This weekend the board learned of a ‘consultation’ on the proposed South Dock tower.

This is what the resident received from Southwark Council:

Thank you for your email earlier today.

The public consultation will take place at Canada Water Culture Space (SE16 7AR) on Monday 19^th September from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

Leaflets are being delivered this weekend. I’ve just checked the web site and the information is now there but I’ll get a few layout changes organised for Monday, so it is clearer.

The timetable for the evening is:

5.30pm to 7pm: Drop in exhibition with new proposals

7pm to 8.30pm Presentation and Q&A session with Councillor Mark Williams. I will also be there supported by our architects etc so we can answer all questions.

If you would like to attend to the presentation, you can also register your interest now by contacting John Kelly john.kelly@southwark.gov.uk

Thank you for interest in this proposal and we will look forward to seeing you on the 19^th September.

Regards

Bruce Glockling

Head of Regeneration – Capital Works & Development

Chief Executive’s Department

London Borough of Southwark

PO Box 64529, London, SE1P 5LX

Tel: 0207 525 0138 Internal extension: 50138

Mobile: 07747790638    

 

The manner and timing of this round of consultation indicate Southwark Council’s attitude. Everything we have seen so far suggests that they will still be proposing to build a tower of 20+ storeys at the river end of South Dock. It is in your interest to find out at first hand what is now proposed, and to comment to the Council. If you are not able to attend but want to be kept in touch, or if you are concerned, please take a look at the Save Our Boatyard Facebook page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/StGeorgesWharfSE16/ This is a well-organised community group spanning boat-owners and local residents of all kinds, including a number of Baltic Quay owners, which has raised an initial fighting fund of several thousand pounds.

12-9-16 We have now received a copy of the official invitation, click here: SouthDock exhibition to download it. 

Baltic Quay.   Porter’s Desk.    Newsletter

News from the Porter’s Desk is to inform you about maintenance and security at Baltic Quay, and to give you information about matters regularly asked about at the desk. This simply supplements other bulletins from Parkgate Aspen and the Board on the managing of the building more generally.

Broadband installation

Work by Hyperoptic is proceeding well on the installation of broadband throughout the building and we are told that the system should be up and running by the end of August. For those of you who have not yet arranged for a connection, we are happy to provide details of the people to contact. They would then explain to you the arrangements. Hyperoptic will run an Open Forum on Sept 1 at 4pm to 8pm to answer questions and provide information. All are welcome. 

Lifts

Lift No. 5 in the Podium is now restored to normal service, while Lift No. 4 to the garage, opposite Reception, is awaiting spare parts for it to be safe.  Clearly safety takes priority over quick fixes, even if inconvenient.

Garden

The new garden contractor is in the process of extending the nice effect achieved in the main courtyard to as many other areas as feasible. This requires attention to the problem of regular watering, and to plant containers, and new taps are being installed around the building to allow that problem to be solved.

Cleaning

We welcome our new cleaner Nicola and her cheerful contribution to the New Look Baltic Quay as it emerges.

Shops opposite

The rumour mill has been running overtime about the shops that will grace the ground floor of Tavern Quay across the street. But facts are very hard to establish. We hear stories of a restaurant but will keep you informed when we know. We will keep a log of your pet hates and preferences if you subscribe to our secret notebook, and will feed them anonymously into the ears of any prospectors we meet.

The Book Exchange

The book and video exchange is a hive of activity, and you are reminded that you are welcome to put in and take out as you wish (but please bring back). To celebrate its service being appreciated plans are in hand to enhance its housing and appearance, so as to show other buildings what a civilized building this is.

Security incident

On Sunday night Aug 14, at 3.20 am, George on patrol noticed a character behaving suspiciously in Rope St near the building, and called the police. They arrived quickly and found the man forcing entry into a flat, having just done the same in a second flat. He was arrested immediately and detained for DNA testing. The officer has since commended George for his actions, as they found from the DNA that the thief had at least six other offences in the area and they had been trying to catch him for some time. He is now out of sight, but people like him are not out of mind as far as your devoted guardians are concerned.

Nature Stories

In the Springtime ducks sometimes nest in among the foliage in one of our upstairs plant holders. It remains a puzzle as to how they get the ducklings down to the water when the time comes, and nature has many wonders. But two weeks ago a whole family were given a ride. A plumber was working on a 4^th floor apartment and left the front door open, to be interrupted a bit later by an unusual noise. Turning round he found that an entire family of duck, drake, and four ducklings, presumably from a nearby nest, had waddled into the flat and clearly found it very satisfactory indeed, even though a little dry. The Porter’s desk sprang into action and joined the plumber in packaging the family into a cardboard box – not without protest and great deal of spirited quacking – until they were able to emerge on the water where nature had intended. Their chorus of appreciation was warming to the heart.

The Pirate Ship

Those of you who stroll down Greenland Dock will be aware of the sit-in on the Wibbly Wobbly boat by a group of squatters seemingly acting under the laws of the sea and flying the skull and cross-bones. There is even a resident skeleton on this pirate ship. This seems related to the Council’s notice posted there some months ago proposing that the old Wibbly be towed away to the breakers yard, as no longer seaworthy.  We are intrigued by this fascinating local event, and if anyone has any information about the dispute, of relevance to our residents, please let us know and we will be able to inform people. In the meantime we advise you not to walk the plank.

George Wells,        Matthew Murch,            Alan  Stay,              Sam Ogun .

Helen Jones kindly forwarded these notes taken by a resident in another building from a February “Consultation”.

 - The towers are increasing in height. The 20 storey tower is now proposed as 22, and the 15 storey tower now proposed as 16. This is intended to reduce the height by 1 storey of the development elevation facing Calypso Way (now 7 storeys, rather than 8).

- The tenure split is now 50% private, and 50% mix of intermediate and social housing, rather than the 1/3:1/3:1/3 split proposed before. This seems to be due to changes in the cost plan of the project, and additional costs associated with increasing the number of provided parking spaces, and thus the size of the basement. 60% parking provision is now proposed for the car park, so approx 130 car park spaces. I don’t think this is particularly relevant for the planning submission, but it shows that the project is under pressure from a cost perspective.

- The transportation assessments have not adequately considered traffic on Plough Way, particularly the bottleneck at the end, where it joins Lower Road.

- The wind assessments show unsafe levels of wind gusting around the base of the development near the corners, and mitigation measures are ‘currently being explored’. The Thames Path section which runs between the river and the development, could therefore become an exceptionally unpleasant place to walk – due to being overtowered by the development, in permanent shade from about midday, and high winds.

- Daylight studies show that at least in winter, Dockmasters Quay will be overshadowed by the development for the whole morning..

The bottom line is that Southwark are going to planning with this scheme.  We need to make our voices heard at the review stage.

The project timeline shows a ‘public exhibition’ prior to application submission. This is not a consultation event and will only be an exhibition of the final scheme to be submitted to planning. Southwark did mention that they think another consultation is required between now and then,but have not decided on the format.

The planning application is set to be submitted (current plan is May).