With regard to the regeneration of West Hendon, what makes a "thriving economy"? Viable shops. In West Hendon, we are near Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda and Brent Cross shopping centre. So who is likely to invest in West Hendon retail? It has to be the specialist retailers.
Will spending £3.6m on a new railway station "improve links" or merely make waiting for trains more comfortable?
The estate is described as "run-down". Is it? In recent years, it has received sloping roofs and double glazing, although it would be better if repairs were kept up to date.
The land is, as your article states, high-value. So why is the council giving the West Hendon estate to Metropolitan Housing Trust at no cost?
How can they take a plot of land, dig it up to put high-rise flats on it and raise the number of units, as well as increasing the amount of green spaces, short of growing grass and trees on roofs? It does not add up.
Are they rerouting a major road? Of course not. They're cutting out the gyratory system and keeping all traffic on the Edgware Road.
Also, West Hendon estate tenants have not been truly won over. The council says 62% voted yes, but that figure is just of those who voted and doesn't include the 37% of residents who found the question asked last December – "whether in principle they were in favour of regeneration" – so ludicrous they thought it did not warrant an answer.
In fact, as the scheme is a trickle transfer of housing stock, a statutory ballot should be held to ask tenants whether they wish to remain tenants of the council. The ballot should take place as soon as possible and certainly as soon as the planning application has been approved.
Source
Housing Today
Postscript
Jean Ivatt, chairman, West Hendon Action Group, London
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