Aware that his position had changed somewhat over the recent weeks, the St Margarets Community Website has asked out local MP, Dr. Vincent Cable to clarify his current position on the wine bar and explain his reasoning.
He stated that, “I wrote to the council in support of the objectors and I have not changed my position.”
I was originally approached by Broadway Avenue residents who had accumulated a petition and made a strong, well argued case for rejecting the application.
I frequently decline to be involved in planning matters, for which there is an established local government quasi judicial process, and do so selectively. I do so either where there are broad issues of policy or, as here, where a substantial number of objections are involved and there is clearly a strong community interest. I decided on this occasion to assist the residents who had approached me for help.
I now gather that there have been written expressions of support from other residents in favour of the project and the developers have approached me to explain, inter alia, that they have made serious efforts to accommodate local objectors. Overall, however, I believe, on balance, that it is right to have spoken up for the objectors for three reasons. First, the problems resulting from a large new wine bar development are experienced by the immediate neighbours, not by the residents living further a field who patronise it. Second, I believe that there is more than enough drinking capacity in the borough already. I have been heavily involved over the summer trying to help local residents, living near licensed premises, cope with the implications of the new licensing act and have been struck by the growing intensity of feeling about the amount of disturbance, in the form of noise and anti-social behaviour, caused by even the most ‘upmarket’ establishments. And, third, other things being equal, I tend to take the side of objectors on planning issues since the planning system is already biased against them. The developer can appeal against a rejection of the application. They can also reapply. Objectors have no right of appeal once the application is passed.
Dr Vincent Cable, MP 2a Lion Road Twickenham TW1 4JQ Member of Parliament for Twickenham, Teddington, Whitton and the Hamptons
Comments
As I understand it, the highest profile objector amongst the Broadway Av residents happens to be a Liberal Democrat activist. It comes as no surprise therefore that our local Lib Dem MP was invited to make his original comments.
I'm also curious as to what mandate is required for the objectors to sign their letters as 'The Broadway Residents'. What proportion of residents actively sought to sign the petition? (As opposed to otherwise indifferent residents having pen and paper thrust in front of them on the doorstep and a one-sided case pitched to them, which often is the case with petitions).
Andy on 2005-11-21 20:05:42 +0000I'm not sure if I deserve the title 'highest profile objector'- but I was certainly the person who collected the signatures from all the Broadway Avenue residents for the petition. Whilst I'm sure my neighbours are perfectly capable of defending their own integrity, I find your comments and implications insulting, as well as totally inaccurate.
Harry Jacobs on 2005-11-21 22:34:06 +0000Andy - this is nonsense. As far as both sides of the case is concerned - which is the good part of having a wine bar open until at least midnight 7 days a week seating up to 200 people, in your road? What possible benefit is this going to bring to the community? Are you surprised that everyone signed?
Jane Pettersson on 2005-11-22 12:20:28 +0000Overall I would be in interested in having a wine bar in St Margarets but only on a scale that matches the other restaurants and caffees. I believe this would be a nice contribution to the area. I do understand that a place, which can offer space for 200 seated guests, is over the top and I would not consider it as appropriate. Living in Kenley Road I will probably not hear most of the noise but I have all sympathies for the people and families living in Broadway. I appreciate the fighting spirit of Vincent Cable. After Mears, Tescos and Superdrug, there is always a chance to be lucky this time. I would have signed too if I had known there was something to sign.
Dirk on 2005-11-23 00:20:16 +0000I guess the main benefit of any pub or wine bar in any community is to provide a place for those that wish to go out in the evenings to meet and socialise with other community members, thus reinforcing the community. There is no current upmarket place to do that locally, and local communities aren't built if local residents have to seek their evening entertainment & relaxation out-of-town.
Fundamentally, communities seem to revolve round churchs, pubs and schools and have done for years. Like the comedy club (which I live close to) and other local restaurants, I hope the wine bar will add positive character to the community - as well as being a venue for non-alcohol related functions if the Parvinu proprietors are to be believed.
I think the would-be owners will be very pleased & lucky if they get 200 people a night! In any case, a proportion of the wine bar's customer base will simply be taken from those that would otherwise be at the Tavern or Turks Head, so resulting in no net increase in 'people in the street' or parking due on their account at least.
The wine bar isn't on Broadway Av anymore than Tesco's is. The floor plan clearly shows fire escapes and storage backing onto the Mews, with no public access at all.
Andy on 2005-11-23 00:39:32 +0000Andy - Dirks comments may well reflect some of the views of the residents of Broadway Avenue who you labelled 'indifferent'. Once a property is given permission for 'change of use' into cannot be rescinded, and this combined with the sheer size of the venue is one of the greatest problems. It's what may happen to the site in the more distant future as well as the present. There are of course other issues such as parking and noise. We're not just talking about noise generated in the premises, which may well not be a problem - but we're talking about 'footfall' noise. Like many roads close to drinking establishments of any flavour we already suffer late night noise - not necessarily by drunks but by people like ourselves who may have been drinking and don't realise how sound travels at night - walking down the road talking exuberantly loudly. Of the 30 odd residents in the road very few were against the idea of a wine bar perse - but everybody was against the quantity (ie size) not the perceived quality. And for the record every person had a copy of the letter for nearly a week to reflect on whether they wanted to sign it or not. It's certainly not indifference that's reflected in their signatures, but a genuine concern for their quality of life now and in the future, and that's we believe we continue to be supported by Vincent Cable.
Harry Jacobs on 2005-11-23 09:09:07 +0000Firstly the rear access of the wine bar, including the wine sales opens onto the Broadway Avenue mews. The rear doors are closer to the nearest house than they are to their own front doors - by a long way. Tesco has no rear access and no connection with Broadway Avenue whatsoever. You only have to look at the plan.
Secondly there are several restaurants within a 500 metre radius of the proposed wine bar.
Thirdly, I thought that the wine bar was supposed to be attracting different people from the ones who used the Turks Head and the St Margarets.
Lastly - it might not be quite relevant but 70 people signed a petition against the Ailsa Tavern extending its opening hours. I expect they were concerned about just the sort of issues that the people who live near the wine bar are concerned about.
We are not NIMBYS, kill joys, lib dem activists or anything else. We just want to make sure that our sleep and our children's sleep is not disturbed. Is this so unreasonable?
Jane Pettersson on 2005-11-23 10:41:09 +0000Re: ' . . the highest profile objector amongst the Broadway Av residents happens to be a Liberal Democrat activist . . '
Some mistake here. I have no idea who is being referred to but whoever they are, they are not an active Lib Dem. I know this because I have been an activist in this area since 1987.
So let's keep party politics out of this and stick to the issue. It will be determined, as VC says, by 'an established local government quasi judicial process' which will not be swayed by his letter of objection more than by any other. Their starting point is that any application should be granted unless there are valid reasons to refuse it.
Chris Squire on 2005-11-25 00:29:02 +0000I am a freehold resident in St. Margarets. Often, I cannot find a car space in which to park my car. Consequently, I have received car parking tickets costing £40 per ticket.
A basement can provide covered car parking which could be offered to residents or those frequenting the St. Margarets Tavern, or Turks Head. The freehouses, could pay for it and offer a rebate or reduced first drink price equivalent to the customers' parking charges.
A basement car park will help to ease the car parking shortage. There are no shortages of drinking venues. Furthermore, the proliferation of drinking establishments represents a dumbing down of the capabilites of the emerging educated generation. More drinking establishments = more availability of drink = more drinking = more drink related problems = less productive activity. Do those in charge need further support to deal with this?
aresident on 2005-12-06 14:16:14 +0000"car parking which could be offered to residents or those frequenting the St. Margarets Tavern, or Turks Head", are you condoning drink-driving?
Another Resident on 2005-12-13 17:13:40 +0000"I think the person who posted the last comment should be ashamed. I, for one, can consume 6 pints or more and have no problem driving home from the pub. Bring back national service...."
YET ANOTHER RESIDENT on 2005-12-14 18:37:03 +0000Add a comment