Queen Caroline

Queen Caroline

Planning for the future together

Hammersmith & Fulham Council and H&F Homes are looking at ways we can improve and renew Queen Caroline over the next 15-20 years to ensure that you and future generations have access to quality housing, more job opportunities and a better environment all round.

Already much money is being spent on ensuring we have Decent Homes, and now the council and H&F Homes is focused on ensuring we have Decent Neighbourhoods too.

In March we asked you for your views on how you would like to see the neighbourhood changed and in this newsletter we report back on what you told us.

One thing we promised in March is that we would communicate with you regularly and make sure you have the chance to become involved as ideas on how we can improve our estates emerge.

This month Hammersmith & Fulham Council wants your views on an important planning document which sets out options on how Hammersmith and the borough in general should develop over the next 20 years.

In this document (called the London Development Framework Core Strategy Options paper) the council states that our preferred way forward is to designate central Hammersmith as one of five areas where we would like to bring improvements to our neighbourhoods that:

Improve the housing environment

Create more job opportunities for local people

Create mixed communities with different types of housing

Improve communal areas and open spaces.

MOVING FROM DECENT HOMES TO DECENT NEIGHBOURHOODS

People in the 21st Century have a right to expect more than a decent home - they expect to be living in a decent environment too. The fact is that the structure and layouts of many estates is poor.

Overcrowding is a big problem because of the lack of family-sized accommodation. Open spaces and communal areas are largely underused while accessibility is a big problem for many people because of the lack of lifts.

We want to break down the barriers that can lead to unemployment, poverty and poor health by creating mixed communities where everyone has the same chance to move up in life.

Just like change happened when Queen Caroline estate was built over 40 years ago, we need to consider what kind of housing you and future generations will need in years to come.

The council's preferred way forward is to consider redeveloping Queen Caroline estate in the next 15-20 years as part of a wider approach to the area. This will ensure that residents benefi t from the highest quality housing with a greater range of housing options. However, in delivering any change, the council and H&F Homes is committed to:

Working with local residents throughout the 15-20 years to ensure you have the chance to shape any proposals that may come forward

Protecting leaseholder and freeholder investments

Ensuring everyone is offered a home that suits their needs in the same area as they are living

Ensuring there is no reduction in council rented housing, but planning for more family-sized housing.

More details

The document itself is called the Local Development Framework Core Strategy Options paper and it is available in full on our website at http://lbhf-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal

Copies are also available in libraries, at Hammersmith and Fulham town halls and at the Hammersmith Broadway Information Centre. We can send you copies if you wish. There is a £10 charge for each copy if you are not a borough resident or business.

A summarised version of the overall document is included with the June 2 edition of the council's printed newspaper, H&F News.

Any questions? Please call Eric Holroyd on 020 8753 6373 or email: queencaroline@lbhf.gov.uk

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

It is important to stress that there are no plans or proposals at this stage. The council is consulting on a policy that will guide future development in the area and across Hammersmith & Fulham. At this stage the paper sets out options, with the council indicating our preferred way forward. We want your views before publishing our draft strategy in October 2009. This then needs to be submitted to the government before an examination in public in 2010. The fi nal document will be adopted in 2011.

HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED

Many of you got involved by giving your opinions through the drop-in session in March, and by completing our questionnaire.

The community at large was given the opportunity to get involved and we had feedback from across a representative range of the community.

We would like to thank everyone who took part - whether it was attending the event, or filling in a questionnaire.

YOUR VIEWS ARE IMPORTANT...

Your comments need to be in writing by 17 July.

You can tell us what you think by:
Registering and commenting online: http://lbhf-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal
Emailing: ldf@lbhf.gov.uk
Faxing: 020 8753 3036
Writing to: Development Plans Team, Environment Services, Hammersmith Town Hall, King Street, W6 9JU.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU - JOIN A RESIDENTS GROUP!

Hammersmith & Fulham Council and H&F Homes want to hear from tenants and leaseholders who would like to be part of regular resident groups that will play an important role in looking at options for the future. We aim to set up the groups by the end of the summer and will be reporting back to all residents regularly as ideas emerge on how we can improve our neighbourhoods.

If you would like to get involved please call Eric Holroyd on 020 8753 6373 or email queencaroline@lbhf.gov.uk

QUESTIONNAIRE PRIZE DRAW

Many thanks to all of you who took the time to complete the questionnaire, which also offered people the opportunity to win £100 of High Street shopping vouchers. The lucky winner of the store vouchers prize is Edna Walker - congratulations!