• WE were disappointed Camden’s planning committee voted to approve the CMP (construction management plan) for the controversial development at 100 Avenue Road.

Along with campaigners in Swiss Cottage, we have strongly opposed the project from the beginning. Indeed, the application was originally rejected by Camden’s planning committee in 2014, later overturned at appeal.

This CMP was first considered by the committee in July this year, who voted to reject and defer it until now. Unfortunately it ultimately approved the CMP, even though an alternative plan had been put forward by campaigners.

That option would have kept construction traffic entirely on the A41, thus avoiding Winchester Road, the open space, and the Eton Avenue market, while resulting in the same total construction period.

As we have been arguing, these construction plans will bring at least three years of misery to the open space, the market, and residents of Winchester Road, among others.

TfL’s stubborn refusal to allow Avenue Road to be used for this, following months of attempts by councillors and residents to engage with them, meant the committee was not even allowed a vote on this alternative.

We will continue to fight alongside community groups to hold Essential Living to account by ensuring their impact on air quality, traffic, the market, and the open space is minimised in every possible way, and that their promises on so-called “affordable” housing, community space for The Winch, and investment in the open space, are kept.

TULIP SIDDIQ MP
Labour, Hampstead & Kilburn

CLLR NAYRA BELLO O’SHANAHAN & CLLR LEO CASSARANI
Labour, Swiss Cottage ward