Agenda and minutes

Cabinet, at its meeting held on 11 November 2004, had received information on the Public Realm proposals for Clarendon Road, including details of the issues outstanding which needed to be resolved before taking a decision on whether or not to proceed with the proposals.

Your Panel has now considered a confidential report of the Director of Strategic Planning which addressed those issues.  The report and the concept developed by Alsop & Partners, consultants appointed by the Council to oversee its preparation, set out the bespoke approach to improvements to Clarendon Road which would help establish Clarendon Road as a safe, welcoming north/south route.  Additionally, the proposals would address the poor environment of a key pedestrian route and set a standard for creating a distinctive Town Centre environment.

In noting that the outstanding issues had now been resolved, your Panel noted the projected costs of maintenance of the proposed ‘Hanging Gardens’ over the life of the scheme, which had also been reviewed.  Your Panel was advised that this pilot scheme would enable officers to predict with greater certainty the costs of rolling out similar proposals across the Town Centre.

Your Panel discussed the problem of anti-social behaviour and how these would be overcome.  In this regard, your Panel was informed that CCTV coverage along Clarendon Road would help deter anti-social behaviour.  Your Panel noted that additional CCTV had been identified and that care would be taken to ensure that ‘hiding places’ were not created.

Whilst there was some concern from Members of your Panel that the advertisement panels might attract graffiti, they were satisfied that this problem could be overcome by applying the same principles as those applied when the mural on the bridge in Wealdstone had been designed and which had involved the local community.

Your Panel also noted that the capital costs associated with the Clarendon Road scheme would potentially have revenue implications on other budgets.

In noting the various comments made by Members, your Panel was unanimous in recommending this exciting project which would contribute towards the Council’s vision for Harrow Town Centre.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (To Cabinet)

That the proposal for environmental and public realm improvements in Clarendon Road proceed, subject to the provision in the 2005/06 Capital Programme.

Reason for Recommendation:  To address the poor environment in Clarendon Road, raise the profile of the Town Centre, and develop a distinctive public realm.

At the commencement of the meeting, the duly appointed Chair, Councillor Burchell, (see Minute 36 below), was not present.

RESOLVED: That Councillor O’Dell be appointed Chair of the Panel for the purposes of this meeting.

[Note:  Councillor Burchell subsequently attended the meeting for the items reflected at Recommendation 1 and Minutes 45, 46 and 47 but declined to assume the Chair; Councillor O’Dell therefore retained the appointment as Chair conferred by Minute 35 for the duration of the meeting].

To note that Cabinet at its meeting on 11 November will be making the appointment to this office.

The Labour Group has nominated Councillor Burchell to this office.

RESOLVED:  To note the formal appointment at the Cabinet meeting on 11 November 2004 of Councillor Burchell as Chair of the Panel for the remainder of the 2004/05 Municipal Year.

To consider the appointment of a Vice-Chair for the Panel for the remainder of the 2004/05 Municipal Year.

The Labour Group has nominated Councillor O’Dell to this office.

Councillor O’Dell was nominated and seconded. No other nominations were received. Upon being put to a vote, it was

RESOLVED:  To appoint Councillor O’Dell as Vice-Chair of the Panel for the remainder of the 2004/05 Municipal Year.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             after notifying the Chair at the start of the meeting.

RESOLVED: To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED: To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED: That all items be considered with the press and public present with the exception of the following items for the reason set out below:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2004, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2004, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Executive Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED: To note that there were no petitions submitted to this meeting.

To receive any public questions received in accordance with paragraph 15 of the Executive Procedure Rules.

RESOLVED: To note that there were no public questions to be received under the provisions of Executive Procedure Rule 15.

Report of the Director of Strategic Planning

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Strategic Planning setting out the preliminary results of the consultation on the Harrow?on?the?Hill draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) and the draft Town Centre Development Strategy. 

The Director of Strategic Planning informed Members that all responses, from whatever source, had been given an equal weighting.  He added that officers would be examining the following two particular issues, where the balance of opinion was inconclusive:

·                     the link between Harrow Town Centre and Harrow-on-the-Hill

·                     the notion/concept of a landmark development.

He stated that whilst the report provided an early opportunity to Members to comment on the results of the public consultation, a detailed analysis of the comments received would be presented to the next meeting of the Panel.

In noting the report, Members made the following remarks:

·                     that careful consideration would be required prior to the Council agreeing to proceed with the landmark development, as illustrated in the SPG during the consultation process;

·                     that the landmark development which had been accepted by the Panel as a concept only might need to be re-visited/re-examined;

·                     that the landmark development which appeared to be controversial had engaged the press and the public, which ought to be seen positively;

·                     that the results were not typical in that there was a clear divergence of opinion on some issues.

In order to assist Members in further understanding the results of the consultation, the Director of Strategic Planning undertook to provide an analysis of the responses received through each of the different consultation methods used.  He added that the landmark development would be dependent on the chosen developer(s) and the Council at a later stage.  He explained that whilst there would be some delay in the adoption of the SPG, the ‘critical path’ of the project was still on target.  However, this was also dependent on the other key stakeholders.  He also undertook to provide a revised draft timetable.

Members agreed that the results of the consultation ought to be published on the Council’s web?site, and that it should be made known that the signature development was only a concept and not a proposal at this stage.

RESOLVED:  To note the preliminary results of the consultation on the Harrow?on?the?Hill draft Supplementary Planning Guidance and the draft Town Centre Development Strategy.

Reason for Decision:  To advise the Panel of the response to public consultation and ensure that progress is maintained in preparing the SPG.

Report of the Director of Strategic Planning

See Recommendation 1.

Report of the Director of Strategic Planning

The Director of Strategic Planning provided an oral briefing to the Panel on the discussions he had had with Transport for London (TfL) and Dandara Ltd, owners of the former Post Office site.  He agreed to circulate the correspondence he had received from them regarding the draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) for land at Harrow-on-the-Hill Station.

Discussions with TfL

The Director of Strategic Planning informed the Panel that TfL had been generally supportive of the Council’s proposals and that it had sought further details which would form part of the discussion he would be having with TfL during the following week.

Discussions with Dandara Ltd

The Director of Strategic Planning reported that Dandara Ltd was working on its own proposals for the old Post Office site, which it now owned.

Harrow College

The Director of Strategic Planning informed the Panel that Harrow College was working on their accommodation strategy and that it was also holding discussions with the Learning & Skills Council. He added that Council officers were working on the proposals for the Performing Arts Space and that a report would be presented to the next meeting of the Panel.

RESOLVED:  To note the report of the Director of Strategic Planning on the discussions held with the stakeholders.

It having been noted that a meeting would not be required until January/February 2005, officers undertook to set up some reserve dates and consult Members.

RESOLVED:  To note that a meeting would not be required until January/February 2005.