9 August (Part 1) - Bexley Council; despoiling New Road, Abbey Wood
The lower end of New Road on the Western side is a nice mix of 1930s style houses
and bungalows all of different design. A road of some character and charm. When
the resident of No. 16 died it was passed to her son who at first rented it and
inevitably it began to fall into a state of dilapidation. He sought
permission to turn it into a a block of flats with a pre-existing edifice at the
back end of the garden to become a chalet. On that latter proposal the application was turned down.
A second application was submitted and the chalet became a storage area for
bicycles and the bungalow a three storey block of nine flats. The rear
garden becomes a car park for seven vehicles. Several long established trees
have to go.
It was accepted that vehicles emerging into New Road with its 30+
buses an hour was regarded as a potential hazard but no one really cared.
The plan ran counter to planning guidance in respect of both distances and light
and as one has come to expect of Bexley officers, the planning spokesperson was
particularly unimpressive.
The Councillors present were Mrs. June Slaughter, Peter Reader, Chris Ball,
Frazer Brooks, Kurtis Christoforides, Larry Ferguson, Baljeet Gill, Howard
Jackson, Rags Sandhu, Cameron Smith and Nicola Taylor. June had several
misgivings, about parking in particular, and Nicola Taylor was rightly concerned about the
destruction of 100 years of tasteful development.
Nevertheless, everyone voted to approve the desecration of New Road and destroy
the heritage of 100 years. Why did they risk the wrath of every resident of New
Road? Because there is no way they could have won against a costly appeal. Sadiq
Khan is wrecking London in so many ways.
London needs houses, the population is growing too fast. Khan needs
more voters.
Note: This blog is a repeat. Yesterday’s was written
piecemeal during the day and New Road was relegated to the bottom of the list
while arguably the only subject that warranted a blog.