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Goalposts move at Dalby Street
• MY family attended last weekend’s public exhibition of the Dalby Street scheme presented by Trac Properties and their off-shore purchaser Cornwall (Exhibition to win Dalby minds, Feb 15).
We watched in dismay as Councillors Mike Green and Keith Moffitt studied ponderously the newly proposed access road to the Talacre Sports Centre.
Surprisingly neither seemed fazed by the prospect of buses negotiating the tiny New Dalby Street and making five-point turns off the roundabout by the Talacre Sports Centre.
It did not seem to bother them that such dangerous traffic activities would take place where pedestrians emerge from the only footpath leading from the Prince of Wales Road into the busy sports centre.
One could only wonder whether anyone on our council actually understands the basic defects of this scheme. There just isn’t enough space for this large size project to be erected as designed on land available.
Those who have pointed out that the developers are trying to put a quart in a pint pot had got it right.
Mr Charlie Fulford of Trac Properties has yet again come out with reassurances that he won’t encroach on our park.
He has given us such false reassurances before when in a tight corner, only to go back on his word.
Our council must, therefore, not grant road closure at Dalby Street in the present circumstances as this would only create access problems in the future to the serious detriment of park and sports centre users alike.
DR ELIZABETH WEEKES
Savernake Road, NW3
• RUMOUR has it that the developer of the Dalby Street scheme has now announced he won’t be encroaching on Talacre gardens.
Residents have heard it all before. As far back as 2004, Trac Properties managing director Charlie Fulford was quoted in the CNJ saying: “I categorically deny any green space will be lost”. (Fear over open space in deal to sell public land, Feb 26, 2004).
This was backed by our own Town Hall officials who insisted: “There is no building encroachment on open space”. (Developers eye travellers’ site, April 8, 2004).
Again, in 2005, Mr Fulford gave a guarantee that not “not an inch of public space would be lost”. (Apology over flats plan, Feb 10, 2005).
That same year, Anne Doherty of the Planning Department stated in her letter to the CNJ: “The application proposes no encroachment on the open space.” (New tower will be no taller, Dec 1, 2005).
On January 10, 2006, however, both our planners and the ambitious developer exchanged contracts allowing the developer to slice Talacre in two to permit his building work to go ahead.
Now, yet again in 2007, we face new reassurances that the park will not be encroached. Only fools would believe them.
Unless we can see a very substantial changes in the design of the inept scheme, no one around here will believe in anything this particular developer promises. I hope our council won’t be fooled into believing this piece of propoganda and that they will now, for once, exercise caution and use their better judgement.
Meanwhile, residents should not hold their breath. The park is clearly not saved yet.
CELINE LA FRENIERE
Talacre Road, NW5
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