West Ken eyesore refurbishment
Monday August 10, 2009
Time is running out for the owners of a derelict building in West Kensington.
The clock is ticking for 80 North End Road Limited – the owners of 80 North End Road – after H&F Council used legal powers to force them into action.
Residents around W14 have consistently complained about the vacant four storey Victorian terrace, opposite West Kensington tube station, after fire ripped through the building in 2002.
Scaffolding – which was put up to support the building following the inferno – was only supposed to be in place temporarily while arrangements were made for repair works to begin. Seven years later it is still there.
Residents have become increasingly frustrated at the blight on the picturesque row of shops near the junction with the Talgarth Road and – despite receiving two sets of planning permissions to redevelop the site – there has been no sign of renovation works beginning. Torn plastic sheeting on the scaffolding, combined with fly-posting and graffiti have all contributed to the building’s unsightly appearance.
As a result the council has served an enforcement notice to ensure the building is restored to its former glory and is also taking 80 North End Road Ltd to court for not obtaining a scaffolding licence. The company faces a £5,000 fine if found guilty.
Councillor Nicholas Botterill, H&F Cabinet Member for Environment, says, “The council’s patience has run out with 80 North End Road Ltd. We have acted reasonably at every stage but residents are now rightly demanding that we take action.
“We will not allow this building to fester any longer and have started the legal process that will lead to this eyesore being removed.”
Under the terms of the enforcement notice 80 North End Road Ltd have until November 6 to bring the building up to an acceptably clean and safe standard.
If the company fails to hit the council’s deadline they can be prosecuted. In court the company would face a maximum £1,000 fine and an addition charge of £100 for every day that passes until the notice is complied with.
The council also has the option to complete the clean up works at taxpayers’ expense and recover the costs from the landowner. If the landowner fails to pay up the courts could force the sale of the building with the council recovering its costs from the sale.
