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Embassy plans cause a stir
Furious residents say they have not been given enough time to object to plans for a new Iranian Embassy building in Chelsea.
Architects representing the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran submitted plans to Kensington and Chelsea Council in January, for a modern building on the site of a car park in Harrington Road.
But residents in the area were not consulted until June 11, and were given just three weeks to submit any objections or comments with the public consultation due to close on Friday.
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "For starters, the building they want to build looks like a spaceship. It's absolutely horrible.
"But more importantly, if the council had the planning application in January, why was there not a public consultation until June, and why was it only three weeks. The council calls this a 'major application' so you would have thought residents would have been more involved."
Another resident in Harrington Road, Leigh Brooke, 37, said: "I really can't understand why residents were not given longer and consulted more on this application.
"It is a real eye sore and out of keeping with the rest of the area. I just hope that the planning committee consider what is right for this area, and don't be too hasty in approving this."
The plans are to knock down the existing car park, and to build a six storey building with a basement, to be used as an embassy and cultural exhibition centre for Iran.
A decision is expected to be made by Kensington and Chelsea Council at the end of August.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the council reassured residents that enough time had been given for representations on the application.
He said: "Neighbouring residents were informed and given ample opportunity to view the plans and give their thoughts.
"Rest assured that our planning committee has the best interests of the borough at heart, and will make a decision based on all the evidence in front of them."
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Welcome to the club, neighbours. Once again, RBKC Council doesn't want to hear residents objections against what it wants to do on our streets.
We, in Neville and Selwood Terrace were never consulted on the motorway lamps that blight our Grade II Listed Conservation road. Our numerous requests for a meeting with those concerned, have been totally ignored. The council finds residents objections a nuisance and they just want to be left alone to do what they want.
They can't help having poor taste, but please use it in the privacy of their own homes.
All residents must join together to stop the ruin of our beautiful and historic Royal Borough.
Please speak out.
Odd to think this is a Conservative council. It seems to do everything in it's power to destroy our beautiful and historic streets.
I fear that Mrs Carter has come to also realise that, unless an election is looming, councillors will do nothing to help residents. They seem more interested in grabbing as much as they can in expenses. I was not surprised to hear that not one of the Ward councillors in Brompton and Courtfield has been in proper contact. Mostly they are like terrified sheep waiting to hear how Cllr 'Brummieboy'Moylan intends to turn our characterful Borough into another Birmingham.
Apparantly it's democracy RBKC style. Your Ward Councillors may or may not notify you of planned changes. That is called "consulting residents". Councillors then go to a planning committee and put their (which may or may not be yours) case. If it matches what those at the top want, you are lucky, if not hard cheese.
We've missed the boat by being insufficiently diligent before the last election. The only way to weaken the bully boys at the top (who are only interested in getting their titles or gongs anyway) is to ensure we have some good independent candidates by the time of the next election. We really do need people who are prepared to stand their ground and support their residents.
RBKC is failing just too many of its residents. It seems to conveniently forget who is actually paying for their vast bureacracy and treats us all like grubby little urchins.
First we have an attempt to destroy Sloane Square; then we have a development around South Ken Tube Station that reminds me of being stranded in Dortmund in the early sixties. Now they have ruined Selwood Terrace with street lamps that would make the M4 blush. Who's in charge of these developments? Now I read they may give permission for a piece of brutalist architecture for an Iranian Embassy in Harrington Road, without giving time for proper consultation with the residents. Did these planners at RBKC graduate at Stalingrad University? I thought we were living in a democracy. Not in this Borough.
We should name and shame the councillors in Courtfield Ward who so insolently refuse to help residents.
Time for a clear out of these lazy guys.
I understand one of them, Cllr Holt said he did not appreciate receiving protesting emails and Shireen Ritchie took weeks before giving a quite vapid response.
They need to remember who put them where they are.....
It is just awful. Modernist architecture that has no fit in our Borough but the kind of thing that out of touch Leader Cllr Moylan is persistently promoting in our streets.
The Council does not care a fig for residents or resident opinion. They bulldoze decisions to suit their own arrogance.
This is a Conservative Borough and these attitudes are intollerable. A change of Leadership is required. Cllr cockell (Leader of the Council) and Cllr Moylan (Deputy) have been in position for eleven years. They have become corrupted in the pursuit of their personal agendas
Those of us who live near the Israeli Embassy in Kensington are fed up with the demonstrations, disruptions, danger, and extensive armed police presence that is blighting our lives. We do not want these troublesome nations peddling their dirty linen in our Borough.
What on earth does the Council think it is doing encouraging another set of international rabble into our community?
The quicker that Prince Charles sees this, the better
Is this a joke??
This Borough has a disgraceful record of consulting with, or listening to, views of residents; I blame my old friend Daniel Moylan for this.
Daniel has an enormously high opinion of
his capabilities in matters of taste.
I have already pointed out to him that his efforts to dump crudely painted pieces of industrial waste in the Borough
were unappreciated and now he has presumably encouraged the Iranian architects to come up with this quite ghastly design.
All one can say in forgiveness is that this brutal design correctly reflects the brutality of the Iranian regime.
"Council business belongs out in the open, where residents can keep a close eye.âÂÂ
Council Leader, Cllr Sir Merrick Cockell.
Is this man mad or does he have a twisted sense of humour ?
His record of being less than transparent
is a byword in local government. On his recent trip to New York(yes, what the hell was he doing there at our expense?)
he spent $250 on a mysterious dinner for 2 and then refused to say who the lucky (or unlucky) guest was.
Transparency and the Rotten Borough of K & C are NOT joined at the hip.
Well we will certainly be following his advice about keeping an eye on things...particularly the resignation today of Councillors Barry Phelps and Mark Daley