News from Westminster Labour

Victory for Westminster residents over “arms-length management organization”

Residents at Poynter House, in Aberdeen Place, Church Street, have won their battle to prevent Westminster City Council building new homes in their garden. CityWest Homes, Westminster Council’s arms-length management organization, wanted to build a group of one bedroom homes on the lawn surrounding their flats. Residents petitioned their Labour Ward councillors to protest at the loss of open space.

Church Street Labour Councillor Aziz Toki said:

“There is a need for more homes for Church Street families but this must not be at the expense of losing some of the small areas of open space in the Ward.”

Church Street Labour Councillor Barbara Grahame added:

“We want to see more and better housing for our residents. Many Church Street families live in very overcrowded homes. But we also need to guard our open spaces and community facilities. We are working with the Neighbourhood Board to regenerate Church Street by careful planning to redevelop the area as a whole, with any new housing accompanied by additional community facilities. Thoughtless proposals for in-filling as at Poynter House are not the way forward.”

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• Westminster Labour welcomes dog micro-chipping plan - 11 March 2010