When It Snows …

10th December, 2017.

OK, we knew it was — possibly — coming.

Yep … 

Brentwood’s got snow!

I should know: I’ve just been out in it.

Frankly?

I’m not surprised things got cancelled … 

~≈§≈~

Planning … AGAIN … !

Oh, BOY … !

THAT’S what the proposed building’s going to look like … ?

I hope not, actually.

As you probably do — or don’t, maybe — know, my street’s fairly new: to the point where the last block of flat’s is going up at the other end of it, as I write.

But I’ve also objected to building work at the other end of Saint James Road, next to the small block of flats, called Brunel House.

On the basis that I’ve always felt that more development — AND the associated parking — will seriously delay any emergency vehicle access to our street.

I still do.

So, as you can imagine, finding out that the developers that owned that patch of land still wanted to build the proposed multi-use block pictured above … ?

Had me writing in to the local council’s planning officer, as you can imagine.

Here’s what I wrote.

Dear Sir,

I’m writing to object to the proposed development next to Brunel House, in Brentwood: your ref 11/01195/FUL.

Some time ago, I — as many residents of the area — objected to some proposed flats on the same ground.

I felt — as I said at the relevant meeting of the planning committee — that the parking associated with the flats would be hazardous to the area, as it would further impede emergency vehicle access to the Saint James Road/Rollason Way/Wharf Road area..

I still believe this to be the case.

I also feel that this proposed development adds more retail and office space to an area that has — just around the corner — at least 4 unused retail lots, AND quite a lot of untenanted office space.

This is in addition to 1, Saint James Road, the three-storey office block, directly opposite the site. A three storey office block that is still untenanted, ever since it was built.

««•»»

As I said at the start of this email: I’ve objected to further development to the site in the past.

And am still objecting.

Yours

Annoyed … ?

Gosh, I hope it sounded like it!

But for those of my neighbours reading this … ?

We have until the 26th January, 2012 to object to these plans. Any emails have to be sent toplanning@brentwood.gov.uk, with mail going to:

Planning Officer,

Planning Services,

Town Hall,

Ingrave Road,

Brentwood,

Essex.

CM15 8AY

Feel free to copy and paste, folks.

Here’s hoping Brentwood Council pay attention!

Scandal, Rumpus, and the Offices on Warley Hill …

You know, what with one thing and another … ?

I’m surprised anything gets done in this town, I really am … !

Because — if you’ve been keeping an eye on the Brentwood Gazette — you’ll ALSO know that Brentwood Council’s conservative group … ?

Seems to be …

Well …

Having more schisms than the 9th Century Roman Catholic church.

Which was pretty fractious, if what I remember from what I’ve read, over the years.

But, at any rate, it seems that the conservative group on Brentwood Council’s having something of a civil war.

Mostly … ?

Mostly over the debacle of the planned demolition — possibly on hold, possibly not — of Brentwood’s Town Hall.

Seemingly with the tory group’s leader, Louise McKinley having people call for her job, and calling, in this week’s Gazette, for the resignation of the Mayor, Councillor Joan Holmes.

Hmmm …

I hate having to say I actually agree with a TORY — trust me, I REALLY don’t — I’m thinking Mrs McKinley has a point, and that the Mayor should stand down.

Mind you … ?

I’m also thinking that, after the Town Hall Demolition debaçle … ?

Well …

Actually, I’m thinking several things … ?

Well, I’m thinking I’d like a job, a new Mac Mini, lots of money, the ability to drive, tons of money, steak and chips with plenty of salt and ketchup, a new TV, a blu-ray player and maybe some more money.

Oh, HELL, just TONS of money would be good: about a million, sterling, in used notes, would be good.

But on a more realistic note … ?

I’m ALSO wondering if there’s any way of calling a simultaneous by-election in each ward.

Or, at least, in Brentwood West and Hutton North, the wards of Councillor Holmes and McKinley.

After all, shouldn’t voters, rather than a council clique, be deciding this … ?

»»·««

But, at ANY rate … ?

You know, I’ve got to admit, I had intended to tell you something else, as well.

You see, those photos — and the slide show that I put together of them — have been taken of various offices around the Warley Hill area.

One reason that Councillor Holmes got a HECK of a lot of my ire, at least?

Was the planned offices/flats/development at the end of St. James Road, just around the corner from Rollason Way, where I live.

She managed to speak in favour of extending the planning permission held by the developers of the area, in order to give them a chance to find a company who’d be happy to rent it from them.

All on behave of her closely consulted residents, or course.

Ahem.

I was rather ticked off: indeed spoke out against the planned flats, at a planning meeting at Brentwood Council, a few weeks before.

A meeting Councillor Holmes also attended, speaking out against it.

The reason I was annoyed, then, and still ticked off, now … ?

Was that Councillor Holmes didn’t think to send me a courtesy email, even if she couldn’t be bothered to knock on my door.

Despite being aware I’d spoken against the plans at the meeting, a few feet away from where she was sitting.

And despite the fact I’ve had my Googlemail address publicly listed here, ever since I started blogging.

I still feel she should step down.

But it gets worse.

In seeking view of some residents, I believe she only sought those who she felt would agree with her views.

There’s more.

And I’m kicking myself for not thinking to check this, myself, earlier.

You see, as you can tell from the photos and slide show, № 1, St. James Road, the bottom photo, has been vacant since it was built.

According to a spokesperson from Mass & Co, the letting agency responsible for Romy House, the offices above Murphy’s Sports Bar, on Warley Hill, have been vacant for about six months.

Since February, about a month before the planning meeting that extended the office developments planning permission was extended.

And the ground floor of Kingsgate, at the top, there … ?

According a chap called Mark that I talked to, from Bidwells, the lettings agency responsible for that … ?

That 3, 000 square feet of offices — the same sort of size, if I’ve got it right, as № 1, St. James Road — has been vacant since 2009.

At £20 per square foot.

Now, I’m happily admit, I didn’t think to ask the various landlords and lettings agencies involved about that, before now.

But I’m ALSO thinking something else.

I’m one man.

With a way of expressing his views, directly, and who loves the attention, I’ll admit.

But still just one man.

That kind of slip, from a local councillor, representing both voters — those who voted for and against her — and businesses in her constituency.

Lord knows I’d’ve given Karen Chilvers a serious rollicking if she’d made the same sort of mistake, when in office.

What we’ve got … ?

Well, I firmly believe Louise McKinley should stand down from her position as a councillor.

As should Joan Holmes.

Up on the Hill …

You know, I’ve got to admit, it weren’t half a nice morning, it really was.

It was actually nice enough to tempt me out of my flat, today.

Or, at least, as far as the local job centre, to see what they had, and to have a general walk ’round, to see what I could see.

Glorious day for it, I know that.

But, at any rate … ?

I thought I should at least get SOME sort of exercise.

Well, packing up smoking has meant I’ve developed an unfortunate tendency to snack more that I should do.

At ANY rate … !

I do know that I managed to get out and about, and noticed the building in the picture.

It’s a block of offices — obviously — called Kingsgate House.

And I’ve GOT to ask … ?

With the amount of fuss Councillor Holmes was creating, March of this year … ?

About the plans — residential, commercial or otherwise — for the unused patch of ground at the junction of Saint James Road and Warley Hill.

Seemingly … ?

The Councillor felt that in general agreement with some residents that it should be some more offices.

However … ?

I’ve GOT to ask how long Kingsgate, the office block next to Brentwood Station, has had that To Let sign for?

One MORE office block’s going to take a while to shift …

Hmmm …

Here …

Let me leave you with the slide show I did …

Mayor David Tee: Hoofing It ’Round Town

Hmmmm …

Well …

Funny old thing, I was up Brentwood High Street, today.

And on the way back … ?

I actually managed to bump into Brentwood’s Mayor — Councillor David Tee — along with the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Holmes.

And, according to the brief chat I had with one of the council officers with them — who recognised me from the planning meeting, last week, it seems — it’s the Mayor’s having a wonder ’round to see what he could see.

So, obviously, I had to mention the fact that spending a few bob on the Warley Hill area would be nice …

Actually, I mentioned to the chap that getting an open source OS would be a good idea, but there we go …

‹‹‹~›››

Oh, and one quick thing for my fellow Dr Whofans?

Bless him, ComBom managed to highlight this group on deviantArt.

That’s rather good …

Oh, and, if you want to have a try, yourself …

Local Politics …

Well, ok, it’s one of THOSE posts, again!!

Yeah, I know, I will insist on on putting up a post, whenever I send a letter to the Gazette.

But only if they do something hopelessly provocative.

Like not publish the last one …

Oy veh!!

But, at any rate, what caught my attention this week was a letter from the owner of Callico’s, a hairdressers on Warley Hill that’s been going for quite some years. In fact, I think the owner used to drink in the Essex Arms, when I worked there.

Which was quite some time ago, now I come to think of it …

But Ms French’s point was that Brentwood Council has spent quite a large wedge of cash on improving Brentwood’s High Street.

But little, if any, on the Warley Hill part of town.

It pretty much looks as it did — with very few changes — when I lived here as a teenager, some twenty-five years ago.

Oh, the odd extra residential street, tucked out of sight, and paid for by developers and lots of offices, and a hotel, but very little on the main area around Brentwood Station.

What got Carol’s goat was simply the fact that, although the High Street’s shopkeepers were getting tons of funding and tax breaks to stay open one night a week — the much written about ‘Late Night Shopping Thursday’ Project — traders on the hill are getting little in the way of help or incentives; which she was kicking up a fuss about, as her and her staff had been opening late, three nights a week, for the past thirteen years.

Now, granted, I’ve never needed a late night facial, but I do know that Callico’s, the barbers a few doors down from it, our three local convenience stores, the chip shop, both Chinese takeaways, three Indian restaurants, The Emporium, and, of course, the off-license where I work, all open as late as regulations will allow, to catch that all important commuter trade; as do all three of the local newsagents.

And Alan, who’s been running the local bakers, opens at stupid o’clock to both start baking, and catch the early morning commuter crowd.

There’s even a travelling coffee stall, early on. (The chap who runs it buys his beers in the off license where I work, and claims to make a mean cappuccino.)

Passing Trade.

Oh so important thing, passing trade.

And something I’m fairly sure Brentwood High Street doesn’t see much of, at 7 o’clock.

Which was a point I didn’t mention in the email I sent to the Gazette.

But I did point out that — for many — Warley Hill is the first point of contact for many commuters.

But, here … here’s what I wrote …

“Dear Editor …

I’ve got to admit, I really do agree with Ms French, when she wrote in this weeks Gazette, about Brentwood Council’s seeming lack of support for the shops and retailer’s on Warley Hill.

Or, at least, the lack of renovation in the area.

Now, as I’ve already stated, I’ve been a bar worker for many years, and, for three and a half of those years, I worked at the Essex Arms; whilst the (debatably) much missed Mick and Pam were running it. Now, whilst I know that they had their faults — BOY, did they have their faults! — I do know that, during their tenure, they had little or no support from Brentwood Council, whenever the Brentwood Blues Festival came around.

And the Essex Arms has had live music — damn good live music — from when I started there, right up to today.

I also know that she raises a very good point about the amount of violence we see in Brentwood High Street; as I’ve mentioned in previous letters, I worked at the White Hart, many years ago, and it — compared to other pubs I’ve worked in, including the Essex Arms and The Hutton— it saw a good deal of trouble; it just wasn’t always reported. (Incidentally, a few weeks ago, Brian Lynch wrote that the White Hart was known to be a fairly untroubled Pub. Where he got that idea, I don’t know; unless he was drinking in a different White Hart to the one I worked in.)

And yet …

And yet …

In all the years I’ve worked in the area — I’m now working in a local off-license on Warley Hill— I don’t think I’ve seen a penny spent by the Council on beautifying the area.

And given Warley Hill is many commuters first point of contact with our town, that is a shame.”

Surely spending a few quid on it wouldn’t hurt?

•••••

Hmmm …

At any rate, I do know that there’s been another resident’s meeting, tonight, for those of us in Rollason Way.

And, to be quite frank, given I’ve had a a mouthful of abuse, the other day, from one of the organiser’s, I really didn’t fancy the thought of getting more of the same tonight.

Which is a shame, it would’ve been one of the first chances I had to go.

I know there’s always people I’m not going to get on with — and who probably feel the same about me — but that didn’t exactly encourage me to go.

I’m hoping Adrian’ll be able to fill me on the important points, though.

One of which is the potential installation of closed circuit TV cameras in the area …

Hmmm …

I’m not convinced about that …

I’m not so much worried about any invasion of privacy, here; given there’s tons of cctv cameras on Brentwood Station, and up and down the High Street, a few more — in that sense — won’t hurt.

After all, if you’re doing something illegal, you’re not necessarily going to be doing it in front of a camera.

He says.

No, it’s that the simple fact that I’m not convinced there’s enough on-street crime to make it a worthwhile addition to the street. (The last time we had a lot of police cars in Rollason Way, it was a drugs bust. A chap had been growing cannabis — lots of cannabis — in his bedroom. I’m not sure a CCTV system would’ve caught that.)

And I’m none too sure if CCTV in each building would be a stunner, either. But I could, of course, be wrong; I do know we’ve had hordes of (non-resident) screaming kids in Damon House — wouldn’t have minded knowing who they were —, and a couple of break-ins, in some of the other flats.

Some sort of interior CCTV would’ve been appreciated, under the circumstances …

Actually, closing the main door of the building would probably help …

But the biggest argument against, in my view, is quite simple.

How much is it going to put the rent up by? Or ground rent, if you’re one of the part buy people?

I think that’s gonna cause a rumpus … !