The decision.

On Wednesday I attended the Bexley Council Licensing Sub-Committee in the civic offices in Bexleyheath; the reason for the visit was to witness their deliberations in the case of the application for The White Hart African restaurant and bar in Erith High Street to open from 10am until 5am the next morning. What I encountered turned out to be the longest licensing sub committee session in the history of Bexley Council. The meeting started at 10am, and the decision was finally announced at a little after 3pm. It cannot be said that the committee did not take into account every consideration before coming to their conclusion. I have not attended a meeting at the civic offices before, and I was surprised at the number of local residents who attended the public part of the meeting - I was told that normally very few if any people turn up to watch the Licensing Sub Committee - but the level of concern and indeed anger in respect of the outrageous licence variation application by the operator of the White Hart led to a record turn - out. I have to say that Councillor Nicola Taylor did an excellent job of representing Erith residents and their serious concerns in respect of noise, disturbance, increased crime and associated issues to the sub committee. In her representation to the sub committee, Councillor Taylor said:- "Erith does welcome this restaurant to the area and the opening is much anticipated. We have followed the restoration of the historic building closely. However, this establishment is close to residential homes. Behind it there are two retirement developments, and there are family properties close. All of these residents would be impacted. All of the residents have expressed concerns over the increase of public nuisance. The town centre is quiet in the evening. Residents have a fear the area will become an area known for excessive drinking, possibly worse. It seems mad to have an establishment open for these hours. We have got to consider the community as a whole". Unfortunately the Police officers who attended to submit evidence on behalf of the Met were not the officers who had previously been involved with the case, and they were poorly briefed - and to be honest did not do a particularly impressive job. Nevertheless, other council staff including Mrs Eley and Bike Aideh, community safety co-ordinator presented compelling evidence to counter the claims made by the licensing consultant hired by Mr Ojuanu Sodunke, the licensee of The White Hart. Petitions had been submitted prior to the meeting by residents of Waters Edge Court retirement apartments and the Stone Court sheltered housing scheme, both of which are situated in very close proximity to The White Hart. Residents from both locations unanimously opposed the increase in opening hours. What was very noticeable was that apart from Ojuanu Sodunke and his legal advisor, nobody had anything at all positive to say about the application for increased opening hours. Indeed, during the consultation session it emerged that the use of the former beer cellar in the White Hart, which has been converted into a lounge / bar area could not be permitted, as it only has one staircase in and out of it, which contravenes fire regulations. Once all of the representations had been made, the Licensing Sub Committee then met to consider their decision - and the public were then asked to leave the room. I had arranged to meet up with News Shopper reporter Tom Bull prior to the event, and I sat and chatted with him in the atrium outside of the committee rooms whilst we waited for a decision to be reached. Tom is a extremely nice bloke, and very interesting to chat to. My respect for the work of local news reporters has increased substantially since talking to him - I just play at local journalism - it is his profession - and he writes fluently in shorthand - a skill I had thought long gone. Many of the local residents who attended the consultation session did not stay for the decision - something of a wise choice, as I discovered in retrospect. We waited, and waited until 3pm before the remaining attendees were finally re-admitted to the committee room, a full three hours had passed whilst the committee debated their decision. The committee chair read out a prepared statement which in essence said that they could not approve the requested extension in licensing hours and that the request was therefore not granted. I don't think that either the licensee Mr. Ojuanu Sodunke or his legal advisor were in any way surprised by the decision made by the sub committee; the fact remains that the White Hart already has what is termed as a "Luxury" licence, which enables it to open until 1am on Friday and Saturday - more than enough time to operate as a restaurant and bar. Quite why Mr. Sodunke wanted to open until 5am still seems unclear. He offered to block any entrance to the venue after 11pm, and to employ door staff, but even so, it does not take six hours to have a few drinks, a chat and to eat dinner. The feeling amongst many attendees was that despite his insistence that The White Hart was to be a restaurant and bar only, it was actually trying to become a night club - "by the back door". You can read Tom Bull's take on the story on the News Shopper website here. The council decision has set a precedent for the borough, and it has shown that Bexley will not grant very late night drinks and entertainment licences in residential areas - a decision that I and many other people can only applaud. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

An announcement from The Association of Bexley Charities '78:- "We are holding our Autumn Fair at the United Reformed Church, Geddes Place, Bexleyheath DA6 7DJ (near the Broadway Shopping Centre) on Saturday 27th October 2018 from 9.45 am  - 1.00 pm. There will be a variety of charity stalls selling Christmas gifts and cards, CDs and DVDs, collectables, jewellery, chutneys, jams, cakes, books, children’s toys and games and model railways. Refreshments will be available and the entrance fee is 50p (accompanied children FREE)". 

After the recent revelations that the Crossrail project opening was going to be delayed by a year, or possibly significantly longer, further developments have taken place recently. Discussions about the potential extension of the services from its current terminus in Abbey Wood, and extending it down to Ebbsfleet have been going on and off for years. Crossrail’s original route went to Ebbsfleet but was cut to Abbey Wood to save cash. London City Airport has offered to fund a station as part of its £480 million expansion. Crossrail, renamed the Elizabeth line when it eventually opens, passes within 170m of its runway. The opening of Crossrail’s central section has overrun by £590 million and been delayed at least until to next autumn amid a failure to get the new British Rail class 345 trains to work with signalling systems. Now senior politicians, business leaders and other persons of influence are calling for the service to be extended as was originally planned. Local MP Sir David Evennett said in a recent interview with the London Evening Standard :- "This is a crucial opportunity for the Government to create a boom of jobs, opportunities and homes in an area that needs investment to unlock its potential. It will join up our transport network, bring Kent and south-east London properly into the fold". The potential extension would add an extra ten miles of line, which would see trains call at eight additional local stations: Belvedere, Erith, Slade Green, Dartford, Stone Crossing, Greenhithe, Swanscombe and Ebbsfleet, linking with HS1 and Eurostar. Back in May, Jo Johnson agreed that there had been considerable change in South East London and North Kent since the decision to not extend beyond Abbey Wood had been finalised in The 2008 Crossrail Act, and in light of this said Government would take a fresh look at the case for extending to Ebbsfleet. Now that the giant theme park that was due to be constructed near Swanscombe - formerly called the London Paramount theme park, has been delayed yet again, and the development is now looking to be very doubtful. Bearing in mind one of the contributing factors into the Crossrail to Ebbsfleet extension was to provide increased public transport access to the massive theme park - the fact that the park is now looking increasingly unlikely does not seem to be influencing the calls to extend Crossrail. There are many other very good reasons the line should be extended - in fact many are questioning why the line did not run all the way to Ebbsfleet in the first place, as the cost savings in terminating it at Abbey Wood were actually not that large in the greater scheme of things. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

This week marks the 31st anniversary of the Great Storm of 1987. I doubt that many locals will be happy to commemorate the event, as the storm hit the London Borough of Bexley particularly hard. Something approaching twenty percent of the mature trees in the borough were uprooted or seriously damaged by the exceptionally high winds. I recall walking along the Woolwich Road in Upper Belvedere the morning after, and seeing a number of the large trees in the recreation park down across the road – the fire brigade were cutting them up with chainsaws requisitioned from the plant hire shop in Nuxley Road. One of the very impressive Georgian houses opposite the Eardley Arms was seriously damaged – the whole third floor and roof were crushed by a mature sycamore tree that had fallen directly onto it. I recall reading in the local paper that the insurance claim to rebuild the historic house was greater than if they had demolished it and built afresh. Just as well the listed building was lovingly rebuilt, as it is one of the nicest residential properties in the whole of Upper Belvedere. My most vivid memory of the Great Storm was looking out of my bedroom window at the fury of the weather outside; some workmen had been laying a new paved pathway directly outside of my parents house. A pile of large concrete paving slabs had been made ready for the workers to continue laying them the next morning – these I saw flying through the air as if they were pieces of paper. Very worrying, as my parents house was right at the highest point in the area, leaving an unrestricted avenue for the hurricane to attack. The garden shed ended up in a neighbours’ back garden – very much like one of the opening scenes from “The Wizard of Oz”.

There are widespread rumours circulating locally that the Nuxley Navigator private bus service is struggling to find passengers. The inaccurately titled Nuxley Navigator bus service operates on weekdays only, and runs between Harrow Manorway outside of Abbey Wood Station, and Carlton Road in Northumberland Heath. The roads that the new private bus service covers are as follows:- Towards Abbey Wood Station (mornings only) - Carlton Road, Brook Street, Parsonage Manorway, Swaylands Road, Matfield Road, Stream Way, Bedonwell Road, Orchard Avenue, Bedonwell Road, Glenview, West Heath Road, Brampton Road, Knee Hill, Harrow Manorway. Towards Erith (afternoons only) - Harrow Manorway, Knee Hill, Brampton Road, West Heath Road, Glenview, Bedonwell Road, Orchard Avenue, Bedonwell Road, Stream Way Matfield Road, Swaylands Road, Parsonage Manorway, Brook Street, and Carlton Road. The Crossrail service was due to open at Abbey Wood Station at the end of this year - although as we now know, this has now been significantly delayed, and many of the roads covered by The Nuxley Navigator are currently not covered by any existing bus service. The Nuxley Navigator features a reserved seat and, in London, standard rides are £2.40. A standard bus fare is £1.50. Chariot works by being pre-bookable but with predetermined stops, similar to a bus route. The real reason for the service is to connect the Erith Quarry housing development with Abbey Wood Station. The developers of Erith Quarry are aiming the new development primarily at second or third time buyers who want larger, family sized houses - for people who intend to live in the area permanently. In order to attract middle class professional people into the local area, they need so show that there are good commuting connections into London - something that The London Borough of Bexley has lacked up until now. The fact that we have no DLR or Tube services in the Borough has been a factor that has discouraged some people from moving into the area. Providing a purpose built mini bus link between the Erith Quarry site and Abbey Wood Station was designed to convince people that they should move into the area, as housing is significantly cheaper than in other parts of London. The problem has been that 1) Crossrail has been significantly delayed, 2) Erith Quarry has not yet opened, and 3) there is very little local awareness of the private bus service. On top of this, it is a bookable service, not a "hop on, hop off" service as per a normal bus ride. Lastly the service can only be booked via a mobile phone app, and one cannot use Oyster cards. The lack of passengers on the Nuxley Navigator is, I am led to believe, causing the operator, Chariot, and their sponsor, Ford to consider closing the service. If you have any information on this issue, please Email me in confidence - you can contact me privately at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Unfortunately, Barnehurst ward has suffered two burglaries in the past week. The first occurred on Sunday 14th October 2018 between 05.00pm and 0740pm in Selkirk Drive at a residential care home. Staff found damage to a window lock and an empty large red handbag was taken from an unattended room. On Tuesday 16th October 2018 a burglary took place in Hampton House Erith Road. Suspects entered the property after forcing open the front door, taking a large flat screen TV and cash from the property. Two suspects were seen walking down the rear of Hampton House by railway heading towards Barnehurst Road struggling to carry the TV. If anyone has any Information with regards these burglaries please let us know. We cannot stress enough with the lead up to Christmas burglaries tend to increase. You can prevent and deter burglars away from your property's by taking appropriate security measures. We as your local Policing team will be happy to advise on crime prevention so feel free to join us at our next community contact session at Barnehurst Golf Club on Tuesday 23rd October 2018 at 11.00am". Belvedere ward:- "We have been conducting burglary and ASB patrols into the early hours of the morning this week. Two officers have been patrolling in plain clothes looking for offenders. We have stopped several groups of people to disrupt and dissuade anti – social behaviour. One male was searched by PC Green and was found to be in possession of cannabis bear Belvedere train station. Another male was searched by PC Holmes and found to be in possession of cannabis in the Nuxley Road car park. We have also been making enquiries into outstanding wanted offenders. Through these plain clothed patrols we have been able to gather various intelligence about a range of issues on the ward. To make you aware, there has been an attempted burglary in Gideon Close and also a residential burglary in Bedwell Road this week. The team's next Community Contact session is set to take place on Friday 26th October 2018 from 12pm at the Belvedere Community Centre". Bexleyheath ward:- "Sunday 14/10/2018 - We had a report of a theft that was reported on a bus, bag was left on bus along the Broadway; Monday 15th & Tuesday 16th October 2018 – There was a criminal damage to motor vehicle that was reported along Braemar Avenue Bexleyheath; Tuesday 16/10/2018 – A theft of motor vehicle was reported along Martens Avenue Bexleyheath. Also, just to make yourselves aware, a NHW member had received a voicemail allegedly from the HM Revenue. It had stated that they were tax evading and if they do not call the number provided that there would be a warrant for their arrest. If anyone does get anything similar to this, could they please not respond and report it. In relation to Martens Grove – BMX Bike Park Proposal was attended by members from the SNT to see how this would impact on the local community and how the bike track would work in the area. Our next contact session shall take place on Wednesday 24th October between 10am and 11am at the Central Library Bexleyheath. Feel free to pop in and have a chat and spread the word. The team are in the process of trying to resolve issues that are being raised by residents within the ASDA car park area. Patrols are also still continuing around Martens Grove and Grove Road including the garages to reduce anti-social behaviour. As Halloween is approaching the team shall be conducting patrols around this period around the ward. We shall be visiting the shops to advise not to sell eggs to youngsters for obvious reasons. We do have posters that people can put up in windows for No Trick or Treating. We have enclosed an attachment which you may find useful. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "Thankfully, another week with not too many crimes of note. On 9th October at 00.15 there was a theft from motor vehicle in Green Walk. Two portable DVD Players and a Sat Nav were stolen. There was no damage caused to the vehicle. The incident was captured on CCTV locally and the Male was seen to tamper with another vehicle, he was wearing a silver puffa jacket. On 9th October three parcels awaiting collection by courier were taken from a front garden in Crayford Way, the parcels contained a locket and 2 vintage cameras and other photographic equipment was taken. There was a theft from motor vehicle at Medway Road on 10th October at 22.20, three white Males stole power tools, this was captured on CCTV. It has been reported that a mobile phone and bank card were stolen by distraction from a business at Midfield Parade on 9th October at approx. 15.00. A Ford Transit, number plate PY56 GOP was stolen from Iron Mill Lane on 10th October. A window on the vehicle had been smashed a few days before. An elderly gentleman reported that his wallet was taken from his pocket whilst he was shopping in Sainsbury's on 12th October between 14.00-15.00. It was later found that his contactless card had been used locally. Please consider using a chain to attach wallets and purses to bags or clothing making it much more difficult to take, also consider keeping purses /wallets and other valuables inside a zipped bag or an inside coat pocket. In the lead up to Halloween, not everyone likes to take part in trick or treat, we have leaflets that we can deliver or email to residents, alternatively we have delivered some to Crayford Library for you to collect at your convenience. It wasn't possible to get to the Ellenor Shop as advertised on Wednesday 17th October, instead we will be at Crayford Library on Wednesday 24th October between 2-3pm. Due to the types of crimes being reported in the last week, please ensure expensive items are not left in vehicles and double check they are locked and secured when you leave them".

Erith ward:- "We hope you are all having a good week so far. This week we are having our Ward Panel meeting, I will send an update on this next week. The team have been actively stopping people in and around Erith for cannabis. 3 people were stopped in Bosworth house and searched. Thanks to the information that you provided to us. Again, theft from motor vehicles is on the rise, Please make sure nothing is on show when you leave your car / van. Crimes of note from the last week: Criminal damage Tuesday 09/10/2018 Riverdale Road - By unknown person damaging the victim's front door by hitting it with a stone. Their intentions were unknown; Possession Cannabis Saturday 13/10/2018 Bosworth House youth stopped in stairway. Theft Person Thursday 11/10/2018 Bexley Road - victim having had his mobile phone stolen out of his jacket pocket; Other theft Saturday 13/10/2018 - Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, James Watt way; Criminal Damage Under £500 13/10/2018 South Road – Lock on door damaged; Burglary Residential Monday 08/10/2018 West Street - Damage caused after break in via window Theft from MV Sunday 14/10/2018 St Fidelis Road - theft of front number plate. Theft from motor vehicle Friday 12/10/2018 Carrack House, Saltford Road - theft of front and rear car number plates". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Unfortunately over the past week we have had several burglaries reported to us. On Thursday October 11th between 1.45pm – 2300 hours entry was gained to a property in Belmont Road. The victim arrived home to see the external security panel flashing, the internal panel making a beeping noise and flashing repeatedly. The victim then went upstairs to find the bathroom damaged and a plant pot from the window ledge had fallen in to the bath leaving footprints behind. The victim left the property and reported the incident to Police. It is believed the address may have been targeted for theft of Asian gold, however it is not clear at this stage if anything has been taken. The second burglary took place in Hurst Road on Sunday October 14th between 7.30pm – 8.55pm. The suspect entered the property via a second floor window by climbing up the conservatory and forcing the window. It is unclear exactly what if anything was taken but an untidy search upstairs took place. One commercial business burglary this week in Bexley Road also on Sunday October 14th overnight into Monday October 15th. A rear door to the premises was forced open and it is believed a camera has been stolen. Several cars and a bus were damaged on Sunday evening October 14th near Elm Road by a group of youths throwing stones. One theft from a motor vehicle parked in Frinsted Road overnight between Monday October 15th and Tuesday 16th. The owner of the vehicle is an Uber driver and discovered a number of usb cables, an iPhone and his Uber licence missing from the vehicle. Our Ward Panel meeting took place Thursday last week. It was an opportunity for local residents to put forward their concerns to the team and the local Councillor who kindly attended. We will be continuing to focus on anti-social behaviour in Bexley Road and the surrounding area as well as increasing our presence in the Walsingham Walk and Streamway area following ongoing reports of drug dealing and taking in the area. Plain clothes patrols were conducted over last weekend on our late shift to try to identify and deter those responsible in these areas". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Unfortunately, we have had a few crimes of note this week on the ward. On Thursday 11/10/2018 number plates were stolen from a car on Hazel Road. This is sadly becoming quite common across the borough. We do have a number of ‘anti-theft' screws at the office so please send us an email if you are interested and I will make sure you get some. This offer only extends to residents of our ward! Also in the early hours of Sunday 14/10/2018 a taxi driver was the victim of a nasty robbery on Sun Court (off Lincoln Road) where he was assaulted and had money and his mobile phone stolen. Enquiries are ongoing with a view to identifying suspects. In more positive news we have continued to make progress in identifying a group of juveniles causing anti-social behaviour primarily on Rainbow Road and Forest Road. A number of the group have received visits at home this week. Their parents have been informed of their behaviour and in all cases, parents were supportive of the local police. We have referred some of the group over to our dedicated anti-social behaviour team and consideration is being given to drawing up voluntary behaviour contracts. We still have further work to do in the run up to Halloween but we are making positive progress. We have had number of stop and searches across the ward this week with PC Mark-Brookes Smith seizing a small quantity of herbal cannabis on Appold Street earlier on today (Tuesday 16/10/18) and issuing the male in question with a £90 fine". Thamesmead East ward:- "Motor Vehicle Crimes - During the day of Thursday 11/10/18 a motorcycle parked and locked was stolen from outside the Lakeside Medical Centre ,Yarnton Way. A set of number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked in Seacourt Road between 12:00pm on the Saturday 13/10/18 and 07:00pm on the Monday 15/10/18. The next Community Contact Session is Wednesday 24th October between the hours of 2:00pm and 3:00pm at The Link, Bazalgette Way. It is an opportunity for members of the community who prefer face- to – face contact to speak with a Dedicated Ward Officer".

The end video this week is a driver's eye view of the route used by driving test examiners at the Belvedere Driving Test Centre. As is quite well known, the failure rate of students at the Belvedere centre is the highest in the UK - and it is regarded as the hardest place in the country at which to pass your driving test. The video below shows the very demanding examination course - and it makes for quite absorbing viewing. Let me know what you think. 

The Nuxley Navigator.

Last week a concerned reader who wishes to remain anonymous contacted me. They had worries about the proposed redevelopment of the Arthur Street Estate on North End Road, opposite the Erith Park Development. The person had some specific concerns around the redevelopment that they outlined thus:- "The drawings for the new site state it is in Erith, which it is not. It is in Slade Green, with originally a pub called the Boundary on the edge, and Boundary Street is one of the road names, showing a clear separation from Erith. It does not come under the Erith ward or MP;  but is part of the original Crayford ‘urban district council’ area in North End Ward. The public locally are in favour of removing the Arthur Street area’s concrete tower blocks, as has been done opposite, in the former Larner Road estate. There have been concern about lack of parking at the new Erith Park site. (It is said that 1 of those residents actually parks in The Nursery, a road cross the carriageway.) The only local NHS dentist is based in a property to be re developed. It was suggested to the dentist that he could ‘shut down for 8 months’ or use a portacabin at an unspecified site. This does not take into account the needs of the people of Slade Green as there are very few alternative NHS dentists in the borough. The major site display shows 2 housing drawings side by side.  This is very confusing.  One plan shows the current level of homes proposed and the other a much more intense development with higher blocks. This is said to be the GLA plan.  I feel that the GLA have not made a special visit to dictate what is on the site. What is the purpose behind this 2nd plan? During construction it is said that The Nursery will become a closed end (no through) road while construction takes place and possibly permanently. This will mean that those who live in or off Pearswood Road will not be able to access the Tesco store / roundabout into Erith. These residents will then need turn left out of Pearswood  onto North End Road and take a much longer route around the dual carriageway.  The A206 is often very slow and congested. (Cars could turn on to Newberry road as a slightly shorter route around the carriageway but this is a small congested road, which can become gridlocked)". After consulting with the concerned resident, I contacted Caroline Field, the Orbit Housing Association Project Manager to find out what was happening. I got the following extremely detailed and informative response:- "We had a really positive consultation event and our plans were well received. It would be great if you could let your readers know that the consultation material is on line at Facebook Arthur Street Future. We're always happy to answer any questions people have about the plans. For those who don't do Facebook, email is arthurstreet@orbit.org.uk. To respond to your correspondent 's queries... 1. Parking is currently being planned at one space per household. This is more than Erith Park phase 1 and the same as Phase 2.  We expect pressure from GLA planners to reduce car parking. 2. There are 10 leaseholders on the site and all will be covered by a compulsory purchase order. They are entitled to compensation in line with the legislation. We are talking to the dentist, who is keen to keep his practice in the area, about his options. 3. Our scheme currently has 310 homes against 263 at present. Why have we illustrated a 600+ unit scheme?  No the GLA haven't reviewed this project yet ( we expect to have a meeting Dec/Jan and can keep you informed) We do know both from planning guidance and from planning decisions on similar schemes what their response is likely to be. Here's more detail. It's pretty complicated but you/your readers may be interested as there are wider implications... We know there will be pressure from the GLA planners to increase density - the Mayor's housing strategy, currently out for consultation, talks about driving up residential densities in the outer Boroughs. Special Planning Guidance being introduced in London says that, in a regeneration scheme , you have to replace the affordable rented housing you demolish on the site.  Previously you had to replace 'affordable housing' This meant you could replace rented housing with shared ownership and other rented products aimed at working households. We achieved this at Erith Park and our current scheme achieves it for Arthur Street. The kind of affordable rent the Mayor wants to see is what a lot of people still think of as 'council housing'. These days these are usually housing association homes but they are accessed by an allocations process managed by the local authority. We all know there's a huge shortage of this housing. The challenge locally is to balance this with our aspiration to build more mixed sustainable communities. Our preferred solution, and one the guidelines allow for, is to take a 'programme approach'.  We've looked at all our smaller sites in the area and have converted most of those we were going to build as shared ownership to rent. This means, across Bexley, by 2021 we replace the rented homes we demolish at Arthur Street.  The Council have approved this approach but we still have a risk that the GLA will not accept it for this site. If they don't we have a major problem in how we deliver replacement on site. Theoretically, there are two ways we could do this. Firstly we could build a 100 percent rented scheme. (It would be 100 percent because no one would sell 50 homes alongside 250 affordable rented). I don't think anyone now thinks it's a good idea to build large concentrations of rented homes. It contradicts other planning guidance supporting mixed communities. Secondly, we could increase the size of the scheme. Erith Park is 36 percent affordable rented and everyone seems very comfortable with that. We really want to keep the figure at 40 percent or below. Above that, it would prejudice sales of the other properties.  So if you work that up, maintaining a 40 percent means you need around 630 homes on the new site. We've drawn what 630 homes would look like just to illustrate this point. I understand if this confuses your correspondent ( as you can see it's a complex issue). This scheme is not something we'd ever build and it would contravene all sorts of other planning requirements (e.g. Open space). That was very clear at our exhibition and on our Facebook page. 4. Vehicle access through the site:  we will be applying to close the road through the site during demolition and construction. It is a constrained site and the health and safety of the public is a primary consideration.  Longer term we would prefer to close the road to through vehicles at the north end of The Nursery. This up for consultation and the views of neighbours are welcome. So far it is 60/40 in favour of closure.  Although we we think closing the road is the best solution, our scheme will work if it's left open.  Yes some routes out would be longer but we think this would outweighed by the advantages:- a quieter and less car-dominated environment in both the new development (and The Nursery) through the removal of the current rat run - creation of safer cycling/walking route connecting to Peareswood School - tackle resident concerns about parking overspill from new development into streets to the South. We've agreed a programme of traffic surveys to model the potential impact on nearby streets and junctions.  Any permanent closure would be subject to formal consultation by the Council". That certainly seems to clarify things. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Another regular reader, who also chooses to remain anonymous Emailed me their comments on the article I published last week regarding the naming of Nuxley Road, Upper Belvedere. The person in question also went out and took some photos of some road signs in the area, to support their view - which you can see above - click for a larger version. They write:- "In response to your last blog dated 19th November about Belvedere and the people calling it Nuxley. I have been on a mission to tell people that Nuxley does not exist, and that there are signs by All Saints Church and by Stream Way saying Welcome to Belvedere Village. The Photo shown in the News Shopper is only about 10 feet away from the sign by All Saints Church, I am thinking that people can not read or do not know to where they are, this include estate agents to which the co-op opposite to where they are based says Upper Belvedere Co-OP. I have also find out that some shops do not know where they are". This is sadly very true; many locals are falsely convinced that the mythical place of "Nuxley Village" exists, when it does not, and never has done. the photo above shows the sign outside of All Saint's Church, Nuxley Road, Upper Belvedere, welcoming travellers to Belvedere Village; there is another identical sign at the other end of the village, welcoming people coming from Bexleyheath and Welling.

Vehicle manufacturer Ford, in conjunction with transport company Chariot Transit UK Ltd are sponsoring a proposed new private bus service, which, bearing in mind my earlier observations, is due to have the rather unfortunate name of The Nuxley Navigator. The bus service will operate on weekdays only, and will run between Harrow Manorway outside of Abbey Wood Station, and Carlton Road in Northumberland Heath. It is planned that the service will begin on the 29th January 2018. The roads that the new private bus service will cover are as follows:- Towards Abbey Wood Station (mornings only) - Carlton Road, Brook Street, Parsonage Manorway, Swaylands Road, Matfield Road, Stream Way, Bedonwell Road, Orchard Avenue, Bedonwell Road, Glenview, West Heath Road, Brampton Road, Knee Hill, Harrow Manorway. Towards Erith (afternoons only) - Harrow Manorway, Knee Hill, Brampton Road, West Heath Road, Glenview, Bedonwell Road, Orchard Avenue, Bedonwell Road, Stream Way Matfield Road, Swaylands Road, Parsonage Manorway, Brook Street, and Carlton Road. Initially I was surprised when I found out about this new bus service, thanks to a tip - off from Darryl Chamberlain of the 853 Blog, but upon consideration it makes a lot of sense. The Crossrail service will be opening at Abbey Wood Station next year, and many of the roads covered by The Nuxley Navigator are currently not covered by any existing bus service. The real reason for the service is to connect the Erith Quarry housing development with Abbey Wood Station. The developers of Erith Quarry are aiming the new development primarily at second or third time buyers who want larger, family sized houses - for people who intend to "put down roots" in the area. In order to attract middle class professional people into the local area, they need so show that there are good commuting connections into London - something that The London Borough of Bexley has lacked up until now. The fact that we have no DLR or Tube services in the Borough has been a factor that has discouraged some people from moving into the area. Providing a purpose built mini bus link between the Erith Quarry site and Abbey Wood Station will do much to convince people that they should move into the area, as housing is significantly cheaper than in other parts of London, and the commuting issue will be at least partially answered by The Nuxley Navigator - even if the name of the new bus service is as inaccurate as I have previously described. I also understand that the current 180 bus route will be changed to call at Abbey Wood Station, certainly improving the quality of communications in this corner of the borough. More on Erith Quarry later.

Local arts commissioning group The Exchange are organising a festive food fair to take place alongside the annual Christ Church Erith Christmas Tree Festival on the weekend of the 15th to the 17th December, a week earlier than it is traditionally held. Visitors will be able to sample a variety of festive foods on the Saturday of the festival only, curated by Street Food Markets amidst the lights of the Erith Christmas Tree Festival at Christ Church. This year James Glancy Design are adding to the illuminations with an outdoor display. Inside the church there will be over 80 decorated trees, entertainment and craft activities. Do come along - I will be there on the Friday and the Saturday, in my role as a Friends of Christ Church Erith committee member.

Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Barnehurst Ward have suffered another burglary in Northall Road, this is the third burglary here within the last two weeks. This recent burglary occurred between 12/11/2017 and 19/11/2017. Entry to the property was gained by smashing a rear window. It is not known how the suspect/suspects gained access to the rear garden however its believed access was gained by climbing over the attached garage flat roof. In Holmesdale Grove between 20/11/2017 at 03.00pm to the 21/11/2017 at 0730am a rear garage was broken into. Extensive damage was caused to the door and items were moved. At the rear of this property is a rear alley, this was likely the route made to enter the rear garden. Please join us for coffee with cops on Thursday 30th November at 11.00 at Barnehurst Golf Club where we can offer crime prevention advice and discuss any other burning issues you may have." From Police SNT Team - PCSO Cathy Nolan:- "We are aware that bogus callers and distraction burglars are in operation on the Borough. Barnehurst Ward has not been targeted with distraction burglaries however residential burglaries are on the rise with the lead up to Christmas. They appear to be targeting the elderly and vulnerable. They are using excuses such as water leaks in the property above, underground leaks. They have stolen jewellery and cash where they have gained entry, at other times they have asked for money. Descriptions of them vary, accents are described as local, Irish and "put on" posh. A bogus caller may be smartly dressed and claim to be from the council, the police, health organisations or water, gas or electricity companies. They can be convincing and persuasive. They may men, women or even children. They may say they need help urgently. They often use "props" like an identity card or wear overalls bearing a company logo. Please use door chains, check all ID very carefully. If there is any doubt about the caller, keep them out. A genuine caller will not mind being asked to wait while their details are verified. Entry to residential properties on Barnehurst Ward are mainly via the rear by means of smashing windows but bear in mind it only takes a couple of seconds to pop open a UPVC door if it’s not double locked. You must lift the handle and turn the key for your front door to be left secure. Please share this information with family, neighbours and friends. This is a matter that should be reported to police as soon as possible".  Belvedere ward:- "PC Green arrested a male on 16/11/2017 for Actual Bodily Harm.  The offence happened in Greenwich but the suspect lives on our ward. The team have also been out on pulse patrols around the ward. The pulse patrol strategy is to target vulnerable areas to burglary and patrol hotspot locations on our wards. The aim is also to gather intelligence and disrupt known burglars that live on the borough. On Friday 17th the team were abstracted to a crime scene in Lesness Abbey whereby several people were injured after a fight. For further information please check the Lesness Abbey Twitter page @MPSLesnesabbey. We also attended the Belvedere Park Residents Association meeting on Thursday 16th. There was a very good turnout for this and we are grateful to the members for the invite". Brampton ward:- "Very Good week for Brampton , hope I am not tempting fate. Theft of a pedal cycle in Pickford Lane , cycle left unattended whilst victim went into a shop; Shoplifting in Pickford Lane, suspect entered and stole meat. And that is it. The team have been completing CCTV enquiries on behalf of other officers. We have also been involved in organising a meeting with the Asian community regarding family gold Burglaries. We will be working with other officers from other departments and outside agencies including Neighbourhood Watch - We helped out with the turning on the Christmas lights over the Broadway on Saturday. We have been liaising with Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators regarding recent criminal damage to vehicles in a street on the Ward and are in the process of setting a plan and attempting to get CCTV cameras erected. Please visit www.met.police.uk for further security advice. Follow us on Twitter ; @MPSBrampton". Colyers ward:- "This week we have had a spike in thefts from motor vehicles. There was one in Valence Road overnight Wednesday 15th November, two in Larner Road overnight Saturday 18th November between 0300-1200 hours and a forth in Beechfield Road again overnight on Monday 20th November between 0130-0830. In all cases the side windows were shattered and wallets purses and bags taken and all overnight. Please remember to take everything with you when you leave your car and leave the glove box open and empty to show there is nothing in your car. There was also a car stolen from Swallow Close on Sunday 19th November, unfortunately the vehicle had left the keys in the car with the car running. On the upside we had no residential burglaries since our last report. We had an incident of a cat being shot with an air rifle in Fairford Avenue on Thursday 16th November. Colyers DWO along with DWOs from adjoining wards have now started the new pulse patrols covering all wards. Included in these patrols are Windermere Road, Merewood Road and Grasmere Roads for drug dealing. Our next set of Police Surgeries are this Friday 24th November at 1pm in Cupacakes Bakery, Colyers Lane and Wednesday 29th at 6pm in the Community Centre, Blackbery Patch, Badlow Close". Crayford ward:- "A white Nissan Juke was stolen off the driveway of a home in Station Road overnight between 20/11/2017 at 20.00 and 21/11/2017 at 10.00. The car was stolen without keys. There was a burglary at Iron Mill Lane on Monday 20/11/2017 between 14.50 and 17.00. The rear patio door had been shattered with an unknown object near the handle to create a small hole, the keys were in the lock on the inside. Entry was made however the family dog has scared the suspect away back out of the patio door. On Friday 17/11/2017 between 07.00 and 14.20 a suspect has entered a property in Hillside Road via the side gate and back door, breaking glass in the door and using keys in the inside lock to gain entry. Nothing was stolen, a dog in the address may have scared them off, the suspect left via the front door. For each victim the moral of the story was not to leave the keys in the lock and each said they will never do that again. We held a One Stop Cop Shop event at Darlton Hall on Monday 20/11/2017 and spoke with several residents there and hope to have a new Neighbourhood Watch there in that area. On Tuesday 21/11/2017 we met with the Brownies at St Mary of the Crays Hall in Old Road to assist them with their crime prevention badges, they were really involved, a joy to meet!" Erith ward:- "Weekly Crime in Erith, not a bad week but we have had one Burglary, this has been the first one in Erith for a while - please see the links for crime advice regarding this sort of crime. Burg Res 16/11/2017 12:05:00 Riverdale Road; Theft of Motor Vehicle. 22/09/2014 Victory Lodge, Chichester Wharf; Theft from MV 19/11/2017 Diana Court, Avenue Road; Theft from Motor Vehicle 19/11/2017 Riverdale Road; Criminal Damage 20/11/2017 09:00:00 James Watt Way. For burglary crime prevention info, see https://www.met.police.uk/crime-prevention/residential-burglary/. In 2016 we had over 17,000 presents donated by the public to the Met Christmas Appeal - helping to provide presents to children who may otherwise not have received one last Christmas. This year with your help we want to see if we can do even better. Please see https://www.met.police.uk/applyregister/met-christmas-appeal/ for details. We have a Surgery at Erith Pier Road Base on 25th Nov at 11am which will include free bike marking. This is only on till 12 due to attending a charity event."  Lesnes Abbey ward:- "Burglary: On Tuesday 14/11/17 between the hours of 05:30 pm and 06 :30 pm a burglary occurred in Glenview. On Tuesday 14/11/17 between the hours of 07:00 am and 06:30 pm a burglary occurred in Canberra Road". North End ward:- "In the last week, we have had a Theft from Motor vehicle outside Grange House, Criminal Damage to Motor vehicle in Boundary Street and a Theft of Motor vehicle in Lincoln Road. All of these crimes happened over night. Please remind your neighbours to NOT keep any valuable items inside their cars etc. If you would like any vehicle crime prevention advice to give to your street, please let us know. Sadly, a decapitated cat was found in the field behind Applegarth House yesterday, this seems to be linked into the so called Croydon Cat Killer and the relevant investigations are taking place. PC Brookes-Smith has been out on pulse patrols in the North of the borough with other ward officers targeting ASB hotspot areas as well as burglary patrols and visits to some of our more well known nominals. This is now becoming a daily patrol across the borough using different officers on various days. PC James Telfer re joins our team from Monday 27/11/2017 after a few months away meaning there are now 2 PC Dedicated Ward Officers (DWO) and 1 PCSO DWO for North End. We have a surgery this Monday (27/11) from 2pm at Forest Road Café, please come and say hello if you are around". Northumberland Heath ward:- "We are pleased to say that it has been another fairly quiet week regarding reported crimes. On Sunday November 19th between the hours of 11am – 9pm there was an attempted burglary in Dalmeny Road which took place between 1100 am and 9pm. The victim left the property locked and secure and upon returning discovered that the rear patio door from the garden in to the kitchen had a bent frame and tool marks to the external lock. Thankfully entry to the property was not gained. As we are approaching the Christmas season and the dark nights are upon us, please think about purchasing timer switches for lamps or radios etc or simply leave a light on in the evenings when you go out. Further crime prevention advice can be found on the Metropolitan Police Website. We have had reports of anti-social behaviour taking place outside the Belmont Baptist Church on Thursday evenings where the Slimming World members meet. Several youths have tried to climb on the church roof and have been swearing and shouting at members of the group as they leave the premises. The team are working hard to try to identify the offenders and once identified home visits to parents will be conducted. The team will be holding more drop in Police surgeries throughout the ward and these will be advertised in due course". Thamesmead East ward:- "A burglary occurred at Portmeadow Walk, between the 13th and 18th November 2017. A gas metre was stolen after the front door was forced open, high visibility patrols have taken place since, to prevent further offences. Number plates being stolen seem to have been an issue at Fleming Way during the past seven days. Between the 18TH and 20th November, two motor vehicles had their plates taken. Patrols ongoing. Attempts were made to steal a moped overnight, Bledlow Close, 18th-19th November, thankfully the bike wasn’t taken. On the 16th November, a male ran from Police in Courtland Grove. Detained shortly afterwards, and arrested on suspicion of possession of Cocaine and Cannabis. (Good arrest, enquiries continue). We are always interested in recruiting new Neighbourhood watch co-ordinators for the ward. Please ask your family and friends if they would like to set up a Neighbourhood watch in their road. Please spread the word to any family and friends in the Borough - they can contact us on 020 8721 2049 or Thamesmead.SNT@met.police.uk for more information. For latest news from Bexley Police, visit our twitter pages - @MPSBexley and @MPSThamesmeadE".

The photo above, which was sent to me courtesy of the Erith Quarry PR team, shows a cake version of The Quarry’s new state-of-the-art school, which is currently being built. The baked creation, which also incorporates edible trees and plants, was presented to the future head teacher of Limewood Free School, Claire Ingrams as well as children at the Woodland Trust. Local resident Rav Bansal, who created the unique cake can be seen below. He was apparently a recent contestant in the Great British Bake - Off. You can see a short video of Rav - click on the image below. Do give it a watch and please feel free to leave a comment, or to Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.