You cannot but have noticed the massive tower block going up in nearby Felstead Road!!
It just seems to be getting higher & higher!!
For those Leabank Square residents with a longer history - you may recall that our local councillors (check out: http://www.hackney.gov.uk/w-wards-list.htm) campaigned long & hard for the space to be turned into a community park - somewhere we could all call the Heart of Hackney Wick.
But the powers that be had other ideas - so having recently demolished the infamous Trowbridge Towers - they gave permission for another lot of towers to be built.
Aaaaaaaanyway - we have got them now - and there's nothing we can do about it now.
BUT!!!! There is something we can do to influence how they fit into out existing community.
Just as we all welcomed with open arms - the fantastic new Travellers in Wallis Road - we will - of course all welcome the new residents of Hackney Wick to Felstead Road.
But it is what is happening at ground level that we can have even MORE influence on.
Take a closer look at the picture above. This is the view of the new development from the Eastway looking down Chapman Road. Check out the street level.
There are going to be several premises licensed for commercial use all around the base of this new development!!
This is where we all come in to the equation.
Rather than getting a chain store - or a pound shop - or another bloody bookies.........
We have been asking about 150 shoppers to the neighbouring Watermelon Shop (that's the Premier Newsagents to you & me - it's just that most of the local kids call it the Watermelon Shop 'cos they have crates of delicious Watermelons outside in Summer!) what they would love to see open up all down the road?
Here's the more popular shops on the list:
Bookshop
Cafe
Restaurant
Art Gallery
Florist or Plant Nursery
Internet Cafe
Fish & Chip Shop
Pharmacy
Health Food Shop
Bakery
Butcher
Organic Fruit & Veggie
Cycle Shop
Hairdresser
But the most surprising thing that was said was that many of the locals interviewed wanted to open one of these up themselves!!!
And that's where we in Leabank Square & Hackney Wick can have the biggest influence on how this huge development interacts with us all.
If you know of anyone local who wants to set up - say a pharmacy - tell them to do it here - it would benefit us all - and they will make a bucket load of money!!!
Come on Leabank Square - there has got to be a few of us who wants to work locally and do something really great for our community!
If we don't start making enquiries at the linked web site (click on 'Tower Block' at the top) - you know that some really rich person from the other side of London is going to come & take all our money!
Do it - NOW!!!
For a bit of family Mosaic fluff on the Felstead development see: http://idox.hackney.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Design%20and%20Access%20Statement-247652.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=247652&location=VOLUME1&contentType=&pageCount=1
4 comments:
Some of you may have noticed spray paint appearing in the communal grass area of the Square today. I've found out that Hackney Homes (Hackney Council)have decided to plant trees around the square to "pretty up" the square before the Olympics. While I have no problem with the square looking nicer, I do have a problem that we the residents may not actually want Huge trees, but may prefer bushes or flowering plants etc What does everyone else think? and on another point, do Hackney Homes actually have anything at all to do with the square?? As far as I was aware Leabank Square is managed by a number of agents for example:NO's 1-18 Access Homes (tel:020 7623 8000), NO's 19 - 45 & 62-73 PMM Services (Tel:020 8656 0568, No's 46 - 61 & 74-93 Mosaic Homes (tel No: 020 877 6000) No's 94-111 Hamilton King Management (tel No:020 8351 4496)
Hi Resident
I was wondering what those blue markings were!!
So - have Hackney Council said how big these trees are going to be? It's a catch22 isn't it?
We don't want one's big enough to obscure our views of where our children play, not being able to see our cars, for the shadows to block out the growing plants below. etc.
But - I guess we want a lot more greenery & nature around us. But if these trees are part of the Mayor's 1000 Tree Pledge - I really woldn't worry - they are not that big at all.
And - I guess it all depends on us all in Leabank Square in the end doesn't it - we are the one's who are going to have to look after & prune them in the end!
Still - it's nice to know that Hackney is keeping our crap management companies on their toes!!
The management companies don't know about the trees!! in fact they don't seem to know much about the square at all.....
Hi again Resident
You are not wrong there! That's all the more reason why we should all start using this site more.
The more we can all chat about our beautiful square - the greater chance there is of us getting some control over the place where we live.
After all - none of the management companies live here do they? And yet they all take heaps of our service charge - but does Leabank Square look any better for it?
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