From Save our Green Spaces - Hainault Community Group

 From our friends at 'Save our Green Spaces - Hainault Community Group (Facebook):

"This is the next big fight that we will have to undertake against Redbridge Council and their constant desire to destroying green spaces. Picture 1 shows Barking and Dagenham Marks Gate A12 green space development. Phase 1 in Orange, phase 2 in Blue. Phase 1 takes in the reconstruction of the Padnell lake. This will total 250 new houses at 8 storeys tall. Picture 2 shows Redbridge land grab which includes West Ham United training ground in Yellow. Orange sees the old landfill contaminated land which had it's green belt status taken away. Blue sees what is rumoured to include Little Heath school being totally demolished and moved. Total over 1000 houses. Picture 3 shows Green belt recreation ground which was decommissioned by Redbridge to allow it to be built on. Picture 4 Orange shows Oakfields playing ground, Bealonians ground which is being offered to West Ham United as part of the deal for them to leave Little Heath. This could also incorporate that in Blue the land of Old Parkonians ground as well. So this site will be completely lost to the residents as this would become exclusive use by West Ham United football club. Old Parkonians was founded in 1902 and the cricket team then founded in 1906, Old Bealonians was then founded in 1936, it is the largest club in the area. The site also incorporates the Jack Carter pavillion which would also be lost for public use so this is such a bitter bitter blow for Oakfields playing fields. Now it's becoming clearer why Redbridge council want to review their green belt policy later this year instead of 2030."

Monitoring Air Quality is Critical! says LBBD but None at Padnall Lake development

 LBBD's Air Quality Action Plan meeting to be held 15/2/2021

Full details are here, but let's look at a couple of key elements:

LBBD say "Air pollution is associated with a number of adverse health impacts, it is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer. Additionally, air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society: children and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions. There is also often a strong correlation with equalities issues, because areas with poor air quality are also often the less affluent areas.

The annual health costs to society of the impacts of air pollution in the UK is estimated to be roughly £15 billion 3 . LBBD is committed to reducing the exposure of people in Barking and Dagenham to poor air quality in order to improve health."

Air Quality Monitoring - LBBD say "is critical in terms of understanding emissions and concentrations."

Question: Why was NO monitoring done at the Padnall Lake Development site adjacent to the A12 Marks Gate ?? its critical !!

Question: Why did the planning committee allow the plans to be approved when there has been NO Air Quality monitoring performed at Padnall?

Provision of infrastructure to support walking and cycling

Indirect emission reductions from promoting sustainable travel.

What does that mean for Padnall Lake? .. well there's no cycle routes in Marks Gate. You can cycle up and down Whalebone Lane but not in Marks Gate. See  https://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/

What about paths to walk on? Well the vast majority are on the area they will be building on:

Padnall Lake wildlife threatened - Barking and Dagenham Post

Local resident's letter to The Barking and Dagenham Post - Padnall Lake wildlife threatened

Padnall Lake Jan 2021 -Profalondres Instagram

If you don’t have a garden, one of the best places in the borough to enjoy outdoors is Padnall Lake. Every borough has a small local park. 

This is not an RSPB reserve, it is right on my doorstep north of the borough along the A12 near the Marks Gate estate.

The initial vision at the heart of the project when it was created was for “people and nature to come together enhancing the quality of open space available to the wider community”.

We may be stuck indoors at the moment but we are still allowed to exercise within our local area where we can go cycling, running or walking. 

All this can still be done around Padnall Lake.

There is genuine wildlife drama unfolding around Padnall Lake. Once around the lake you can look up to the sky and the trees as well as the water and it is truly a source of ornithological wonder. 

The small island on the lake provides ground nesting birds a good spot away from foxes. It is a much needed sanctuary for wildlife.

On my daily walk I always see many Canadian geese, ducks, coots, seagulls, moorhens and swans but I have had the opportunity to see cormorants and herons. 

   Swan Padnall Lake Island Profalondres       

There is also a myriad of smaller birds around like pigeons, magpies, blackbirds, crows, sparrows, starlings, great tits and also robins. 

But today I saw, for the very first time, a kingfisher. I was very excited by this sighting and felt privileged to have access to this secluded spot right on my doorstep. 

A lot has been done to improve the environment as well as increase habitat diversity. 

But my excitement was short-lived when I looked at the green space along the A12 and saw the fences that have been put up to start the new housing development. 

This motivated me to write this letter.

In a very near future our local haven will not boast of songbirds, Marks Gate residents will not be able to put their binoculars or cameras to good use. The wildlife is under threat. 

Soon their habitat will be reduced due to the housing development planned on the green space along the A12. It is not just the fauna which is at risk but the flora too. 

The Orchard Project has listed many trees (apples, pears and plums) and most of them are over 80 years old. 

Unfortunately, when this housing development goes ahead, it will greatly reduce the amount of green and open space available to local residents. 

I thought the borough considered green open spaces “priority areas” as stated in the borough local plan but it seems to have definitely lost its raison d’être.

MP Jon Cruddas quizzes BeFirst over the controversial Padnall Lake development Marks Gate

Barking and Dagenham Post report that Jon Cruddas MP has spoken to BeFirst about the development at Padnall Lake 'to make sure that the community does not fall victim to a controversial development'.

But did Jon Cruddas fall victim to BeFirst marketing?? Lets take a look at what was said:

Mr Cruddas said: “There have been a number of rumours circulating in the community that there are plans to damage or negatively alter Padnall Lake.

BeFirst said "A big part of the project is to improve the quality of the open space to turn what was a run off pond for the A12 into a proper lake with trees and habitats residents can really enjoy living near.”

So they are going to turn the lake into a 'proper lake', this is what it looks like now.

Marks Gate Padnall Views Action Group

Mick Taylor Marks Gate Padnall Views Action Group

Yes it already has trees, natural habitat, in fact it has an orchard and the wildlife already enjoys the habitat as do the local residents.

Tell us whats not 'proper' about the lake???

What they haven't said is that they are clearing the island, its in the plans, you don't have to believe us you just have to read it. 

Removing existing trees and replacing with saplings is not going to help with climate change nor pollution for many years, not until the young trees become mature trees!

Reducing the green space to a path with a grass verge is not going to 'improve the quality of the green space'.

Mr Cruddas said: “In my representation to Be First I have also suggested the possibility of internal improvements for the Padnall Road flats."

BeFirst: "Existing homes will see changes too, including new kitchens, bathrooms and boilers."

No mention of fixing the ongoing damp and mold problems suffered by many of the local residents.

BeFirst: "We have listened carefully to residents and understand and will ensure their concerns over traffic and the environment are fully addressed."

How are these to be addressed?? the only answers so far are introducing a CPZ (more future expense for residents) and improving the bus stop. Nothing being done about the traffic, the congestion, only increasing it with more homes and cars.

Nothing is said about the additional developments planned for Marks Gate and how necessary keeping the PROTECTED green space will be for all the new residents.Adding more and more flats means people need more green space - now is not the time to be removing it.

Sorry Jon but hook, line and sinker springs to mind, local residents are not so easily fooled.

Darren Rodwell discusses Padnall Lake and more development at Marks Gate on Time Radio 107.5

Local resident and member of Marks Gate Padnall Views Action Group asked questions on Time Radio 107.5 question time 16/12/20. 

A few surprises came out, the Council plans to demolish the flats at Reynolds Court and Padnall Court and re-build with higher density along with a supermarket. He went on to say that he gets lots of complaints about the Co-op (Rose Lane) and its too small.

This has not been taken into consideration when reviewing the traffic and pollution for the development at Padnall Lake for 300 homes. Nor the effect on Infrastructure. Let alone the fact that with more homes the green space at Padnall Lake will be even more necessary for the increased population size.

Here is what he said:
Presenter: Mark Dover (MD), Guest: Cllr Darren Rodwell (DR)

MD: You’re here to answer any questions people may have for you, you are of course the leader of Barking and Dagenham Council. Darren we have a few (questions) that have come in already so I’m going to crack on with this. The first one is a little bit long so I am going to try and read it.

DR: oh ok,

MD: Try and read it almost verbatim but not quite. This one is from Gary Middleton so this is what he says. Why have the council railroaded through plans to build 300 homes on the green land which is opposite, alongside the A12 Marks Gate completely ignoring local opposition by people who live there and think this is a terrible idea. 

The original presentation was for 200 homes from the start they were told that seemed a lot. The parking and access along Padnall Rd is already very bad, traffic just trying to get off the estate at peak times is terrible, there’s no spaces there at the local schools and doctor’s,  building more homes is just going to make this worse. Plus they really shouldn’t be building on open green space right next to a major trunk road. The response was to increase the number of new homes to 300 with only 124 spaces for, and in his words: stupid, stupid stupid.

You’ve had 40 objections to this posted on the council’s planning page which were supposed to be read out at the planning committee meeting but weren’t and also ignored was the petition of hundreds of names. 

The council is supposed to be working for the residents, it seems that it is being run for the benefit of building contractors and yes there is a need for new homes in Barking and Dagenham just not here. 

DR: well funnily enough that’s what most people say they all accept that there’s a need for new homes but they never want near where they live currently. The fact of the matter is if you go back to 1951 there wasn’t an estate there, there is now and change is happening. People for many years have complained that Marks Gate feels marginalised and, um .. isolated in a way that doesn’t connect to the rest of the borough and what we are trying to do is connect Marks Gate with better infrastructure and its starting with the piece strip of land which is next to the A12. 

On the other side of the A12, by the way, Eastern Ave, there is actually housing and Moby Dick there.

I know it very well I went to school in Warren Annex back in the day so I know the under pass I know Padnall Lake and I know there’s some people that are objecting that was listened to by Councillors and I believe they unanimously agreed. At the starting phase of this there will be improvements made to the lake which is a run off for the A12 and there will be a park, a proper park put in so actually there is play equipment rather than just a strip of land that’s poorly maintained which is of no real benefit to the residents other than it’s a buffer to the to the A12.

But the fact of the matter is we do need housing, we are doing it, Be first as the company has listened, they’ve done all the consultations, in fact they have gone above and beyond the consultations they needed to do because we have been discussing what we needed to do with Marks Gate for many years. And on Rose Lane there’s been housing, the old church now has flats there and its what do we do with the old Padnall flats at the top end at Billet Rd because again they need to come down they are not really fit for purpose and we need to redevelop it so that we can get a supermarket up there as well as other.

We need the infrastructure but better community facilities for our young people and better facilities such as doctors so its all about starting at one point and we are starting near the A12 and its how we work to make sure Marks Gate gets the infrastructure it needs. 

People can’t have it both ways they can’t moan that they are isolated and there’s no facilities and then moan that when the council is actually doing something proactive about it and it will bring homes to a truly affordable levels for residents that live there. 

Padnall Lake Green Space

By the way the parking situation would um… be a case of there’s 124 so that’s with what is the London plan and we would need to make sure that the local public transport is better so again it’s a bonus to the people that are up there because the 62 bus isn’t sufficient. 

We need to do more to make sure there’s better connection to Chadwell Heath which will be a cross rail station and again as someone who used to walk down there its not that far for people that want to be a bit more healthier than sit in their cars. 

So whilst I understand there are objections I am not part of the planning process I know that colleagues looked at this but I also know that they agreed it on the principles of what benefits it will bring to the wider community. 

MD: Now obviously lots of points were made in his email 

DR: That’s why I tried to answer it all Mark 

MD: Yes I get that, but what I want to just come back to it, is this, is this is actually green belt or is it actually brown belt. 

DR: No 

MD:  the reason I say this, is just out of interest, where else would you build new homes, what other sites have been earmarked for possible

DR: first off 45 thousand of them are all on brown field sites and we gotta be really careful when we talk about green belt and brown field and everything else. 

This was a strip of land next to the A12 that we cut, we cut the grass that’s about as much as we do with it there’s no facilities there other than it’s a bit of land that’s next to some council flats again which we need to look at improving and that’s what we are gonna do via this development but to do it we got to do it as part of this development. 

So that’s what we are looking to do we are trying to improve the whole of Marks Gate whilst acknowledging that we will take up some of this green you know its grass, its all it is and um .. its not a park of any description it’s a piece of grass that’s a strip of land that quite frankly could have been built on in the 1930’s when they done the other side of the road where the Moby Dick and Eastern Avenue is. 

Houses opposite the Lake and development area
are set further back from the A12 than the new Builds will be. 

Its no different well you see it if you go into Romford if you are going down the A12 there’s houses both sides of the A12 there and the same if you go into Redbridge.

MD:  does the building of all these new homes on that particular site does that make a difference as far as the value of other houses nearby, is that going to effect it in a good way or a bad way?

DR: Well to be honest in Barking and Dagenham we are the only London borough where the house prices are going up because of the demand is so great and um .. in that respect it will improve because Marks Gate will improve with all the infrastructure we are putting in. 

There isn’t a supermarket in Marks Gate there will be by the time we’ve finished, what we want to see there because it desperately needs one and we can only do that with mass as the supermarkets are not interested.

MD:  the other interesting point to this and this is really from Mick from Rush Green, I’m going to mention as its touching upon the same thing and I am going to read out his message as he’s written it because he has a good point because the only road, the main road in and out passed that particular section is the A12 as you mentioned, 

so he says “Given the awful congestion on the A13 and the A12 coupled with the lack of supporting infrastructure why are more high density housing developments taking place around Barking, Dagenham and also into Romford. The infrastructure from a roads point of view is that going to be able to cope as its already busy in rush hour times. 

DR: ok so lets step back one moment, if we go back 100 years the Becontree estate weren’t here they started it in 1921 and finished in 1933.

Ok that was because London expanded actually London is needing to expand again so what we have to do and what we are looking to do is build as much as we can on all the brown field sites that we’ve got, that’s what we are doing. 

We’ve also got is that government has to invest in the infrastructure that means we’ve gotta have better roads connections better bus connections and we’ve gotta more what I call rural green solutions we are looking at doing that as a council we should be but again we need for us to build the homes.

We are very much discussing with government that we need that infrastructure. Remember cross rail is coming to Romford, cross rail is coming to Chadwell Heath, Gidea Park its going to Ilford those trains for that to happen that billion of pounds worth of investment, for that to happen they must be used and we got to make sure they are used or otherwise its been a waste of public money.

So what we are trying to do is to make sure that where we have the mobile hubs as they call it basically the easy way of getting to a location to be able to use fast transport like cross rail we need to build the density and that’s what we are going to do. 

There won’t be any problem with school places in fact Warren Jnr, there’s with Warren Secondary they are all ready for the expansion. 

300 homes isn’t going to make that much difference in this phase, remember we will knock down homes to rebuild re-purpose as well, so this is all done with this soft infrastructure knowingly needed being included so it doesn’t matter where it is in the borough I can assure you that when we are building the homes we are making sure that all the other infrastructures are as well and we will continue to do that. 

MD: alright, I don’t know whether the person who just sent a text message in his name is Mark or he is saying thanks Mark at the end of his text message, but he says tell Darren there’s a lovely Co-op at Marks Gate and I use it regularly.

DR: I know the Co-op very well but I get lots of complaints about its over priced and too small as much as I love the Co-op and I used to go in their as a small boy and I used to go along a few doors as well when there used to be another shop that was a, we used to get out foot balls to go and play in the .. Warren Annex when it was still there so I know the area very well. 

We wouldn’t be doing this if we didn’t think it was an improvement, we know its an improvement on the information that we have had from wider community living up on Marks Gate and whilst I will accept that there are some people that don’t want it I can assure people that people that need homes will be up for it these homes are at the values that people can afford, 80% of what Befirst has developed in the borough have all been sub-market.

MD: Ok, thank you Darren 

Break

MD: Now Rosemary from Marks Gate wants to know how many of the properties being built by Befirst are going o be on sale to other boroughs 

DR: None, there you go that answers that one, next 

MD: ok, Anna wants to know how much of the housing being built will be for overspill from other London boroughs 

DR: So Befirst, let me explain to residents what happen BeFirst is a wholly owned company by the council so every penny it makes it gets put back into council for the services that goes to the residents so every resident is in effect like a shareholder. 

We just represent them as the coucillors. And all the Befirst builds goes at the moment goes to Reside, Reside is a fully owned housing company so its technically a private company but again wholly owned by the Council so we don’t run the company we are the shareholders of the company and they then rent those properties out at sub-market rent that support residents of our borough and none of them can be Right to Buy because they are private, in fact you can have a tenancy there for the rest of your life.

MD:  so let me move on .. this one says In Reference to your enthusiastic support for so many new housing developments many new comers will put pressure on GP’s dentists transport schools local roads, we’ve kind of discussed that  but is there a specific limit when you can finally say Barking and Dagenham is full.

DR: Yes and its based on the facts of whats going on here so again I’ll go back to what happened, when the Becontree estate which is two thrids of the borough was built it was built all the infrastructure we are just doing the same again that is actually happening down most of it below the A13 some of its happening, the second largest amount that’s happening is in Barking town centre and that is because it can take the infrastructure that’s needed there and we will carry on developing in a way that is contusive to what is going on in where the borough is going. So if I take schooling 95% of the parents in this borough get first choice schooling in the school that they want that’s the highest in London there’s no problem about school places. If I then take Doctor’s surgery that’s not us that’s the NHS the reason we have lost 4 hospitals in the borough is because the NHS test has changed in the way it delivers its services what we are looking to do is to bring facilities back into our community. 

A message to Cllr Darren Rodwell from Marks Gate Residents

Councillor Rodwell, do you remember saying this about the residents of Marks Gate?

"What we find is they get grumpy after it's finished because their ignorance hasn't allowed them to take part." 

Cllr Darren Rodwell was speaking at a meeting of Barking and Dagenham Council's cabinet at the town hall on Tuesday, November 12, 2019.

He was commenting after a question from Cllr Sade Bright who asked whether people in Marks Gate who weren't online would be able to take part in a public consultation over a proposal to build 200 homes on a strip of open grassland next to Padnall Lake.

Cllr Rodwell, commenting on public consultations, said: "What we find is [people] get grumpy after it's finished because their ignorance hasn't allowed them to take part, rather than the council not wishing [them] to take part."

Cllr Cameron Geddes, who put forward the proposals, quipped beforehand: "I look forward to the computerisation of Chadwell Heath. I would have thought the majority [of people in the area] have access." Barking and Dagenham Post 

So Cllr Rodwell, what have you done to educate the ignorant? Cllr Geddes rather than try to belittle Marks Gate residents that don't have internet access what have you done to improve it?

We are proud to see that the Residents of Marks Gate formed an Action Group, ran petitions (over 600 signatures) for those without internet access. Yes Cllr Bright was right!

44 written objections were sent in by those you call ignorant. Yes we are sticking to 44 because we believe that at least 6 were 'lost' due to the technical issues with BeFirst planning portal. See here

Yes Marks Gate reportedly have a high level of residents with either no qualifications or qualifications equal to 1 or more GCSE at grade D or below, than the national average and yes Marks Gate has 20% less Higher and Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional households than the national average.

But they have a community, they pulled together, their Action Group empowered them and they took part, despite every effort made to thwart them, advertising meetings on non existent dates, only holding meetings during a workday so working residents couldn't attend. They will always remember what you said.

Your disparaging comments show a complete lack of understanding, as well as a lack of compassion for the people who live here.

Lastly, 'educated' people know how to apologise ... we await yours.

New homes on green spaces will be massive LOSS for Marks Gate

Befirst say: “In addition to the new homes the development will provide a brand new park, orchards and improved access to a lake which will provide a green open space residents can enjoy.”

Lets look at this in more detail ..... by superimposing the plan on the existing green space

Firstly there will be double the amount of homes / families with half as much green space, that's without including residents of all the homes north of the Padnall Road who use this as their local park.

Will this still work as a family friendly park?

The park area is massively reduced, children can play along side the 'new' car park or directly in front of the existing residents' homes, or just walk up and down a path.

Where do the kids learn to ride a bike? on the narrow path? Where are the cycle paths?

Where do the kids play football? on the small area in front of the existing blocks?

The summer picnics the community used to hold on the green space, the swimming pools in front of all the blocks, something Marks Gate is known for, where will they go ..

It will no longer be a family friendly park but just a path ... parks do not tend to have access roads and car parks down them. 

And then there is the wasted space, the space behind the 6 storey block on the left, or the narrow space in front of it. The tiny buffer space behind the new houses along the A12.

Any sensible reason for the car parks not being behind the new homes and alongside the A12? keep all the pollution together and not on the 'park'?

Is there really a need for a 6 storey block right next to the lake? 

Improved Access to the lake they say - well its a path, same as it was before, a path,  just not with as much green space either side of it.

New park, they say - no park we say.

Padnall Lake and Green Space Biodiversity debate from 73.84% to 530% - is it true?

This is what BeFirst Planning Officer told the Planning Committee:

"The proposed development seeks to be built on open space nevertheless there will be a 513% increase in biodiverse planting which contributes to the urban greening factor of 0.6 which comfortably exceeds the guidance set out by the London Plan" (1.138)

This is what they told The Mayor of London /GLA:

"The proposal would provide significant landscaping and biodiversity benefits. There would be a 530% increase in biodiverse planting on the site" (item 27) 

But what did the actual Biodiversity Report say?

"The Biodiversity Net Gain assessment shows that with the current proposed landscape design, it is possible for the proposed development to achieve a 73.84 % net gain for area-based habitats, a 24.05% increase for linear habitats and a 0.33 hectare increase for trees." 

So the Aug 2020 Biodiversity Report said 73.84% increase, the report to The Mayor of London Oct 2020 says 530% increase, the report to the Planning Committee Nov 2020 says 513%.

When does the amount go down to the original 73.84% ? 

Next we will look at how they say they will make the increase, not sure whether that's the 73.84% or the 513% increase or even the 530% increase or none!

How much Public Green Space at Padnall Lake will be lost??

Does any body know how much green space will be lost ??

Befirst Planning Officer's report to the Planning Committee 30/11/20 says 51% will be lost

But Barking and Dagenham letter to residents 26/11/20 says less than a fifth so less than 20%:

So between 26th and 30th a further 31% was lost? 

The plan 

Currently the whole area is green. once they build, the brown will be blocks of 3 to 8 storeys along with 4 access roads, pavements and parking spaces.

From this 

To this

BeFirst Air Quality Assessment for Padnall Lake development - Not fit for purpose

 A review of the Air Quality Assessment modelling put forward for Padnall Lake Marks Gate proposed development of 300 homes along the A12 has been described as NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE by Professor Stephen Peckham and Dr Ashley Mills, The Centre for Health Services at the University of Kent.

LBBD planning committee meet on 30 Nov 2020 to decide on this application. 

Professor Peckham and Dr Mills say that baseline data is not representative and the model verification is inadequate, stating that 

The developer has produced a minimal-effort model derived from two baseline data points which are not representative of the development area, taken from between 2 and 4km away, from sites with atypical characteristics and in discord with those of the development area. As the baseline data is not representative, this is not consistent with the requirements of the LBBD EHO.

The developer’s model is “verified” using only these two data points, producing a meaningless RMSE that provides no understanding of the real-world performance of the model across a variety of conditions and in the environment of the development itself.

They conclude that: 

the development should not be considered until a model is presented that:

● uses representative baseline data, which is likely to require additional local diffusion tube modeling for a period of one year in the area of the actual development

● Is verified using multiple locations in the area of the actual development

Lets see if the Planning Committee accept this or choose to ignore the report for being critical of them.

Given the effects of pollution on our health we can only hope that they act properly, with a duty of care to their residents.

investigation over LBBD BeFirst proposal to build at Padnall Lake, Marks Gate Protected Green space

Marks Gate residents have requested an investigation into the consultation process used by Be First for Padnall Lake proposed development.

This has been highlighted by The Barking and Dagenham Post report here 

Let's look at some of the lies being told:

• LBBD Say: "A council spokesperson said: “We have fully consulted the residents of the Marks Gate area, including those living on the other side of the A12.
  
  ”Their own Statement of Community Involvement  shows its a lie:

'The A12 forms a physical barrier between Marks Gate and neighbouring residential areas. Because of this, leaflets were distributed in the boundary below." BLUE = distribution area.

So NO leaflets were distributed to the homes opposite the proposed development site 

• LBBD say "The town hall’s spokesperson admitted there was a three day breakdown with the portal, but the authority moved “speedily” to fix it"
  
  The planning application was available on the portal but residents were not able to comment on it. Emails were sent to planning@befirst.london on 4/9/20 telling them it was impossible to object or comment online. It remained that way for 20 days not 3 days.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• This is just one of many emails sent to Befirst saying that commenting on the portal was impossible.
• 
  

Pollution - Breathe London Air Quality - Marks Gate - A12

 Breathe London Air Quality monitoring project has revealed that almost 40% of the nitrogen oxide pollution at schools comes from road transport, with diesel cars being the single biggest emitter.

The audit recommendations will include measures such as closing surrounding roads, walking and scooting campaigns and tackling engine idling.

So we are left wondering why BeFirst LBBD wish to build 300 family homes along the A12 at Padnall Lake, Marks Gate.

• The A12 is a very busy road, carrying all types of traffic including diesel cars
• The proposed site is directly adjacent to the A12
• The 300 homes the proposed to build there will house families with children
• There is a set of traffic lights where Whalebone Lane crossed the A12, therefore there will be traffic queues when the lights are red and vehicle engines idling. These queues will be alongside the proposed development.

But the biggest question is why haven't they tested/monitored the air quality at the proposed site?

Red area is the proposed site, the blue is Havering monitoring sites and the single green dot is LBBD. 

Here are examples of the queuing traffic along the A12 taken during lockdown! its far worse during normal life.

Once the green space barrier has gone as homes are built on it as well as a new road running along it, parking spaces and 2 new access roads, the pollution will only increase.

Proper testing and monitoring must be done at the site before they put families with children on the A12.

Padnall Views Action Group requests investigation into Befirst Public Consultation

Emails were sent to local Councillors, Jon Cruddas MP and Barking & Dagenham Post requesting an investigation into the Public Consultation for Befirst's major development proposal for 300 homes in 3 to 8 storey blocks on green space at Padnall Lake Marks Gate.

Despite LBBD Constitution 2020 ‘One Borough; One community; No-one left Behind’ Enables democratic participation, works relationally and is transparent', there was no transparency.

It was impossible to comment online

• It was impossible to comment on the planning application via the LBBD / Befirst website. Despite BeFirst being made aware of this prior to 17/9/20 this was not corrected until 25^th Sept 2020, the day after consultation was to end.
• A handful of group members received an email on 24/9/20 from BeFirst ‘It appears that the link for customers to make representations on the Padnall Lake planning application is not available to all customers’ and ‘We have extended the public consultation period on this application by 14 days until the 11^th Oct 2020’.
• Why was only the Padnall Lake planning application affected by the absence of a comments link?
• At the same time LBBD website contained an error message apologising for a technical fault causing problems with online forms being submitted. It was removed shortly after the consultation period ended on 11^th Oct 2020.

The Action Group have proof that Befirst were made aware of the technical fault on 4th Sept 2020, but they only have to look at the objections they uploaded on 17th Sept 2020 to see that it was impossible to comment online.

BeFirst claim they were made aware on 24th Sep that the their online planning application pages were not working and that this was due to an update on 21st Sept. 

While this proves the power of Twitter, as this site contacted Befirst on 24th,  it also shows that they ignored the emails sent to them by local residents telling them of the problem prior to 17th Sept!!

Oh and just in case BeFirst continue to claim it only affected some browsers - NO! we checked on all the main browsers, the same problem was experienced on all of them.

Padnall Lake Marks Gate and Public Green Space - LBBD Local Plan

LBBD / BeFirst want to build 300 homes in blocks along the A12, some up to 8 storeys high, on the public green space at Padnall Lake.
BUT National and Local planning Policy:

"The specific policy for the Green Belt and Public Open Spaces (CM3) sets out the protection of a number of local public open spaces designated as District Parks, Local Parks and Open Spaces and Small Open Spaces. "

"The protection of all of the borough’s existing parks and open spaces from development will be a principal aim of this strategy."

Let's look at what the  LBBD Local Plan 2019 - 2034 Nature and Open Space, Biodiversity Survey of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
has to say.
 
LBBD commissioned Denis J Vickers consultant Ecologist to perform a habitat survey. "The evidence provided by the survey will form part of the Evidence Base for the Council's emerging Local Plan (2018-2033)".

Padnall Lake and surrounding open space is described as a balancing pond and part of a very popular open space for local residents:

4.2.5 (e) Proposed 'new local site' (SINC) Padnall Lake.

4.4.9 Woodland
(a) Thousands of years of land management have dramatically reduced London’s woodland cover. As the timber market declined, so too did positive woodland management. Just less than five percent of London’s habitat cover is still by woodland, but its quantity and health is under threat.
b) The chief areas of woodland in Barking and Dagenham are not extensive and secondary in nature. These occur at the Ripple Nature Reserve birch copse, Eastbrookend Country Park (Eastbrook Grove), Dagenham Chase (Willow Woodland and Black Poplar Woods).
A tiny area of ancient woodland associated with the 13th century Marks Hedge occurs within Cranfield Golf Centre site. A small area of relict orchard occurs at Padnall Lake. 
e) Local Nature Reserve - definition A Local Nature Reserve (LNR) is a protected area of land designated by a local authority because of its local special natural interest and, where possible, educational and community value (Natural England, 2010).

f) Legislative requirements Schedule 11 (12) of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, which replaced Section 15 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, describes a ‘nature reserve’ as: land managed solely for a conservation purpose, or land managed not only for a conservation purpose but also for a recreational purpose, if the management of the land for the recreational purpose does not compromise its management for the conservation purpose (Ibid).

g) In the light of the guidance from Natural England (above) the author of this report sees the following sites in Barking and Dagenham as potential candidates for declaration as Local Nature Reserves:

i) Proposed SINCs
· Buzzards Mouth Creek and Thames View Ditch
· Padnall Lake
· Chadwell Heath Cemetery
· Greatfields Park

4.8.34 Padnall Lake
 · A scheme needs to be initiated to educate the public regarding feeding waterfowl with bread e.g. attracting rats, removing oxygen from water and that it is a bad diet for birds. Perhaps alternative less harmful foods could be suggested (and where to get them from)? Lakeside signage is required.
· There is at least one red-eared terrapin in the lake which needs to be removed.
· The Urban Orchard Project has funds to renovate the old orchard. Fruit trees should be heritage varieties of local origin if at all possible. These should be protected by metal tree guards.

Next we look at the LBBD Green Grid

So what happened to change this wonderful space to what Befirst describe as:

The Site The site, covering c. 5.22 hectares, is located at the southern edge of Marks Gate, a residential area situated in the north of Barking & Dagenham. The site comprises poor quality, under-utilised open space which suffers from poor air quality and acoustic conditions given its location running parallel to the northern side of the A12 (Eastern Avenue). [Planning Statement]

2.3. To the north, the site is surrounded by three-storey apartment blocks, which form part of the wider Marks Gate estate. The site boundary includes existing areas of under utilised open space within the existing Marks Gate Estate, including land up to Padnall Road and land between Padnall Road and Sheepscote Road.

NOTHING apart from the wish to build there and possibly poor maintenance of the green space and lake owned by LBBD.

What happened to : 

"The protection of all of the borough’s existing parks and open spaces from development will be a principal aim of this strategy."

Marks Gate and Billet Road (RM6) Traffic

 There are two ways out of Marks Gate estate, Whalebone Lane and Billet Road.

The traffic from Whalebone Lane on to the A12 can be see here and here is what Billet Road looks like at 8.20am. Queue all the way down to Hainault Road.

Traffic hot spots marked in red

Marks Gate and A12 Eastern Avenue Traffic

BeFirst want to build 300 new homes on the small strip of green space along the A12 at Padnall Lake, Marks Gate.

How will the construction crew arrive? how many vehicles daily will need to park on the side roads?Where will the HGV's queue up Where will the be unloaded?

This is Whalebone Lane at Marks Gate at 9.20am before the development work Starts! 

Queues to get off Marks Gate and to the A12 and its not rush hour

In the evening the new residents will be living in blocks immediately next to this, in fact on the grass shown in this video you can also get a feel for the noise and this is late evening after rush hour.: