Continuing fight for step-free access at Seven Kings and Newbury Park stations

'After learning Crossrail is still searching for ways to fund step-free access at Seven Kings, campaigner Ron Jeffries, 80, said he feared he would never see lifts at the station in his lifetime.

Mr Jeffries, of Aldborough Hatch, said: “Redbridge will miss out on step-free access and I think that is wrong - I do believe that Seven Kings should be step-free.”

Mr Jeffries, chairman of residents’ community group Aldborough Hatch Defence Association, has campaigned tirelessly, with all three political parties, for Crossrail to rethink its plans for Seven Kings.

“I was not put at ease by Matthew White,” added Mr Jeffries. “I am not at all satisfied.
“We will keep the campaign going and we will not be giving up.”

Mark Kennedy, a committee member on the Seven Kings and Newbury Park Residents’ Association, echoed Mr Jeffries’ words and insisted the groups would “fight on”.'

Read the full story in the Ilford Recorder by clicking here.

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Over The Rhine - Meet Me At The Edge Of The World.

Government’s proposal for a three-year relaxation of planning rules on extending homes

As Chair of the Seven Kings & Newbury Park Resident's Association I have sent the following letter to our local MPs (Mike Gapes and Lee Scott) today:

I write to voice the significant concerns held by members of the Seven Kings & Newbury Park Resident’s Association at the Government’s proposal for a three-year relaxation of planning rules on extending homes and business premises.

Current planning regulations are currently circumvented on a regular basis by unscrupulous home and business owners determined to extend their properties without regard to neighbours legitimate concerns about issues such as light and noise levels, being overlooked, party walls, impact of building works on the sustainability of neighbouring properties etc. Often such extensions are then used to house additional people at the property, sometimes on an unauthorised rental basis, and generally in inadequate facilities. Current planning regulations are generally circumvented by retrospective planning applications which, from our perspective seem generally to be allowed, masking the problem as a national issue.

We think that this proposal will therefore be a disaster for local communities because it will allow such unscrupulous home and business owners to build what they like where they like without regard for the legitimate concerns of those in neighbouring properties. We view this prospect and the resulting breakdown in neighbourhood relations with real fear and trepidation. We note that the head of planning at Redbridge Council has already joined fellow Liberal Democrat councillors to condemn the proposed relaxation of planning regulations. We support their stance and that of other local Associations such as the Aldborough Hatch Defence Association in opposing this proposal which, while intending to stimulate growth, will divide communities and set neighbour against neighbour.

We ask you to convey our concerns to the Minister responsible for the consideration of this proposal and call on you to support local residents in opposing this divisive and unnecessary proposal.

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The Style Council - Come To Milton Keynes.