Richard Struck

Welcome to the latest edition of Rickmansworth This Week e-news. If you would like to receive this by email, please contact me at rwstruck@gmail.com to get your own regular delivery. Feedback on this newsletter is always welcomed.

Decisions of Development Control Committee meeting on Thursday 17th July

63 Nightingale Road and rear gardens of numbers 61 and 65
08/1089/FUL and 08/1077/CAC
Proposal to demolish exisitng building and replace with four detached houses.
Planning permission REFUSED due to backland development and potential  loss of trees.

Applegarth, Parrotts Close, The Green, Croxley Green
08/1140/FUL
Another proposal for this site - this time to demolish the existing house & garage and build
Planning permission REFUSED due to backland development, and the proposed upgrading of the accessway and junction with Parrotts Close resulting in an urbanising impact on the Conservation Area.
Hawkford Hall, 231 Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth (next to public footpath into Aquadrome)
08/1173/FUL and 08/1174/LBC
Proposal to allow “occasional use” of three parking bays at rear of building for storage of mobile pump units.
Planning permission REFUSED due to the storage of mobile plant units having an adverse effect on the visual amenities of the locality, inappropriate form of development for the site, and detrimental to the amenities of the surrounding residential properties. Furthermore, the collection and delivery of this plant would result in disturbance and general activity detrimental to the surrounding residential properties.

181 High Street, Rickmansworth
08/1177/FUL
Proposal to extend opening hours of the kebab take-away - Mon-Thurs 9.00am-11.00pm, Fri-Sat 9.00am-11.30pm, Sunday and public holidays 9.00am-11.00pm.
Planning permission REFUSED due to noise, disturbance and nuisance, resulting in unacceptable loss of residential amenity to the adjoining and surrounding occupiers.

New local planning applications
Windrush and The Cottage,  Rectory Road, Rickmansworth 08/1401/OUT
Outline Application for demolition of existing two dwellings and erection of one block of 7 x 2 bed flats and 5 x 1 bed flats and alterations to vehicular access.

William Penn update
The refurbishment of William Penn Leisure Centre has fallen well behind its original programme. This has inconvenienced users and staff throughout the building, as well as those waiting to return there to swim. On 22 July the main contractor (Gee Construction) informed Three Rivers that they now expect to complete the project in November 2008. This target date is provisional, and is based on a draft work programme which they are confirming with their subcontractors. A firmer programme is expected shortly, and the feasibility of earlier occupation of areas such as the new fitness suite is also being actively investigated.

Cutting corners in a rush to completion would be a false economy, so although completion is already overdue, the Council will not relax any of its quality criteria. Unfortunately neither the Council nor its contractors are able to guarantee a completion date with absolute certainty, although all parties are fully committed to finishing the scheme as soon as practically possible. 

Once construction is complete Hertsmere Leisure (who operate the building for the Council) will need two weeks to commission new equipment before opening the pools and other new areas to the public. The Council is currently advising Hertsmere Leisure to plan for a launch of the new William Penn Leisure Centre at the beginning of January 2009. 

Users can find out about temporary arrangements for classes and other activities by asking at reception or by calling 01923 771050.      

Why has it taken so long?
Refurbishments of existing buildings often reveal unexpected problems when construction work starts. This was the case at William Penn Leisure Centre with the unexpected discovery of gas and electricity supplies.

The causes of later delays are disputed between the Council and the various contractors, and between the contractors themselves, but all parties are determined that their resolution must not be allowed to delay progress on site.

Latest crime figures
A further drop in crime has been reported for the first quarter of the year 2008/09. Between April and June 2008 the overall level of incidents fell by 8.6%. The drop is the third largest in Hertfordshire while the total crime figure for Three Rivers remains the county’s lowest. While domestic burglary in the district has increased, other kinds of burglary, violent crime, criminal damage have all fallen significantly.
Three Rivers crime statistics for April - June 2008 (with comparisons to the previous year) are:

• Vehicle crime: 200 reports (previously 209)
• Criminal damage: 253 reports (previously 293)
• Domestic burglary: 85 reports (previously 78)
• Burglary, other (including businesses and outbuildings): 57 reports (previously 83)
• Violent crime: 141 reports (previously 199)
• Theft of bicycles: 29 reports (previously 50).