What lies beneath the Ark Academy in Brent?

To:  hayden.taylor@brent.gov.uk
Subject: Planning Application
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:33:01 +0000

> Thanks for that info on the phone Hayden.
>
> The following, as far as I am aware, has not been made available to the
> public. If you could find out
> where these documents are available I would be most pleased.
> I have sent the Googe Earth image as an attachment, as I don't think the
> image will appear on the email.
> I will get back to you tomorrow.
>
> 1) As far as I am aware, planning permission for the following has not been
> made available on the Brent Council website.
>
> a) Reinforced concrete slab, and works on western side of property, marked
> with yellow markers on google earth map:
> b) Cement ridges and ‘site tank’ shown on page 22 of this document
> described as ‘car parking area’ and ‘site storage tank’:
>  http://www.brent.gov.uk/servlet/ep.e...8063&other2=15
>
> 2) Planning Application Design and Access Statement, p.16, cites planning
> application drawings as follows:
>  http://www.brent.gov.uk/servlet/ep.e...8063&other2=17
> 1193-PL020 Sections AA, BB & CC,
> 1193-PL021 Section DD,
> 1193-PL022 Section EE.
>
> 3) ‘Statement of Community Involvement in the process of establishing Ark
> Academy’,
>  http://www.brent.gov.uk/servlet/ep.e...8063&other2=21
> as follows:
> a) Document 2: ‘Consultation on temporary buildings/feasibility study for
> permanent buildings through newsletter and public meetings’, is not
> provided.
>
> b) Document 5: Meeting with Youth Parliament 16 September 2008 is not
> provided.
>
> If these documents are available and I have overlooked them, could you
> please let me know where I can access them.


Subject: Re: Planning Application
> From:  Hayden.Taylor@brent.gov.uk
> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:06:28 +0000
>
> Further to our converasation this morning, I wish to confirm the following:
>
> Document 2 of the Statement of Community Involvement appears to have
> been ommitted in error. I will contact the applicant to chase this up;
> I believe that the email from Bruce Sounes dated 30 September 2008 is
> the document refered to as 'document 5', although it does not appear to
> be labelled as such;
> The various existing structures you have identified on the application
> site appear to relate to previous uses of the site, such as a go-cart
> racing track. The planning history of the site does not indicate that
> these structures were granted planning permission. Similarly, the uses
> themselves do not appear to have benefited from planning permission;
> Sectional drawings of the proposal have been provided on drawing PL028.
> It seems to me that this drawing must have superceded drawings PL020,
> 021, and 022 prior to submission.
>
> I hope this is of some help,
> Hayden Taylor
> Planner
> ( Office: +44 (0) 20 8937 5345
> Ê Fax: +44 (0) 20 8937 5207
> : Email: mailto:  hayden.taylor@brent.gov.uk_
>
> *Address: The Planning Service, 4th Floor, Brent House, 349 High Road,
> Wembley, HA9 6BZ

> To
> 18/12/2008 14:20 cc
> Subject: Planning |Application

> Dear Hayden,
>
> Thanks for the reply. Thank you for chasing up the missing Document 2 of
> the Statement of Community Involvement. The existing structures I identified on
> the site do not 'relate to previous uses of the site, such as a go-cart
> racing track.'
>
> They specifically refered to (with photographs), reinforced concrete in the
> lower south-east corner of the site, unknown works on the western part of the
> site, and the 'site storage tank', and the 'car park'. These have nothing
> to do with a 'go-cart racing track', as they are in a completely different
> location.
>
> I stated:
> Cement ridges and ‘site tank’ shown on page 22 of this document
> described as ‘car parking area’ and ‘site storage tank’:
>  http://www.brent.gov.uk/servlet/ep.e...8063&other2=15
>
> The two other locations I referred to I have sent, again, as an attachment,
> the two locations marked with yellow markers.
>
> Can you please state whether you have acces to planning permission for
> these locations, or if you do not. If you do have planning permission for
> these sites please let me know how to access them. If this is not possible,
> please confirm that there is no available planning permission for these
> works.


> Subject: Re: Planning |Application
> From:  Hayden.Taylor@brent.gov.uk
> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:23:34 +0000
>
> It seemed to me that you were referring to existing structures on the site,
> which would be likely to relate to previous uses of the site, of which
> there have been many. If your enquiries relate to current works on the
> site, please let me know. It is a little unclear exactly what you are
> trying to find out, perhaps you could help me to put your enquiries into
> context.
>
> As previously stated, there does not appear to have been any planning
> applications that specifically relate to the structures you have
> identified. I have attached a copy of the site history for your perusal.
>
> Regards,
>
> Hayden Taylor
>
> Planner
> ( Office: +44 (0) 20 8937 5345
> Ê Fax: +44 (0) 20 8937 5207
> : Email: mailto:  hayden.taylor@brent.gov.uk_
> *Address: The Planning Service, 4th Floor, Brent House, 349 High Road,
> Wembley, HA9 6BZ

Ark Academy site planning history which Hayden Taylor of Brent Council Planning Department provided:

 http://www.scribd.com/doc/69491869/122-ARK-Academy-Site-History
Images referred to in the above:

Concrete ridges (possibly plinths), described as ‘Car Parking Area’:
 http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6260870284_06060006c0_z.jpg

Site Storage Tank:
 http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6054/6270232233_afb1a26ded.jpg

Google earth image with yellow markers:
 http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6260344297_5a0c19a797.jpg

‘Tree Planning Survey’ submitted to Brent Council when the Ark Academy plans were submitted (incorporating the pre-existing concrete structure):
 http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6260345329_200cb38b34.jpg

Close-up of this ‘Tree-Planning Survey’:
 http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6260344373_47a54aea2d.jpg

Glenda Jackson’s (Brent MP) response earlier this year (2011) to the information that the Ark Academy in Brent is built on top of underground cells was (quote):

‘So what?’