Stinging Nettle Goldhawk Rd to become flats & shop

Much local speculation has been whirling since the closure of the Stinging Nettle pub on Goldhawk Road in the last couple of weeks but according to Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine it is to be redeveloped for a joint residential/commercial venture.

According to Caterer & Hotelkeeper, the brewer Young's has sold the freehold of the property to developers PRR Estates. They plan to "convert the upstairs of the property for residential use, and the ground floor and basement for alternative commercial use and investment".

Hammersmith Flyover re-opens amid fiery exchanges in Parliament

"Jammersmith" may be no more as the flyover dramatically threw its doors, well, half open late last night to light traffic on one lane and in both directions, in a positive sign that all might not be quite as bad as the doom mongers feared. The rest of the flyover is set to be openned back up over the next four months with drivers continued to be urged to avoid the area if at all possible.

One lane of light traffic will now be permitted in each direction, whilst work continues to strengthen key sections of the flyover. Traffic restrictions will be enforced by a 2.0m (6”6’) width restriction at either end of the flyover to prevent large vehicles such as HGVs and coaches from crossing.

The structural repair works, which TfL now expects to take around four months to complete, will focus on strengthening six of the 16 spans of the structure to ensure that they can carry full traffic loading by the Olympics.

The advice remains for motorists as this work takes place that as the flyover is not fully open they should consider avoiding the area if possible. Transport for London will have signage and traffic management measures in place to help reinforce that.

Once these repair works, which will see new cables installed within the structure to strengthen the flyover, are completed, TfL will be able to reopen the flyover to all traffic, well ahead of the London 2012 Games.

Following the London 2012 Games, TfL will return to the structure to strengthen the remaining ten spans of the flyover, as well as carry out additional work to re-waterproof the entire road deck to complete the permanent repair. This work is expected to take place in a way that will allow as much traffic as possible to use the flyover during the works.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: 

“I made it very clear the Hammersmith Flyover should not be closed for one minute longer than it has to be and this partial reopening will provide some relief for the thousands of motorists and local people whose lives have been disrupted. I can assure those people that I will ensure the team continues to work tirelessly in order to get this vital structure fully operational as soon as possible.”

All good stuff - but there is a twist to this story which has bubbled up over the last 24 hours, with our MP Andy Slaughter launching an attack on the Conservative MP Mary Macleod for holding a meeting about the issue in Hammersmith. Here's the very fiery exchange between the pair from the House of Commons yesterday:

Mr Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith) (Lab): On a point of order, Mr Speaker, of which I have given you and the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mary Macleod) notice. Hammersmith flyover in my constituency has been closed for three weeks. Although we hope for good news as early as today about the reopening, it is clearly a serious matter for my constituents. The hon. Lady has convened a public meeting—nothing wrong with that—to discuss the matter, but she has advertised and convened it in my constituency. She has invited various public bodies, but not me, to the meeting to discuss these matters—she has not invited me to be on the panel.

This goes beyond the ordinary trespassing that Members sometimes commit. I have never heard of an event of this kind. In reality, it means that the public bodies may not attend, because the meeting is now party political. I ask for your guidance, Mr Speaker. The hon. Lady is a new Member and might not know the protocols of the House as well as others do.

Mr Speaker: I will restrict my understanding thus far, and I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for notice of his intention to raise the point of order. It will almost not be a matter of order for the Chair, but, reserving my position, I think it only right before I say anything further—I am sure he will accept this—to ask the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mary Macleod) to offer her own thoughts, of which I have had some notice, on the Floor of the House.

Mary Macleod (Brentford and Isleworth) (Con): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. This public meeting is being held purely to help local residents. It is for Transport for London and Hounslow and Hammersmith councils to update local residents and help them. Frankly, that is what I came into politics to do.

I am extremely disappointed that the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr Slaughter) has attempted to threaten, intimidate and bully me into doing what he wants and play political games. He knew what was happening—I told him at the earliest opportunity. I invited him to the meeting verbally and in writing. He said initially that he was happy with the plans for the meeting.

I have worked well recently with my Labour Hounslow council and expect to have a very positive working relationship with the new hon. Member for Feltham and Heston (Seema Malhotra). It is really sad that we cannot help our local residents without an hon. Member trying to stop us. We should work together for the good of our local residents and our constituencies.

No love lost there, then, and Ms Macelod quite skillfully presents herself as somehow a wounded party valiantly fighting against the nasty Andy Slaughter - but he does have a point. There is an unwritten rule among MPs that they don't do this sort of thing in each others' areas - and if he hasn't even been invited on to the panel - as the MP for Hammersmith for goodness sakes - you need to ask what the Tories are really up to with the meeting in the first place. It couldn't have anything to do with bolstering Boris, who's taken a hit over this, ahead of an election could it?

Our New Girl - Bush Theatre

A play exploring the "darker side of parenthood" opens tonight at the Bush Theatre featuring two child actors, in what I am told is a powerful piece of theatre. Called "our new girl" the Bush tells us thus:

Sometimes we have to take care of things we’re frightened of... You can’t know if you’re up to the job until that thing in front of you lives or dies.

Behind the shiny door of Hazel Robinson’s perfect London home, nothing is as it seems. Hazel's plastic surgeon husband Richard has embarked on his latest charitable quest in Haiti, leaving the heavily-pregnant Hazel with a failing business and a problem son.

When a professional nanny arrives unannounced on the Robinsons' doorstep, Hazel finds her home under the shadow of a perfect stranger with an agenda of her own.

Hot on the heels of No Romance, Nancy Harris’s hit play at the Abbey, Our New Girl is a startling psychological drama about the darker side of modern parenthood.

It plays for two months over Jan and Feb. Get yer tickets here.

Old Oak Common: 20,000 new local jobs?

£32 billion is about to be spent on the high speed rail link between London and Birmingham, known as HS2, and the Park Royal interchange has been confirmed as part of the plan. This was in doubt not so long ago but Old Oak Common, the area north of the Scrubs, is set to be transformed out of all recognition by the scheme.

In many ways this is likely to have more impact for West London than the Olympics has for East. When all is said and done the Olympics will start fading from view almost as soon as they are over and after a few years we'll probably be sick of hearing about stadiums that aren't being used for what they were intended and so on.

Yet this rail link is the future - with plans to extend the line to Manchester and Liverpool in the years ahead.

So no doubt about the scale, either of the project itself which is on a par with great Victorian projects of old, or the local impact. But some of the figures being bandied around are just a little eyebrow raising, such as the 20,000 local jobs that are apparently set to be created. Really? What are they all going to be doing?!

There are high levels of unemployment in the area our Council point out in the video above. Yes, there are - but that also means that the majority of those people will be relatively unskilled and therefore unable to take on many of these jobs. I worry that we have not heard anything about how those people will be offered training in order to gain those skills - because otherwise all we will see is workers from elsewhere, including abroad, bussed in instead.

Here's Cllr Mark Loveday of our Council, who have successfully lobbied for the scheme from day one:

“HS2 is the fastest way to deliver much need new homes, jobs and opportunities in one of London's poorest areas and the Government has recognised that the case for the Old Oak interchange is overwhelming" 

“The great Victorian engineers like Brunel recognised the importance of well positioned interchange stations, such as Crewe and Clapham Junction, and in that same spirit Old Oak promises to be the nation’s first 21st century high speed rail interchange. 

“The Old Oak interchange will relieve pressure on the overstretched central London terminals and link four airports and existing train lines to the high speed network for the first time. 

“In the process, the accelerated and expanded high speed rail programme will regenerate not just parts of the north of England and the Midlands but rundown inner London neighbourhoods right on our doorstep. 

“The creation of a new interchange at Old Oak, or Park Royal City International as it will be known, will unleash the creation of a new business hub bigger than Canary Wharf, bringing thousands of affordable homes and jobs to London.”

I think this is great news - and this Government is right to be investing here instead of blighting our skies with more planes, many of which fly to the domestic destinations that this rail link will now serve. Time will tell on just how local the benefits really are - and we could make a good start by hearing about the local skills training programme that needs to be an early part of this.

Lime Grove gang smash windows ... with Christmas trees

Abandoned trees in the Bush - reader photo

A gang of five went on the rampage in Lime Grove last Sunday with some of the abandoned Christmas Trees that our Council has been encouraging people to leave out on the streets for their collection service since the festive season, resulting in criminal damage and two arrests.

And I know this because some of you were there .. a reader who lives on the road gave me this account:

"..your blog post reminded me - I saw a flying Christmas tree at 1:30am on Sunday morning on Lime Grove". 

"Around five miscreants were walking up the road, damaging cars. I woke to the sound of breaking glass. I then witness one of them pick up a discarded tree and attempt to hurl it in a hammer throw style spin into car/garden/neighbours house".  

"Impressively, by the time they reached the top of Lime Grove they were intercepted by the swift arrival of three police cars and two police vans and promptly arrested".  

"I got dressed and wandered down the road to where our family car is parked to find that we too had been victim of this mindless idiocy - the wing mirror had been kicked or punched and was hanging off by it's assortment of wiring... " 

"As had our neighbours car parked in front of ours. costly repairs I suspect. still hats off to the Police for an amazingly quick response" 

Having spoken to the Police I can confirm two of those arrested, aged 36 and 18, will be appearing in court, charged with the damage in February. Here's the Police's version of events: 

"Police were called at 01:26hrs to reports of a group of males causing damage to motor vehicles along Lime Grove, W12. Police were on scene at 01:29hrs, on arrival a two males were stopped and arrested for causing criminal damage to five motor vehicles". 

But that's not all - the reason the Police knew about what was going on was because of CCTV - and the swift intervention of the staff monitoring the road. So this was very much a Council-Police collaboration that resulted in these alleged thugs being caught. Excellent work, and here's what a Police spokesperson told me this afternoon:

" Hammersmith & Fulham Police would like to extend their thanks to the CCTV operator who generated this call and kept officers constantly updated as to the suspects whereabouts and movements, this is a great example of how the local council and police work in partnership to reduce crime"

It absolutely is - so very many congratulations to them. Well done Council, and once again well done to the local Shepherd's Bush Police team.

And well done to the readers who filled me in on the story - you won't read about this anywhere else and it's a good way of letting others know what was going on, in an incident that I suspect a large number of people heard or saw. 

Imperial College submits plans for BBC White City

New W City Campus

...according to Planning Magazine Imperial College has submitted plans which they say will result in the generation of 3,000 new local jobs as they create a new academic campus. The plans include a new research centre to focus on biomedical research to be called Imperial West.

Speaking to Planning Magazine Imperial's project director John Anderson said:

"Imperial West will enable the college to expand upon the success of its South Kensington site to create a second, open access academic campus that provides the physical infrastructure for world-class research and teaching, leading-edge facilities for business development and technology transfer, and create an attractive environment to live and work in."

It is the latest development in a long running saga which has seen political rows over the extent to which affordable housing will be created by the redevelopment of the land, which is also part of the Council's White City Opportunity Area planning framework.

Wherever you stand on that particular argument it is now becoming clear that from being the home of British broadcasting, this part of the Bush is set to become the cutting edge for medical research ..... and retail!

Slaughter & Hands row over £14 million H&F NHS cuts

 

Andy Slaughter and Greg Hands have form with each other, going back to their days on Hammersmith Council when it was a Labour run authority with Mr Slaughter at its head. So no surprise that their enmity has carried over into Parliament, and last week was no exception. I was sent details of £14 million of proposed cuts to our local health service under current Government plans - startling stuff and certainly worth reporting.

But the information seemed a little strange - it talked about "yesterday" and "this week" but then gave a date of November 24th. So I sought a counter view from the Tories in the form of Mr Hands, who is now a member of the Government as a Whip, and the picture seems a little different. I give both parties the chance to make their case below, and let you be the judge - this is more than a little political argy-bargy - health cuts generally cost lives.

Here's Mr Slaughter's team from last tuesday:

Labour has today revealed the hidden cost of the Government’s wasteful NHS reorganisation in Hammersmith and Fulham. New guidelines will force the local NHS to put £14,012,172 from their budget this year and next to pay for a costly NHS restructure that David Cameron repeatedly ruled out.

Andy Slaughter MP said: 

"These shocking new figures show the Government’s reorganisation is costing the NHS even more than we first feared. It is scandalous that they are telling our local NHS to hold back millions of pounds for their own reckless plans whilst thousands of nursing jobs are being axed. 

“Hammersmith and Fulham has already seen a 145% increase in the number of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks for treatment since Cameron became Prime Minister. 

“Before his plans are even fully through Parliament, David Cameron's reorganisation is hitting the NHS hard and costs are now topping £3.4bn across the country for the first time. Spending this amount on an unnecessary reorganisation is totally unjustifiable when every single penny should be focused on maintaining standards of care. 

“At the election Cameron ruled out top-down NHS reorganisations. But only weeks after entering Number 10, he ripped up his own words and ordered the biggest and most dangerous upheaval of the NHS since it began.” 

The financial request is buried in the Government’s new NHS 'Operating Framework' document and takes the nationwide cost of the NHS reorganisation above previous estimates of £2-3bn, with Primary Care Trusts now holding back £3.44bn over two years.

Last Thursday evening leading doctors from the British Medical Association voted to call for an immediate halt to the Government’s costly and controversial Health Bill. 

Andy Slaughter MP added: 

“The people of Hammersmith and Fulham did not vote for it and our doctors, nurses and patients have already expressed huge concerns at the plans. Yet Cameron is ploughing on with his Health Bill, ignoring public and professional opinion. The time has come for him to listen, put the NHS first and drop his dangerous Bill.”

Labour is running a major national drive to unite the country in a call on the Government to drop its unwanted Health Bill and people are being urged to add their name to the Government online petition by Dr Kailash Chand at epetitions.direct.gov.uk. 

Labour’s Health team will be coming to Hammersmith and Fulham on Thursday 24th November and are visiting every English region, work-shadowing NHS staff and mobilising support for the campaign

But here's Team Greg Hands:

Out-of-date 

The press release from Andrew Slaughter is based on a template sent to Labour MPs and candidates last year. The references to “last Thursday evening” and a forthcoming Shadow Health team visit on “24 November” suggest that his office received it in late November 2011. 

Most of Mr Slaughter’s press release and quotes match word-for-word those provided by his colleagues at the beginning of December 2011. 

(Examples include: Kerry McCarthy, Yasmin Qureshi, Andrew Dismore, Gisela Stuart, Yvonne Fovargue.)

Labour hypocrisy 

Labour wrongly claimed that Primary Care Trusts are being asked to set aside 2 per cent of their budgets for NHS ‘reorganisation’. 

In fact, this is the third year in a row that the NHS has been asked to put aside 2 per cent of its allocation for non-recurrent expenditure. This was introduced by Labour in December 2009, when Andy Burnham was Health Secretary. 

The non-recurrent expenditure is designed to support service improvement. 

(Burnham source: Department of Health, Operating Framework, 16 December 2009, link.) 

Waiting times down 

Average waiting times in Hammersmith and Fulham are down from 9.2 weeks in May 2010 to 8.3 weeks in October 2011 (the latest figures available). Although the proportion of patients seen within 18 weeks has fallen slightly, from 94% to 87%, the overall trend is positive. 

Most patients are being seen quicker than under Labour. 

(Source: Department of Health, Adjusted Admitted Pathways Referral to Treatment, October 2011, link.)

Greg Hands MP said: 

“Andrew Slaughter has started 2012 by recycling last year’s lies from Labour HQ. He can’t even keep up with his colleagues, let alone the facts.

“This policy has nothing to do with the Health Bill – the last government did exactly the same thing. But unlike Labour, the Coalition is getting money to the front line. In fact, because we are reducing the money spent on administration in the NHS by a third, there will be an extra £1.5 billion every year to spend on patients.

“Waiting times are down and the budget is up. That’s the real situation in Hammersmith and Fulham.”

 So .... that's all clear then. Welcome to my world!