to be assessed)
• Modelling for pollution impact over time should take place prior to implementation and demonstrate a projected reduction in NO2 and PM10s on the High Road.

"Chiswick Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for a CS9 scheme that improves the High Road for all"

(1) https://www.london.gov.uk/events/2018-03-01/peoples-question-time-hounslow at approximately 43 minutes. https://twitter.com/JUSTAW4LKER/status/969499712360534016

Published and promoted by Sean Bourke at 104 Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9LN and Carl Pierce on behalf of Hounslow Liberal Democrats at 3 The Greenway, Hounslow, TW4 7AJ
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Chiswick Liberal Democrats ask TFL to investigate 'on-carriageway' and alternative solutions to ensure CS9 works for all.

While being fully supportive of increasing the use of walking, cycling and public transport to improve health, air quality and safety, Chiswick Liberal Democrats say they have concerns about the proposed Chiswick section of the CS9 cycle super highway in its current form.

"In our view TFL have failed to provide evidence that the CS9 scheme will deliver on these benefits for Chiswick. It's the right principle but is being implemented incorrectly", said Helen Cross, Liberal Democrat Council Candidate for Turnham Green Ward.

"This scheme is expected to cost up to £70 million pounds and should support all the forms of transport it is supposed to. This appears to be a classic case of top down targets driving decisions with little consideration of local needs. Chiswick Liberal Democrats want TFL to investigate 'on-carriageway' and alternative or complementary solutions to ensure CS9 works for all", she continued.

Our survey among local Lib Dems showed that while many want a 'greener' Chiswick, there were many concerned about the impact of the scheme on pedestrians, public transport, traffic and businesses. Following this feedback, Helen and fellow Turnham Green candidate Chris Gillie reviewed the TFL proposals. They highlighted the following concerns:

1. Wrong solution for community, consumers and business: The proposal of a fully segregated off-carriageway cycle route treats Chiswick High Road as a commuter 'through road' and is at odds with its crucial function as the community and local shopping hub for Chiswick. The proposed plans make crossing the road more difficult (all pedestrian crossing times are up significantly, some by 400%), impeding the ability of people to access businesses and amenities on both sides of the road. TFL's own planning guidance advises against putting fully segregated off-carriageway solutions on 'high street' type roads.

2. Reduced accessibility: This planning approach has led to an over emphasis of cycling at the expense of walking and public transport in Chiswick. We believe this presents significant accessibility challenges for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups (those with disabilities, children, or the elderly) as buses are one of the most affordable and accessible forms of transport. TFL have projected generally increased bus travel times, by as much as 5 - 10 minutes at peak times eastbound, and they have failed to publish any assessment of the critical E3 and 272 bus routes that connect north and south Chiswick.

3. Diminished pedestrian experience: Due to reduced pavement size, generally increased traffic journey times and having to cross a two-way CS9 lane to get to bus stops, Chiswick High Road will be more crowded, feel less safe and potentially have increased pollution. The current design of CS9 in Chiswick is also fundamentally at odds with the Healthy Streets Approach adopted by TFL that is supposed to encourage pedestrians and communities. The plans conflict directly with 6 of TFL's 10 Healthy Streets Indicators, and we are particularly concerned that an impact assessment on levels of pollution has not been carried out.

"Chiswick Liberal Democrats want to work with TFL to get the right CS9 approach for Chiswick. The current proposal diminishes the experience for pedestrians, impedes access to public transport for vulnerable groups, potentially increases pollution and is bad for local businesses. We will continue to push TFL to take concrete actions to address our concerns and develop a better solution that works for all."

See our detailed analysis and demands of TFL here. This document was submitted to the consultation on 31 October 2017. For further comment, contact Chiswick Liberal Democrats at liberalchiswick@gmail.com.

The Healthy Streets Approach document is available here: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/healthy-streets-for-london.pdf with the 10 Health Streets Indicators at page 12-13.

For the original Healthy Street Check document from Lucy Saunders and Brian Deegan for TFL, please click here.

Published and promoted by Sean Bourke at 104 Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9LN and Carl Pierce on behalf of Hounslow Liberal Democrats at 3 The Greenway, Hounslow, TW4 7AJ
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Joe Bourke, Liberal Democrat Candidate for Brentford & Isleworth has accused Hounslow's Labour Council of riding roughshod over local opinion on two recent key issues.

"First there was the decision by Hounslow Planning Committee, railroaded through by Labour councillors, to depart from the Brentford Local Plan to grant planning permission to Essential Living to redevelop the Morrison's supermarket site in Brentford High Street by building 225 flats despite local people thinking the scheme was huge, ugly and completely out of character for the area, and even despite the local Labour councillors voting against the proposal! The flats built for the private rental market would be too costly for those needing affordable housing. So much for Labour, both locally and nationally, trumpeting the need for affordable housing," said Joe.

"Secondly, Hounslow has the most congested roads and heaviest traffic in Britain, according to Department of Transport figures. How has the Labour group responded to this? By closing Church Street, Isleworth (in spite of huge local opposition and a protest march), making the already heavily congested Twickenham Road even more of a nightmare experience for local residents and increasing the already dangerous levels of air pollution in the area," said Joe.

Joe also mentioned that in Chiswick, the Chiswick High Road has long been a cash cow for the local Labour council, generating over £1,000,000 of the £5,000,000 plus in parking fines collected from unsuspecting motorists across the borough.

"These traffic and public health problems are set to get much worse when the Conservative government presses ahead with a third runway at Heathrow," added Joe.

"What these high-handed actions of Labour, locally, show is the need to elect Lib Dems who are prepared to listen seriously to the needs of local people and act upon them wherever possible," said Joe.

Published and promoted by Sean Bourke at 104 Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9LN and Carl Pierce on behalf of Hounslow Liberal Democrats at 3 The Greenway, Hounslow, TW4 7AJ
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