The fact remains that the decision whether to build or not on the Canal Club space was taken by Tower Hamlets Council without consultation with the tenants and residents of the Wellington Estate, to whom the land was given by the Greater London Council.

The Save Our Space E2 Campaign and the TRA, as Cllr Blake knows, have stated throughout their support for genuinely affordable council housing to be built in Tower Hamlets. However, we would point out that ‘building on former garages and former service centres’ as Cllr Blakes states the Council has done, is a very different proposition from building on public, open space land which has been given to an estate expressly for recreation and on which there is already a community hall, community garden and ball park.

The need for social housing and open, green space should not be seen as opposing choices, for both are needed, nor can the proposition of ‘re-providing’ be deemed the same as retaining the original space. The play spaces which is an option in the proposed new build scheme, would need to be included to meet the new build planning requirements, and not as a favour to the TRA. The statement that existing facilities will be ‘re-provided’ in practice will constitute a loss of existing green and open space to which, at present, tenants and residents from the estate and surrounding area have free physical access. The Tower Hamlets Open Space Strategy 2017, notes that: green and open space is ‘linked to greater levels of physical activity and associated health benefits ‘(pg75) St Peter’s Ward is predicted to have a high level of open space. deficiency across the next 13 years (figs 48-49); and a strategy for addressing this deficiency in the ward is noted as ‘improved connectivity with existing sites’. (fig49) The Chest Hospital development, also on the same road, will lead to higher density in the area.

This is not the first programme of infill housing on the Wellington Estate. There have been several. Unfortunately, they leave a permanent state of ‘catch-up’ as regards communal facilities. Each of these schemes has lost the estate the resource of pockets of land and other useful facilities. For example, the Peabody, Lark Row development was supposed to fund a bridge to Victoria Park to mitigate not providing play space within the scheme. This didn’t happen.

Cllr Blake’s remark about ‘the absence of key information’ is misplaced because the context in which Sarah Winman conducted the interviews was, unlike the requirements of a formal meeting, one in which the concerns of the participants regarding the proposals could be expressed. Tower Hamlets Council appointed architects, who approached the TRA, the Community Canal Club Garden and other organisations in the area with their brief to make plans for building on the site and as Cllr Blake says, ‘consultation events took place in 2018 led by LBTH planning officers.’

However, her letter lacks key information in that a majority of tenants and residents expressed opposition to the proposals and the TRA expressed concern at the way the consultation had been conducted. Subsequently, another team of consultants was appointed and again many of those who attended the ‘consultations’ expressed their opposition to building on the site and reiterated the formal position of the TRA and the Campaign, Save Our Space E2 which was to refurbish the Canal Club and not build on the site.

Unbeknown to local residents, the Council made the decision to build on the land based on a Feasibility Study (September 2017), which presented the cases for a) Refurbishing the current, Canal Club building or b) Re-developing the entire site. However, the TRA believe that the report was biased towards the re-development (Option ‘b’), and that figures were based on some seemingly inaccurate observations. These included: (1) a 50% contingency added to refurbishment, but not to redevelopment costs, (2) a £17,000 estimate for painting the building, (3) the building being incorrectly stated as ten years older than it was, which in return could suggest asbestos was an issue here.

Furthermore, Rushanara Ali, Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow, raised the issue of the Canal Club Community Garden with the Mayor John Biggs in May and the Canal Club Community Garden is still awaiting a response.

Historically the site was an ‘open space’. It was bought by the Greater London Council as part of the GLC Canal Way Parks programme. The architect for the original building was Julian Sofaer, who died last year, and this may be his only surviving Tower Hamlets building. His Pevsner entry mentions include Hugh Myddleton school in Islington (http://www.modernism-in-metroland.co.uk/hugh-myddleton-ps.html).

In summary, we think that a better use of the Canal Club Site is to recognise its value to the estate and locality as a Tower Hamlets Open Space such that it engages with the borough’s Strategic Priority of a ‘borough that our residents are proud of and love to live in.’

We hope Cllr Blake and the Mayor do listen to residents’ call to refurbish, not demolish the Canal Club site.

The article states: ‘These schemes are becoming common practise by councils, who target sites – usually recreational – on existing estates and build further.’

In Tower Hamlets, ‘these schemes’ are providing genuinely affordable homes for families on Tower Hamlets housing register. The statement ‘usually recreational’ implies a majority of sites are recreational. Currently, the council is building or has received planning permission for 240 genuinely affordable council homes on its own sites. Of these 183 were on former garages and 57 were on former service centres which have moved or been re-provided.

The article also states: ‘The proposal for the Wellington Estate is to demolish the Canal Club and remove the open space and community asset it provides. This is to construct a further twenty-two flats on an already densely populated estate which was built in the thirties as an answer to slum clearance – basically, it is taking space from those who have little to start with.’

The final number of genuinely affordable council homes has not been confirmed and the open space and garden will be re-provided. The community centre will also be re-provided as will the community co-operative nursery (so that they both have independent space, an improvement on the current situation). The homes would be genuinely affordable to people on the Tower Hamlets housing register. This is providing homes and space to those who do not have any.

The article refers to: ‘the council’s lack of transparency and openness to discussion.’

I have met with several of the residents mentioned in your article and have been open to discussion, as have council staff. 2 consultation events took place in 2018 – these were the 1st sessions of 2 planned rounds of consultation. One of these sessions was a drop-in and the other was a ‘Community Forum’ led by LBTH planning officers. The steering group (comprising the E2 Collective, the Wellington TRA, Grand Union Residents Association and Scallywags Nursery) met 31 January 2019 and I attended.

As the consultation process has been a cause of concern, the Steering Group discussed the format of the final consultation events. As a result of this, the council commissioned a range of events to boost community engagement. The design of the potential new community centre has also been raised as an issue for discussion and it is hoped that the residents’ requirements for the new community centre can be explored in the consultation.

The article states: ‘she believes the present council had a responsibility to share their ideas with the residents. The irony is not lost on her too, that Tower Hamlets say they are an Climate Emergency Council and yet are taking away the only green public space on the estate.’

As I’ve already mentioned, the council has shared these ideas in an open steering group and engagement events for the last 18 months. In addition to the engagement which has taken place so far, the proposals would be subject to a planning application and the residents would be able to respond to the proposals as part of statutory processes.

The green space would be re-provided and the Council would comply with National, Regional and Local Planning policy which require climate mitigation measures and buildings which reduce or eliminate carbon emissions.

The Councils proposals at this site include a community centre, a community garden, a new ball court, a new nursery and new genuinely affordable council Homes.

With approximately 10,000 households living in Temporary Accommodation or Overcrowded homes, the council is committed to delivering genuinely affordable new homes and this location offers a chance to provide something to those who do not currently have a home. As providing new homes was a core element of our manifesto, there is a clear mandate to pursue a programme of council homes.

Please do let me know if you would like any more information or to discuss this.

Thank you,

Rachel

Cllr Rachel Blake

Labour Councillor – Bow East

Deputy Mayor – Planning, Tackling Poverty and Air Quality

LB Tower Hamlets

the local residents, kids, mums, dads and the many animals and insects that

live and breed in this lovely wild garden area. I walk by the garden at least

twice a day and the anticipation of reaching glorious Victoria Park grows as you

pass by.

I too was going to sign the petition but then read, like Bailey Jones that anyone who signs must have a close connection to Tower hamlets – and, like him, I don’t.

But this is sheer social vandalism and Tower Hamlets appears to be treating its residents with brutal indifference……