C A P R A

The Canons Park Station Car Park Mis- Development. We heard on the grapevine that this awful and damaging proposal is to be recommended for grant and will come to the December Planning Committee, but confirmation is still to be received that this is definitely the case. With the large number of objections to this outlandish project that has been expressed right through the farce of the ‘consultations’, we hope that the Planning Committee comes to its senses and throw this out for re-consideration even if the planners recommend it for grant. Meanwhile every pressure should be applied to encourage a re-think on this and other gross over- developments at underground stations, chosen to expand the pool of ‘affordable housing’, though the Canons Park scheme has only 30 percent of socially rented units. Interestingly, we hear that the proposal for Rayners Lane Station Car Park has been postponed to be re- designed. There was a vocal protest against it, yet that site actually could have taken a reasonably sized development and it was not as sensitive as the Canons Park Station site, overlooking an important a historic park and landscape, and would damage a huge local asset, that is at the heart of our area and its conservation status. This was recognised by Historic England who also said that the height of the flats would harm the setting of the park and should be reduced. One wonders why that scheme and not Canons Park and Stanmore have not be asked to be reconsidered, when the Canons Park scheme cannot take a cliff of seven storey mansion blocks on this sliver of a site, already containing a vital car park for commuters and for the needs of profusely attended games at Wembley and other venues and events in the area. At Stanmore - we hear that there are issues with the height of two blocks of flats, which require one floor (only?) to be removed because of the impact they would have on Westbere, which abuts the site. Apparently, it is otherwise acceptable to the officers and so, subject to these amendments, it will also be recommended for grant and will probably come to the January Committee. With all the pandemic turmoil going on around us, we do not need such stress-causing schemes to be- devil our lives in lockdown. Meanwhile, the huge eight storey Elysian luxury development for senior citizens in Merrion Avenue abutting Stanmore Station, built without a single ‘affordable’ flat, is sending out tempting advertisements with invitations to afternoon tea. So much for the sudden need for a mass of affordable housing, still without a substantial number for social renting, to be inflicted on the residents of two storey suburban neighbourhoods. Abe Hayeem ********************* PETITION CAMPAIGN Please find below a link to a petition launched by the ‘Stop the Development of Canons Park Station Car Park Group’, calling for Harrow Council to reject planning application P/0858/20 for the development of 118 flats in three seven-storey blocks on the site of the station car park in Donnefield Avenue.   To have this proposal debated by the next full council meeting on 26th November 2020 we need to present a petition of 2000 or more signatures.  Each person in your household can sign the petition, for which the direct link is: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/canonsprk   This pressure group strongly objects to the plans for buildings, which are far too high, bulky and totally out of character with the surrounding suburban area.  They will have a detrimental effect on the views across Grade 2 listed Canons Park and the loss of 100 commuter parking spaces will have a major effect on the locality, especially on Wembley and local event days. This will be compounded by the application for the development of Stanmore station car park.   As well as signing the petition we ask you to forward it to friends, family and other contacts, together with the attached poster and a request for them to put it in their windows and/or display it wherever they can to spread the word amongst their neighbours.   We urge you to act now as we have no time to lose! Canons Park Residents Association