Proposed blocks of flats on Barry Road and Etherow Street

[Lawboy]

Anybody have views on the proposed two blocks of flats (25 units of 1, 2 & 3 beds with underground parking for 24 cars) that were shown off by the developers last night at the public ehibition held in the Church at the top of Barry Road?

The buildings are to replace the three modern houses at the top of Barry Road and the corner of Etherow Street.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

Sounds horrible.

I thought it was for the hostel at first, but it's accross the road.

Isn't there a public meeting soon to hear views about it?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Got the details through last week - I quite like the modern houses at the top of Barry. That said the flats don't seem so bad - but 20+ extra cars in such a small space are going to find the entrance to Barry Rd a "challenge" I would have thought

[Lawboy]

The proposed buildings cover have a far greater footprint than the buildings which are being replaced.

There are concerns regarding traffic as the proposed driveway is right opposite the bus stand for the 40 and 12 on a tight and congested road next to St Anthony's school.

The blocks are planned to be built right up to the join with the public pavement, despite the fact the current building line for much if not all of Barry Road has the buildings set back from the public/private boundary. This may mean the loss of the mature trees on the pavement outside the properties whcih would be a shame and mean the building will have a far greater visual impact than the current three houses set back behind trees and gardens.

[bawdy-nan]

They should ditch the carpark plan and link up with a carpool provider.

[Pugwash]

At the 'consultation' - attended by various residents of Barry Road and Etherow Street the objections to the scheme were;

Design of building proposed, although we were informed that this was an artist impression and could change.

Size being out of character with rest of street.

Entrance for cars in Etherow Street which is one way, and very busy with not just the bendy buses every 5-10 mins. but nos. 40, 176, 197 and the odd 185. The mini buses (around 6 of them) in and out of Barry House Hostel, at least 100 vehicles using Etherow St between 8.30 - 9.15 for the school run , often double parked.

Underground parking - this is a high subsidence area which has been made worse by the heavy traffic in Barry and Etherow, digging down this deep could have effect on foundations of other property.

When Richard Balfe Euro MP owned house, he had some building work done and rubble entered into the sewage system causing other houses with cellars in Barry Rd to flood with raw sewage. Many of the top end of Barry have combined sewers (linking 3 houses with one sewage outlet) We not only had sewage in cellar, but because the main manhole was in our front garden, sewage spilled out into garden and into the road.

I gather that St.Anthonys School, whose grounds back onto all three houses, are unhappy with the proposals as school will be overshadowed and lessons several disrupted during 15/16 months of constructions.

The Barry Area Residents' Association also leafleted the area as they found some residents had not been informed of the proposals or the consultation meeting. If requested by local residents, they will call a public meeting.

The problem is that Government Housing Policy is such that local councils cannot always turn down a scheme outright. There has to be an element of affordable housing ( which Bradfield properties say will be some of the 1/2 bed flats and the 3 bed units) There will be various eco features incoporated i.e. solar panels, sedum roof etc.

From experience with other planning issues, local residents need to come up with alternative proposals as to what can be developed on site by Bradfield properties. The corner house (the ex Balfe/ex GP surgery) was on market for over ?800.000

and would imagine the other 2 houses (all with large gardens) would have cost at least another ?800.000 jointly. Bradfield currently have tenants occupying a couple of the houses, and will want to vastly increase their profit margins with new build. An alternative solution would be to have 3 bed houses there, I imagine you could proabably get 10 on that site - visually better than a solid mass of 3 storey flats, and probably more acceptable to local residents.

Also, next to St.Anthonys on the Barry Road side there is an electricity sub station. The last major build in the area- henslowe/Underhill Road - the contractors managed to cut off the electricity and gas to an elderly tenant for several days, damaged the foundations of several houses in Henslowe , disregarded H & S with insufficient shoring up the excavations. And caused havoc with the water pressure.

[DaveR]

I thought there was a covenant covering the whole of Barry Road which required buildings to be set back a minimum distance from the street?

[Keef]

I'm just surprised that they are still trying to put new builds everywhere even now.

[Pugwash]

WHERE WOULD YOU FIND SUCH A COVENANT? I ASSUME THIS WOULD BE IN THE DEEDS OF HOUSE? IF YOU DID A REGISTRY OFFICE SEARCH WOULD THIS SHOW UP?

[Amelie]

Yes, covenants are on the title deeds and these can be downloaded from the Land Registry site for a small fee.

[DaveR]

A covenant would be recorded on the deed and would appear either in full or in summary on the register - you can get copies of both extracts from the register and of deeds from the Land Registry

[Jamma]

I missed the consultation unfortunately. Is there anywhere else I can see the plans, artists impressions etc? The subsidence and traffic issues seem obvious problems on the face of it. Plus the fact the property market is going nowhere.

[Lawboy]

Jamma, if you want contact the developer for the plans the website is: http://www.bradfieldproperties.co.uk/

[Lawboy]

Nethouseprices.com states that both 257 Barry Road and 259 appear to have been bought in August last year, 259 for ?992,500 and 257 for ?425,000. There is no mention of the purchase of 21 Etherow street which is the other address to be developed.

[Pugwash]

I wonder if the planning department will check the covenants? I did hear that 21 Etherow Street was originally part of 259's garden. The owners of 21 Etherow lived in 259 whilst 21 was built.

[Jamma]

Is 21 Etherow St the nice house next to the school set back from the road? Or is it the house on the corner that is deemed Etherow St by some bizarre addressing issue like so many houses in east dulwich seem to be?

[Lawboy]

The house on the corner is 259 Barry Road so I guess 21 Etherow Street is the house next to the school.

[Ko]

Pugwash Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> > Underground parking - this is a high subsidence

> area which has been made worse by the heavy

> traffic in Barry and Etherow, digging down this

> deep could have effect on foundations of other

> property.

The last major build in the area- henslowe/Underhill Road -

> the contractors managed to cut off the electricity

> and gas to an elderly tenant for several days,

> damaged the foundations of several houses in

> Henslowe , disregarded H & S with insufficient

> shoring up the excavations. And caused havoc with

> the water pressure.

Would like to see proposals as to how developer will deal with and avoid these potential problems.

I think the council needs to look at other problems that have been encountered in the vicinity (eg re subsidence and damage to the foundations of other houses) and assess likelihood in this development - which will have an underground car park. Prevention is better than cure.

Also, I think I read elsewhere on the forum that regarding Mr Banfield's wood yard on Barry Rd, houses are being built rather than flats because the council thought that there was a need for more houses rather than flats.

[SteveT]

5 houses on Banfield site is expected.

[Lawboy]

The Barry Area Residents Association are holding a public meeting at 7.30pm tomorrow (9 July) to disucss the proposals and possible alternatives to the developer's plan. It will be held in the rear hall of the Church at the top end of Barry Road.

[BARA]

Yes - we are, have only got the hall until 9 pm so we need people to be concise. Having spoken to various councillors etc we have been advised that as well as objections to the scheme, southwark planners will look more faviourably to 'protesters' if they come up with an alternative proposal/suggestions. I gather that the Banfield Woodyard site was given thrumbs up as it provided family 2/3 bedroom accommodation which many new builds are not catering for. East Dulwich has seen loads of flats being built in the smallest of spaces (Landells Road/Lordship lane end) and familys are not being catered for. BARA have suggested that since the developers have forked out around ?2 million they will want a high profit margin. Given the depth of the site you could get 2 rows of houses on the Barry/Etherow site. feedback from local residents have pointed to serious concerns re subsidence as many have quoted the collapse of road surfaces in Friern Road and Etherow Street due to the increased buses. Another resident has voiced concern over the underground car park as an attraction to local drug dealers/anti social youths who are currently gathering in the area surrounding Friern and Etherow. Those of you who hope to attend - it would be helpful if you could also write your objections and any alternative

suggestions down just in case we do not have time to hear everyone's view. We will collect all papers at close of meeting.

Bradfields have applied for outline planning consent - see yellow posters outside 359 and 278 Barry Road. BARA will submit a collective viewpoint from meeting but it would help if individuals also write in.

See you at the meeting.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

i think the plan sounds horrible, but why do you say the kids who hang about in the Friern and Etherow area are druggies or anti-social? I know a lot of them and they are just ordinary kids from the area.

Please don't start you witch hunt scare tactics again as it may backfire and alienate the very people you need to get on board, ie local residents, some of whom happen to have teenage kids.

[BARA]

I was just quoting from the letter we received from a local resident - who mentioned that this was happening in the block of flats he/she lived in. Just posting some of the comments received - this was one person's perception of a situation, it is not necessary that of all other residents. Most of the other comments received were about privacy, noise during construction, increased traffic flow, the properties over looking the school and blocking out light, subsidence, buildings not complimenting the character and appearance of the neighbourhood, possible increase in accidents especially during building phases. I gather TFL would like to put another bus stand in Etherow but have admitted there is insufficient room. The person who mentioned the young people, had other comments to make about the area, which were fairly negative, but bore no relevance to the proposed development.

[Jamma]

Have to agree that best to leave the 'anti-social' kids out of this, it's an argument that simply can never be backed up whether true or not.

I'd like to come to the meeting but can't make it as other half is out so I'm in charge of the baby. Will you be reporting what is said somewhere - either on this forum or on a Bara page somewhere?

The subsidence issue seems to be a deal breaker. I'm thinking about looking into whether I can sue somebody because I'm sure my house is falling apart due to the number of buses going past. The council is doing roadworks on Etherow St soon and I think it's repairing the hump at the end of the road that they've not long put there, within weeks it busted up by the volume of bus traffic. A block of flats with an underground car park surely won't stand a chance.

[BARA]

Bring the baby along - all BARAs meetings are 'family friendly'!

I did hear that one of the local papers will be there - they rang one of our members and checked out details of the venue.

Unfortunately it is a full council meeting tonight so no councillors from any ward will be attending.

I will write up what happened - however from previous experience, someone will take objection to what I report.

I have been advised to concentrate on objections to the proposed outcome - planning are not interested in interuption of daily lives during building stages.Alternative proposals for site or different type of development. But a good point to quote that it is unalikely developers will recoup money easily as given info from other EDF threads flats etc are selling very slowly.