Monthly Archives: August 2024

Donoghue’s Departure!

No more huge juggernauts clogging up our area and – more importantly – no more pervasive hazardous truckloads of waste at the Donoghue site! The company is moving on after decades of residents’ complaints and more than eight years of our protests.

We give special thanks to Mike Freer, Peter Zinkin, Shimon Ryde, Dean Cohen, Ralph Haynes, Peter Alsop, Anne Clarke, Alan Schneiderman, Arjun Mittra and Just Space, to mention but a few, who were instrumental in Donoghue’s departure – not forgetting the many other wonderful people involved in the campaign, including committed and persistent residents of both Golders Green Estate & Handley Grove.

These pictures may jog some memories!

Pennine Drive and Purbeck Drive Planters

Would you be able to spare a few minutes a week to help water the beautiful planters in Pennine Drive and Purbeck Drive?

Everyone loves them but the watering duty at the moment lies with the same couple of households. The shops have not taken any responsibility.

If your water is metered and you would need help meeting the extra expenditure for this then that can be arranged.

Wow!

Here are some pictures of one of the truly lovely 1930s houses on our Golders Green Estate in all its summer glory! This garden has brought so much joy and inspiration, and is a wildlife paradise. It is obviously a labour of love and shows what one person can do.

This reminds us:

Please keep your hedges trimmed. This keeps the area neat and tidy, and makes our streets safer.
Please don’t leave food for birds in the park. This can spread disease and attract rodents and other unwanted pests.

B&Q Site

Fairview New Homes has recently acquired an interest in the Cricklewood B&Q site and would welcome an opportunity to discuss its plans with local residents in the coming weeks and months.

If you would like to get involved with this, please let the committee know.

See also the Councillors’ related update.

Jean Gonella

We are sorry to report that Jean Gonella, our valued neighbour, dear friend and former GGERA committee member, peacefully passed away on Saturday 22^nd June.

Jean was a retired nurse who used to lead the weekly yoga group, first with her husband Leonard and later on her own.

She and her yoga group were instrumental in reviving our residents association and the local history group. From its origins she supported the Farm Project, now Our Yard, at Clitterhouse Farm. She was active, independent and avid for knowledge, attending the U3A until her last days.

More importantly, she taught us the importance of “knowing your neighbour” because you never know when your life might depend on it.

She will be deeply missed.

Her funeral took place on July 16th. As testament to Jean’s vibrant personality, guests were asked to wear bright and cheerful colours.

Dr Peter Rudge

We’re sorry to announce that Dr Rudge has passed away. He was a very well loved member of our community.

A tribute can be found here. His funeral took place on 22nd July at All Saints’ Church, Child’s Hill.

The surgery kindly arranged for a book of condolence so that the thoughts and well wishes of the community could be shared with the family

Car Crime

As you probably know, there has been an increase in car related crime on our streets, and residents are very concerned.

A surgery is planned at Pennine Shops Parade (date to be confirmed) to address this and other concerns, and to give a further opportunity for residents to meet the PCs and PCSOs in our local Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT).

Councillors’ Corner

Councillors Anne Clarke and Alan Schneiderman write:

We have secured funding for planting new hedging and trees along Claremont Road. The work will begin in the planting season and hopefully will be growing well next summer. This is the western stretch of Claremont Road from outside Handley Grove up to the Brent Terrace Triangle. The aim is to reduce the amount of litter and fly tipping that accumulates on this stretch of road and also to finally solve the issue of the recurring overgrowth on both the Brent Terrace Triangle and the area between the Millennium Green and AD Foods.
We would like to put forward a bid to Area Committee to improve the Golders Green Estate. We’re thinking of new signage, planting the central roundabout and perhaps a noticeboard. If anyone would like to work with us on this, please let us know. We’re keen to look at what would be of most value to residents.
Deconstruction of Donoghue has begun, as many will have seen. The new residential building is expected to be finished in the autumn of next year; however, we don’t have an exact date.
The first two buildings in the B&Q development will now be delivered by Fairview Homes. While they have full outline planning permission, they need to submit detailed plans which we have not yet seen. We do know that they will not reduce the height or density of the scheme and that they plan to improve the percentage of affordable homes in the development.
If you have suggestions for naming the many roads, squares and buildings going into Brent Cross Town, you can get involved here: https://brentcrosstown.co.uk/street-naming.
We were pleased to arrange for a group of residents to meet with senior council officers to discuss how we can do more to tackle fly tipping on the Golders Green Estate. This is part of the council’s new crackdown on fly tipping which will see enforcement officers going out with the clear up teams. Where there is evidence, the council will issue fixed penalty notices. More information can be found at this link. Please report fly tipping on the council’s website.
We are aware of the parking problems on the Golders Green Estate and that many residents have asked for a Controlled Parking Zone. The estate has now been added to the council’s list of potential new CPZs. This will be subject to parking surveys and consultation with residents. When you get your consultation letter, please let us know what you think

Thank You!

It’s not possible to thank everyone involved in making our neighbourhood such a friendly and enjoyable place to live. But we are especially grateful:

To our wonderful local pharmacy, W. Price Chemist, in Pennine Parade, which is a linchpin of our community. They’re an invaluable asset to our neighbourhood, offering exceptional service that always exceeds expectations. Mr Patel and his team are truly dedicated to providing top-notch care.
To the local Baptist church for the endless hospitality it shows to the residents’ association.