COUNCIL CANNOT FUDGE THE QUEEN'S PARK TOWER ISSUE ANY LONGER - TEATHER

12.02.52pm GMT Fri 4th Nov 2005

Local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather yesterday attended a meeting of Queen's Park residents and Brent Council officials to discuss the infamous plans for the Queen's Park Tower.

Local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather said:

"The Council cannot continue to fudge this issue any longer. It is time for them to come clean with local residents. Residents need to know who has the power to change the planning brief; is it the Council or the Mayor? Officers at the meeting consistently dodged this crucial question."

At the meeting the council claimed that the Tower would be a low child density development because most homes are one or two bedroom flats. Officers said that local residents should not be concerned, therefore, about the impact on infrastructure or the wisdom of putting families in tower blocks.

Sarah Teather MP added:

"This is an utterly ludicrous suggestion. The properties will be an attraction for young professionals who at that stage in their life will be looking to start families. Unless the developers hand out contraceptives with the keys how on earth do they expect to stop families living there?

"Questions also remain wholly unanswered about the Council's plans for infrastructure in the area. Many families already find it impossible to get their children into primary schools in Queens Park because they are oversubscribed. The Council's vague reassurances about money from planning gain will not meet local concerns. We need concrete plans for school places not sweet platitudes.

"The sad fact is that we desperately need more homes in London, but just building homes without doctor's surgeries, schools and other vital facilities is no way to build a community."

Sarah Teather MP has today written to the Council to clarify who actually has the power to change the planning brief.

ENDS