Estate house prices up

House prices on the Estate continued to rise in 2009. A total of 6 houses were sold for an average price of £1,589,000 - this was an increase of 18% on 2008.

Flat prices did not fare so well. 12 flats were sold for an average price of £205,000 - down an enormous 38% on 2008.

Of course averages are not accurate when the number of sales are so small. It could be that more of the houses had roof additions and more of the flats were bedsits than the previous year. The chart below gives a better idea of the trend over the decade.

New: 14 Mar 10

Cash saves Holly Lodge homes

Camden Council has finally obtained finance to support regeneration work on some of the borough’s estates, including work to bring tenants’ homes up to the decent homes standard. Housing Minister John Healey has announced a whole package of funding for new council homes, including a total of £3.6m for Camden.

The money will be split between the Holly Lodge Estate and the Chester Balmore estate. The Holly Lodge Estate currently houses 215 mainly empty bedsits – many of which have shared bathrooms and are now uninhabitable. Work to convert the estate into new homes will begin in April with phase one of the project. Phase one will see bedsits converted into 15 new high quality one and two bed affordable homes.

Camden say they are working with residents on the design of the homes, to ensure that they meet residents’ needs, are environmentally sustainable and energy efficient. The Council is currently finalising planning permission for the plans and negotiating with contractors. They will consult with residents on plans for the next phase of work on the Holly Lodge estate between January and July. The next phase of work on the estate will see bedsits converted into 20 new homes.

The Council has been consulting with residents on plans to transform the Chester Balmore estate, which currently houses 25 properties in poor condition. The existing homes will be demolished and rebuilt, and 28 additional new homes will be created. The plans also include new retail space and community facilities to contribute to a thriving and sustainable community. The Council will continue to consult with residents on specific designs for the estate in the near future.

New: 16 Jan 10

New transport links

Public transport has improved impressively over the last few years ... and it is making a difference. There used to be a solid queue of cars the length of West Hill every morning (so we installed the Hillway gates to stop the Estate being used as a rat run); now there are rarely more than a few cars even in rush hour.

Transport links to the estate continue to improve.

The C2, which used to stop at Oxford Circus, now continues to Hyde Park Corner and Victoria Station.

The Overground service continues to improve with direct trains to Clapham Junction (stopping at the the new Shepherds Bush and Imperial Wharf stations) as well as the old links to Statford, Barking and Richmond. We are still waiting for our new trains though...

The Thameslink terminal has now moved to St Pancras International, meaning you can take the 214 to St Pancras and take a train to Gatwick Airport or Brighton (as well as Paris and Brussels).

New: 27 Jun 09

Camden to sell Mansions flats

Up to 60% of flats in the empty mansion blocks on Holly Lodge Estate are to be sold to raise cash to renovate the remaining flats.

The flats were built on land donated by Angela Burdette Coutts and were originally designed as homes for "lady workers".

Blocks containing over 200 bedsits have remained empty while Camden Council decide what to do with them. It is thought that they have now decided to sell the valuable one, two, three and four-bed properties and keep the bedsits.

Councillor Naylor was quoted in the Camden New Journal that he could not persuade fellow councillors to release funds from budget reserves of £80m to ensure Holly Lodge Mansions remain fully in public ownership and therefore a self-financing scheme was agreed.

Residents of the Mansions do not trust Camden's "consultations" or their refurbishment designs and they want to fight the plan.

New: 3 May 09

More direct trains to Clapham

There will be more direct Overground trains from Gospel Oak to Clapham but fewer to Richmond from 20 April until December 2009.

• A peak times service of six trains per hour between Willesden Junction and Stratford (slight improvement)
• Of which three will go to Clapham Junction (huge improvement)
• And three will go to Richmond (instead of four previously)
• The service will be closed most Sundays
• From 2011 the service may finally improve to eight trains per hour

New: 16 Apr 09

New planning rules meeting

Camden's public consultation meeting at the Community Centre on Wednesday evening to discuss their proposed introduction of "special planning measures" was packed.

Residents asked Camden for more detailed information on the proposal and they have agreed to provide this. Therefore we have added a new Conservation page to make this information available to residents.

The consultation is currently scheduled to close at the end of March (less than two weeks after the meeting) so you don't have much time to get yourself informed and to send Camden your views!

New: 19 Mar 09

Free Agents filmed on Hillway

You may have noticed the film unit on Hillway in December. Watch out for 'Free Agents' on Channel Four starting this Friday 13th at 10pm.

It is a dark and poignant romantic sitcom following a 'will they, won't they' couple, starring Stephen Mangan, Sharon Horgan and Anthony Head.

New: Feb 09

West Hill Olympic Route

The Highgate Society met recently with Camden Engineers to discuss a programme of improvements to the West Hill streetscape which would be funded by money intended to improve the Olympic Cycle Route for spectators. West Hill will be the most gruelling part of the route!

The Highgate Society said "We met with a very sympathetic hearing and are optimistic that we will see pavement improvements, removal of signage, repairs to damaged street furniture, and other improvements of Highgate’s Historic Environment in West Hlll and South Grove."

New 29 Jan 09

Basement extensions may go ahead

Some Estate residents want to excavate basements under their houses. Planning applications have been submitted for one house in Langbourne Avenue East and one in Langbourne Avenue West; one was rejected and one was granted.

Neighbours expressed concerns about disruption during the construction, with many skips required to remove the excavated clay, and about long-term issues with the many steams flowing down the Estate and whether there will be damage to other properties.

Camden Council has just revised its guidance for residents and developers when they are considering basement extensions - downloadable from panel on the left. They say:

"Bringing together all current regulations and requirements, the guidance explains the planning policies the Council uses for its planning decisions. "New Basement Development and Extensions to Existing Basement Accommodation Guidance" – comes into use immediately, following a noticeable increase in the number of planning applications being submitted for basement developments.

Basement builds are becoming an ever more popular way to gain more space in homes, especially with the shortage of development space and high land values in the borough. They are also often included in major developments in the Central London part of Camden and are used for various purposes including commercial, retail and leisure uses, servicing and storage.

However, basement developments can often have detrimental effects on neighbouring properties and the environment, especially in conservation areas, which is why the guide makes clear that proposals will need to contain a wealth of detailed information about how they will be built.

Now, anyone wanting to excavate under their property will need to clearly explain how they propose to deal with the various environmental concerns, legal requirements and relevant civil law responsibilities. Applicants will also be expected to consult neighbours.

The guidance also seeks to outline the other relevant statutory requirements related to basement development including building control and licensing requirements, party wall agreements, and provides contact details for the different Council services involved from pre-planning to the post construction of a basement."

New 24 Jan 09

New Conservation Rules Expected

New conservation area rules for the Holly Lodge Estate Conservation Area are expected after Camden Council approved plans to stop residents in Belsize, Hampstead and Swiss Cottage Conservation Areas from making even small alterations to their properties without first being granted planning permission last Monday.

The change will ban residents from making minor changes to their homes, such as painting their front doors or putting up satellite dishes. They are intended to cut the number of people spoiling the area's homes. It has to win public approval but has the backing of conservation groups including the Heath and Hampstead Society and Belsize Residents Association.

The Ham & High reported environment boss Cllr Chris Knight saying "Clearly we don't want to see the rights of the Englishman and his castle taken away - but instead we will be protecting that castle. The erosion of property across the conservation areas has been going on for many years and it is noticeable, particularly in the Belsize area. In my view these plans are long overdue."

Other changes coming under council control include the revamp of windows, garden walls, porches, gates, the installation of solar panels and painting the fronts of houses. These changes can currently be made without the often expensive and lengthy process of applying for planning permission.

New 24 Jan 09

Recession on the Estate

How has the recession affected property prices on Holly Lodge?

The hle.org.uk Property Price Survey is based on actual selling prices of 200 properties recorded by HM Land Registry between 2000 and 2008.

• In 2008, 9 houses were sold - about the average number - for around 4% less than the year before
• Only 4 flats were sold - far fewer than normal- but the average price paid was 30% up on 2007!
• Estate house prices have increased by 8% per year over the last 8 years
• Flat prices have increased by 11% over the same period
• Price variation is partly due to different size properties and investment in upgrading them

Updated: Jan 09

Recycling update

What do Camden collect?

• juice cartons - wax-lined, poly-lined and foil-lined cartons e.g. milk cartons, orange juice cartons, also known sometimes as Tetra Pak
• plastic bags
• coloured and clear food trays e.g. fruit punnets, ready meal trays
• yoghurt containers, straws and bottle caps
• plastic containers of any size or colour, yoghurt pots, ice cream tub, margarine containers
• magazine wrapping

What don't Camden collect?

• films or wrappings from food packaging e.g fruit wrappings or bread bags, sweet wrapper or crisp packets, cling film
• plant pots
• plastic toys
• shrink or bubble wrap
• polystyrene packing or beads.
• CD's DVD's and cases
• cables/ties
• toner cartridges
• tupperware containers, bread crates, storage boxes, take away containers

New: 29 Dec 09

Benny Andersson in concert

ABBA fans were treated to a different side to Benny's music in a Swedish folk concert at Parliament Hill.

The free concert, which was clearly audible from the Estate, was part of a family fun day featuring music and sideshows organised by the Embassy of Sweden and City of London.

It was a lovely low-key family event ... a welcome contrast to the over-commercial Kenwood Concerts organised by English Heritage.

The photo shows willow sculptures, which children were encouraged to try making, with the concert behind and London in the background.

New: 5 Jul 09

Marie Curie

Re: The Marie Curie tea party on Saturday 27th June

The sun shone, the scones rose and we exceeded our target and raised £210.

A huge thanks to those who came and those extremely kind neighbours and others who could not come but donated all the same. It is really appreciated and will help a very deserving cause.

Thank you everyone

Best wishes Lucinda and family 14 Langbourne.

New: 2 Jul 09

Community Centre AGM

Meet the new Centre Organizer (if you haven't already) and find out what we're planning for the Family Centre (and how much it will cost)

The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2009

will be held on Wednesday July 1st 2009 at 7 p.m.

(light refreshments from 6 p.m.)

In the Community Centre

All members are welcome

AGENDA

• Apologies for absence
• Minutes of the last AGM
• Chair's report
• Centre Organiser's report
• Redevelopment of the Family Centre
• Annual accounts
• Constitutional amendment: to add to the end of Article 53 the words "or with the member's agreement at an e-mail address supplied by the member."
• Election of Management Committee
• Any other business

Holly Lodge Community Centre
30 Makepeace Avenue, N6 6HL
Contact: hollylodgelondon@hotmail.com or 020 8342 9524

New: 21 May 09

Holly Lodge crime stats

Met Police detailed local crime statistics to February 2009 rate Highgate Ward (Holly Lodge plus Dartmouth Park) as an "Average" crime area.

Wards with "above average" and "high" crime include:

• The south end of Kentish Town

• Camden Town
• Upper Street
• Wood Green

Smaller crime spots include:

• Archway
• Muswell Hill
• Hornsey

The detailed number of crimes reported per 1,000 population year to Mar 09 in Highgate Ward compared to Camden and the Met Police area was:

Type of crime	Highgate	Camden	Met Total
Burglary	15	18	13
Criminal damage	11	13	13
Drugs offences	3	21	10
Fraud or forgery	1	4	5
Other notifiable offences	1	2	2
Robbery	5	5	4
Sexual offences	1	1	1
Theft and handling	34	73	42
Violence against the person	17	30	24
Total	87	166	114
Total last year	93	173	116
Change	-6%	-4%	-2%

New: 17 Apr 09

Overground rumours

Update: The first new 378-001 "CapitalStar" train has started overnight testing in April, with train 378-005 due to be delivered any day now. Now we just have to wait for 2,000 mile fault free testing before we get a chance to travel in one!

Reliable sources suggest:

• Bombardier's Rolling Stock woes continue, with the number of incompletable units sitting at their Derby site now well into double figures. May is now very much the "don't hold your breath" delivery date for our new trains.
• The Overground platform change at Stratford seems likely to take place on or around 14th April. At least initially, the platforms will be served by National Express Staff with London Underground staff available for customer questions, rather than LOROL staff themselves.

Update: 16 Apr 09

Two year council tax freeze

Camden Council announced it will "ease the financial burden on residents" by proposing to freeze council tax at 0% for the coming two years at its Executive meeting on 25 February.

It will also be putting £6 million over two years into a Camden Recovery Fund. The fund will help to fill the financial gap resulting from the London Development Agency (LDA) review of its spending priorities. This will affect essential services such as the borough’s flagship initiative Camden Working which helps out of work residents back into the job market.

The Council claims it will continue to ensure that planned investment stays on track. This includes building a new secondary school and new care homes, refurbishing council homes, keeping the redevelopment of Kentish Town sports centre on track and continuing to address the backlog of housing and street maintenance. This will create jobs and help the local economy.

It says these plans have been made possible by planned efficiency savings for 2009/11 worth £9.5 million – equivalent to £101 for every home in the borough.

The Council recognises that in order to keep council tax low and continue to invest in essential services savings will have to be made in other areas. These will include reductions in council wide communications, cutting back on weekend cleaning of residential streets, reducing the support given to union activities and reducing the number of council-run meetings.

Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader Camden Council said: “As someone who lives and works in the borough I have daily contact with Camden’s residents. It was no surprise to me that when we asked Camden residents what they needed from us, they told us that the single thing the Council could do to help them get through difficult times was to keep their council tax bills down.

“We have listened to our residents and have made the commitment to keep council tax rises at 0%, putting £5 million back into people’s pockets over the next two years.

“As the recession bites further in 2009 more help may be needed. That’s why we are working with our partners, keeping in touch with what’s going on and have allocated additional funding for two years to respond when and where needed”.

New: Mar 09

Mortgage Help from Camden

Help is now available to homeowners in Camden who are struggling to meet mortgage payments and facing the real possibility of losing their homes. Camden Council is one of 80 local authorities that have been selected to fast track delivery of a mortgage rescue scheme which allows Camden homeowners who are at risk of losing their homes to access financial help, provided by the Government and administered by Metropolitan Housing Association.

Anyone who is having difficulty paying their mortgage should contact their mortgage lender first, or the Council’s housing options and advice service who will offer advice and information and make referrals to Metropolitan Housing Association for eligible clients.

Eligible home owners will be offered one of two options. Home owners who have suffered payment difficulties but are likely to be able to afford home ownership again in the future will be given an opportunity to sell a share of their house to Metropolitan Housing Association. This would mean cheaper monthly mortgage repayments for the home owner with an option to buy back their share sometime in the future.

For those home owners with little hope of sustaining a mortgage, the second option available is to sell their home to the housing association but remain in the home as a tenant, paying an affordable, below market level rent. Both options enable local families to remain in their properties and stay together in times of financial crisis.

Councillor Chris Naylor said: “In these difficult times, we want to help families to stay in their homes; this scheme means many can do so, either as rent-paying tenants, or as owners - helped with an equity loan from Metropolitan Housing Association to cut their mortgage costs. They can repay the loan once their circumstances improve or when they sell their home. Anyone facing repossession should contact Camden’s housing options and advice service just as soon as they can, to discuss available options".

Camden Council also has a wide range of services that are supporting residents and businesses in these difficult times. We are helping people to find jobs through our three job shops in the borough, we have a new construction training centre at Kings Cross providing a guaranteed placement at the end, and we held a job fair in October with another planned for March.

To find out more about the mortgage rescue scheme call Camden Council’s housing options and advice service on 020 7974 8855 or email housingadvice@camden.gov.uk. Any residents or businesses affected by the recession can visit www.camden.gov.uk/recession or phone customer services on 020 7974 4444 for more information about what help is available.

New: Jan 09

Holly Lodge Estate, Bulgaria

A new "Holly Lodge Estate" is being built as a holiday village near the seaside town of Balchik in Bulgaria. Is it a clone of our Estate?

The complex, described as unique, is located 6 miles from the seaside town of Balchik, and 11 miles from the popular beach resort of Albena. You can reach the city of Varna with its international airport in just 30 minutes. The complex includes 134 residential villas, 128 sq.m to 153 sq.m in size each one with its own garage and garden. A recreational area with swimming pool, cafe, pub, shops and pharmacy.

The residential buildings are described as "detached one and two-storey villas or two-storey terraced houses located in a landscaped environment designed by a leading Bulgarian firm of architects, complying with all European standards".

Updated: Mar 09