Hello
Welcome to the St Raphael's Community page.
This site has been setup to let you know about important information that Brent Council has chosen not to share to share with you. For the Residents of St Raphael's who's voices are not being heard. those of us who do not want redevelopment ( demolition of our homes) also in regards informed on what going on regarding the planned development of our estate. You may beware that the council has plans to change our estate and bring investors to redevelopment. This site is setup for the Tenants/lease/freeholders who wish to have infill & refurbishment to the Est with Residents Control.
Most importantly we do have a paper petition in hand to 'Say no to Redevelopment'( Residents only) Please get in touch with us via email below so we can arrange for you to sign if have not done so already. There are two online Petitions where you can sign to make your voice heard. One is for the residents of St Raphs and the other for the wider community.
Residents Petition: https://www.change.org/p/dawn-bulter-save-st-raphael-s-estate-from-regeneration
Please also join us on our social media page (links above) Where you can get involved and see what others are saying. For more in-depth information about what Brent is failing to tell us residents & the disastrous consequences if redevelopment goes ahead please click on picture link below Saving St Raphael's Estate ASH Presentation . They have taken their time to provide at St Raph's residents with information that is a shocker.
If you want to be part of this please get in touch by email. communityraphs@gmail.com Do nothing & you can lose
This site is ongoing and updates and information will be done as it comes in, so please check back to keep informed. any comments please leave in the contact page
Continue to scroll down below to read some informative info.
As many of you know we the residents had a highly attended and interesting meeting at St.Patrick’s church hall on the 25th of February with a presentation by the Architects for social housing Ash where they showed evidence detailing how Brent was misrepresenting the facts about our estate.
They showed how
Brent claimed rates of child poverty were higher on St Raphael’s Estate than other parts of the country, whereas it is relatively the same as the whole of London. And the living environment on graphs is better than most of the surrounding areas.
Brent claimed that crime was more prevalent on St Raphael’s than anywhere else in The borough, whereas in fact we have lower levels of crime than many parts of Wembley and Neasden. Not only is it lower but levels of crime are fallen.
Brent claimed that estate has high levels of anti-social behaviour comma for the most part that is caused by the lack of facilities for the removal of the community hall from residence stopping supporting for the youth club and removal and lack of maintenance of playgrounds and common areas, leaving a lack of places for young people to safely meet and congregate
Brent claimed that there are over 12000 people on the waiting list and it needs and in need of affordable social housing, but they have no plans to build a single home for these people. Indeed, the new homes will be primarily for the cell of people with incomes of 60000 + so not for the need of the average earning family
Brent claimed that the condition of our homes means that they are reaching the end of their economical viable lifespan and, but by Brent's assessment of a property’s on the Estate said they are well maintained and won’t cost a lot to keep in good repair.
These arguments don’t hold water the truth is Brent wanted to match our homes and sell the land off for a profit do you think they are working to serve us the community, or are they working for their own interests question mark and hiding behind these false claims
Interpretation of meaningful engagement was to employ the services of a so-called independent adviser PPCR who then appointed a stakeholder board made up of unelected residence to represent the residents.
Our question is this how effective can a directly funded organisation which is advising a group of unelected residence be, when clearly is intent on taking away our homes.
What hasn’t been made clear by the PPCR & steering group and which most residents we spoke to were unaware of, is that the ballot will not be for a choice between the infill and redevelopment options, but a Yes or No to Redevelopment Infill is only in place when you vote no to Redevelopment but that is also subject to change like most things has so far.
Brent Council Spent almost one million pounds to push St Raph's residents to Redevelopment/Demolition.
Ask yourselves why???
PPCR have been paid £137,721.26 this figure could have increased since this they have had their contracted extended spring 2021 (without the involvement of the residents).
How much your redevelopment management team are getting paid
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Carolyn downs Brent council chief executive £202,880 PA
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Phil Porter Strategic Director £153,927
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Amar Dave Regeneration and environment £153,927
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Kathryn Eames St raphs project manger, company Accordus Ltd her company directive for redevelopment
Freeholders & Leaseholders This ones for you
Heading 1
The GLA no Longer funds replacement homes redeveloped/demolished
In November 2020. As part of the Affordable homes programme 2021-26, the GLA announced that “Funding will not be available for units that replace homes that have been, or will be, demolished.”
This will result in the loss of around £62,000,000 in grant funding towards the replacement of our demolished homes. This equals the total cost of construction of around 250 homes.
Finally! the GLA has recognised that demolishing perfectly good homes is a total waste of public money as well as an environmentally unsustainable an socially devastating.
Brent has not responded to tell us how they intend to fill this funding gap, so their current full redevelopment scheme will surely now be financially unviable.
How many council homes can they now afford to replace?
Will they be forced to build at much greater densities to generate the additional profit they will need to rebuild our demolished homes?
Or will they just go ahead, and then, once our homes have been demolished, simply fall back on the small print, saying that – sorry- they can’t afford to rebuild our homes after all and decant us elsewhere?
Why are Brent Council refusing to answer our questions?
Where is the viability assessment for both infill and redevelopment?
Where is the environmental impact assessment?
How can they proceed with this supposedly ‘resident led’ process without this information?
If they have it why aren’t they sharing it with us?
How can they call this ‘resident led’ if they aren’t sharing with us- the residents - the essential information which will determine who will be able to live on the future estate?
Why refurbishment and infil is the only sensible, financially viable, socially beneficial and enviromentelly sustainable future for St Raphael's Est community. A must read report by ASH
(Architects for Social Housing)
Any questions regarding this report please email info@architectsforsocialhousing.co.uk
Click on image below
