Chuka Umunna MP

Chuka has received the following update on Thameslink services from the Managing Director of First Capital Connect (who operate the service), Neal Lawson.  Thameslink trains run out of Streatham and Tulse Hill rail stations which serve Chuka’s constituents.  Further updates will be posted as and when we receive them – Chuka is pressing the rail company to resolve the problems as soon as possible.  

I can confirm we are running a significantly reduced service this evening peak.

We are running to the booked timetable but there are a large number of cancellations. We are advising customers to check our live departure boards on the First Capital Connect website for the latest information.

Ticket acceptance on other routes and with other operators has not changed since my last email to you.

There is the potential for some disruption tomorrow morning but our strong desire is to avoid this by returning all our trains to their correct start points north and south of London before the route across central London is closed tonight for engineering work.

Our advice to customers is to check the live departures board on our website tomorrow morning, www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk.

Yours sincerely

Neal Lawson
Managing Director, First Capital Connect

Below is an update on the Streatham Hub project which has been distributed to local residents by developers Vinci Construction:

Commencement of Construction Works

Steve Diggines
Project Director
VINCI Construction UK Ltd

Labour is launching a campaign to save Britain’s high streets, calling for urgent action to help retailers, protect jobs and give people a real say over their local high street.

This follows a recent spate of household-name high street retailers going under or having to close premises. Jane Norman, Focus DIY, TJ Hughes and Ethel Austin have gone into administration; Carpetright has closed 75 stores, while Habitat has put 30 premises outside London into administration. Retailers HomeForm, All Saints, HMV, Comet, Mothercare, JJB Sports and Thorntons have also been hit recently.

According to the Local Data Company, 14.6% of retail premises in the UK are now vacant, indicating that approximately 50,000 high street units are empty, with vacancy rates rising. The Javelin Group has predicted that if current trends continue, a quarter of all non-food retail outlets in the UK could be vacant by 2020.

Thousands of jobs on the high street are at risk. The British Retail Consortium’s Retail Employment monitor in April 2011 found that 29% of retailers planned to decrease staffing levels, up from 8% in April 2010.

Consumer spending remains sluggish as household incomes are squeezed and the government’s VAT hike hits consumers. Nationwide Building Society’s Consumer Confidence Index, released this week, fell by six points in June, returning to a similar level to January.

The government’s VAT hike is hitting the High Street – last year, the British Retail Consortium predicted that the increase would cost 163,000 jobs over four years and reduce consumer spending by £3.6 billion over the same period.

Additionally, many small businesses are struggling to access the finance they need, with lending to businesses contracting in the three months to May 2011 and the cost of borrowing increasing according to the Bank of England this week.

Labour has unveiled a four-point plan to save Britain’s high streets:

• Enact a temporary cut in VAT from 20% to 17.5%, giving struggling retailers a boost and putting £450 back into each family’s pocket.

• Introduce a retail diversity planning clause, putting communities in charge of the future of their local high streets. Local people and local retailers would have a say on any retail plans for their area, giving them the power to put the heart back into the high street.

• Create a ‘competition test’ in the planning system, leading to greater choice and lower prices for shoppers. The test would ensure a level playing field between small and large shops.

• Repeat Labour’s empty shops initiative, enabling councils to pursue innovative uses for empty shops and reinvigorate high-streets, such as using vacant units for cultural, community or learning services, rather than leaving them empty

Commenting, Shadow Minister for Small Business and Enterprise, Chuka Umunna MP said:

“The Tory-led government is bystanding while businesses suffer and our high streets stagnate. Consumer confidence has been badly hit by the government’s VAT hike and the squeeze on family incomes. It is no surprise that retail sales have remained sluggish.

“We are looking to businesses to provide the growth and jobs we need and to power the recovery. The government has failed to get banks lending to businesses, and has hit retailers with this year’s hike in VAT. The recent wave of high street business failures should send a signal to ministers on the real pressures which firms are under.

“A temporary cut in VAT would help consumers and businesses now and would help us get the deficit down.”

Commenting, Shadow Local Government Minister Jack Dromey MP said:

“We need to put the heart back into Britain’s High Streets. Labour wants to give communities a real say over the future of their high street and the power to make the changes they want.

“One of the things I hear from my constituents is how the character of the local high street has changed. The High Street is not what it once was, they say. And I know many other MPs hear the same – we want to put that right.”

“Healthy and diverse high streets are the heart of local communities. The Tories have opposed Labour’s plan to give local people a real say over the future of their High Street. Instead the Tories appointed Mary Portas to run their retail “review” while opposing real action. Labour backs real shops, not talking shops.”

Chuka Umunna MP is taking action to help local businesses, undertaking a survey to find out about their experiences in accessing finance amid concern over banks’ failure to lend on reasonable terms to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).

While banks have cited a lack of demand for lending among businesses, Mr Umunna is finding out whether this reflects the experiences of SMEs in Streatham.

The government’s Project Merlin agreement with the UK’s banks in February promised billions of pounds in increased lending to SMEs. However, the first set of quarterly Project Merlin lending statistics, published by the Bank of England, show that banks are failing to meet its target by £2.2 billion.

There are concerns that banks are not offering businesses finance on reasonable terms, putting off potential SME applicants for loans and overdraft facilities.

The survey also aims to build up a picture of the pressures which businesses in Streatham are currently facing in accessing finance. It is part of Labour’s Better Finance for Business campaign, gauging demand for business finance among SMEs across the UK and engaging with their concerns.

There are more than 166,000 SMEs in London – accounting for over 99 per cent of businesses in the region, and SMEs are responsible for 59 per cent of private sector employment across the UK.

Mr Umunna was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business & Enterprise by Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband in May, and leads on a range of issues including access to finance for businesses.

Commenting, Mr Umunna said:

“Small and medium sized businesses are the lifeblood of the economy – we are looking to them to create the jobs and growth we need and this will only be possible if they can access finance.

“The government is not doing enough to get banks lending to SMEs, and I am concerned about the impact this is having on our local businesses in Streatham that provide jobs and services in our area. That’s why I am engaging with our local small businesses and listening to their concerns, experiences and views.”

Following a recent planning meeting, Lambeth council officials provided Chuka with an update on the Streatham Hub redevelopment. The update is below:

• Demolition of the former Pope’s Road car park is near completion with works to level the site now underway. This is due to be completed by late April 2011.
• Start on the construction of the temporary ice rink – July 2011
• Open temporary ice rink – November 2011
• Start on site for Streatham Hub – September 2011
• Completion of Streatham Hub – end of 2013
• Decommissioning of temporary ice rink – early 2014

Streatham MP Chuka Umunna has been updated on the latest progress with a major redevelopment in Streatham Hill after meeting with senior executives of developer Redefine International which is leading the project.

Redefine International confirmed to Mr Umunna that discussions are currently underway with a number of major retailers to secure the development’s anchor store, with confirmation of which store has reached a final agreement due by the end of March.

Mr Umunna was informed that work is set to begin early next year on the development, with the initial retail offering opening in 2013. The entire complex, including new homes, is due for completion in 2015.

Wentworth House on Sternhold Avenue, which was formerly occupied by a JobCentre office and has lain dormant for a number of years, is due to be demolished as part of the scheme. Mr Umunna has learned from Redefine International that Lambeth has now signed off permission for the building’s demolition, which will proceed shortly.

The developer hopes to convert the Wentworth House site into a temporary short-stay car park providing much-needed parking spaces for those using local shops, pending completion of the overall scheme. The change of use to a temporary short-stay car park is subject to council approval.

The entire development, with a site encompassing the former Caesar’s nightclub, Megabowl and adjacent properties, represents £75 million of inward investment in Streatham.

Commenting, Mr Umunna said:

“I am pleased that this redevelopment is moving forward and am pushing for it to be delivered as quickly as possible with the minimum of disruption to local residents.

“Everyone is agreed on the importance of regenerating this stretch of Streatham Hill and our High Road and the need to attract businesses to the area. I believe this project has the potential to deliver on both of these counts and improve our main shopping street.”

Below is an update from Lambeth on the Streatham Hub project:

As you may know, Tesco’s planning application for a mezzanine floor as part of their proposed new store was approved by Lambeth’s Planning Application Committee on 12 October 2010, subject to conditions, a S106 agreement.

For more information visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/futurestreatham
Tel: 0800 052 6336
Email: futurestreatham {at} lambeth.gov(.)uk

Tesco has launched a new website on the Streatham Hub development, designed to keep the public informed and enabling people to submit queries about the project.

To visit the website, please follow this link

The building of the Streatham Hub has been fraught with delays since its inception more than 10 years ago.

History

Tesco Plc (“Tesco”) purchased the site where Streatham Ice Rink is currently situated almost a decade ago. In June 2001 the retailer published plans to demolish the Ice Rink – these were abandoned following strong opposition from local user groups, community and voluntary organisations.

New plans were approved by Lambeth Council (the “Council”) in February 2003 with a Section 106 Agreement associated with the scheme – which has become known as the ‘Streatham Hub’ – being concluded between the Council and Tesco in December 2007.

Under the agreement the development was set to provide new leisure facilities, a new supermarket and 250 new homes for the Streatham area where Streatham Ice Arena is currently located. There would also be a new transport hub linking road and rail. The Council said that as part of the deal Tesco would not be allowed to open its supermarket until the new leisure centre and ice rink open. Planning consent was granted to Tesco on this basis in December 2007.

In 2009 Tesco indicated to the Council that it wished to revise the scheme on account of economic conditions which it said meant the 2007 plans were no longer financially viable. With respect to their revised proposals, residents were alarmed when in October 2009 representatives from Tesco refused to guarantee that it would be able to ensure continuity of ice pending the development being completed (under the original plans the old ice rink would only close once the new ice rink opened, thus ensuring continuity of ice). Continuous ice provision is essential for the many user groups of the ice rink including Olympian skaters and the famous Streatham Redskins ice hockey team.

Keep Streatham Skating

In October 2009 I established a cross party coalition to campaign for continuity of ice to be retained following the public meeting that month. Various online and off line petitions, and a Facebook group, were established which thousands of residents signed. Following this campaign, Tesco and Lambeth came forward with revised proposals under which the old ice rink would close before the new one opened but temporary ice provision paid for by Tesco would be put in its place somewhere near by.

The revised proposals were approved by the Tesco Plc board in March 2010. This approval was of some significance since on the last two occasions when the scheme had gone to the Tesco Board for approval, no approval had been forthcoming; on this occasion the scheme was promoted by the Chief Executive himself and given Board approval.

Hands Off Our Common

As part of the revised proposals, the option of putting a temporary ice rink on Streatham Common whilst the new rink is built was discussed and considered. However, whilst many of the user groups of the ice rink were supportive of this plan given its close proximity to the current ice rink site, regular users of Streatham Common were deeply opposed and a campaign – Hands Off Our Common (HOOC) – was established in May 2010 to reject the revised proposals. Groups involved with HOOC included Sustainable Streatham, Streatham Action, Friends of Streatham Common and the Streatham Society.

The campaign was successful and on 26 July 2010 Lambeth Council’s cabinet resolved not to place the temporary ice skating provision on Streatham Common following a report from Council officers citing legal obstacles, practical difficulties and the likely extensive delay resulting from implementation, as the main reasons for not pursuing this: Report to Cabinet, 26 July 2010.

Instead the Council officers’ report recommended that the temporary ice skating provision be placed at Pope’s Road in Brixton, one of 14 options considered by the Council. The officers’ paper lists the advantages and disadvantages of Pope’s Road as follows:

Advantages

• In Council ownership
• Site to be demolished and will be in vacant possession shortly.
• Site large enough
• Good accessibility
• Good public transport links
• Viability of town centre would be enhanced

Disadvantages

• Could raise objections among market traders if temporary car park not provided.
• Loss of car parking for market traders, but can be mitigated by relocating elsewhere on site.
• Possible community safety concerns.
• Opportunity cost to Council for delaying its redevelopment of the site.

The timetable for completion of the entire Streatham Hub scheme envisages the temporary ice rink being opened at Pope’s Road towards the end of 2011 and the new ice rink (along with the supermarket etc) being completed in the summer of 2013.

Some stakeholders who use the ice rink support siting the temporary provision at Pope’s Road so long as Tesco are not permitted to open their supermarket before completion of the new ice rink and the other leisure facilities – this was the view presented to Lambeth’s cabinet on 26 July 2010 by the Secretary of Streatham Ice Skating Action Group. SISAG’s members include representatives of the dance club, figure skating club and hockey clubs who use the current ice rink. In response Council cabinet members confirmed that the Tesco store would not be allowed to open until the leisure facilities had been completed.

Save Skating in Streatham

Some users of the ice rink and local councillors have voiced great concern about the temporary provision being situated out of Streatham and formed a campaign: Save Skating in Streatham (SSS). They worry the ice rink will never return to Streatham and have considerable concerns about community safety, access and parking at the Pope’s Road site. Their petition (which has been signed by 335 people at the time of writing) is here, their Facebook page is here, and their recent letter to me is here. They argued that a site at Stockport Road should be considered but the campaign is now focused on enforcement of original section 106 Agreement under which it was agreed the old ice rink would stay in situ until the new ice rink opens.

I should mention that the Brixton Market Traders’ Association also oppose the temporary ice provision being placed at Pope’s Road – they argued at the 26 July 2010 cabinet meeting that the space could instead provide much needed parking facilities for Brixton Market customers.

My thoughts

Firstly, I should state that, as the Member of Parliament for Streatham, I have no legal power to affect this situation nor am I a party or signatory to any of the agreements between Tesco and the Council – it would be misleading for me to claim otherwise. My role – as an advocate for the area – is to ensure that as many of the voices and concerns of the community as possible are heard when decisions are made.

Secondly, there are a range of stakeholders with an interest in this development but – as the history of the project has demonstrated – those interests are not necessarily aligned and, even within the different groups concerned, there is a diversity of views too; I know this because I have spent much time consulting with all of them. For example, some ice rink user groups are happy to accept Pope’s Road as a temporary solution; others are not. Unfortunately this is not a project that will complete to the satisfaction of all involved – a degree of compromise on everyone’s part will be required.

That said, all are agreed on the principle that we all want to see the Streatham Hub completed as soon as possible, so that we can benefit from the fantastic leisure provision which it will provide, employment opportunities and new homes. My priority has always been to see the project completed as quickly as possible with this aim in mind whilst ensuring that, at the very least, there is ice provision for the current users of the ice rink in the interim.

Thirdly, the original s106 Agreement – agreed in 2007 – will be varied by Deed of Variation (if it has not been already) to allow for the revised 2010 plans to proceed. This is because Tesco would not agree to develop the Hub on the basis agreed in 2007, citing current economic conditions and commercial viability. I voiced some scepticism of their arguments in this regard given its pre-tax profits increased during the recession but their position remains unchanged. It is for this reason that Tesco paying for temporary provision pending completion of the scheme was agreed upon this year. There has always been a possibility that, should Tesco not deem the scheme commercially viable, they would walk away from the Hub project altogether leaving the future of ice skating in Streatham in peril – thankfully we did not reach this point. So whilst I have great sympathy with the SSS campaign objective to enforce the original s106 Agreement, I do not see how this can be done given what has come to pass and Tesco’s position. A lot has happened since the original 2007 agreement was concluded and I do not think we can wind the clock back (so to speak).

However, this does not mean that I am entirely happy with the Pope’s Road solution that has been proposed as things stand. It is vital that the concerns raised in relation to parking, community safety, spectator accommodation and transport are addressed ahead of the erection of the temporary provision. I understand that ice skating user groups met with Council officers yesterday and that progress towards the resolution of some of these issues has progressed.

Between now and the construction of the temporary provision at the end of next year, I will do all I can to demand that these issues are resolved. I met with Council officers and cabinet members during the summer with this is mind and I have written to Council officers for an update on progress in this regard which I will publish on this website in due course. I have also spoken with my colleague, Tessa Jowell MP, in relation to the concerns raised by the Market Traders Association of Brixton Market which is located in her constituency.

Finally, I am aware that the user groups of Streatham Swimming Pool feel that their concerns in relation to swimming provision in the vicinity have been overlooked somewhat given the focus on the ice rink. I was a frequent user of the pool myself as a child as I often competed there as a competitive swimmer. It is totally unsatisfactory that my constituents have been having to travel some distance in order to be able to continue to swim on a regular basis. This is an issue I have raised with the Council but my office will be seeking to arrange a meeting between myself and the stakeholder group for Streatham Swimming Pool imminently to see what further needs to be done.

If you wish to contact me further on this issue, please write to me at my constituency office or email me – contact details are here.

Kind regards,

Chuka

Have your say on the Streatham Hub redevelopment

During the election campaign, Chuka pledged to hold People’s Questions Time events if elected as MP. On Thursday July 15, the first of these events will take place, allowing local residents to have their say on the Streatham Hub redevelopment.

The public meeting will be held at Dunraven School, Leigham Court Road SW16 2QB on Thursday July 22 at 6.30pm. Officers of Lambeth Council and Tesco have been invited; the event offers them an platform to update residents of the scheme’s development.

Tesco purchased the site where Streatham Ice Rink is currently situated almost a decade ago. In June 2001 the retailer published plans to demolish the Ice Rink – these were abandoned following strong opposition from local user groups, community and voluntary organisations.

Revised proposals were approved by Lambeth Council in February 2003 with a Section 106 Agreement associated with the scheme – which has become known as the ‘Streatham Hub’ – being concluded between the Council and Tesco in 2007. The development is set to provide new leisure facilities, a new supermarket and affordable housing for the Streatham area. There will also be a new transport hub linking road and rail. Lambeth Council has said that Tesco will not be allowed to open a supermarket until a new leisure centre and ice rink have been opened.

As part of the plan, the option of siting a temporary ice rink on Streatham Common while a new rink is built has been discussed and alternative sites have also been proposed. At a public meeting in October 2009, Tesco sparked anger by refusing to guarantee that it would be able to fulfill its original guarantee continuity of ice.

In March this year, the Streatham Hub agreement got the go-ahead: following pressure on Tesco by the campaign to ‘Keep Streatham Skating’, spearheaded by Chuka, Tesco agreed to take forward its redevelopment plans guaranteeing continuous ice rink provision.

In Parliament last week, Chuka met with representatives of umbrella group Hands Off Our Common, which includes the Streatham Society, Friends of Streatham Common, Sustainable Streatham and Streatham Action, and with groups representing users of Streatham Ice Rink including Skaters for the Hub, Streatham Ice Skating Action Group and Streatham Redskins.

And by holding the first People’s Question Time, Chuka is also ensuring that the community at large is fully consulted as part of this ongoing process. He will use future People’s Question Times to give the people of Streatham a forum for discussion of similarly important issues.