Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » 27 Feb 2014 22:00

Nothing classist about social housing not being luxury.
If you read "social" as being provided by all of us , including some quite poor people , I don't think many would want the product to be "luxury".
As a stakeholder I would have wished the exteriors were about 100% better designed - so that those who paid for them and look at them would be happier. But they were built by Purelake who are untrustworthy and without flair or connection to Sydenham .
I would want the interior to be well planned , zero carbon and good to live in but not luxury.
Speaking as a humble punter.
A very good evening
Nigel

JRobinson · Post by **JRobinson** » 28 Feb 2014 12:58

#IHatePurlake for the mess they've left the Greyhound in, and in relation to that here's my current comment regarding it:

Thanks for the link Maestro - it's amazing how nice the pub used to look! I've not been here long enough to know what it used to look like.

it's a shame the comments on the newsshopper site are again against rebuilding it, and presume that if rebuilt it will change hands several times, not be profitable, and then be converted into flats anyway! SHAME!

Gaddison · Post by **Gaddison** » 18 Mar 2014 11:41

Does anyone have an update on any progress on the greyhound. From the forum it seems the report given at the last assembly meeting was extremely poor and discouraging. I have written to the council legal department, but have not received any reply. It just seems to drag on and on....

Eagle · Post by **Eagle** » 18 Mar 2014 12:33

I hear Paddy Power are offering on evens in it being finished by 2020.

gillyjp · Post by **gillyjp** » 18 Mar 2014 20:19

Gaddison wrote:Does anyone have an update on any progress on the greyhound. From the forum it seems the report given at the last assembly meeting was extremely poor and discouraging. I have written to the council legal department, but have not received any reply. It just seems to drag on and on....

Leenewham may know more - he's waiting for the mural to go up...........

Eagle - 2020 - that soon? I doubt it....

biscuitman1978 · Post by **biscuitman1978** » 18 Mar 2014 20:57

After several weeks of nagging planning officers and solicitors at the Council (by me, members of the Sydenham Society and ward councillors), the Greyhound is now being dealt with by the Council's Head of Planning and Head of Law. In other words, it is finally being taken seriously.

I understand that the Head of Planning has managed to get all four parties who need to be signatories to the deed of variation to the legal agreement to discuss the issues which are preventing one or more of them from signing the deed.

I also understand that the key areas of disagreement have now been resolved. Once the remaining minor issues are resolved the deed can be signed and the planning permission can be issued. Purelake will then be able to return to site to begin work on removing the mezzanine floor as well as submitting further applications to deal with detailed design issues.

In short, progress is being made and things look far more promising than they did even a few days ago when the Greyhound was discussed at the recent Sydenham Assembly. That said, we have some way to go before we see Purelake back on site, and I for one will continue to press Council officers to move this forward.

Gaddison · Post by **Gaddison** » 18 Mar 2014 21:27

Once again Biscuitman, thank you for your continuing and persistent hard work on this. That does sound much more optimistic

gillyjp · Post by **gillyjp** » 18 Mar 2014 22:23

biscuitman1978 wrote:After several weeks of nagging planning officers and solicitors at the Council (by me, members of the Sydenham Society and ward councillors), the Greyhound is now being dealt with by the Council's Head of Planning and Head of Law. In other words, it is finally being taken seriously.

I understand that the Head of Planning has managed to get all four parties who need to be signatories to the deed of variation to the legal agreement to discuss the issues which are preventing one or more of them from signing the deed.

I also understand that the key areas of disagreement have now been resolved. Once the remaining minor issues are resolved the deed can be signed and the planning permission can be issued. Purelake will then be able to return to site to begin work on removing the mezzanine floor as well as submitting further applications to deal with detailed design issues.

In short, progress is being made and things look far more promising than they did even a few days ago when the Greyhound was discussed at the recent Sydenham Assembly. That said, we have some way to go before we see Purelake back on site, and I for one will continue to press Council officers to move this forward.

Can anyone tell me - Biscuitman? Anyone? that if and when said planning permission is granted, whether Purelake will actually commence this work? I am not sure that they can be forced to carry out work just because planning permission has been granted. I say this because I've seen lots of cases where planning permission has been achieved and then still nothing happens for years. I don't think we should be counting on Purelake's good will to carry out this work. They could delay for years - indeed planning permission I believe lapses after 5 years and they are not duty bound to do the work.

biscuitman1978 · Post by **biscuitman1978** » 18 Mar 2014 23:02

gillyjp wrote:Can anyone tell me - Biscuitman? Anyone? that if and when said planning permission is granted, whether Purelake will actually commence this work? I am not sure that they can be forced to carry out work just because planning permission has been granted. I say this because I've seen lots of cases where planning permission has been achieved and then still nothing happens for years. I don't think we should be counting on Purelake's good will to carry out this work. They could delay for years - indeed planning permission I believe lapses after 5 years and they are not duty bound to do the work.

You're right - you can't compel someone to implement a planning permission. If Purelake don't get back on site within a reasonable period (once permission has been granted) then there are two options:
1. Embarrass them into action via local media and the property press; or, failing that
2. Employ another legal mechanism called a Conservation Area Enforcement Notice, but that would be a long process

I remain optimistic that Purelake will get back on site, not least because they will be put under pressure not just by local people but also by the owner of the retail units of the ground floor of the residential block and by the housing association which owns the residential units.

nosinnerlliw · Post by **nosinnerlliw** » 19 Mar 2014 22:47

Hello there.

I saw a couple of workman-like chaps inspecting the bricks stacked to the corner side of the pub on Monday afternoon. Not conclusive evidence of action but tempting to take it as positive...

parklife · Post by **parklife** » 27 Mar 2014 11:00

I was trying to remember when the Greyhound closed - was it 4 years ago ?

Presumably, the value of the site is going up a lot in current property market.
Is this anything to do with Purelake inactivity ,ie, treating site as a 'landbank' ?

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » 28 Mar 2014 11:04

Anymore sightings or movement on this? Just getting the train in the morning and walking past the increasingly busy Dolphin - and popping in there - you can see we're in dire need of another drinking establishment. I think the pub will get taken on instantly when it's rebuilt.

...still hoping....

sydres · Post by **sydres** » 23 Apr 2014 17:12

So it's Easter 2014 and I was wondering if the Greyhound will ever be rebuilt in my lifetime? What are the odds of the same being true this time next year?

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » 24 Apr 2014 09:26

Can anyone from the Sydenham Society comment? How about Chris Best? It would be good to find out from those who are hopefully doing some good for our local area.

G-Man

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » 29 Apr 2014 10:56

Anyone? Sydsoc? Chris? Anyone?

G-Man

biscuitman1978 · Post by **biscuitman1978** » 29 Apr 2014 11:40

G-Man wrote:Anyone? Sydsoc? Chris? Anyone?

I'm afraid progress is slow. Officers at the Council have hardly been proactive in getting meetings arranged between the interested parties (those who need to sign the deed of variation to the legal agreement to which I've previously referred) in order that they can resolve their differences.

The lack of action from officers means that it's been left to Syd Soc, ward councillors and me to move things forward. A meeting between the interested parties has now been arranged at which I hope the outstanding issues can be resolved (thereby allowing the deed of variation to be signed and planning permission for rebuilding formally granted), but I believe that meeting won't take place until the latter part of next month.

I can only ask that people are patient. I am as frustrated as anyone, but things are moving forward, albeit slowly.

mosy · Post by **mosy** » 29 Apr 2014 12:11

The daft thing is that it's quite a good time of year for building things - not too hot or cold and very soon the chance of frost will have passed. Hopefully if the deed of variation is indeed signed around the end of May building works can start very soon afterwards.

stone-penge · Post by **stone-penge** » 29 Apr 2014 20:30

I'm quite giddy with the latest developments,Progress is proceeding rapidly: the "Antics Pub" lettering on the site boards has been covered up and two "wet paint" posters applied.

It's an exciting development !

biscuitman1978 · Post by **biscuitman1978** » 29 Apr 2014 21:03

stone-penge wrote:I'm quite giddy with the latest developments,Progress is proceeding rapidly: the "Antics Pub" lettering on the site boards has been covered up and two "wet paint" posters applied.

It's an exciting development !

blakewho · Post by **blakewho** » 12 May 2014 09:05

There have been a few people on site over the last few days and this morning it looked like the tiling of the rear exterior wall was underway. A bit strange that this should happen when there is so much serious building still to be done, but nice to see something going on at least.

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