Agenda item

To receive any public questions received in accordance with Executive Procedure Rule 49 (Part 4D of the Constitution).

Questions will be asked in the order in which they were received.  There will be a time limit of 15 minutes for the asking and answering of public questions.

[The deadline for receipt of public questions is 3.00 pm, Friday 22 February 2019.  Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk

No person may submit more than one question].

RESOLVED:  To note that 2 public questions were received and responded to as set out below:

Public Question 1

Questioner: John Cobb

Asked of:      Councillor Keith Ferry, Chair of the Major Developments Panel

Question:  What is the Council’s position and what representations have been made regarding the development of greenbelt land both east and west of Oxhey Lane right up to the London Borough of Harrow boundary by Three Rivers Council as part of their 20 year proposals for new residential development areas?

Chair’s Response:  Three Rivers District Council undertook an informal consultation at the end of last year on sites that had been put forward by land owners and development for consideration for residential development.  As the foreword to the consultation document notes:  ‘None of the sites have been agreed or indeed discussed by Councillors.  No sites have been ruled in or ruled out’.

The two sites to the west of Oxhey Lane were previously considered but not allocated for development in the current Three Rivers Local Plan.  The sites to the east of Oxhey Lane have more recently been put forward in response to a ‘call for sites’ by Three Rivers’ as part of preparing their new Local Plan.

All of these sites are located in Green Belt, for which the National Planning Policy Framework indicates there is a strong presumption against inappropriate development.  Proposals for these sites to be allocated for residential purposes as part of the new Local Plan would need to be fully evidenced and justified by Three Rivers District Council and subject to independent examination.  At present Three Rivers District Council have not indicated whether the sites will be taken forward for potential residential development; this will become evident when Three Rivers’ publishes its draft Local Plan later this year.

Consequently Harrow does not have a position on these sites other than to note the presumption against development on Green Belt and that any changes in Green Belt boundaries require exceptional circumstances that are fully evidenced and justified.  We will review any proposals and supporting evidence and justification when available.

Public Question 2

Questioner:  David Summers

Asked of:      Councillor Keith Ferry, Chair of the Major Developments Panel

Question:      The recent second public exhibition of the so-called step free access proposals for the redevelopment of the Harrow-on-the-Hill station area confirmed that it is planned to have a lift at both the north and south entrances - the latter subject to funding.  There would be no escalators from street level to concourse level.  The current steps are steep and non-compliant.  There was no consistency in response to the question - will the existing north and south steps be replaced.  There also appears to be no direct pedestrian access to the new bus station without crossing a bus lane and no direct pedestrian access to St. Ann’s Centre without descending to street level and crossing College Road.  This is not a 21^st Century development.

Will the Council insist that the existing north and south concourse steps be replaced in the absence of escalators, an independent review is carried out to determine the adequacy of the lifts at all times, and ensure that pedestrians are segregated from all traffic?

Chair’s Response:

With regards to the concourse steps, these are currently proposed to remain as existing on the northern side; however there are ongoing design discussions with regard to the southern side steps and the feasibility of providing this as part of the redevelopment. The only works proposed to the station is for the step free access which is to be funded through the redevelopment. There are no proposals to make any changes to the underground station internally itself. However Officers are working with the design team to ensure the environment leading to the station on both the north and south is improved in terms of its street presence and pedestrian environment.

The lifts to be installed would be designed to be suitable as a passenger lifts adequate to serve the development. However, the technical specification of such would remain outside of the remit of planning legislation; the only requirement would be to ensure that the dimensions of such meet the minimum requirements set out in the Council’s Access for All guidance, which will be considered as part of any formal planning application. 

Direct access to the bus station from the underground station is not feasible due to the level changes and the need to ensure that buses are able to turnaround in the direction of travel. However, through appropriate layout and landscaping, sufficient safeguards would be incorporated to ensure that adequate pedestrian crossings are incorporated within the design.  Direct access to St Anns Centre would not be feasible due to a number of reasons, specifically, the level changes between the buildings, the different land ownerships, funding of such and maintaining appropriate vehicle/ bus access along College Road.