Thameslink Project News! All Gone Wrong!

[SussexSpotter]

What has gone wrong?

 

[Old Timer]

They can Appeal, and also seek a compulsory purchase order which can be granted in the context of the wider public benefit.

There have been many cases over the past 12 years where the Government has over-ruled local authorities and allowed planning permission.

 

[Aictos]

Well..... all gone wrong for Network Rail! Doesn't look like the Thameslink project is going anywhere now, Hornsey depot plans were rejected by the local Council which means the Three Bridges depot will also be put on hault, as you can't have one depot without the other as it's not cost effective.

Network Rail are likely to be going into some serious debt as a result of this as the money they have spend already on site development plans/ research for Hornsey and Three Bridges before they even got planning permission goes into the millions. With revenue down and much critisism from many third parties, are Network Rail on the road to administration?

The depots will take 18 months to build and need to commence building work at the start of next year in time for the olympics, at the moment it doesn't look like any depot building work will start on anything for a while, as they will have to go back to the drawing board.

There are currently no other places to build this other depot now as all plans for other sites were rejected for various reasons.

One sometimes wonders if Network Rail have lost the plot and are taking too many risks and gambles with our railway.

RAILTRACK and Network Rail have ruined our British identity, bring back nationalised railways and heritage traction!!!!

All thanks to the local NIMBYS, who want to use the newest trains but who don't them them kept anywhere near them, :roll:

As to talk in the local papers about Thameslink services not even running on the ECML, where have the local councillers been for the past decade?

The majority of people are aware that once finished, passengers will be able to use direct trains say from Potters Bar to Gatwick with no need for any connections.

There's no reason why the Hornsey plans got turned down, after all NR was putting to use disused railway land.

The depot is part of Network Rail's £5.5 billion Thameslink programme. As the railway is already raised on a bank at this point, local residents fear the depot will blight the New River Village apartments, blocking the view for most residents along one side. As railways qualify as a public utility, however, Haringey Council has no power to veto the plans as they can with other buildings.

Network Rail argues in mitigation that the scheme will bring 250 new jobs to the area at a time of economic crisis, plus construction jobs while it is built. They used "a careful site selection process" before choosing Hornsey, and Network Rail's Graham Goodwin said that "real opportunities" would be created.

"These jobs will be varied, so the new opportunities here will be open to a lot of people," he said. "We will have jobs such as skilled, unskilled, depot workers, train drivers, cleaners and maintenance staff.”

He said surrounding businesses would also benefit from the influx of workers.

The leader of Haringey Council has vowed to fight "as vigorously as possible" against plans for a huge railway shed that threatens to blight views for hundreds of residents.

Another Londoner said "As for the view, let's get this straight: the residents *currently* have a view of a great big gasometer, a light industrial estate *and* a bunch of disused, rusting sidings, on the other side of a rather busy, and presumably rather noisy, railway."

As to your comment about the Thameslink project coming to a grinding halt because of this, you don't know what you're talking about.

Could it also be due to the fact that HARINGEY Council has been rated the worst local authority overall in London - and languishes in the bottom six per cent in England and the local council want to win some votes?

They can Appeal, and also seek a compulsory purchase order which can be granted in the context of the wider public benefit.

There have been many cases over the past 12 years where the Government has over-ruled local authorities and allowed planning permission.

I hope Network Rail do appeal against this short sighted decision by the council and that they are successful in seeking a compulsory purchase order.

 

[SussexSpotter]

They have appealed and failed!

 

[Edvid]

What is going on? :???:

According to the Haringey Council website, the status of the application is still 'Pending Decision'. Additionally, there is an article by a local rag stating that the 'permitted development rights' associated with the application have been removed by the appropriate Secretary of State* and therefore Network Rail have to adhere to the full planning process should they wish to submit another application.

[* John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government]

 

[142094]

I wouldn't trust council planning websites as they sometimes don't get updated for days on end.

 

[Aictos]

I wouldn't trust council planning websites as they sometimes don't get updated for days on end.

Exactly, the tourist information website for Hertford still insists that WAGN still run services from Hertford North even though it's been FCC for nearly 4 years!

 

[Burkitt]

Well..... all gone wrong for Network Rail! Hornsey depot plans were rejected by the local Council...

Nonsense. According to the local paper

This week John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, stepped in to remove the so-called permitted development rights, meaning it will now be forced to go through the same planning process as any other application "in the public interest". The news raises the prospect that councillors could refuse the unpopular plan.

http://www.hornseyjournal.co.uk/con...=newshcej&itemid=WeED09 Dec 2009 16:54:23:070

The plan has not even been formally considered by the council yet, let alone rejected. Network Rail have the entire normal process of applications and appeals to go through, and given the magnitude of the project they will probably put up a good fight.

 

[142094]

Exactly, the tourist information website for Hertford still insists that WAGN still run services from Hertford North even though it's been FCC for nearly 4 years!

Just seen a tourist info site for Inverness that refers to GNER. If it was NXEC I could understand, but GNER? Someone getting paid to do very little work.

 

[Aictos]

Just seen a tourist info site for Inverness that refers to GNER. If it was NXEC I could understand, but GNER? Someone getting paid to do very little work.

Found one information board at Kings Cross which still has GNER branding!

 

[GNERman]

numerous stations still have little remnants of gner, take skipton station which still has the 'gner trains stop' sign on the northern end of platform 2...

 

[tbtc]

Found one information board at Kings Cross which still has GNER branding!

I saw the Midland Mainline information board at Sheffield Midland tonight - gone but not forgotton...

 

[royaloak]

Originally Posted by Hornsey and Crouch End Journal
This week John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, stepped in to remove the so-called permitted development rights, meaning it will now be forced to go through the same planning process as any other application "in the public interest". The news raises the prospect that councillors could refuse the unpopular plan.

What gives this pompous prat the right to cost NR months of time and £000s in going through the courts for a project this necessary, " in the public interest", sphericals, just his way of showing how much me is looking after the "natural beauty" of the area. Have a look at it, its a sh*te hole where its to be built and would be doing them a favour cleaning it up.

 

[johnb]

What gives this pompous prat the right to cost NR months of time

Err, his role as a Cabinet Minister in Her Majesty's Government? I mean, I think it's a stupid decision too, but you can hardly slate his credentials to make it...

 

[royaloak]

But what grounds are he using to remove these powers? if the powers are such a danger to the public why have them in the first place, oh yeah Airport expansion silly me.

 

[A60K]

Well..... all gone wrong for Network Rail! With revenue down and much critisism from many third parties, are Network Rail on the road to administration?

You are a Super Soaraway Sun journalist AICMFP!