More than 800 people want to keep pub

Published: 1 July, 2010

• THANK you again for your support to the Save the Duke campaign (Save our traditional pub, Letters June 17).

To let your readers know, we presented the petition to Camden planning department this week.

We had more than  500 signatures and I understand that there have also been over 300 letters of objection received. 

That’s rather a loud voice of more than 800 people saying that they do not want the Duke to turn into two houses.  

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far.

But there is still a chance for you to add your views and to make the voices even louder and stronger.

I am informed that though you may have missed this week’s deadline, Camden will accept responses up to the period before the officers’ report is written. 

Do take the opportunity to get your comments in over the weekend to be safe that they will be counted.

If you want to get technical, and to quote relevant sections of the Unitary Development Plan and Local

Development Framework as to why the applications should not be approved, well done. 

These could include breaches of policy set down in sections B7 of the UDP, and paragraphs DP10.6, DP15, and DP25 of the LDF.

However, there’s no need to write a treatise or be deterred by the technicalities of planning law.

Examples of valid objections which fit include:

• The applications would be out of keeping, and would not make a positive contribution in this Hampstead conservation area. 

• We need to protect traditional pubs particularly in the context of small shopping and local parades.

• We need to stop the loss of local pubs that serve a community purpose.

The point at this stage is to get your views in quickly. 

Just express how you feel about the application, why you think it’s detrimental (if you do), how it affects you, and how it affects the local and wider community, and why the Duke should be protected.

These letters will transform dry bits of paperwork and officialdom into what it would mean for real people, now and in future, which is the reason for consultation in the first place.

Get those letters in now. 

For reference, quote applications 2010/1901/P and 2010/1923/C and state clearly whether your communication is an objection or comment. 

For any help visit the Save the Duke website .

CLLR LINDA CHUNG
Liberal Democrat,
Hampstead Town ward
Save the Duke Campaign