Working to dispel the myths about Brent Cross Cricklewood (From Times Series)

Working to dispel the myths about Brent Cross Cricklewood

10:31am Friday 29th January 2010 in

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I would like to clarify several points in response to Pauline McKinnell’s letter (‘Brent Cross Cricklewood plan’, Your Views, January 14).

First of all, we completely agree about the importance of publicly accessible green space, which is why there will be around eight hectares more when the Brent Cross Cricklewood scheme is complete than now.

In addition, Clitterhouse Playing Fields will remain a substantial area of open green space, but will be completely re-profiled to achieve its potential as a fantastic community park in the heart of the regeneration area.

Yes, the new homes are predominantly new apartments, some in tall buildings —but not any the worse for that.

The planning conditions we have committed to ensure a very high standard of accommodation will be delivered here. The heights of the new buildings will reduce the closer they are to existing homes.

The waste handling and recycling facility will be located just 100m from the existing Hendon Waste Transfer Station, and will be a real and considerable improvement on what is there now.

Currently, lorries unload waste into an industrial building with open doors, mixed waste is compacted and then put on a train to go to landfill at locations remote to London — a process which causes the release of pollutants into the atmosphere.

The new facility will be housed in a completely sealed building operating under a slight negative pressure, removing pollutants and smells before they reach the atmosphere.

Meanwhile, sorting waste into recyclable and non-recyclable items will improve recycling rates and dramatically reduce waste sent to landfill.

We have met with the Cricklewood Community Forum during consultation about the Brent Cross Cricklewood scheme and look forward to a continued dialogue. We will also be working in the coming weeks and months to address a number of the myths that appear to have developed around the scheme.

Overall, the regeneration will bring 27,000 jobs, 7,500 homes, modern facilities for three schools, new health facilities, exceptional parks and open spaces, a new high street and close to £1 billion of investment into transport and community infrastructure to achieve the much-needed and lasting regeneration of the area.

Jonathan Joseph, Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners