RebuildTheGreyhound - pub to be rebuilt by April 2015?

[Gaddison]

So today is the the 10th, and from what I can see no sign of anyone on the site, so here's hoping for some flurry of activity come Monday morning.....

[parker]

Any activity on site?

[Parker1970]

Any activity on site?

Not when I left for work this morning, no. (830am)

[Gaddison]

Nor anything at quarter to ten

[parklife]

nothing going on at 8.15 this morning !

[Pat Trembath]

Obviously everyone is standing by on tenterhooks awaiting the arrival of workmen on site, which was understood to be the week beginning 13 April, this week.

Also due to be submitted on the Tuesday after Easter was a planning application to Lewisham for a variation to the 2010 permission, allowing for a conservatory and an outside staircase to access the basement. This application is subject to full consultation and will go to a planning committee but should not hold up the rebuilding of the pub.

Questions about the current situation have brought the following answer from Purelake’s planning consultant this morning, “I am currently waiting for a confirmed start date, which I should have by the end of the week. The architects are finalising the submission drawings for the conservatory/stairs. We should be ready to go very soon.”

All Sydenham eyes are on this site and, hopefully, we will see activity soon together with an improvement to the look of the site, long overdue.

For information, Cllr Chris Best advises that at present the loading bay opposite The Greyhound is suspended due to Thames Water clearing a blockage from beyond the bridge so it is a little congested around Cobbs Corner with pipes laid out over the railway bridge ready for pumping out once the blockage is located. They may be on site for several weeks.

[Steveofsyd]

Don't hold your breath....Some of us may not survive this debacle.
It's not complicated, it's a tiny building that has become bound in red tape and criminal incompetence on all sides. The site is an eyesore and probably a hazard to the general public.

Put into perspective, the EmpireState Building which I visited recently took 2 weeks for the drawings to be completed and 410 days to build.

It would be interesting to wonder if this would have happened in many other councils in London...be honest....

[owlwise]

SteveofSyd, I totally agree with you. It's an embarrassment. The site gives a very negative image of Sydenham and that what's Sydenham doesn't need!

[Gaddison]

Has anyone got any news of an update from purelake or council, following Pat's re

[Gaddison]

Sorry saved too soon... Following Pat's update last week. Would be hoping that Pure lake can give a definitive answer and if not the council have served them with notice of legal action

[biscuitman1978]

Sorry saved too soon... Following Pat's update last week. Would be hoping that Pure lake can give a definitive answer and if not the council have served them with notice of legal action

I'm not sure whether Purelake have given a revised date for when they will be back on site. No doubt our ward councillors are checking with officers at the Council.

In terms of when the Council might take legal action, as I said in my post above (emphasis added this time):

Purelake is expected to be on site the week beginning 13 April. If this does not happen the Head of Law advised that a pre-protocol letter will be sent to Purelake advising them that legal action will be taken by Lewisham Council on 27 April.

[parker]

It would be interesting to wonder if this would have happened in many other councils in London...be honest....

Hell would freeze over before this would happen in Wandsworth. Lewisham's council tax is over double Wandsworth's and yet LB Lewisham is a sh*thole in comparison in pretty much every way.

[Pat Trembath]

News this afternoon

Purelake’s Planning Consultant advises that Purelake will be meeting Building Control on site on 30 April and intend to start works shortly thereafter. In terms of the planning application for the conservatory and stairs, this will be with Lewisham by next Monday.

Further enquiries with regard to reasons for yet a further delay have elicited the response that the Planning Consultant’s
understanding is that the meeting between Purelake and Building Control could not happen sooner and is important to ensure structural issues with the existing building are addressed.

This is not a satisfactory situation after all the delays and promises. Having been advised that work was due to commence during the week beginning 13 April, it now looks that the earliest this could happen would be after the May Bank Holiday weekend, if then.

Meanwhile the site continues to look like a rubbish dump.

[Rachael]

Would it have been possible for Lewisham to set up a system of fines for every day of delay past 13th April? That might have speeding things along nicely, rather than the threat of legal action that seems to have been completely hollow.

[sydres]

Unbelievable - I find it staggering how one developer can weave its way round Lewisham planning department so easily. Is it not unreasonable to expect Purelake to commence works on site PRIOR to the threat of legal action coming into force on 27th April and to resolve the outstanding Building Control issue on site the week after?

[perryman]

Nothing will start until the letter is issued,
then nothing can start until the legal matters are sorted out and a small fine issued.
Then all will be forgotten until the next general election is due.

I'm surprised one of the candidates does not make more of this,
and promise to knock some heads together.

[leenewham]

Well, for one candidate it's a family matter,

[biscuitman1978]

Purelake’s Planning Consultant advises that Purelake will be meeting Building Control on site on 30 April and intend to start works shortly thereafter. In terms of the planning application for the conservatory and stairs, this will be with Lewisham by next Monday.

Further enquiries with regard to reasons for yet a further delay have elicited the response that the Planning Consultant’s understanding is that the meeting between Purelake and Building Control could not happen sooner and is important to ensure structural issues with the existing building are addressed.

This is not a satisfactory situation after all the delays and promises. Having been advised that work was due to commence during the week beginning 13 April, it now looks that the earliest this could happen would be after the May Bank Holiday weekend, if then.

I agree with Pat: this is not a satisfactory situation.

I have emailed Cllr Best, copying her fellow ward councillors, to seek answers to the following questions:

- Are there really further structural issues which need to be addressed? Surely these were supposed to have been addressed in the earlier dialogue between Purelake and Lewisham Council's Building Control team

- If there are further structural issues which need to be addressed, can Building Control and Purelake really not meet before 30 April? Why not?

- What are the structural issues? What will it take to resolve them to a point where work can start on site? How long is that likely to take?

- Is there anything stopping Purelake getting back on site to begin preparatory works (painting the hoardings, cutting back plant growth, etc)?

- Are officers committed to taking legal action if Purelake do not return to site by w/c 27 Apil 2015? [They had indicated that they would so.]

I will post Cllr Best's response on here once I receive it.

[Ghlpc]

If a response is provided, they will no doubt cite the 'structural issues' as a reason for it being unsafe for workmen to be on site.

[Gaddison]

Thank you as always Biscuitman.
I have also emailed Cllr Best along similar lines. Perhaps an idea if others who are inclined do so as well