Riots: Met. Police Advisory for Residents and Businesses

The following is copied from the Metropolitan Police website

Advice for the public following disorder

10 August 2011

Whilst those who live and work in London should go about their daily lives without fear - we do however ask that they take sensible precautions to ensure their safety.

We would advise members of the public to avoid any unnecessary travel to areas that have been affected by the events of the last couple of days, and help the emergency services by giving us the room that we need to respond. Make sure you are safe and do not put yourselves into vulnerable positions.

It is possible that your journeys to and from work may be affected so think ahead and plan carefully. Stay alert and be aware of what is going on around you. If you do have any concerns about returning home this evening, you should consider staying with friends or family members outside of the affected areas.

Over the last 24 hour period we have received almost four times more 999 emergency calls than normal (20,800 compared to 5,400). Consequently some callers may experience difficulty in getting through to 999, or waiting longer than usual for their call to be answered. We would ask you to bear with us, and only use 999 in situations that require an immediate police response.

DAC Steve Kavanagh said: "I wish to reassure members of the public that a London wide policing operation is in place to manage any further public disorder in the capital. We are doing everything we can by working with our partners and the community to ensure residents and businesses can go about their daily lives in confidence."

FAQs

Getting information and advice

Where can I get information and advice?
Police are providing the media with information to keep the public informed. Tune in to your local radio or television station for updates or visit our website.

You can also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/metpoliceuk or join our Neighbourhoodlink Service. For more information visit www.neighbourhoodlink.met.police.uk/registration/

How can I find out local information?
Many councils are providing local updates on the disturbances in their area.
You can find your local council by following the DirectGov link below: Find your local council Opens new window

Travelling in and around London

Is it safe to travel around London?
We would advise members of the public to avoid any unnecessary travel to areas that have been affected by the events of the last couple of days and to keep safe by not putting themselves into vulnerable positions.

It is possible that your journeys to and from work may be affected so think ahead and plan carefully. Stay alert and be aware of what is going on around you.

If you do have any concerns about returning home this evening, you should consider staying with friends or family members outside of the affected areas.

If you need help planning a journey, you can use the 'Travel Tools' on TfL's website. These include tools to help plan your journey and free mobile travel alerts.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/traveltools/default.aspx?cmp=BAC-campaign&campaign-id=fwd-TRAVELTOOLS

You can also call the London Travel Information on 020 7222 1234 any time - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It can provide journey information like the last tube and bus times, bus stop locations and cab numbers, as well as train, DLR and tram information.

Are the buses safe?
Our Safer Transport Teams are providing support to drivers and providing a visible presence, but please consider whether your journey is absolutely necessary.

Advice for parents/guardians

Are my children safe?
There are unprecedented numbers of officers on the streets of London - over 16,000 today. We are doing everything we can to support communities and keep people safe.

Over the last couple of nights there have been a large numbers of young people placing themselves in situations that were dangerous and violent. We appeal to parents and all those responsible for young people to work together with police to ensure that youngsters do not get drawn into the kind of disorder we have seen.

There is a role for the whole community - police, parents, schools, local leaders and others - to stand together and convey the message that crime and disorder will not be tolerated. (MERA highlighting)

Contacting the police

I can't get through on 999, what should I do?
If it is an emergency please keep trying. We have been experiencing significant demands; almost four times as many calls than normal. We will deal with your call as quickly as possible. If it is not an emergency, please use one of the following:

• calling 101 to report a crime that has already happened, seek crime prevention advice or make us aware of any policing issues in your local area.
• via our website at www.met.police.uk
• via your local police station.

Helping the police

How can I help the police?
You can help us by assisting in the identification of people that have been looting, rioting and committing crime.

Anyone with information should call our incident room on 020 8345 4142. Alternatively you can call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

We are also publishing images of people wanted in connection with looting. Follow the link below to see if you recognise any of the people we wish to speak to.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/metropolitanpolice/sets/72157627267892973/

Police tactics

What tactic are the police using?
The MPS employs tactics that are primarily designed to prevent injury to members of the public and police officers. In instances where officers have been outnumbered, they have waited until they can intervene with minimum risk to the public. The MPS is determined to prevent further crime and to bring the criminals to justice.

This is the advisory for businesses

Update and Advice for Businesses

MPS Disorder Update for Businesses - 09.28hrs on Wednesday 10th August 2011

Last night London did not see the levels of disorder we saw the previous night. Large numbers of officers on the streets prevented incidents occurring.

The MPS has had the largest policing operation since the start of the disorder. Mutual aid was received from 26 forces across the country. 16,000 officers were deployed over the last 24hrs.

We will continue with similar numbers of officers on the streets of London tonight. This will be reviewed on a daily basis.

The Metropolitan Police Service has now arrested a total of 770 people in connection with violence, disorder and looting. So far 171 people have been charged for a range of offences and we have already started to place people before the courts. 109 prisoners will have been processed through courts overnight. 40 of these have been remanded in custody to appear at Crown Court. 25 of the 109 were juveniles aged 11-15yrs.

The MPS released 20 CCTV images of wanted people. Following this appeal we have already begun to identify the individuals.

A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of starting the large fire at a furniture store in Croydon. The family-run House of Reeves business was burnt down on Monday evening.

Those involved in criminality should be under no illusion that we will pursue you. We have been making arrests all evening and have a team working during the night examining CCTV images. We will follow up evidence in the coming days in order to bring anyone else responsible for criminal acts to justice.

Officers and staff continue to work long hours at short notice in very challenging circumstances.

We continue to have the plans and resources in place to respond to any further disorder, deal with normal policing across the city and keep Londoners safe.

At 1500 hours today, Commander Rodhouse will be chairing a meeting hosted by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The purpose of the meeting is to expand on discussions from a previous meeting with business leaders, as well as seeking feedback on the measures that have been implemented so far. In attendance will be senior representatives from business groups including the Business Retail Consortium, Association of British Insurers, CBI and British Chamber of Commerce, along with Mark Prisk MP, Minster of State for Business and Enterprise, and representatives from London Councils, the Greater London Authority and the Metropolitan Police Authority.

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£20,000 reward for info about Boheme Murder

Below is a cutting of an article in the East London Advertiser in connection with the murder in March at the Boheme Club at 562 Mile End Road.  It quotes the Chair of MERA.

Mark Taylor, chair of Mile End Residents’ Association, told the hearing: “If the licensee and manager had acted responsibly in the interests of public safety, the death of a young man would not have happened.”

£20,000 is now being offered as a reward for information leading to the prosecution of the person or people involved in this murder.  Witnesses should call 020 8345 4142.

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MERA gets noisy/dusty demolition stopped

Yesterday Mark Taylor, Chair of MERA contacted Tower Hamlets Environmental Health in connection with the very noisy and dusty demolition of the Walkway (Site 2b) next to Windermere House by Telford Homes's demolition contractor.

As a result the demolition site was yesterday shut down by Environmental Health.

Yet again the appalling standard of project managment by Telford Homes of this development - which ignores planning conditions and their own plans - has overstepped the mark - but our Mark is "on their case"!

This is what happened.  This is the content of the email which Mark sent yesterday

Demolition has started on the footpath/bridge at site 2B and is presently producing an excessive amount of dust which is being carried down the length of the bridge across our estate.

This work is ongoing at the moment - See video here taken at 13.00 on Thursday

The dust is rising up to the top floor walkway of the adjacent Windemere House where I know for sure (a resident with a serious medical condition lives). I spoke to his daughter today and she tells me that they received no warning from the developer this work was due to commence today.

This work is having an adverse impact on the air quality of the site and those living close by.  The planning conditions require the use of a hose/spray to damp down materials. There is a man with a low pressure hose vaguely pointing a hose in the general direction but as you will see from the video but this is clearly ineffective.

We look forward to a prompt response to this obvious disregard to the health and safety of local residents living on our estate as the developers clearly find it hard to grasp the fact that people live here and with just a little thought the regeneration/development process could be conducted with acceptable regard to residents health and safety.

This email is being copied to:-

• Richard Murrell (LBTH Planning case officer).
• Edward Hardy at the Considerate Contractor Scheme.
• Mile End East ward councillors who are members of EastendHomes Board
• Paul Hems at the HSE
• Bernie Cameron (Chair Mile End Estate Board)
• Andrew Osborne (EEH Project Manager)

This is the email which Mark and MERA received today.  We calculate that's two hours from video to shut down on site.

Dear Mark,

Following you email yesterday, I attended site 2B and stopped all works on site at about 15:00. I agreed with the contractor that no works should take place till the got more suppression mechanism on site. I believe that they have increased water suppression on site today..........

Okey

This is the demolition contractor who has committed numerous infringements of planning conditions in relation to health and safety - one of which has the potential to result in a criminal prosecution.......

We will be following up the behaviour of Telford Homes and their disregard for the health and safety of residents with both the Health and Safety Executive and the Considerate Contractor Scheme.

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Another report to the Health and Safety Executive

Yet again MERA are about to report Telford Homes to:

• the Health and Safety Executive (construction sites)
• Tower Hamlets Council Planning Enforcement Team 
• Tower Hamlets Environmental Health Team

This is because they still have totally inadequate controls over the movement of construction traffic on EastendHomes' Eric & Treby Estate.

UNSAFE!!!  MERA is still finding far too many examples of trucks breaching health and safety rules by moving in ways which they are not allowed to do according to the Traffic Management Plan for the Eric & Treby development.  They do NOT have appropriate safety precautions in place - such as the use of banksmen for all reversing procedures on streets - most especially at times when kids are going to and coming home from school.

Here is a video of a truck reversing the whole length of Eric Street - without a banksmen anywhere in sight.

Monday 22nd November 2010: Video of truck reversing from Hamlets Way north up Eric Street

Children are going to school and there is no banksman in sight

and here is a photo of a different truck on the same day doing exactly the same thing in Eric Street coming the other way

Monday 22nd November 2010 (8:05am): Truck reversing without a banksman in Eric Street - north to south
This breaches agreed health and safety rules for this development

We'll also be asking local ward Councillor Rachael Saunders and Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman - who are also Board Members of EastendHomes - what they are doing to make sure the contractors employed by EastendHomes implement the traffic access management plan which has been agreed for the Eric & treby Estate

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Telford Homes ignore Emergency Access requirements

We inspected progress being made in constructing hoarding around Open Space 5 (behind Eric Street) last Saturday.  Below you can see the view of the hoarding being erected beyond the tunnel.

Does anybody managing this project actually understand that:

• all exits and entrances from buildings MUST meet requirements for emergency exits in the event of fire or other emergency
• residents need to be able to get out quickly in the event of a fire - and their exit should surely not involve inflammable or combustible material - like wood hoardings!
• an ambulance needs to be able to get a trolley for somebody in need of an ambulance around this corner.........

Saturday 20th November 2011:  Stakes indicate where hoarding is going to go

The hoarding has now been erected - see below.  

Monday 22nd November 20100: this is supposed to qualify as an emergency exit?

On the right you can see how much room is allowed for an ambulance trolley or residents exiting from a fire.

Interestingly the hoarding for Open Space 5 cannot be found anywhere on the Hoardings Plans.

MERA will now be reporting this hoarding to:

• the Health and Safety Executive (construction sites)
• Tower Hamlets Planning (Development Control and the Enforcement Team)
• Tower Hamlets Environmental Health 
• The Emergency Services

In the meantime we shall be asking (1) our local Councillors who are Board Members of EastendHomes and (2) Telford Homes about the health and safety qualifications of their respective project managers.

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Telford Homes: Danger! Site gates left open

The notice on the gate of the main Telford Homes Site Compound next to Ennerdale House

This is what it says on the gate into the main site compound run by Telford Homes next to Ennerdale House.

So WHY ARE THESE GATES BEING LEFT OPEN most of the time? 

The reality is that the site needs to be made safe taking into account the context in which it operates.

Does the Telford Homes Site Manager not realise that:

• not all children can read?  
• a number of parents only speak English as a second language
• not all adults can read English?
• building sites are magnets for kids who don't know any better or don't care about the rules.

Why has the EastendHomes Site Manager not insisted that the site gates be kept closed or manned at all times to provide better protection for the children playing on the Estate?

MERA is keeping a record of every time we see the site gates left open and unattended and will be reporting on this to "our man" at the Health and Safety Executive which is responsible for overseeing and regulating how developers maintain the safety of building sites in London

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Site 14: Site contamination and remediation - our comments

The process for investigating the extent of site contamination on the Eric & Treby Estate and making proposals for how it should be dealt with continues.

Tower Hamlets Planning have recently agreed that:

• (Stage 1 Desk Research) the report commissioned by Telford Homes from Herts and Essex Site Investigations has satisfied the Stage 1 requirements of Planning Condition 3 relating to the investigation of site contamination on the land included in proposals for the Eric & Treby development
• Stages 2 (Site Investigation) and Stage 3 (Site Remediation):  Approval is now required for all proposals for site investigation; the results of investigation must be produced and the plan of remediation approved IN ADVANCE OF DEVELOPMENT on:
• EACH individual numbered area of site development and
• EACH numbered area of landscaping strategy

It's important to note that NO CONSTRUCTION WORK CAN COMMENCE ON SITE UNTIL PROPOSALS RELATING TO THIS PLANNING CONDITION FOR THAT SITE HAVE BEEN APPROVED

To date Telford Homes have submitted an application for approval of details to satisfy Planning Condition 3 for ONE site only.

The site in question is Site 14 on the corner of Eric Street and Ropery Street.

This is the site which was closed down after the investigation by Planning Enforcement found that Telford Homes had proceeded to commence construction and thus had breached both the planning permission and the terms of the Planning Condition 3 relating to site remediation works

On Friday MERA submitted its comments on PA/10/01560 - Application for Approval of Details re Site 14 ONLY.

Here's a summary of the points made:

Overview
We remain very seriously concerned about Telford Homes' approach and attitude to health and safety regulations and requirements and general duty of care owed to others - which have been repeatedly disregarded to date. 

Site Investigation:

BREACH OF PLANNING PERMISSION AND PLANNING CONDITION 3

• We noted that the site was only properly investigated AFTER the foundations had been dug and pipes laidie in breach of planning permission / planning condition 3

SITE CONTAMINATION

• We are pleased to see that it is now being fully recognised that the identified contaminants are prevalent across the site including those sites not properly tested previously - such as Site 14.

Site Remediation

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

• We have not seen any evidence that workmen were using appropriate protective clothing in relation to the contamination while working on Site 14  (as opposed to general protective clothing used on all construction sites)

Site 14: No protective clothing re soil contamination

REMOVAL OF SOIL / SOIL CERTIFICATION

• We don't understand why we are now seeing different depths proposed for the removal of soil compared to the original report from the same firm. We expect to see 0.5 metre of soil removed from ALL communal landscaped areas - as per the original report on this topic and 0.9 metres of soil in areas of private gardens
• We suspect the developer is in some difficulty in connection with certifying the soils which have already been removed from the site and we doubt very much whether these can now be identified.  We suspect they have already been mixed with other soils or already removed from the site altogether - as has happened with soil removed from Open Space 2.

Site 14 - Where's all the soil gone?
Was it certified before it left the site?
What do you think?

WASHING/CLEANING PRIOR TO LEAVING SITE: 

• The Decontamination proposals relating to Site 14 are completely inadequate.  The workforce need to be decontaminated BEFORE they leave site 14 NOT before they leave the Eric & Treby Estate.

Do we have to make the point yet again that this is a residential estate with a high proportion of families with small children - many of whom play on the streets?  


It is ESSENTIAL that no contaminating material finds its way on to the streets or pavements. 

• How exactly do the workforce get from Site 14 to the washing and cleaning facilities at the site office?
• How exactly does Telford Home prevent contaminants from the site transferring via boots and clothing to the streets and pavements? 
• Are workers going to be taken back to the Site Office in a vehicle?  This needs to be made clear.

We expect the scheme to be compatible with the standards listed in INFO-PM2    Key Information Sources : Project Management – Health and Safety and Quality Management on page 188 of Model Procedures for the Management of Contaminated Land  

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND CONTROLS

• We visited the site on a number of occasions and there has been no evidence to date of damping down of dust generation caused by the excavation or regard for people living near the site.  

Eric & Treby - Site 14 (Eric Street):  the latest play structures
very large unattended vehicles for children to play on
plus contaminated soil which is not covered

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN

• A Traffic Management Plan exists for this site but is not included with this application.  As stated the traffic management plan is inadequate as it fails to be sufficiently specific as to streets and flows and specific places where lorries will be queued. 
• A key concern in relation to this site has been the construction vehicles parked unattended on the street where they are accessible to children - we have witnessed workmen on the site completely oblivious to anything happening to the vehicles in the street

If any resident has any concerns relating to the Site Investigation and/or proposals for Site Remediation please get in touch with MERA.  Details of how to contact us are included in the right hand column.

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Coniston House - an UPDATE

These are the recent blog posts on MILE END RESIDENTS' NEWS about the changes to the open space in the area surrounded by Coniston House - and an update about the outcome.

Open Space development at Coniston House (Open Space 2) as at 1st July 2010

These are the previous posts about the sudden enclosure and tarmacing of open space and removal of too little soil without proper precautions being observed in relation to the soil contamination:

• MERA comments on Site Remediation Application (and more news!) 30 Jun 2010
• A Petition from Coniston House residents 12 Jul 2010
• Investigation of loss of green open space at Coniston House. 19 Jul 2010
  
  

In response to the petition by Coniston House residents and the representations MERA made to the Council's Planning Enforcement Officers MERA received a letter from Owen Whalley Head of Planning and Building Control.  

In summary:

• Eastend Homes says the tarmac area is temporary and will be remediated and reinstated when construction works are complete
• Eastend Homes MUST submit an application for temporary planning permission in order for the Council to obtain local residents views and determine if the car parking arrangements are acceptable and
• issues re dust from the contaminated soil have been referred to Environmental Health

This is the relevant extract.  Right click the image to see a larger version.

Letter from Owen Whalley, Head of Planning and Development Control 28th July 2010

This page on the Council's website is where all the applications for planning permission re. the Eric and Treby Estate can be found.  This includes all applications for approval of details relating to satisfying planning conditions.

You can also check the latest status of all planning applications on our Redevelopment Page which tells you what is permited, what has been refused and what is "in progress" plus deadlines for all comments .

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Top 10 Problems with the Kerrygold Garden

Open Space 3, which contains the Kerrygold Garden, has a large number of problems which are summarised below.

MERA started out at the beginning of this week talking with local residents who were very annoyed that the garden had been "closed" making it necessary for them to move The Big Lunch from the Recipe Street Garden to the strip of grass at the edge of Eric Street (see The Big Sunday Lunch moved).  Towards the end of the week, we're now very clear that there are a significant number of problems with this development.

We've listed them below.

1. Unlawful Development:  Before any of the development can start, the architects and developers acting on behalf of EastendHomes have to satisfy the planners about a number of different planning conditions.  This development went ahead despite the fact that these conditions had not been satisfied.  The site has therefore been closed because of its unlawful development in advance of the provision of information which is required to satisfy all the pre-commencement planning conditions.  

Breach of Condition 11 (Landscaping Strategy and Management Plan)
A site visit revealed that Open Space 3 has been completed, including landscaping, prior to this condition being formally discharged.
Planning Enforcement Letter

2. Not developed according to permitted design - Somebody somewhere missed the point.  You don't go to the trouble of seeking planning permission and get designs approved so that you can then go and do the development according to a completely different design.  Permission is for the design specified in the drawing submitted with the planning application and that's all.  If you want to do something different you have to submit a revised design and get formal approval - which also requires formal consultation with local residents.
3. No formal consultation on the revised design - There's no problem about revising a design so long as you give ALL the relevant people the opportunity to comment on it.  Consultation is NOT the Project Manager asking a few people whether they agree the development should go ahead.  Formal consultation is done by the Council's Planning Department who have to ensure that everybody who needs to know has been informed. This did not happen.  Read the repurcussions in the next post.
4. MAJOR loss of amenity - due to excessive noise at night.  This week MERA has had to write to Planning to advise them about a major complaint by local residents.  The open space is now being used all night long by young men who are congregating there in groups and making a significant noise.  Residents are now finding it very difficult to sleep at night.  Residents are also very disappointed that the Safe Neighbourhood Team have done absolutely nothing to address this issue despite the fact that a Dispersal Zone is in place which includes this garden.  Recently residents chose to spend money allocated to the area for improvement - on removing the brick walls which the men used to sit on.  These were replaced with fences so the young men have moved to the tables and chairs in the garden.  The Crime Prevention Officer is very clear there should be nowhere for young men to sit.  Residents will be making representations on this issue to the Safe Neighbourhood Team at its meeting next week.  The point is the design should be designing out activities with a negative impact on local amenity rather than increasing problems for residents!!!
5. Significant loss of green open space - A very significant amount of green open space for the children to play on has been lost because the car parking area is now a lot bigger than the permitted area.  Yet again we appear to have developers who make it up as they go along. If you compare area of parking on the plan to the area of parking in reality, you'll see very quickly that the space allocated to parking has grown very significantly.  It should be about 25% of the site and instead it's more like 40% of the site

"I've yet to see a builder with a plan in his hand"
Chair of MERA

Council Approved Design for Open Space 3 - between Eric Street and Windermere House

6. Unlawful materials used.  When Councillors were approving this application, one of the points they made to residents was that they were NOT going to allow open space to be reduced unless very high quality landscaping was used on the remaining areas of open space.  They gave permission for high quality materials.  The developers have substituted with cheaper materials.  MERA has complained and EastendHomes have been told that the specified materials need to be used.  The tarmac should be removed before the development is completed and MUST be removed before all homes can be occupied (see Planning Condition 11 - Landscaping Strategy & Management Plan)

7. Site drainage has been affected - By substituting tarmac for the approved pavoirs, the ratio of permeable (water can go through) to impermeable (water sits on top) materials has been changed.  Increasing impermeable materials increases the puddles and the risk of flash floods during heavy rain.One of the reasons why there is now more flooding around the country is because more and more people have paved their gardens and the water has nowhere to go   Consequently the Council seeks the use of permeable materials whereever possible eg car parking areas and permeable materials were what it had approved.

Breach of Condition 3: Site Contamination
After conducting a site visit it is apparent that Open Space 3 has been completed and foundations have been laid at Site 14, prior to Condition 3 having been formally discharged.  I have advised the developers that Open Space 3 and site 14 must be closed

Planning Enforcement Letter

 Extract from 1895 OS Map showing Rope and Twinery Works on Open Space 3 and 4

8. Site Contamination:  We have identified from maps that the majority of Open Space 3 (and 4) used to be part of a Ropery and Twine Works. This part of the site includes all the locations where the arsenic, lead and nickel were found in the previous tests as well as the carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons which are found throughout the Eric & Treby Estate. The results of tests done by Herts & Essex Site Investigations (summarised on Appendix 1 Site Plans and Conceptual Model/Sheet 7 March 2010) very clearly indicate that Open Space 3 is the most contaminated part of the whole site.  In other words
• no amount of additional testing is going to eliminate the EXPERT tests already done in March which identified the presence of Arsenice produced the recommendation that 0.5 metres of soil needed to be removed
• None of these tests can be ignored when making an assessment about this site and reviewing the recommendations of the experts as set out in the report which has already been submitted to the Council in relation to the approval of details relating to site contamination/site remediation.  
9. Poor Garden Maintenance:  Residents have commented to MERA that the plants are not being watered properly during the hot weather.  Expert opinion suggests that some of the plants have "bolted" because of the lack of water.
10. EastendHomes doesn't have a very good track record when it comes to open space and places for children to play - (see British Street: Children must not play on this site!).  See above.

It's very depressing making lists like this - because this is the first part of the (unlawful) development and just look at how many things they've got wrong!

Hopefully by highlighting the issues we can get this changed as development proceeds on Eric & Treby.

If you want to be kept updated why not subscribe to this blog.  
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BREACH of Condition 5 Construction Management Plan

Last week, Planning Enforcement stressed to Telford Homes plc the utmost importance of getting a Construction Management Plan approved for the development on the Eric & Treby Estate as soon as possible.

Planning also closed two of the sites because of unlawful development in advance of the satisfaction of the Council's pre-commencement planning conditions for the Estate redevelopment

Two Formal Investigations: Planning Enforcement / Health & Safety

As a result of our various serious concerns about the development of the Eric & Treby Estate by Telfords Homes plc, Mile End Residents Association (MERA) has made formal written representations to:

• the Head of Planning and Development Control at Tower Hamlets Council
• the Manager of the Complaints Team at the Health and Safety Executive (London)

 Below we set out their responses to date.

Tower Hamlets - Planning Investigation and Enforcement

The detail of planning permission and planning conditions is not optional.  It's there to ensure that all developments comply with all relevant law, regulations and local planning policy.  In doing so the Planning Department ensures that developments protect, as required, the health, safety and amenity of local residents.

MERA wrote to the Head of Planning and Development Control detailing various concerns about breaches of the planning conditions.

As a result of MERA's representations, the Head of Planning and Development Control commissioned an investigation of MERA's concerns about breaches of the planning permission and planning conditions for the redevelopment of the Eric & Treby Estate at Mile End.

The intention was to take enforcement action to remedy any breaches.

Council officers met with the developers, Telfords Homes plc in an onsite meeting on 7th July and then visited the site again on 15th July.

MERA has now received a letter from the Planning Enforcement Officer conducting the investigation.

• MERA is committed to transparency and you can download the letter to read it 
• Plus you can find scans of the letter below 

The letter covers a number of issues so this week the MERA blog will have a series of posts about what the letter says and a summary of what this means.

We'll include links to ALL the subsequent posts in this post once these are published.

• BREACH of Planning Permission by Telford Homes plc

The developers have been warned that failure to adhere to the requests made to or to respond may result in enforcement action being taken.

LB Tower Hamlets Planning Enforcement Letter 16th July 2010 (3 pages)

Health and Safety Executive Investigation

We've received confirmation from the Manager of the Complaints Team at the HSE that he is satisfied from the evidence we have supplied that there is sufficient evidence for an investigation of infringements of health and safety regulations relating to construction sites.

The Operations Team local to Tower Hamlets have accepted the case.  We understand an investigation will be taking place shortly.

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This construction site is UNSAFE!

Next week the schools break up.  There will be small children playing all over EastendHomes' Eric & Treby Estate - in the middle of what we currently regard as an unsafe construction site run by Telfords Homes plc .

Yesterday, we found the gates to the site compound at the base of Ennerdale House to be wide open.  Inside was a large construction vehicle and contaminated ground which has been broken up.

So we took a photograph of the vehicle.........

 .....and the wide open gates to the site at the base of Ennerdale House.....

but then the driver spotted a MERA rep. with a camera (yet again) taking yet more photographs of things that are not as they should be.

Of course we wouldn't need to take photos of a site which was meeting all the Health and Safety Regulations for Construction Sites - but this one doesn't.......

..........and at this point the driver decided it might be a good idea to close the gates

Those would be the ones with the sign which 

clearly says "children must not play on this site" 

when the gates are closed!

We've made the point repeatedly to the Council that this site - as currently run - ignores planning permission, planning conditions, health and safety regulations and is UNSAFE.

This morning, we've invited the Council to consider again what they need to do to make with this site safe BEFORE the schools break up - next week.

MERA is now watching Site 12 in English Street

EastendHomes propose to create four affordable homes (3 beds x 5 persons) on the land adjacent to Beckley House and 2-26 English Street.  This is known as Site 12 within the Eric and Treby Street Estate redevelopment.

Yesterday Telford Homes plc were busy erecting the posts for the site hoarding - see the photo below.  As you can see they clearly come to the edge of the pavement which means that there are obviously plans to STOP residents from walking along that part of the pavement.

Now to have hoarding which disrupts pedestrian flows you need to have a Hoarding Licence. The Site Manager asserts that they have one and will be displaying it in full view when the hoarding has been erected

Our priority is to have a safe neighbourhood for the duration of the redevelopment contract.  In particular to make sure that the site is SUPER-SAFE for children during the upcoming school holidays.  

Consequently MERA is:

• checking with Tower Hamlets Council what plans have been submitted for compliance with the conditions for having site hoarding and the movement of pedestrians including children
• checking with the Highways department whether there have been any proposals to suspend the parking bays immediately outside the site to create a pedestrian walkway for those people
• expecting that ALL provision for the separation of site traffic from pedestrian traffic complies with requirements to make the public highway accessible for disabled persons who need carriageway crossovers to get up and down pavements.

The Council's website clearly states the following

Scaffolding and hoarding licence

When carrying out any building work, maintenance, or removing part of a property next to a public road, pavement or rear lane, the safety of people on the road is paramount.

You must provide safe areas at ground level or a platform at high levels. When it is necessary to place hoardings on the road/pavement around the place of work or scaffolding, you need to obtain permission from the council by completing a form together with a sketch. If you get permission, please read it carefully and make sure you adhere to all the conditions of the licence.

Basic requirements

Hoardings:

• Must be a minimum of 2.5 metres high and able to withstand high winds
• Must have illumination
• Must have a smooth finish with no protruding parts
• Must have pedestrian walkways of satisfactory width maintained or provided, and regularly inspected by the contractor

Lighting:

• Baulk timbers must be illuminated along their upper surfaces by red lights set at intervals no greater than 3 metres.
• A hoarding that is on the carriageway – or is 45cm or less from the kerb face – shall be illuminated by red lights set at intervals no greater than 3 metres. The lights shall be positioned at a height of approximately 1.8 metres.
• A hoarding which forms one side of a temporary walkway or one side of a stretch of unenclosed footway shall be illuminated by white lights set at intervals no greater than 3 metres.

We note that all work stopped after we pointed out the requirements for lighting.......

The critical issue of course is that there SHOULD be NO CONSTRUCTION OR DEVELOPMENT on this site UNTIL  the Construction Management Plan and ALL other pre-commencement planning conditions have been formally approved by the Council.

We've received professional advice that to do otherwise would invalidate the Planning Permission which would, of course, mean it would have to be applied for all over again.

The fact that the Construction Management Plan was REFUSED (see Decision Notice - REFUSED (8 June 2010) Delegated Report on reasons for refusal) means that it has to be formally resubmitted and consulted upon again.

• We have some very scathing remarks to make about the inadequacies of the Construction Management Traffic Plan which was submitted AFTER the consultation period started for the last application.
• We've also been talking with managers in the Health and Safety Executive's London Office this week and will be elaborating on the deficits in site traffic management on this construction site on a blog post next week.

To date, there has been no resubmission of a Construction Management Plan.

So nothing is going to be happening in terms of building of in Site 12 (or any of the other sites on the Eric & Treby Estate) any time soon.

The Ennerdale House Lift Emergency Number

This post is for all the people living in Ennerdale House - and those who visit.  

We've given up waiting for EastendHomes to do its job properly.

[UPDATE:  The MERA Blog works!  On 13th July around midday the appropriate signs with emergency contact details were placed in the lifts in Ennerdale House] 

Above is the sign which is now in both lifts.  It provides the Emergency Number for if the lift fails. 

Why does MERA need to do this?  Well we wouldn't need to if:

• EastendHomes responded to requests - but they don't
• EastendHomes want to make tenants and residents feel safe - but they don't 
• EastendHomes wanted to make sure everybody knew what to do if they get stuck in the lift - but they don't.

This situation was first reported after a concerned resident bought it to our attention at the recent EastendHomes Residents Conference. This was back on the 14th June.  Despite very many reminders to EastendHomes that a sign is needed in both lifts, none has been provided. How difficult is it to create a paper sign until such time as a proper one has been made?  The answer?  Not long - we found it took no more than 5 minutes to make it and less than 5 minutes to get it in both lifts.  So there you go - 10 minutes spent to make sure people aren't left stuck in a lift.

So now people using the lift have a sign.  It will stay there until

• EastendHomes start doing their job properly and 
• a proper sign is installed in each lift

If you want to make a print of the sign you can find the original here and you can download a copy of a pdf file from here

If anybody would like to volunteer to translate it we will also create and post a translation. 

PS  Should you wish to comment at any time to EastendHomes about their inability to stay on top of the job and keep basic services running please contact 020 8880 7055 and let them know exactly what you think!

PPS  EastendHomes also didn't know that Telford had cut off the water again and that Ennerdale House had no water again this morning - but that's another story........

Danger at Recipe Tree Garden - keep out!

It would appear that somebody from Eastendhomes and/or Telford Homes plc has finally got the point about the state of the site contamination at the Recipe Street Garden.

A danger sign has gone up at the fence preventing access to 

the Recipe Tree Garden sponsored by Kerrygold Butter

See our blog posts earlier this week which highlighted the problem which was being IGNORED by the people in charge of the Eric & Treby Street development

• Consultation and BBQ on contaminated garden
• Eric & Treby Estate: Site Contamination

It looks like the consultation with residents - scheduled to start today at the Recipe Street Garden - and BBQ will now have to happen somewhere else!

[UPDATE:  Apparently not.  After the danger sign and fencing was removed in the morning and transported in a very unsafe way (ie unsecured and bouncing around within inches of residents' cars) away from the site, Eastendhomes proceeded to hold its consultation day as if the contamination never existed.  Of course, unless they can provide the validation photographs about excavation of existing soil and other relevant documents for the site remediation quality control, they will be unable to discharge the planning conditions and it will have to be redone.  

In the meantime we wonder if anybody told the Kerrygold Farmers and Kerrygold Butter that they have helped to fund the landscaping of a contaminated plot.  From our perspective, while we think Kerrygold are totally brilliant for putting up the finding for community projects, we're very puzzled as to how the page on their website and the existing site contamination fits with their branding.

For the record - PA/10/01093 - Approval of Details - Site Remediation - detailing how the site is to be remediated is with Tower Hamlets Planning at the moment and is out to consultation.  It has not been approved.  The works which have taken place technically breach the planning conditions which cover site remediation]

Health and safety risks - not an isolated incident 

See also British Street: Children must not play on this site.

When is Eastendhomes going to start getting it right in the development of soft landscaping?

It's looking more and more as if we need to call for some enforcement action from Planning so that the developers start getting it right first time - and not when residents speak up about the problems and faults.


Reference:  Posts about Local Green Spaces

Eric & Treby Estate: Site Contamination

The Eric & Treby Estate is contaminated.  It's not alone.  Significant areas of land in urban London in the nineteenth and early twentieth century are also contaminated because they used to be home to industries with practices which are now not allowed.

The standards required for building land now are much higher than they used to be in the past because we now understand more about how dangerous some contaminants can be for people's health.

This post outlines what is a complex topic.  We've had to learn about it and what follows relates to a meeting with Tower Hamlets Planning and reading the detailed reports and proposals

Planning Conditions submission - Site Contamination

Before any work on the site can commence - other than site investigation works - the client and contractors have to satisfy the Planners that they can meet the planning conditions.  One of these relates to investigating the contamination of the site and making good.

The latest submission from the architects for EastendHomes to Tower Hamlets Council Planning Department, concerning the satisfaction of the planning conditions, concerns Site Contamination and Site Remediation.

If you click the link to PA/10/01093 - Approval of Details - Site Remediation (re planning conditions relating to planning permission PA/09/2065) you can see all the evidence which is being presented to the Council about:

• desk top analysis of previous contaminating industries on the site.
• evidence from 36 bore holes of the soil conditions and what has been found under the ground (this also affects what sort of arrangements need to be made for foundations)
• identification of the areas which need site remediation works
• proposals as to how the site will be cleaned up (the Site Remediation Strategy) and what quality controls will be put in place to contain dispersal of the contamination.

This is complex scientific area - but the evidence is there for you to see and comment on should you so wish.

What used to be on the Eric & Treby site

Herts and Essex Site Investigations have undertaken a survey.  They are a firm of Geotechnical and Geo-Enviromental consultants, who provide soil surveys for a wide clientele.

Their report (Phase III Remediation Strategy) indicates that they have found widespread contamination from Arsenic, Nickel, Lead and PAF contaminated soils at the Eric & Treby Estate.

The site history (page 4 para 1.2) recorded in the report is extremely ungrammatical which gives rise to concern as to the author's command of English in relation to reading and site investigation as well as writing.

The report indicates (without citing the evidence found) that the site has previously been home to a Rope Works and a chemical works.  This is why Ropery Street is so called.

This is a very likely source of the contaminants.

The very large quantity/depth of what is essentially rubble on the site is probably due to either bomb damage (this was an area which was targeted in the Blitz of 1940) or is the rubble from the demolition of older residential properties and/or factories.


Which are the sites which need remedial works?

Page 18 of the Phase III Remediation Strategy provides a plan of all the areas of soft landscaping requiring works.  As you can see it's a lot of land.  There are also more detailed plans for each site showing the area requiring remediation on top of the proposed soft landscaping.

Sites requiring remediation works

Appendix 1 Sheet 2 shows the contamination locations - and also all the proposed sample locations which were not done and for which there is no report.

Example:  The Recipe Street Garden - created without any remediation works - has registered Arsenic, Nickel, Lead and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons above the allowable levels identified in the Site Remediation Strategy (the latter can cause can cause cancer, mutation in and abnormal physiological development)

What needs to be done - the Site Remediation Strategy 

This is what the experts HESI are saying and recommending in relation to the areas of soft landscaping

Possible site Remediation Measures

Site Soils: 

• Confirmation that the entire site area is contaminated and that remedial measures are required to remove risk to all areas of soft landscaping
• Likely removal of soils within the site to remove the risk to human health
• alter the chemical state of the site soils to reduce the impact of the end use soils on the proposed receptors

Phase 11 Remediation Strategy - Site at Eric and Treby estates (para 2.5 page 8) 

Soil

The site has been classed as contaminated by Arsenic, Nickel, Lead and PAH with concentrations, whilst in place, are not significant although will require cleaning facilities and protective clothing in order to remove risk on a temporary basis to the workforce
Site Remediation Strategy Phase III Page 9 para 3.1

YET AGAIN(!) we have a plan which makes absolutely no reference to the protection of the public on a multi-site development within a high density residential area.

The identified risk based on the information gained suggests that the contamination within the site is likely to cover the whole site and, as such, all areas within the site should be considered as contaminated.....The risk within the site has been identified as within areas proposed for soft landscaping where excavation of the areas should be undertaken to remove the risk to human health
Site Remediation Strategy Phase III Page 9 para 3.1

The Remediation Strategy is incomplete as to proposed areas requiring excavation/remediation.  Paragraph 3.2 refers to a non-existent Table 1

Measures to remediate soil include:

• Half a metre of soil needs to be removed under the communal areas of soft landscaping
• 0.9 metres of soil should be removed from the area of private gardens due to the scope for people  to use the gardens to grow vegetables for eating.
• All excavation sites will need to be photographed to provide evidence of the depth of the soil removal
• After removal of soils, new soil will need to be imported and the quality of the imported soil will need to be tested.

For some unknown reason no bore holes were sunk in Brokesley Street and this is not identified as a site.  In fact it's unclear whether it has even been investigated.  The area at the rear will be used for gardens and may well also need to be excavated.  We'll be commenting on this aspect in our formal comments on the planning submission and in relation to the disturbance of the roots of the very old lime tree. 

Land Gas:  Testing is ongoing and there are no proposals as yet. 

Foundations: The report recommends foundations of at least a metre.  This is because large parts of the site are covered by rubble.  One can speculate that this might either be due to bomb damage during the war (ie the reason why large parts of Tower Hamlets have newer housing)

Capping is identified as an effective way of dealing with the sites which will be built on.

Decontamination Facilities:   Washing/cleaning facilities are to be provided attached to the office facilities for all contractors and visitors.  Everybody will be required to wash and decontaminate clothing/boots before departing from the contaminated sites

It's unclear how they get to the washing/cleaning facilities along public streets and pavements to get to the cleaning facilities for the decontamination.  Perhaps the expert advisers don't think it matters if the streets and pavements are contaminated with whatever has to be removed by cleaning? We think it does!

Site Verification Plan:  Telford Homes are to prepare a site verification plan according to Model Procedures for the Management of Contaminated Land as required by the HESI

It's entirely unclear whether this site verification plan has been prepared and completed prior to the opening of the Recipe Street Garden - a site identified as requiring remediation works.

We're not happy with the cavalier approach to Site Remediation Works demonstrated to date.  Having met with the Planners last Friday, we're happy that planning conditions can contain the contamination.  However we're not happy that actions to date have complied with the proposed actions for a Remediation Strategy.  Mile End Residents Association will be making detailed comments to Tower Hamlets Planning. 

One issue we intend to focus on is the quality control over and the validation of remediation works prior to new soft landscaping being opened to the public.  We will want to know how exactly the Recipe Street Garden has complied with the plan and, if necessary, we will be asking for an Enforcement Investigation.


Commenting on the proposal to meet the planning condition

MERA will be submitting a formal comment on the quality of the investigation , the report and the proposals

You also have the right to comment if you so wish.  

If you want to comment on the current planning submission PA/10/01093 - Approval of Details - Site Remediation you can do so by commenting online here Comment On Application or by writing to the Council

We suggest you read the documents first

The deadline for comments is 28th June 2010.

If you have any queries please contact MERA
If you have a comment please leave it below
Email MERA with photographs of your concern

Consultation and BBQ on contaminated garden

The invite from EastendHomes

EastendHomes and the Mile End Estate Management Board appear to be trying to improve their abysmal reputation for dialogue and consultation with tenants/residents by having an event to "discuss the improvements to the Estate".  However the invitation appears to have overlooked a few important facts.

EastendHomes do not listen. We can only conclude that EastendHomes suffered from complete deafness when they attended all the Strategic Development Committee meetings. 

• In no way do residents of the Estate consider the infill developments as "improvements"!  To characterise the invitation in this way is just plain insulting.  Many tenants/residents campaigned throgh five long meetings to get the developments rejected.  Perhaps this blog needs to remind Eastendhomes about how many people signed petitions, wrote letters and regularly turned out for the meetings of the SDC at the Town Hall?

 MERA protest at the Town Hall at Mulberry Place

• Proposed developments on the Estate - for both social housing and private sector housing - are way in excess of that indicated as at the time of the ballot.  Many residents have said that they would have never have voted for the transfer if they had known what was going to happen to their estate.
• The replacement of kitchens and bathrooms are also NOT improvements.  The internal works more correctly have the status of maintenance because they are required by central government to bring all the housing units on the Estate up to the mandatory "Decent Homes" standards. 

Lack of communication with ALL Tenants:  There has been no communication with the residents of Ennerdale House to date - and the consultation starts in two days time.  We got this invite from a resident of Derwent House

Lack of communication with ALL local residents:  As per usual - EastendHomes' appreciation of the impact that works to the Estate will have on all local residents is absolutely non-existent (but what's new?).  Nobody living in streets affected by the development have received invites.

Lack of awareness of Site Contamination and remediation required prior to all soft landscaping:  The consultation is to mark the formal opening of the Recipe Tree Garden (aka The Butter Garden).  It would appear that EastendHomes managers and management board have:

• NOT read the contents of the reports that their architects have commissioned.
• NOT appreciated the contents of documentation supporting the latest planning conditions submission to Tower Hamlets Council on their behalf PA/10/01093 - Approval of Details - Site Remediation
• NOT recognised that half a metre of top soil may well have to be removed from all public landscapes area on the Estate due to the presence of widespread contamination. (see Phase III Remediation Strategy)

Possible site Remediation Measures

Site Soils: 

• Confirmation that the entire site area is contaminated and that remedial measures are required to remove risk to all areas of soft landscaping
• Likely removal of soils within the site to remove thr risk to human health
• alter the chemical state of the site soils to reduce the impact of the end use soils on the proposed receptors

Phase 11 Remediation Strategy - Site at Eric and Treby estates (para 2.5 page 8)

In other words, the garden they are opening/celebrating may well have to be dismantled and soil removed to a depth of at least half a metre in order to remediate existing contamination.

A couple of good questions to start with during the consultation might be to ask

• why don't EastendHomes officers read and act on reports? and 
• why is EastendHome consultation always so poorly organised?

In the meantime we'll be blogging in future posts about the site contamination and plan for remediation works prior to our formal comments on the application for approval of details to satisfy the planning conditions