Wanstead weekend photo, II

Last week we launched a new series of weekly photographs from ace Wanstead photographer Geoff Wilkinson, who has just launched his Wanstead Daily Photo blog. You can see the rest of the week’s photos on his site. This is Thursday’s entry:

© Geoff Wilkinson
A childhood memory of blowing the dandelion to tell the time. I captured this on camera in the last days of summer in Wanstead. How different the world looks when you stop and look closely.

What exactly is the point of the Wanstead Conservation Area?

Following the [friendly?] taunt that came our way from LoveLoughton.com that the new BBQ Express sign made a mockery of Wanstead’s Conservation Area status, Wansteadium got a-wondering about what exactly the status meant. What powers does it give the council, and what duties does it put on shopkeepers and developers. So we asked Redbridge Council, who decently gave us this response:

Conservation Areas are places with special architectural or historic interest. Designating an area as a Conservation Area is about appreciating its history and character and there are additional responsibilities for the Council in regards to changing the amount and nature of development that can be carried out.

Development in Conservation Areas is more strictly controlled than elsewhere in order to help maintain their character. Some alterations which would normally be ‘permitted development’ will require permission and may not be granted permission at all. A good example is the cladding of the exterior of a property, which may significantly alter the appearance of the building.

Your enquiry seems to focus on shop signage and some forms of shop signage will indeed require a form of planning permission known as “advertisement consent”. The variety of signage that can be erected in a Conservation Area without advertisement consent is more restricted than it is elsewhere but there is still quite a large array of signage that can be installed without this permission.

Therefore legally much of the signage in Wanstead Village Conservation Area is outside the control of the Local Planning Authority (LPA), and the Council is typically only able to exert control over signage where a new shop front is required and the details of signage are included as part of the proposal.

The Council has produced specific design guidance for shop fronts and signage in Conservation Areas and relating to listed buildings, but this can only be applied where planning permission, listed building consent and/or advertisement consent are required. This guidance is available on the Council’s website.

Conservation Areas do not bring any specific rights or duties to traders in the area and it will be for planning officers to ensure that new development which falls within the control of the LPA, meets the legal test of preserving or enhancing the character and appearance of the area in question.

If members of the public have concerns about signage within the Wanstead Village Conservation Area we would encourage them to contact Historic.Conservation@redbridge.gov.uk and officers will look into the matter and take appropriate action.

We think the documents referred to in the statement are here on the Redbridge site. Wansteadium’s well aware that there’s no shortage of well-informed people (ie the Wanstead Society and others) who know this position well. You’re welcome to share your thoughts – either directly to us at wansteadium@gmail.com, or on our new site WansteadTalk.com where there is a page ready for discussion on this topic.

Wow, a lot of people are baffled by Central Line Hainault loop closure

A theme seems to be emerging following the closure of the ‘Hainault Loop’ of the Central Line.


https://twitter.com/charlottesilva_/status/260787177686978560


https://twitter.com/Labib_92/status/261108466305871873
https://twitter.com/uneesazaman/status/261109563955232768
https://twitter.com/Labib_92/status/261126825424592896

Something new and cool for Wanstead

This is a big day for Wansteadium, and we hope one that Wanstead will welcome. Today we’re launching a new site called Wanstead Talk – it’s an open forum for all Wanstead residents to talk about issues which affect us.

Anyone can take part in the discussions, or even start a new one. You will have to register to take part, and the intention is that Wanstead Talk should be a bit like Wanstead itself – civilised, friendly and nice to be a part of.

Among the subjects under way are the patchy availability of fibre broadband, property questions for our resident expert, and a question about who it is that supposedly lives above Wanstead Tube Station. There’s also a place to record sightings of (whisper it) rats around Evergreen Field.

Once you’re registered though you can start whatever topic you like, and see if it chimes with other Wansteadium readers.

Wanstead Talk can always be found through Wansteadium – or you can go there directly by going to WansteadTalk.com.  PS. If you have any problems registering just drop us a line at wansteadium@gmail.com and we’ll give you individual treatment.

 

Wanstead Magazine Club

Welcome. This is how the club works:

We share old magazines with other Wanstead folk who might be interested in them. We currently leave them either at Wanstead Library or in the Larder. It’s guerrilla recycling – our only goal is to make Wanstead an even nicer place.



Anyone is free to take home and keep the magazines, whether or not they are members.

 

You don’t have to join to take part, but if you do, we can send you updates on the club. Just send us an e-mail at magazines@wansteadium.com.

 

Places to leave magazines are currently beneath the revolving newspaper stand at Wanstead Library or in the Wanstead Magazine Club stand in the Larder. (Nominations for extra sites are welcome.)

 

If you leave a magazine, let us know! Tweet a message to @wansteadium with the hashtag #wansteadmagazineclub, e-mail us or leave a message on our Facebook page.

 

 Reading The Lady is optional.

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Wanstead weekend photo

Ace photographer and all-round nice guy Geoff Wilkinson, who runs the eightyfour gallery on Nightingale Green, has started a new blog, Wanstead Daily Photo. He intends to keep this up for a year; each weekend Wansteadium will be featuring one of Geoff’s photos from the preceeding week. Which is great news all round.

© Geoff Wilkinson
Geoff writes: “This is our lovely Wanstead Village Police Station that is under threat of closure. Opened in September 1886 it is the only police station in London that still retains a traditional blue lamp. To the people of Wanstead it still signifies safety. Please may it continue.”
See the whole week at Wanstead Daily Photo