Forum Topic

New shops and services?

I've heard a lot about the redevelopment of Brentford, and see many new flats and houses being built or proposed. I don't hear as much about any new shops, services or infrastructure, to support the potential population growth. Does anyone have any information about what is planned?

Tracy MacNicoll ● 3821d20 Comments

"and not many would argue that it was not."I'd argue that it turned out to be the right decision, we're doing nicely, thanks, and there's no actual evidence immigration affects jobs for British people.  UKIP and the Little Englander fraternity are stone wrong, on this as on so much else.  Why should we listen to the views of bits of the country bent on going backwards?Mind you, it's yet another example like the deficit question and council cuts, where politicians are forced to advocate mind-bendingly stupid, evidence free BS because of magic things.

Thomas Barry ● 3815d

Fairy Nuff, up to you who you vote for (obviously!)Gillian Duffy will be voting Labour, she says. It'll be interesting to see if UKIP have any seats after the election as their most likely MP, Carswell, appears to fundamentally disagree with Farage on immigration!

Guy Lambert ● 3815d

Fair do's Guy but these re the type of errors that can destroy the trust that some people had in 'their' Labour Party, witnessed by the shameful Gillian Duffy affair and the inference in the New Labour years that any questioning of the level of immigration was essentially a racist question, despite the fact that many of their former supporters feel alienated from them as a result, witness Heywood and Middleton. I won't be voting for them again.

Keith Iddon ● 3815d

Keith - sorry I expressed that badly and said the opposite of what I meant.The UK not having the same restrictions/delays as other EU members on access to work for citizens of new member countries was a mistake - and not many would argue that it was not.

Guy Lambert ● 3815d

Whatever the choice, the expression 'changing deck chairs on the Titanic' lingers in the mind.

Keith Iddon ● 3815d

"proceeded to miss every target they set themselves (most notably the deficit!) by staggering margins."Thankfully they totally missed the one on immigration, otherwise we'd be seriously in the shite.One thing about Labour's attitude I don't agree with, although I see why they feel they have to do it, is pretending the deficit matters when Osborne has inadvertently proved that you can have decent growth when the markets are perfectly well aware that you've completely missed all the deficit targets you set.  It turns out that 'credibility' on deficit reduction isn't as important as everyone claimed in 2010, so why does Ed Balls bang on as if it is?  I do hope he's lying.

Thomas Barry ● 3815d

"It would seem that voting for either of the major parties will not bring about the required change in mindset then Thomas"Hmm. The current Labour Party are slightly less awful than the last governing one and slightly more likely to accept that free market ideology can fail (e.g. recent comments about rail privatisation and the NHS reforms), but there are enough of the old guard left to be very wary of backsliding.Voting Tory, on the other hand, will get you exactly the same mindset they've had since 1979 - 'public money's for us and our friends, the rest of you sod off'.Mmm, the agony of choice.

Thomas Barry ● 3815d

You might argue that if your job had been given to a worker from the EU. Still, that doesn't really apply to any middle class jobs so what does it matter?

Keith Iddon ● 3816d

It would have been surprising if the Labour party had elected a leader who wasn't a party member :pThe last administration was very successful on all sorts of measures - not least in economic performance where the UK made real progress compared to all other developed nations - so the two Eds (and JP) have no reason to apologise about being part of that. By contrast this administration began by choking off the growth that had restarted under Brown/Darling and proceeded to miss every target they set themselves (most notably the deficit!) by staggering margins.I don't think many would argue that having a more liberal approach to 'new' EU members than other established nations was a mistake.The fact remains, however, that Labour have a huge lead amongst the working population, with the Tories only in the lead amongst pensioners.

Guy Lambert ● 3816d

No it also hasn't escaped my notice that the leader they did elect was a member of New Labour and the shadow chancellor and even more central figure in New Labour than him. It they want to disassociate themselves from the past why bring back Two jags? If this election  campaign ends in disaster I wonder what they will change their name to then? I also don't see how being so enthusiastic about the free movement of labour from new EEC countries and being the first to sign up for unlimited access to British jobs by new members 'was hugely better for average working people'.

Keith Iddon ● 3817d

It may have escaped your notice that the Labour party has had a change of leader since the last election and some people who could not stomach New Labour have joined the party since.There's not much doubt that a Lab party under Miliband will pursue a more egalitarian agenda than Blair or Brown (hence all the Red Ed drivel) and whilst I would like this to go further, even Blair policies were hugely better for average working people than the Tory ones. If you study the opinion polls, you'll find Labour have a very comfortable majority amongst people who work for a living.There are already *some* new shops and services in Brentford, Thames Restaurant, Galata Pera, One Over the Ait, Novotel, 2 or 3 x Sainsbury's Local, revived Express Tavern, Chocolate shop etc and there is planned to be quite a bit of new retail in the South of the High St development. I believe there is at least one new primary school scheduled (though controversy about location) plus expansion of Isleworth & Syon school for boys.Health service I have no information about. GP services (which have always in effect been private contractors) follow the population so I guess if there's demand... Hospital services are caught up in the national bollix which is the Lansley 'reforms' so God alone knows.

Guy Lambert ● 3817d

It would seem that voting for either of the major parties will not bring about the required change in mindset then Thomas. Is that what you're saying?

Keith Iddon ● 3817d

"And they didn't build many new dwellings for the average Joe."The two were linked, of course - they fully accepted the idea that mass home ownership and private housebuilding would meet the needs of the country (and, one does have to add, they also had a regional spatial planning policy which the current government scrapped, resulting in a reduction in housebuilding).What's actually quite surprising is that no one now appears (apart from me being satirical) to believe that the market can provide adequate housing, and presumably that means it can't provide adequate services either.  All of which brings us back to an interesting question; if central state planning doesn't work and the free market doesn't work, what does?  That's much more interesting than yet another rant at the council.

Thomas Barry ● 3817d

I'm afraid that you are completely right.We get what we deserve by voting for them.  Again and again. We never learn.Trouble is most of the time we don't know what we are voting for.Ever tried asking or getting answers from a politician on a subject they don't have on their manifesto?  Never a straight answer.I don't recall  Mary MacLeod MP ever mentioning her keeness to get up the Westminster ladder in her first term or having an interest in cosying up to arms dealers.Nor actually making a genuine achievement for this District that is constantly pimped by both Authority and developers.What that has to do with the welfare of Brentford and Chiswick I'll never know.The solutions have always been there, but the creativity, will and means have never been grasped.  Politics of all sides has always got in the way and none ever stand up to developers strongly enough.

Raymond Havelock ● 3818d

I don't remember Blair or Mandelson being arsey about the 'free market'..in fact quite the opposite. And they didn't build many new dwellings for the average Joe.

Keith Iddon ● 3819d

What's your solution, oh Whingemeister?[also two things you've forgotten; central government cuts to council grants and the London Plan, which specifies the amount of housing each borough is expected to approve and authorises the Mayor to overrule local planners if they don't do what he wants]"Which is why whatever gets built in Brentford will not be what it or it's peoples need and will never be quite right."But it's what the free market wants, and we keep voting for governments that support free market policies.  So it's our fault, isn't it?

Thomas Barry ● 3819d

Thanks, Keith. Good suggestion re: GP practice manager.

Tracy MacNicoll ● 3820d

You might be better to ask LBH direct or visit the local gp surgery and speak to the practise manager about any planned expansion.

Keith Iddon ● 3820d

Thanks for your response, Raymond. Thoroughly depressing.Anyone have any information about actual planned improvements to infrastructure and services in Brentford?

Tracy MacNicoll ● 3820d

In a nutshell. Nothing. Other than rose tinted wishful thinking.Fact is with so many investment flats being built, and so few full time residents in many of the new developments, there is no affluent populus to sustain most local retail and service businessesThe BBC showed a simple test in another area of similar developments. Simply look over the course of an evening or three and see how many lights are on in flats.A regular look reveals whole swathes in permanent darkness and a closer look shows open curtains and still no light.Councils love it. They get council tax without having to provide services, so do maintenance companies . Easy money.But is that right when there is a crisis for proper family homes ?The present set up from Government & authorities right down to estate agents is purely fiscal greed. Too many get a slice of the cake for anyone to dare do anything about it.LBH has a Regeneration director. So far his achievements are more degeneration.  The huge loss of long term local jobs and elimination of facilities for small non office based industries, the failure to utilise and revitalise Brentford's small industrial areas which could have brought real local jobs and prosperity back.Several buildings are perfect well built buildings in a great location for small business of the type that are hugely sought after in other parts of London.The transition and recession of these sorts of places has passed and yet again LBH has completely missed the initiative and pandered far too much to the overtures of developers. Such a shame.The complete hot air and rubbish spouted about housing and blue chip businesses by the council leader and local MPs just shows how out of touch and incompetent both politicians and overpaid senior officers really are.Most of these 'new' jobs will not be for local people. They will be headhunted and speciality recruited posts. Just like the airport jobs promise, these politicians and lobbyists omit 'skilled' and 'career' from their vocabulary.Which is why whatever gets built in Brentford will not be what it or it's peoples need and will never be quite right.

Raymond Havelock ● 3821d