Councillor Tony Belton’s Battersea March 2022, Newsletter (# 153)
- The February Council Meeting was held on February 2nd and I didn’t go! For the fifty years I have been a councillor, I could barely imagine writing that sentence. I have gone to Council Meetings because it is my job/duty as a councillor and because Council meetings are, or were, important – and, it must be said, I enjoy the cut-and-thrust of political debate. But now, the way that governments (Labour as well as Tory) have changed their relationship with local authorities, means that very, very few decisions need to go to the main Council meeting. Consequently Council Meetings, as part of the local government process, have been degraded, which makes them more and more of a show, a place to play at politics, a place where politics becomes part of the show and so much less important, and less interesting, than they used to be. So although my “excuse” for absence was the constraint of “social distancing”, I didn’t really mind!
- The February Planning Applications Committee (PAC) was on Tuesday, the 22 Ironically, I was unable to attend – ironically because after several months with little of general interest, this PAC had several very large applications of great significance to north Battersea, and of particular interest to me.
- The largest of these applications was for the corner site at Culvert and Battersea Park Roads. I know that many residents in Castlemaine and
Culvert Road, in Brynmaer and Battersea Park Roads were strongly opposed to this application, as indeed was I, when it first came to committee in 2018. As far as I am concerned there were, and are, only two things to be said in favour of the application. The first is that the blight on the site will be removed and the second is that the school should at long last get its new sports hall. However, in my opinion the community will regret having a new 18 storey building – as pictured here, 56 metres/184 feet high, on Battersea Park Road. Most of the building will house 213 shared living units, which is now becoming quite a fashion amongst large development companies. I have no doubt that the 213 living units will bring some business to this part of Battersea Park Road but: will this be sufficient to justify the over-looking? I certainly was against the application and will continue to be so until it is built.
- A second application was for 12-20 storey blocks of student residential units and office and enterprise business at Palmerston Court and Flanagan’s pub, opposite the Dog’s Home. It will be part of the substantial change taking place in the Battersea environment, but in this case it fits well with the many railways running at about 5th floor level amd other recent high-level developments.
- A third application for an 8-13 storey development of self-storage units along with 131 residential units in Mendip Crescent at its junction with
Battersea Park Road was recommended for approval by the planning officers but was rejected unanimously by the committee. The committee felt that the residential units did not provide a good mix of dwelling sizes and that the preponderance of self storage units did not allow for a sufficiently wide range of employment possibilities. It is by no means unique for the Committee to over-turn the officers’ recommendation but on large schemes like this it is certainly very unusual – it couldn’t be that the imminent election had any undue influence, could it?
- And yet another significant application was for the change of use of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, right next to the Heliport, to a 96 bedroom care home facility. Superficially, placing a care home right next to the Heliport does not look like an appropriate mix, but as I wasn’t actually there to hear the debate, I find it difficult to assess.
- On the 22nd February, we all woke up to the most shocking story of many people’s lifetime: the Putin attack upon Ukraine. The ramifications are currently unknowable, and of course unpredictable, but I think we can all agree: that the position of Russia in the world has changed for the worse: that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Ukraine has achieved unsought for world fame and achieved favourite’s status for the Nobel Peace Prize by showing admirable courage and consistency: that NATO will rapidly strengthen its military strength, will take urgent steps to wean itself off Americam dominance, and become much more powerful than Putin’s worst fears: that the UK’s decision to leave the EU looks not only economically but now also strategically disastrous: that life for Ukrainians has got threateningly worse, but that in the longer term Russians are likely to be the most damaged by Putin’s hubristic folly. And worst of all: his folly will only lessen humanity’s chance to overcome the climate crisis.
- News of Robert Molteno’s death was a profound shock to many. Robert was always so active and fit. And on 27th February upwards of 300 friends and relatives packed St. Mary’s Church to hear moving and often very funny tributes to a life well and truly lived. I didn’t know the half of it – no, the tenth of it! Brought up in South Africa, which he did not, unsurpringly, find congenial; then teaching in Zambia, where he ended up imprisoned for two months (solitary, apparently) because he was too outspoken about the regime; a career spent in publishing in London, mainly books about “third world” countries written by authors from the particular country, and then in his post-retirement Third Age, he became an inspiration and driving force behind the “Living Streets” movement. Robert had an exciting and varies life, well-lived. RIP, Robert Molteno.
My programme for March
- March 5th-6th a short week-end on the Mumbles, South Wales, for a college friend’s 80th!
- March 9th, the Annual Council Tax setting meeting.
- March 10th, North East Surrey Crematorium Board.
- March 11th, Wandsworth Councl’s very own launch of the Queen’s Jubilee Year.
- March 17th, Battersea Society Annual General Meeting.
- March 21st, Battersea United Charities.
- March 23rd, Planning Applications Committee.
Dd you Know?
Last month I asked if any of you recognised Leo and where and why he was living in Battersea. A couple of people did know and told me not only where Leo lives, but they also had an explanation for his arrival in Battersea.
Leo lives at 12 Macduff Road. Roy knew that; well done Roy. But I didn’t think your explanation for Leo’s presence in Macduff Road was as credible as someone else’s. BUT, unfortunately I seem to have lost that email. If you were the one, then please remind me and I will enlighten people next month!
And this month?
Where in North Battersea would you be if this was your walk to your very own front door?
Tony Belton
Tony Belton 
TB,
You don’t actually say but presumably the Culvert Road monster was approved by the Putney Tories?
TT
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