Noisy plant behind Cote restaurant in Beech Street

Here is a note from a City environmental health officer in response to questions put by the chair of the Barbican Association:

The query:

I believe that you have received some complaints from Ben Jonson House residents about the noise (and smells) from the plant that serves Cote restaurant and that vents into the delivery yard below Ben Jonson house in the delivery yard north of the building and off Whitecross Street.

I am now writing about another concern about the noise of this plant.  Residents have begun to speak to the London Film School (LFS) about its new development in the other half of Exhibition Hall 2. We are concerned that the LFS sound consultant will measure the “background noise / sound” in different locations at different times on different days. Doubtless the Planners and City Environmental Health will then order that new LFS sound must be at xx dB below the current levels.

But the problem is that the current levels include rather noisy plant from the back of Cote restaurant that can be clearly heard in the evenings and at weekends. Several of us have listened to it from Whitecross Street and from below Ben Jonson and Breton at about 8pm in the evenings and again on Sunday afternoons. It can quite distinctly be heard over the background noise of traffic.

We have two concerns
a) whether this plant actually meets the planning condition that its sound should be less than the background noise
b) given that it is noisy and therefore contributes to the background noise, the background noise level that the LFS plant is assessed by will be louder than it should be and that the LFS plant will also be louder than it should be.

We'd be very grateful if you could look into this.

The response:

Existing plant

It would seem that our team have received complaints of noise about the plant to the rear of Cote and the cinema. Our investigations have not revealed evidence that the noise amounts to a nuisance and therefore formal action would not be possible.  However, informal action has resulted in a reduction of the level of noise, and timers have also been fitted to some pieces of equipment to restrict the operating times.  

Proposed plant

Our team will liaise with our planning colleagues and/or the Barbican to try and avoid background noise creep from additional plant.  There is a unique set of circumstances and geography that will no doubt require a bespoke planning condition/requirement from the barbican as necessary.

Environmental Health Officer
Markets and Consumer Protection
Pollution Team
City of London
020 7332 1587

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Beech St roadworks overnight: 22-23 Dec 7pm-5am

Seen on BarbicanTalk.com:

 As tweeted from @Squarehighways a short while ago: "Emergency repairs to a carriageway cover - #Beech Street between Aldersgate and Bridgewater streets will be closed eastbound from 7pm to 5am".  

 Hopefully any drilling will be done early in the process....

Bad neighbours in the yard?

Our good neighbours in Breton house also overlook the service yard to the north and east of our two blocks.  Like Ben Jonson House residents, Breton folk have been disturbed by noise in the yard, particularly during quiet hours.

Here is note from a Breton house resident on the subject.  I'll just mention here that to the best of my knowledge the rules for what noise can be made when are set by the City, not by house groups:

I live in Breton House overlooking the Whitecross St loading bay. 

Over the issue of noisy overnight vents in the loading bay I've been in touch with Lee Sandford at the CoL, repeatedly since January. There have been various inspections and suggestions over what vents are causing the problem: the cinema, Cote, the car park. Lee has been very sympathetic and pursued lengthy enquiries. A noise officer turned up at night and made a report, and they have been investigating and repairing many different vents related to the the various businesses. This may have helped with some noise sources but perhaps due to the cold weather there are still noisy vents overnight. I have been told several times that 'no-one else has complained' -  so if any BJH residents do hear this overnight roaring sound, it might be helpful if they contacted the house officer or Environmental Health too.

I got fed up with Cote's early deliveries, especially on a Saturday. Lee put me in touch with the Barbican Centre and Ruth Lambert responded to me. I was given conflicting information about weekends - that the gates should be kept closed until 9am and that Cote is permitted to have deliveries from 8am on Saturday. They were having delivery lorries turning up, reversing, beeping, unloading etc. from 7.40am. I photographed some of these incidents and sent them to Ruth at her request.

She has been in touch with the restaurant and since then (though I have only been here one weekend since) there has possibly been a slight improvement. The first time the gates were kept closed it made little difference since the lorries were still turning up at 7.40 and making noise outside the gates. Ruth went back to the restaurant to tell them this was still unsuitable. 

The biggest problem now seems to be that residents' groups apparently - according to Ruth - agreed that Cote could have deliveries from 8am on a Saturday. I find this very disappointing if it is true.  The restaurant is still scheduling its glass recycling collection and other deliveries for precisely 8am on a Saturday morning. I realise that this isn't excruciatingly early but it is still early enough to wake many of us up on a day when we could otherwise enjoy a lie-in. I don't know if anything can be done about this? 

I am pestering Ruth for an answer as to why the City of London's own tenants are allowed to contravene so dramatically the City's own Code of Conduct for Licensed Premises (deliveries only 10-6, Mon-Fr). I know there is little to hope for there, it just annoys me they can get away with being such bad neighbours.

The facsimile seats arrive

This week we gained the seats which are supposed to be exact facsimiles of the pre-Victor originals.

It's been a long saga; from the initial surprise installation of Victors seats in early 2013, to being one of the first items in this blog in July 2013, the pointless "survey" that same month, the long delays while the survey results were massaged, the admission that the survey showed that the new seats were liked only by a very few people, the agreement to re-instate the original seats, the discovery that the originals had been destroyed, the design and manufacture of the facsimiles, the series of estimates and missed dates and finally, we're back to almost where we started.  But at what cost?

What do you think of the facsimiles?

Facsimile- close enough?

Pre-Barbican in pop video

A posting to Barbican Talk alerted me to this video.  Note the buildings in the background.

Concrete & Clay - click to see the video

Barbicania

Barbicania is a film sponsored by the Barbican Arts Centre which is a series of vignettes about the estate and arts centre, featuring people living and working in the Barbican.  And some snails.

The DVD is on sale in the Arts Centre shop, and residents get a discount.

Click image to see trailer

Victor's seats on the way out

At last Victor's seats have been removed from Ben Jonson Highwalk:

Now you see them

Plucked

Trucked

Gone

Increases: Car Park & Baggage Store Charges 2015

Dear Residents

This is to inform you that during the recent Barbican Residential Committee it was decided that the following increases (calculated by reference to the Retail Price Index) would take effect from 25 March 2015:

Car Parking Charges:

Residential

• Car parking licences increase from £1,183 to £1,210 per annum
• Daily car and motorcycle parking increases from £9.67 to £9.89
• Motorcycle parking rental increase from £221 to £226 per annum
• Administration fees for new car bay and motorcycle bay licences increase from £58 to £59
• Electrical mobility scooters licences increase from £394 to £403 per annum
• Bicycle locker licences increase from £83 to £85 per annum
• Purchase price for a car bay on the estate will increase from £8,405 to £8,598.

(The estimated service charge is currently £925 per  annum)

              Commercial (Non-Residential)

• Car parking licences increases from £5,195 to £5,314 (including VAT) per annum
• Daily car parking charges from £20 to £20.46 (including VAT).

Baggage Store Charges:

Rental

• Standard stores will increase from £303 to £310 per annum
• Transportable stores will increase from £362 to £370 per annum
• Large stores will increase from £426 to £436 per annum

Purchase

• Standard stores will increase from £6,500 to £6,650
• Large stores at Thomas More House £10,000 to £10,230

      (The estimated annual service charge for a store is currently £20 per annum)

Transportable stores and the large stores at Brandon Mews remain unavailable for purchase.

Key deposits will also increase from £150 to £160 per lock with effect from 25 March 2015.

If you are interested in a Car Bay/Baggage Store or if you wish to surrender, please call 0207 029 3955 or email barbican.estate@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

Further information about the current prices (before the change on 25 March 2015) and the application forms for the above services can be found on:

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/housing-and-council-tax/barbican-estate/resident-information/Pages/Residential-Parking-on-the-Barbican-Estate.aspx

With regards

Barbican Estate Office 
barbican.estate@cityoflondon.gov.uk

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/housing-and-council-tax/barbican-estate/Pages/default.aspx

St Giles' - Carols by Candlelight 15 Dec.

Dear Residents

Please see the message below, sent on behalf of St Giles' Church

Come and meet your neighbours at

Carols by Candlelight

Monday 15 December 6.30pm

with favourite carols for the congregation

followed by mulled wine and mince pies

www.stgilescripplegate.com

Underfloor Heating in the medium term

The RCC has a sub-committee keeping an eye on the Barbican's background underfloor heating system.  Here is an update:

Crossrail meeting for Barbican residents: 21 Jan 2015

Dear Residents

The Barbican Association and Crossrail invite all residents to

Update from Crossrail

6.45 pm, Wednesday 21 January, City of London School for Girls

The Crossrail railway tunnels will be coming under the Barbican Estate early next year.

Last year Crossrail presented a progress report on their works to a well attended meeting of residents and answered questions on the works in general and the risks of settlement (see www.barbicanassociaton.com/crossrail.htm). The Barbican Association has invited Crossrail to come back to present to residents shortly before the tunnel boring machines pass under the Estate to give an update on the project.

We are hoping that both Bill Tucker (Central Section Director) and Mike Black (Head of Geotechnics), who spoke at last year's meeting, will speak again at this meeting.

Please do come along: 6.30 pm, 21 January 2015, Main Hall, City of London School for Girls.

If you have any particular questions you would like Crossrail to answer please email them to chairBA@btinternet.com

With regards

Barbican Estate Office 

 barbican.estate@cityoflondon.gov.uk

 http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/housing-and-council-tax/barbican-estate/Pages/default.aspx

Cheapside & Guildhall strategy - last day to comment

This is the last day you can comment on the strategy

If you'd like to make your views known you need to get them to the City by Friday 12 December 2014. Visit http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cheapsidearea or email cheapside@cityoflondon.gov.uk. 

Here is what I sent in:

The highwalks are a key part of the living environment of the City.  We have already lost significant segments of the highwalks over the last couple of decades, I would not like to see us lose or downgrade the remaining highwalks. 

Contrast the way our highwalks are treated here with how New York treats its highwalks:  https://www.thehighline.org/.  NY shows what we should be doing here. 

In the context of the Museum of London Rotunda this means ensuring that the highwalk is an integral and connected part of the implementation.  Please don't create new pedestrian flows which are deflected away from the highwalks. 

The highwalks are a brilliant piece of the environment in the City.  Safe for families with children, away from the fumes of traffic, a place which the City could bring to life, just like the highline in NY. 

Please raise the profile of the highwalks in your thinking and your planning, and in particular in the "Cheapside and Guildhall Enhancement Strategy".

How useful is the City of London website?

From the BEO:

Dear Residents

How useful is the City of London website?

Resident information is mostly found online, so this survey will help to make webpages relevant to you better.

Complete this 5 minute survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WW7KLDF) and a chance to win one of five Barbican memberships.

With regards

Barbican Estate Office 

Link to website http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/housing-and-council-tax/barbican-estate/Pages/default.aspx

Podium seating changing soon

I asked the City for an update on when Victor's seats are finally going to be removed:

The BEO are to distribute this update : The removal of the benches/tables begins this Thursday (11th) and the installation of the replacement benches begins next Monday (15th) and is expected to take the full week.

External Redecorations: Week 19

At the end of week 19 (w/c 1st Dec) work has reached the eastern end of the building.

There have been some reports of the paint work suffering because of the recent damp and cold weather.  If you know of areas which may need to be revisited please let Sheila or Steve Murray know by email to the estate office.

There will be one last inspection run by Sheila (see invitation here).  This will held on Tuesday 16th Dec at 14:00.  Meet on the podium by staircase 64.  If you have any comments/suggestions/concerns then please do go along.

End in sight

Cheapside & Guildhall strategy - Comment now ...

Below are some thoughts/observations on the City's "Cheapside & Guildhall strategy" from the chair of the BA planning committee.  

If you'd like to make your views known you need to get them to the City by Friday 12 December 2014. Visit http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cheapsidearea or email cheapside@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

The City have told me they intend to maintain the existing highwalk access to the south of the rotunda, but I want to head off two threats down the line. 

I bet the Museum gets its street-level entrance, and I bet they won't keep any public entrance on the highwalk: they won't want to maintain and secure two public entrances, and they will need the current entrance space for temporary exhibitions, as the existing temporary exhibition space becomes the street-level reception, shop and café. So, whatever today's intentions, the City may be tempted to remove highwalk access in future years, and use the two access points for new retail units: the 'active frontage' on which the City has recently become so keen. I think we can best ensure highwalk access for ourselves and visitors if we have new escalators and lifts by the new Museum entrance itself. 

But I think we face a much more serious threat. The Arts Centre, whether as cultural hub or otherwise, is desperate to improve street-level access. I think we should support any effort to tart up Beech Street, and I'd be happy to see visitors approaching the Museum from St Paul's, or coming out of the Museum at street level, be directed up Aldersgate Street and through Beech Street. However, I fear the Arts Centre will resurrect its idea to cut a new pedestrian route through the heart of the Barbican Estate at street level, which would be far, far noisier for the vast majority of residents than any highwalk footfall, and would destroy the oasis atmosphere of the Estate. I feel strongly we are much better off if the City can offer visitors an option straight up from the Museum entrance onto the highwalk, then round via Gilbert Bridge. 

I should say I don't see the slightest chance of changing the boundaries of the City's Area Reviews, even if they're not ideal from our particular perspective. I also don't see how the City could charge us for the highwalks, as it wouldn't be in our lease and the highwalks are public highways.

Prompt collection of Christmas parcels

From the BEO (again):

Dear Residents,

Due to an increase in parcels received around the Christmas period, Lobbies and Car Park Boxes begin to get very full. Could you please try to collect your parcels as soon as you receive your pink cards. This would be most appreciated.

Thank you very much for your cooperation.

With Regards

Barbican Estate Office 

Link to website http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/housing-and-council-tax/barbican-estate/Pages/default.aspx

City's Cheapside & Guildhall strategy

The City is looking to change the areas around St. Pauls tube station and around the Museum of London.

A question raised within the BA is whether the proposed work on the Museum of London rotunda will affect access to the highwalks.

For current details, and to give your feedback, visit: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cheapsidearea

An archived version of the consultation leaflet is here.

Something like this

The mat returns

I understand that two lost door mats have been found by the police at the top of one of the stair wells in Ben Jonson House.  One mat has been returned to its owner, the other remains unclaimed.  If you're missing a mat you might find it at the Barbican police office.

See also: Does a mat matter?

Christmas Craft Fair 6th December 12 noon to 3.30 pm

Dear Residents

Come along to the Christmas Craft Fair next Saturday 6th December

When: 12 noon to 3.30 pm

Where: Golden Lane Community Hall

Entrance is FREE and there will be lots of things to do for all the family. It is a great opportunity to buy Christmas presents from a range of craft stalls. Local artists will be selling greeting cards, prints, vintage silk scarves, Christmas gifts, knitted goods, plants, decorations etc.

For children there is free face painting, gifts from Santa and story telling with the wonderful Joel from the Barbican Library.

Or you can put your feet up and enjoy homemade cakes at the community cafe.

More information on the attached flyer.

With regards

Barbican Estate Office 

External Redecorations: Week 18

At the end of week 18 (w/c 24th Nov) of the external redecoration the scaffolding around Golden Lane is starting to come down.   With the scaffolding and netting in place north facing rooms were much darker.  It's good to have the light back.

Main decoration work is now underway on the eastern part of the block.

Until this week I've had overwhelmingly positive feedback.  This week though, for the more eastern work, I've been told that the finishes are not so good and that new paint is blistering already with people suspecting the poorer weather of late being a factor.

Do let Sheila Delaney (our house officer) and Steve Murray (redecoration project lead for the BEO) know if you have any problems with the work.  Do let them know as soon as you can.

Resident Bulb Planting - a great success

Dear Resident,

A big thank you to all the residents who joined the bulb planting days. Both days were a great success and we'll definitely look to do more of these kind of events in the future. Please find attached a write up by Sarah Hudson on the days.

Barbican Estate Office 

Does a mat matter?

Some residents of Ben Jonson House have a door mat outside their door in the hallway.  One such mat has very recently gone missing!

While annoying for the ex-mat owner, this may not seem like big news, but a similar mystery in another block in the Barbican was solved when mats turned up in a heap at the top of a quiet stairwell, along with drug taking paraphernalia.  Oh, yes.

So if you happen to use the stairs and come across a pile of mats, or if your mat goes missing, please let the CPA know.

(Police, BEO and house officers are aware)

Electrical Vehicle Survey - 2014

Dear Residents  

The Barbican Estate Office is looking to seek funding for introducing charging facilities for Electrical Vehicles into one or more of its Car Parks.

Officers are currently liaising with neighbouring housing estates, TfL, EDF, main car dealerships and the City of London's Department of the Built Environment.

To assist us in ascertaining demand in various parts of the Estate, could you please spare a few minutes to complete this short survey regarding Electrical Vehicles and their charging facilities by clicking on the link below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YCQQ7RX

The deadline for responses is Friday 5 December. 

With Regards

Barbican Estate Office

Barbican Association Events: Dates for your diary

Dear Residents

The BA is running a series of events early next year, both social and serious. Please note them in your diaries – and come along!

19 January – BA Quiz

7 pm, Artillery Arms, Bunhill Row

The Barbican Association invites you to an entertaining quiz to be held in the Artillery Arms in Bunhill Row on Monday 19th January - meet in the bar at about 7 p.m. for a start at 7.30.
Come with friends or on your own - teams of five or six will be made up on the evening.

*The cost of £12 per person will include a substantial buffet, to be served mid-way through the evening.

21 January – Meeting with Crossrail

6.45 pm, City of London School for Girls

At the meeting Crossrail will update residents shortly before the tunnels come under the estate and will talk about future work and the operation of the railway. If you have any questions you would like to ask please email them to chairBA@btinternet.com

24 February – Meeting with the Town Clerk

7 pm, City of London School for Girls

John Barradell, the City of London's Town Clerk, will report back on issues discussed at last year's meeting and answer residents' questions.

If you have any questions you would like to ask please email them to chairBA@btinternet.com

 

2 March – Wine tasting

At El Vino's, 3 Bastion Highwalk, London Wall

The Barbican Association invites you to a wine tasting "Around the world in two hours" on Monday 2 March 19th January at 7.30 pm

*The cost of £37.50 per head covers a glass of Prosecco on arrival, a substantial buffet, and a prize for the quiz at the end of the tasting.

External Redecorations: Week 17

At the end of week 17 (w/c 17th Nov) of the external redecoration.

The work on the eastern part of Ben Jonson House is well under way.   The bridge across Golden lane is in place and being used by the decorators.

Please do add a comment to this post or send a message to the house group committee if you have anything you'd like to sat about the redecoration.

Here 'til Christmas?

Washing Beech St. "tunnel"

...Washing of Beech Street is carried as follows;

1. Monday – Friday daily – between 06:30am – 08:00am, Carriageway washed, this is carried out as part of the Smithfield market washing regime by the tanker. (please note in winter that washing is cancelled if temperatures are low/Icy conditions or snow falling.

2. Weekly on Friday night shift carriageway and footway flushed by night flushing team.

3. Every six months (twice a year) Tunnel walls/panels and signs washed as part of the Non illuminated cleaning contract.

Transportation & Public Realm
Department of the Built Environment.
City Of London

LFS Residents Meeting Mon24th 18:30

The Breton House Group have organised a residents meeting to discuss the London Film School's move to the Barbican, and all Barbican residents are welcome to come along.

This meeting is about all aspects of the impact of the LFS upon residents including but not limited to:

• Noise from construction
• Noise from operation
• Whether residents can attend Film School events
• Whether the highwalk above the LFS will get the Beech Gardens treatment
• Will the Yellow Shed be knocked down as part of the work

... etc

The meeting will be held on Monday 24th at 18:30 in the Lilac Room.

There is also an email address for feedback regarding the LFS move:

• lfsfeedback@btinternet.com

Cultural Hub - 1st Dec meeting

Dear Residents

Do come and find out about the Cultural Hub and what it means for the Barbican Estate.

Monday 1 December 6.30 Weston Theatre, Museum of London

What is the cultural hub?
What plans for development do the Barbican Arts Centre and the Museum of London have?
How might these plans affect the Barbican area?

Come and hear the directors of the Arts Centre and the Museum of London answer these and other questions.

The Barbican Association has invited Sir Nicholas Kenyon, director of the Barbican Arts Centre, and Sharon Ament, director of the Museum of London, to talk to residents about the area review, the cultural hub, and their plans for their respective organisations. This meeting will enable them to present their ideas and offer residents an opportunity to comment and ask questions.

We hope that you will come along and hear them.

Chair BA, chairBA@btinternet.com

Local Planning Update

Planning applications for week ending 14th November:  The only application near us is for listed building consent for 3 White Lyon Court (14/01086/LBC), to accompany last week's planning application 14/01085/FULL. Bunyan House Group have suggested we ask for a condition to limit the hours the premises can open to the public, to 8am - 8pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am - 5pm Saturday, which I think we should do.

Chair, Barbican Association Planning Committee

External Redecorations: Week 16

At the end of week 16 (w/c 10th Nov) of the external redecoration project we now have the bridge over Golden Lane, so work on the northern facing parts of  Ben Jonson House over the road can start.

I understand this bridge will be in place until mid December.

Breton House in almost done.  They only needed scaffolding for the decoration of the barrel roofs.  Everything else could be done by just walking around the balconies.

Back at Ben Jonson House, scaffolding is now moving along the eastern most part of the house.

Will it be all over for Christmas?

Parcel Service Survey

From the BEO:

Dear Residents 

In the last 12 months the Barbican Estate Concierge/Car Park Attendant staff received over 66,000 parcels on behalf of residents.

The Residents Consultation Committee has set up a Parcel Tracking Working Party which is looking at the current system and reviewing possible improvements.
To assist the Working Party, could you please spare a few minutes to complete this short survey regarding the Barbican Estate's Parcel Service by clicking on the link below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ParcelServiceSurvery
The deadline for responses is Thursday 20 November.

Kind Regards
Barbican Estate Office

Update on TV/Internet installation by VFM

From VFM:

Dear Resident, 

UPDATE ON ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND INSTALLATION 

You may have noticed Vision Fibre Media engineers on site, preparing for the first ultra-fast broadband installs on the Estate.

The following work has been completed in the last two weeks:
· Initial fibre installed and connected in Lauderdale, Shakespeare and Cromwell Towers.
· Fibre infrastructure installed in Shakespeare Tower. 

Next week, the following work is going ahead:
· Cabling at Frobisher Crescent.
· Completion of the link between the towers and Frobisher. 

This all means that we are still on track to begin installations for residents in Shakespeare and Lauderdale Towers later this month, and continue the planned rollout across the rest of the estate throughout December and January.

HAVEN'T REGISTERED YET?
If you haven't already registered your interest in our ultra-fast broadband service, visit our website at www.visionfi­bremedia.com and click on the register button, entering 1971 as a new customer access code. Then complete your details to register. 

ALREADY REGISTERED?
If you have already registered your interest, then you don't need to do a thing. We will contact you via email two weeks before your location's ready for service date to confirm your chosen package and payment details. Following this, we can arrange a convenient time for your installation to take place.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to email us at support@visionfibremedia.com. 

Many thanks,
Vision Fibre Media Support

External Redecorations: Week 15

We're at the end of week 15 (w/c 3rd Nov) of the external redecoration project.

Here is an update from Steve Murray.  Note in particular that the scaffolding around Golden Lane will be in place until (assuming the plans don't change) 14th Dec.  Another month.  Here is Steve's note :

We now have confirmation on the road closure to erect the scaffold over Golden Lane, this will be done next weekend 15th / 16th Nov with it being dismantled 13th / 14th Dec, the main works will be at street level to build up to the height of the podium as we are not going to allow works outside residents windows at this time, the rest can be erected as normal during the week. 

Sheila is also going to put a notice up in the lifts etc…for this 

Breton House is now nigh on complete with works going to programme on the third stage of Ben J. 

A letter has gone out already but you may want to remind the residents that we have a walk around planned for Ben Jonson @2pm and Breton @3pm next Wednesday where they can bring any issues up or of course pass on any feedback. 

Thanks, Steve
Steven.murray@cityoflondon.gov.uk
0207 029 3915
07786 855 580

LFS Residents Meeting Notes (from 2014-11-05 meeting)

A resident of Ben Jonson House who attended the meeting made the following rather excellent notes (below). 

The panel meeting was chaired by Michel Dick of the Barbican Centre.  On the panel were Margaret Matheson (LFS governor), Phil Eliot (LFS project manager), Mike Leigh (chair of LFS governors), Jane Roscoe (LFS director), Jane Bird (architects), James Taylor (architects), Tim Mander (structural engineers), Andrew Warrack (building services consultants),  Helene Evans (acoustics & noise).

The recording mentioned in the notes used my recorder and you can get the recording here.  I'm afraid the recorder ran out of space after only 20 minutes.  My fault, sorry.  The first 20 minutes are interesting though, and contain an introduction by Mike Leigh (@6:45), a summary of the project by the LFS director Jane Roscoe (@12:20), Jane Bird (@15:30) and James Taylor (@21:40) - with recording chopped @22:26.

LONDON FILM SCHOOL MEETING 5/11/14 

Michel Dick, Barbican Director of Operations and Buildings, confirmed he had no objection to a recording of this evening’s proceedings and so I started the gadget, as you showed me, and placed it on the top table. This was at 6.30pm. However I fear for the results since when I went to switch it off some 65 minutes later (when the formal business ended and inspection of layout drawings and the “general mingle” started), the timer had seemingly stopped and the display showed “CARD FULL”.   

I do hope that the majority of the meeting at least will have been recorded. If it has you are likely to hear a background of various pyrotechnics due to a nearby firework display. There was a sound system in use but I think this was to enable the proceedings to be heard by the audience rather than for a recording by the LFS. 

For what it’s worth I think there were about 50 - 60 residents present, several of whom expressed support for the scheme despite them mostly having certain personal concerns derived from experiences when the cinemas were being built (and loading and unloading in the area between Ben Jonson and the Prior Weston Campus for the restaurant since then). [Nobody expressed opposition to the scheme.] Questioners included Robert Barker (RB) who asked several questions and will doubtless have a comprehensive recollection of what was said, despite taking no notes. One questioner had it confirmed that the LFS are using the same firm of architects and acousticians who were responsible for the redevelopment of Prior Weston School, which should add to residents’ confidence about this project.

LFS said there had been a pre planning application meeting with the Planners on 1/10/14 which went well and that it is their intention to submit the Planning Application in mid February 2015 with another meeting with residents before that happens. RB said he thought that timetable rather optimistic if, as he hoped, the purpose of that next residents’ meeting is to be meaningful and take on board residents’ concerns and is not just to inform us. 

Based on a February 2015 planning application date LFS anticipate that necessary preparatory works by the City would be carried out during 2015 with the School’s construction works starting in May 2016 with a view to the Film School opening in September 2017. [There might ultimately be a maximum of 130 students at the school but they would come from an older age group than traditional students and would be paying a great deal of money to study there.] There would be some potentially noisy work (to be carefully controlled) to break through the concrete slab in places to provide certain double height areas. Unlike Crossrail the LFS work would not entail tunnelling underneath either Breton or Ben Jonson so they did not anticipate any cracks appearing in any flat.  

At some stage there is going to be a need for podium waterproofing work above Cinemas 2 and 3 and the new Film School but there is at present no money for that. They also first need to evaluate the effectiveness of the waterproofing work currently being carried out at the Aldersgate Street end of the podium. It is not anticipated that the irrigation system to the planted areas anywhere on this part of the podium would be restored as that adds to the likelihood of leakage. 

[One member of the audience was] unhappy about the new cinemas façade, expressed concerns about the design of the entrance to the Film School on Golden Lane. However Mike Leigh reassured him that the LFS has impeccable taste and that the entrance should be the least of anybody’s worries.

Lord Mayor's Show - Saturday November 8th

From the BEO:

Dear Residents,

Please find useful information including details of road closures for Saturday November 8^th.

http://lordmayorsshow.london/ 

With regards Barbican Estate Office

External Redecorations: Week 14 (with squirrels!)

We're at the end of week 14 (w/c 27th Oct) of the external redecoration project.

We still have the scaffolding up around Golden Lane, and it will have to stay there for some time. Golden Lane must be closed while a scaffolding bridge is built, the flats above Golden Lane must then be painted and, the bridge taken down again.  A resident heard that the scaffolding would be around in this location until Christmas(!)  I've asked Mr. Murray what the plan is for this bit of the project.

... and, as a result of the scaffolding, there was a break-in this morning! ... by a squirrel. The affected resident tackled and ejected the intruder without too much difficulty, but beware!  Don't leave windows open wide enough for greys while the opening is unattended.

I also heard a report that one of the storage room doors was painted while closed, and was stuck shut when a resident visited.  I've let Steve know about this too.

Puddles persist

We had some fairly heavy rain this morning and now have some quite big puddles.  Hope we get these fixed for the winter!

Still plugged

New Bike Racks on Golden Lane

Some shiny new bike racks have appeared on Golden Lane right outside the UBS building:

Brand spanking

VFM Internet/Phone rollout to BJH in November

VFM have sent out a notice explaining the schedule for the rollout of their fibre service which will support connection to the Internet, telephone and, from February, TV.

To register your interest visit their web site http://www.visionfibremedia.com, click on the register button and enter 1971 as the new customer access code.  Then enter your details.   I did this again, just to be sure, even though I'd done exactly the same thing earlier in the year.

If you act now will not have to pay the VFM "basic installation service fee" of £200.  If you miss the initial installation window you will have to pay this fee.

The pricing for Internet access remains unchanged from earlier this year.  There are 4 packages offering different bandwidths.  For each package you'll pay a £15 monthly 'line fee' plus the package specific fee:
Zip:  20Mbps (~4 times faster than I get now) £5pcm
Dash: 50Mbps £10pcm
Rush: 100Mbps £20pcm
Lightning: 1Gbps £55pcm

London Film School Residents Meeting 5 November @ 18:30

The London Film School plans to move to the Barbican are moving along.  There will be a meeting for residents next Wednesday:

London Film School / Barbican - Residents

to be held
on 5th November 6.30 to 8 pm
to be held at The Last Stand Exhibition Hall One -The Last Stand Exhibition Hall One -Location: Junction of Beech Street and Golden Lane


1. Attendees representing the City of London and London Film School
Michael Dick Director of Operations
Alex Bentley City Of London
Mike Leigh Chair of Governors London Film School
Sir Michael Wakeford Governor London Film School
Jane Roscoe Director London Film School
Jayne Bird Partner Nicholas Hare Architects
James Taylor Senior Architect Nicholas Hare Architects
Phil Elliot Project Manager Gardiner &Theobald LLP
Helene Evans: Acoustician, Hoare Lea
Tim Mander: Structural Engineer, Intregral Structural Design
Andrew Warrack: M&E Consultan,t Hoare Lea

2. Introductions by Michael Dick who will Chair the meeting – (5 mins)

3. Introduction of the vision for the City of London for London Film school moving into Exhibition Hall One with a little background – MD – (5 mins)

4. Introduction of LFS – the organisation who it is, what it does, opening hours, impact on the residents in use - its aspirations and why the Barbican – JR (10 mins)

5. Introduction of the proposed Scheme – Scope of works – functional aspects of the building, and how the building will work and impact on the residents – JB (10mins)

6. Programme – PE (5 mins)

7. Question and Answer session say 30 mins

8. General Mingle – some of the layout drawings will be on display and the representatives of LFS and The barbican will remain to talk about the scheme in a more informal way - (30 mins)

9. 8 pm Meeting Close

External Redecorations: Week 13

We're at the end of week 13 (w/c 20th Oct) of the external redecoration project. Here is an update from Steven Murray.   Please do let Steve or Sheila know if you are aware of anything which can be improved upon with the work, and please do attend the walk around Steve mentions if you can:

<here is> a rundown on the last couple of weeks on the re-decs for you to share on your blog.

The second stage of Ben Jonson is now 80% complete, Sheila is going to send out a letter to the residents of this section to invite them for a walk around with me and the project team to go through any issues before I sign of as complete, this will be for Wednesday 12th November at 2pm. Scaffold on the north elevation of BenJ for the final stage will start being erected from this coming Monday to complete up to the far eastern end of the block and painters will be starting on common areas and balconies from the middle of next week. A newsletter from the contractor for the residents of the final stage will also be out with info of contact details and programme.

Breton House is now also 80% complete and mostly just the eyebrow windows to do from scaffolding, as above we will have a resident walk around, this will follow at 3pm.

We of course have the little section of windows that are over Golden Lane that need to bridge the road, we are chasing for the date when we can close the road over a weekend so this can be erected.

The project has gone very well so far so fingers crossed it stays this way now we are approaching the home straight – of course this is a team effort and the residents have been fantastic with accommodating the painters and helping with making their appoints for leading edges on doors etc….so pass on my thanks for this so far.

Just let me know if there's any questions

Regards, Steve

Steven Murray
Property Services Team Manager
Housing Property Services
Department of Community & Children's Services
City of London Corporation
Steven.murray@cityoflondon.gov.uk
0207 029 3915
07786 855 580

Bulb Planting: Sun 26 Oct 10.30 - 13.00

Dear Residents

Please see the following message and attachment sent on behalf of Sarah Hudson, Barbican resident and keen gardener!

BULB PLANTING FOR RESIDENTS THIS SUNDAY

When: 10.30 am to 1 pm

Where: meet Thomas More lawn

We have loads of lovely spring flowering bulbs to plant - in beds and planters all over the estate. Gloves and tools will be provided.

Come along and join your neighbours and brighten up planters next to your block. Families and children very welcome. There will also be a wild life treasure hunt for children.

For more information please see attached flyer.

Look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Best wishes

Sarah

With regards

Barbican Estate Office

Cultural Hub and the Barbican: 1st Dec

Invitation from the Barbican Association to all residents

Monday 1 December 6.30 Weston Theatre, Museum of London

What is the cultural hub?

What plans for development do the Barbican Arts Centre and the Museum of London have?

How might these plans affect the Barbican area?

Come and hear the directors of the Arts Centre and the Museum of London answer these and other questions.

The City of London is currently conducting a wide ranging review of the Barbican Area, including the idea of creating a cultural hub (http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/environmental-enhancement/strategies/Pages/Barbican-Area-Strategy-Review.aspx), and the Arts Centre and Museum are heavily involved in that process.

The Arts Centre and the Museum of London both want to attract more visitors and be more accessible and are keen to share their ideas about the cultural hub.

We have invited Sir Nicholas Kenyon, director of the Barbican Arts Centre, and Sharon Ament, director of the Museum of London, to talk to residents about the review, the cultural hub, and their plans for their respective organisations. This meeting will enable them to present their ideas and offer residents an opportunity to comment and ask questions.

We hope that you will come along and hear them.

Chair BA, chairBA@btinternet.com

Barbican Area Strategy & Cultural Hub meeting: 1 Dec 18:30

From the chair of the BA:

Dear All 

I thought I would alert you to a meeting the BA has organised for all Barbican residents on 1 December 6.30 pm Weston Lecture Theatre, Museum of London 

It is so that Nick Kenyon of the Arts Centre and Sharon Ament of the Museum of London can present to residents what they are asking of the Barbican Area strategy and what they want of the "cultural hub" and hear in return what residents think about that - and what residents want. 

Put the date in your diaries, and notices and email broadcast will go out soon. 

Best wishes 

Chair, Barbican Association

External Redecorations: Week 12

During week 12 (w/c 13th Oct) the scaffolding has moved eastwards, but there is a gap. Golden Lane will need to be closed while the scaffolding bridge is built to close the gap shown in this photo.

Do remember to call to make an appointment (call Charlie Demsen on 0796 185 9201) to have your woodwork varnished, otherwise the work will be done while the windows are closed and the finish will not be so good.

Gap to be filled

Barbicania film at Barbican cinema

From the chair of the BA:

As you may know there has been some consternation that the showing of the film recently made about the Barbican and advertised in the Podium was quickly sold out. The Arts centre put on another showing, also sold out.

They have now said they will put on a third - and if that is sold out they'll put on another ... and if that is sold out they'll put on another etc - to meet demand.

The 3rd showing is likely to be the afternoon of 1 November - and will be advertised on the centre website soon.

Fast Internet service: announcement

The company installing the new high speed fibre Internet (and TV) service has sent out an update after an extended period of silence.  Good to hear they are still alive and pressing ahead, and that Ben Jonson House will be switched on in November! ...

Dear Resident,

ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND IS HERE, WITH FREE INSTALLATION!*
You have previously registered for the new fibre optic broadband service, brought to you by Vision Fibre Media.
We are pleased to announce that the roll-out to the Barbican Estate has begun with installation for residents in Shakespeare and Lauderdale Towers starting shortly.
The planned rollout (subject to service demand) across the estate is as follows:

November - Shakespeare Tower, Lauderdale Tower, Frobisher Crescent, Cromwell Tower, Breton House, Ben Jonson House

December - Thomas More House, Defoe House, Seddon House, Mountjoy House, Lambert Jones Mews

January - Andrewes House, Speed House, Willoughby House, Gilbert House, Wallside, The Postern, Brandon Mews, Bunyan Court, John Trundle Court, Bryer Court

                                      The Communal TV upgrade is commencing in February 2015 with Resident installs in March 2015

WHAT TO DO NEXT
As one of the first residents to register your interest, you qualify for free installation*.  Two weeks prior to your location's ready for service date, we will contact you via email with the web address where you can choose your package and confirm your payment details.  Once we receive these, we will then contact you to arrange an appointment for the installation. 
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to email us at support@visionfibremedia.com.

Many thanks,
Vision Fibre Media Support

Vision Fibre Media Ltd

97-101 Cleveland Street

London

W1T 6PL

* RRP of the basic installation service is £200 and is offered free of charge under this promotion. Any different or additional installation options you choose will incur additional charges. This promotional offer expires on 31^st January 2015.

Latest schedule for removing Victor's seats

Here is the latest schedule (received on 13th Oct) for the removal of the 'new' seats from Ben Jonson Highwalk:

Week commencing 20th October

• Planting removed from the planters on St Giles Terrace 
• Planters removed from St Giles Terrace 
• Seats removed from St Giles Terrace 
• Planter/seat fixings removed from St Giles Terrace and tile repairs completed as necessary 
• Replacement park bench style benches installed St Giles Terrace 

Week commencing 10th November

• Replacement double aspect benches (2 no.) installed St Giles Terrace 

Week commencing 24th November

• Seats removed from Ben Jonson Highwalk 
• Replacement benches installed Ben Jonson Highwalk 

Bulb planting: 26th Oct & 2nd Nov 10.30-13.00

Gardens Advisory Group are helping to organise bulb planting sessions for residents on 26th October and 2nd November 10.30 to 13.00. It was great fun last year and well attended. This year we have triple the number of bulbs – 26,000! And we can plant them pretty much all over the estate – so lots of opportunities for brightening up beds and planters next to your blocks. The bulbs are narcissi, snowdrops and alliums and will be allowed to naturalise to provide spring colour and early nectar for bees for many years to come.

The sound of breaking glass

Some time ago residents were disturbed by noise caused by the collection of waste glass from the service yard behind Cote. It seems it's happening again. Here is a note from a resident:

Re the bottle noise, Cote head office replied to say their staff were unaware of any vehicular glass collection on Sunday mornings. They said they’d contact their contractors to confirm that it wasn’t them. I’ve still not heard back.

I was away the following Sunday, but I heard and witnessed a vehicle collection yesterday morning so emailed Cote with confirmation that their contractors were again making noisy collections on Sunday mornings. Members of Cote’s kitchen staff were outside smoking, so they will have seen it too.

If you have heard noise from waste collection from Cote, please add a comment to this post.

Drains and Puddles

The drains from the high walks are still blocked which means any significant rain will cause puddles. The problem is that the drains pass into Arts Centre territory, and so the un-blocking must be coordinated with them.

An update on the drain work from Steve Murray:

I have a meeting Monday with the Barbican centre to fully iron out areas I need access to so I can get to work on these – you may have seen the chaps on the podium with the de-scaling machine – I’m going to do everything I can Bruce to free the podium of ponding around BenJ as quick as I can so thanks for your patience whilst I communicate with the parties it affects below etc….

External Redecorations: Week 11

Week 11 (w/c Mon October 6th).

The redecoration action has reached the middle of the house. The fire doors are looking very red, the soffits (the ceilings over the balconies) are being painted white and the windows and doors facing south are being varnished. Ours looks very nice now.

It's best to be at home when the door and window frames are being varnished. The finish is much better if the work can happen with the doors and windows open and the varnish allowed to dry that way. Call Charlie Demsen on 0796 185 9201 to arrange a time for yours to be done.

... and here is an update from Steve Murray:

Scaffold is being erected up to the west side of Golden lane north elevation of BenJ and I expect to see painters working here from the middle of next week so residents can expect to see them from then – they will then start on the scaffold the other side of Golden Lane, I’m waiting to be up-dated on the road closure needed to bridge over Golden Lane so the middle section can be done and will let you know the date for this asap, works are also on going on the south elevation of BenJ and good progress is being made.

Breton Hse is well under way and again good progress has been made on the top 3 floors and residents can expect to see painters on the 3rd & 2nd floors from Mid to late next week.

There is a resident walk on the first stage of the project set up by Sheila for next Weds 8th at 2,30 pm where I will be available to meet anyone that would like to go over anything with me.