Dear members,

Yesterday I represented residents (on behalf of both the Spitalfields Society and the Spitalfields Community Group) at a hearing of the LBTH Licensing Sub-Committee to consider the application from the bar at 212 Brick Lane to extend its opening hours to 3.30 at weekends.  In addition to comments from me there were forceful objections from the police and the Council’s own Planning and Environmental Health officers. 

The Committee unanimously refused the application in full.

Many thanks to members who submitted personal objections to this application.

Best regards,
Sandy Critchley
Vice-Chairman, Spitalfields Society

Changes to recycling and waste collections

Easter Bank holiday 2012

Over the Bank Holiday period there will be changes to your normal collection. Your waste, recycling, food and garden waste collections will be affected.

Normal collection day                             Revised collection day
Friday, April 6 (Good Friday)               Normal service
Monday, April 9 (Easter Monday)      Tuesday, April 10
Tuesday, April 10                                       Wednesday, April 11
Wednesday, April 11                                 Thursday, April 12
Thursday, April 12                                     Friday, April 13
Friday, April 13                                            Saturday, April 14

Please ensure your waste and recycling (including food and garden waste) is available for collection before 7am.

Normal services resume on Monday, April 16.

And here is the link to relevant page on the LBTH website

Earlier this week Sandy Critchley was invited to attend a meeting of Bangladeshi residents of Spitalfields.  About a hundred were present.

The meeting was convened to express concern about the negative effect of the Baishaki Mela on local residents and it was decided to ask the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to move the celebrations away from this area.  A petition has been raised.

If any of you would like to sign the petition, please could you contact us.  We would be happy to bring the petition to you if you would prefer.

The petition says:

“To The Chief Executive
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Re:   Boishoki Mela – 2012

Dear Sir/Madam,

We the undersigned tenants and residents are concerned about the negative impacts on the quality of life, health and community safety that is being experienced due to the annual Baishaki Mela:

1.    During the Mela a number of streets are forced to close in order to facilitate a safe event. However as a result, flow of traffic comes to a stand still creating havoc in the area.

2.    Crime and anti social behaviour increases many fold

3.    Ambulance services are unable to access blocked or traffic jammed roads incase a major emergency were to occur

4.    Local residents find it hard to park their vehicles in their area.

5.    Disabled and elderly people are distressed due to the increased noise level during the Mela.

6.    Drugs and other substance misuse increases in the area.

7.    A number of women were attacked during the last few Mela. This has caused local women to be more vulnerable and insecure to walk around in their own area.

8.    Many of us are parents and we feel very insecure during the Mela because a number of violent incidents have happened, criminals and hooligans from outside have gathered in the area threatening our young people.

9.    Filthy human excrement and vomit is often found in public spaces not only creating a hazard but also an appalling experience

We the undersigned, call upon you to:

• Review the impact of the Mela on local residents and work towards discontinuing this excessively expensive show especially in a climate of ruthless government cuts.
• To move the event from this area to an alternate location due to the reasons mentioned above.

These are major concerns that the public, elderly and young people are worried about and I Would like you to carefully consider our request with full diligence.

Thank you”

Dear Member,

You may wish to comment on a licence application that has been submitted to Tower Hamlets Council by Innovision Events for the period from July 27th to August 12th for the provision of music, dancing and alcohol in the Car Park, 150 Brick Lane, part of the Truman Brewery.  

Innovision plan both a bar serving alcohol and a large screen on which Olympic television coverage will be shown from noon to 10 pm daily. The capacity of the event is 500 people.

Observations, which MUST include your name and address, should be lodged with licensing@towerhamlets.gov.uk and alan.d.cruickshank@met.police.uk   at your earliest opportunity. 

Comments must be made within four specific areas to be considered valid:

- Crime and disorder
- Public nuisance
- Public safety
- Protection of children 

The official deadline is in fact tonight, midnight of 13/3/2012,  but for a number of reasons it has not been possible to circulate this information any earlier. 

By a majority decision the Society’s Committee has decided against objecting formally but to focus on pressing for proper controls to be put in place by the organisers. 

Best regards,
Sandy Critchley, Deputy Chairman

Elder Street has been added to the Garden Waste collection programme.  The scheme is weekly, the same day as recycling and food waste. 

You need to request a garden waste bag, which can be done by emailing General.Enquiries@towerhamlets.gov.uk with the subject Garden Waste Collection Bags.  

The collection is not only good for garden waste (leaves etc) but also cut flowers. 

Please let us know if you would like the Society to enquire with the council for other streets. 

Any house that has food waste collection is eligible for garden waste collection too.  At present neither Fournier Street nor Wilkes Street are receiving this service.

Request for urgent action. 

The Central Neighbourhood Unit at ESB are completing a Ward Panel Review which will, when completed, give up to date advice to all Safer Neighbourhoods (SN)Teams on the forming, maintenance and professional working of Ward Panels across the service.

This review will be completed in line with the attached survey.  But to achieve this we ask that all SN teams disseminate the attached survey to all ward panel chairs and members, Kin lists, Neighbourhood Watch and resident associations. This is not an exhaustive list and I ask that you use your initiative as to other useful targets including police. (SN Teams can also complete this survey)

The review will be completed having closely assessed the findings of the survey and consideration of any information that may be gained.

Please could you cascade this survey as soon as possible so we can assure that all recipients have a reasonable time to return their views.

This survey will run between: 22nd Feb 2012 and conclude on 07th March 2012.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Bill Connor
TP Engagement Policy Sergeant
15th Floor ESB
Telephone: 07785 267215
Office: 783706

Link to the ward panel review survey below:
http://www.keysurvey.co.uk/survey/416371/1806/

The Council recently contacted the Society to ask that they re-state their original objection to this application and I now attach our response, addressed in triplicate to the Planning Inspector in Bristol.

Corbet Place planning appeal objection

The Council are keen to make their recently approved Policy limit of 25% bar/restaurant uses in the Spitalfields and Brick Lane area stick. They feel that they are winning the argument with the refusal of 3 similar applications last week so are asking for maximum support from local residents. An approval from the Planning Inspector would blow a very large hole in this policy whereas a refusal would secure the policy for the foreseeable future, so it is in all our interests to vigorously support the Councils original decision. 

Please note that the appeal only relates to the bar at Corbet Place. The applicant is not at present appealing against the refusal  of the use of the external space in Ely’s Yard, which was the subject of a separate application.  Objections based on the misuse of Ely’s Yard are therefore not relevant in this instance.

From Jane Curtis:

Dear Neighbours, Spitalfields Society, Spitalfields Community

Corbet Place Bar were refused planning permission at the end 2011 and have appealed against this decision. There is an opportunity to make additional comments to the Planning Inspectorate by Friday 17th February.  However, these comments must be sent in triplicate to The Planning Inspectorate
3/07 Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN. It seems emails are not invited.

If you would like to send me an email with an attached letter (I will print it out in triplicate) or post a letter through my letter box at 16 Wilkes Street by Wednesday evening l am very happy to ensure that letters gets the Inspectorate by Friday morning by registered/next day delivery. Or, you may prefer to send it/them yourself.

A basic letter is copied below which outlines key factors why Corbet Place Bar should not have planning permission.  Please feel free add to this and cut and paste at will. 

Kind regards

Jane
– 

The Planning Inspectorate
3/07 Kite Wing
Temple Quay House, 2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol  BS1 6PN

Dear Planning Inspectorate

Corbet Place Bar Planning Appeal

Inspectorate Ref: APP/E5900/A/11/2167374/NWF 

PA/11/2684

LOCATION: NORTH EAST JUNCTION OF CORBET PLACE AND HANBURY STREET, CORBET PLACE, LONDONPROPOSAL: RETROSPECTIVE APPLICATION FOR CHANGE OF USE FROM WAREHOUSE TO BAR/RESTAURANT

I write to support Tower Hamlets Planning Department’s decision to refuse the planning application PA/11/2684 and ask the Planning Inspectorate to dismiss this appeal.

Corbet Place Bar has continued to open despite having planning permission refused, showing a complete disregard for the TH Planning department and demonstrating that the bar and site (within the privately owned Ely’s Yard, Truman Brewery) cannot be monitored and regulated despite the numerous emails and complaints that have be made against it over many years.  

There is a large residential community in the streets around the Truman Brewery, Ely’s Yard where Corbet Place bar is sited. Many houses are entirely residential and in most cases there are flats above shops and offices.  Corbet Place Bar is accessed through gates into Ely’s Yard, which lie directly opposite residential properties (at the junction of Hanbury Street and Wilkes Street).  Customers gather in large noisy groups at the entrance to Ely’s Yard, many will be drinking cheap alcohol bought from the local supermarket and off licenses before going to the bar where drinks are more expensive.  In the summer months this will mean that there are groups sitting on the pavements and on doorsteps drinking spirits, wine and beer throughout the evening and late into the night and early morning. These groups can be intimidating and aggressive.  Drinkers then urinate openly in doorways and lightwells. Drunken customers leaving Corbet Place and other bars move through the residential streets shouting and behaving in an aggressive and anti social manner, waking people up and denying them the right to live peacefully in their homes. The Truman Brewery security staff have proved that they are unable to control the behaviour of such large numbers.  

Residents, many with young families, are suffering from a severe loss of amenity due to the over concentration of bars and clubs in the area.  The well-being of residents is being affected by constant disturbance and anti social behaviour. Corbet Place Bar has contributed considerably to this loss of amenity.  Within Ely’s yard there are two other large bars, Café 1001 (Dray Walk) and The Big Chill (corner of Dray Walk  and Ely’s Yard)  and a restaurant (Al Volo) which is situated very close to Corbet Place bar and extends into the yard.  These bars attract hundreds of people to Ely’s Yard and our streets and the associated anti social behavior is now well documented by Tower Hamlets Planning and Licensing Departments, Environmental Health and the Police and Ambulance Service.  In addition there are numerous other large bars, restaurants, and off-licences in the area which contribute to the loss of amenity for residents.  

The Corbet Place Bar has hosted Bank Holiday events and music events. These events have created some horrific anti social behavior problems for residents.  The music is often turned up and can be clearly heard in homes. The area is turned into a party zone, with drunk people wandering the streets, sitting in the streets, urinating etc.  Every year there have been complaints but nothing has been done to stop or control them.

l urge to Planning Inspectorate to dismiss this appeal and support Tower Hamlets Planning department in controlling the cumulative effect of so many bars in the area and the negative impact this has on residents. The premises management/owner has shown little consideration for the residents, preferring profit over creating a good ‘working relationship’ between the commercial and residential community. The location of the premises is entirely unsuitable for a bar and creates/promotes a drinking culture and environment that extends beyond the premises and into the surrounding streets.
 
Thank you for your consideration

The Development Committee of LBTH tonight considered three of the five applications (PA/11/03311, 03312 and 03313) and rejected them by majority votes.  Two applications were withdrawn before the meeting (03309 and 30010).

Rupert Wheeler spoke on behalf of the Spitalfields Society, the Spitalfields Community Group and the Woodseer and Hanbury Streets Residents Association.  The Brick Lane Restaurants Association also spoke against the applications.

[Planning applications to convert 5 locations in the Old Truman Brewery to restaurant use, some with external seating

The Planning Committee will consider these applications next Wednesday, 8th February, at 7.00pm in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, Mulberry Place, Clove Crescent, E14 2BG.  The attachment gives details of all five.

Both the Spitalfields Society and many local residents have objected to these applications, and a petition has been raised against them.

Each restaurant claims to be small but collectively they represent 10,333 square feet of new restaurant space, enough for about 500 covers for good quality west end restaurants but more like 700-800 if one packs them in like the other Truman Brewery and Brick Lane restaurants. We think this probably represents the biggest restaurant application ever submitted in Tower Hamlets.

The Society has tried to use these restaurant applications to encourage some sort of constructive dialogue with the brewery but they have dismissed our efforts high handedly.

Rupert Wheeler will be attending the meeting to speak on behalf of the Society.

All the applications are recommended for refusal but members are still requested to attend the meeting in force – the presence of large numbers of objectors carries great weight with Council committees.]