Agenda and minutes

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)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

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:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:-

Agenda Item 12 – Priorities and Progress

·         Councillors David Ashton and Marilyn Ashton declared personal interests in that they lived next to Bentley Priory.

·         Councillor Mrs Margaret Davine declared a personal interest in that she was a Councillor for Edgware Ward in which the Prince Edward Playing Fields was situated.

·         Councillor Susan Hall declared a personal interest in that her business was situated on Wealdstone High Street.

·         Councillor Paul Osborn, who was not a Member of the Panel, declared a personal interest in that the Vaughan Centre was situated in Pinner Ward in which he lived.

Accordingly, they would all remain in the room whilst the matter was considered and voted upon.

[Notes:  (i)  Councillor Marilyn Ashton clarified that her interest was personal rather than prejudicial because the report before the Panel was for noting only and did not relate to the RAF Bentley Priory Supplementary Planning Document on which she had declared a prejudicial interest at the Local Development Framework meeting on 23 January 2007;

(ii)  Councillor Paul Osborn left the meeting prior to the consideration of agenda item 12].

That the minutes of the meetings of the Town Centre Project Panel held on 1 August 2006 and 26 September 2006 (being the predecessor body to this Panel) be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

[Note:  The minutes are published on the Council's intranet and website].

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meetings of the Town Centre Project Panel, held on 1 August and 26 September 2006, being the predecessor body to this Panel, be taken as read and signed as correct records.

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 Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Panel for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2006/07.

Further to a change in the membership of the Panel agreed at the Cabinet meeting on 18 January 2007, it was

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Susan Hall be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Panel for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2006/07.

To appoint Mrs Joanne Verden of the Harrow Heritage Trust as a non-voting adviser to the Panel in place of Mr Baj Mathur for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2006/07.

RESOLVED:  That Mrs Joanne Verden, representing the Harrow Heritage Trust, be appointed as a non?voting adviser to the Panel, in place of Mr Baj Mathur, for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2006/07.

To note that the Cabinet, at its meeting held on 9 November 2006, renamed the Town Centre Project Panel as the Town Centre and Major Projects Panel and agreed the revised terms of reference attached herewith.

RESOLVED:  To note that Cabinet, at its meeting held on 9 November 2006, renamed the Town Centre Project Panel as the Town Centre and Major Projects Panel and agreed the revised terms of reference circulated with the agenda.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Procedure Rules 16, 14 and 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution) respectively.

Report of the Director of Planning Services (Urban Living).

[There will be a presentation by Urban Initiatives on this item.]

The Panel received a presentation from Urban Initiatives, a consultant design team appointed by the Council to prepare a Public Realm Strategy for Harrow Town Centre and to work on related projects, such as the Urban Design Framework and the Access and Movement Study.

A representative of Urban Initiatives stated that the ethos of the company was to make cities ‘work’.  He outlined, with the aid of the presentation slides, improvements carried out by the company to rejuvenate and redesign cities so that the various functions could co?exist and realise mutual benefits.

Public Realm Strategy

Members were briefed on the initial themes for Harrow Town Centre, which would:

·                     create new spaces and routes;

·                     break down physical barriers, such as the ring road around Harrow, to unite the Centre;

·                     connect residential streets to encourage walking and reduce congestion;

·                     create active and ‘live’ frontages and avoid blank facades by carrying out a visibility analysis study to ensure that the retail units were located in the most appropriate place;

·                     create a positive and distinct identity and bring Civic pride.

Additionally, the proposals would improve connections to the stations, deliver quality and manageable public spaces, deliver arts culture and a night time economy whilst ensuring that all development was sustainable.

Urban Design Framework

Members were informed that Urban Initiatives’ remit was to create a seamless interchange between the public transport links, make them ‘inviting’ and accessible to all.  Pedestrian routes would expand and the future of retail near Debenhams and at the junction of Station Road/Sheepcote Road would be examined.

Consultation

Steering Groups would initially be established followed by stakeholder consultation culminating in a public consultation exercise in April 2007.

The Director of Planning Services stated that Urban Initiatives would build on the work previously proposed for Harrow Town Centre, which would help transform the Town Centre into a distinctive and attractive environment.  This would help change the face of Harrow and realise the Council’s ambition to make it an attractive place to live and work.  Resources were available in the Council’s Capital Programme to carry out improvements to the public realm.  Financial support would also come from the Transport for London (TfL) and investment for the private sector.

In opening the presentation to discussion, Members and advisers made the following remarks:-

·                     all modes of transport ought to be investigated.  It was noted that Urban Initiatives’ remit did not go beyond Harrow Town Centre;

·                     a de-cluttered Town Centre was essential;

·                     there should be an emphasis on walking;

·                     seamless interchange between stations was of paramount importance;

·                     to be mindful of the fact that taking traffic away from cities created policing problems;

·                     stations should be inviting and accessible to all;

·                     the schemes ought to be do?able and delivered in the short?term;

·                     projects should be connected to Harrow’s rich history and its historical buildings;

·                     the youth ought to be accommodated in the Town Centre.

In response, the representative from Urban Initiatives and the Director of Planning Services assured the Panel that:-

·                     elected representatives from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

Joint report of the Executive Director (Urban Living) and the Director of Planning Services (Urban Living).

The Director of Planning Services introduced the report, which set out details of a range of projects that had strategic importance and were currently being pursued.  The projects would have an impact on the Borough in terms of the range of services available to the community, their physical presence and environmental impact.

The Director stated that the projects would drive the Council’s Corporate Priorities and objectives forward.  To assist the Panel, he circulated plans to show the location of the sites and how they were linked.

Members were informed that monitoring reports would be submitted to the Panel, including a programme setting out milestones for various proposals.

In response to questions from Members, the Director stated that:-

·                     Harrow College had received funding approval for re?provision of its buildings and that the news could be considered as a foundation towards rejuvenating Harrow Town Centre;

·                     Quintains and Dandara – the two major landowners surrounding Harrow?on?the?Hill station – were working closely on the proposals for the redevelopment of 51 College Road (also known as the Old Post Office site).  A revised planning application, in accordance with the Council’s Strategic Planning Guidance, was expected;

·                     any relocation of the Leisure Centre would be within its existing site;

·                     rationalisation of the Kodak site was proceeding with building demolition.  The site would be reconfigured and further details were expected in April 2007;

·                     the current users of Anmer Lodge would be relocated before any development work commenced;

·                     consultations in relation to the developments at Prince Edward and William Ellis playing fields were not considered to be within the remit of the Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Panel.  The Chairman undertook to look into this;

·                     Urban Initiatives, a consultant design team appointed to prepare, inter alia, a Public Realm Strategy for Harrow Town Centre, would investigate the potential of Havelock Place;

·                     whilst it was intended to ‘smarten up’ the Wealdstone High Street and Station Road corridors, the Council’s powers in relation to rejuvenating old buildings were limited.  An advisory member was of the view that the Station Road corridor was an important artery and ought to be widened because of the congestion which impeded the free flow of buses;

·                     the size of the various sites listed in the officer report would be provided to Members.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the report be noted;

(2) the comments set out in the preamble be noted and taken into account in progressing the projects;

(3) the Executive Director (Urban Living) and the Director of Planning Services be commended for their work to revitalise sections of the Borough.