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To: Brent Council

Save Community Assets from Change of Use

Prohibit Change of Use for 'Assets of Community Value' (ACV) so they are able to be actively used and enjoyed by Brent locals rather than threatened with closure, or left dormant by private developers.

Brent Council must urgently create guidelines to protect ACV and mandate community access so that current listed assets are not at risk.

Why is this important?

ACV listing is rare in Brent. Only two buildings have achieved this status: Queensbury Pub, and Kensal Rise Library. Both are located in areas undergoing 'gentrification' and they have been purchased by private developers who are seeking to strip or demolish the current structures in order to convert to residential use.

Achieving ACV listing is no small feat, an application must demonstrate that the building has recently been used by the community, and that it has the ability to continue to be used by the community. Both the Queensbury and Kensal Rise Library met these strict criteria, but because they are situated in areas of rising property values their listing, and their very existence, is under threat.

Hundreds of pubs and libraries in the UK have closed in the last several years, and many have looked to ACV listing as a way to protect much loved facilities. ACV should provide a network of support once achieved, but if Brent does not stand behind their listed properties, it will set a terrible precedent that will jepordise these two historic structures and make other ACV listings much more vulnerable as well.

We need to protect our community spaces, because a society without places to congregate, isn't a society at all. Please stand with us to protect our community assets, and keep the private profiteers at bay.

Active planning application Kensal Rise Library: Pending
https://forms.brent.gov.uk/servlet/ep.ext?extId=101150&st=PL&reference=115466

Historic planning application Queensbury: Refused
https://forms.brent.gov.uk/servlet/ep.ext?extId=101150&reference=114018&st=PL

ACV info:
http://www.dwf.co.uk/news/legal-updates/assets-of-community-value
http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/case-studies/assets-community-value-planning/

ACV example: Angel Hotel, in Spinkhill
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1hi5guldg3gfwc3/ACV%20pub%20decision%20Jan2014.pdf
ACV example: The Ivy House in Nunhead
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hhmicd356vuvusj/ACV%20to%20revive%20a%20local%20pub.pdf

Rising property prices in Brent: http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/brent_witnesses_the_highest_hike_in_house_prices_in_london_1_3520425?usurv=skip

London Borough of Brent

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Updates

2014-04-24 10:26:39 +0100

100 signatures reached

2014-04-22 13:00:16 +0100

50 signatures reached

2014-04-21 22:43:03 +0100

25 signatures reached

2014-04-21 21:06:21 +0100

10 signatures reached