1 Golden Lane - A post demolition pause before the build?

The good new is that we have the atrocious noise of the demolition behind us.  The less good news is that the construction phase is due to begin and this will bring a whole new set of aural delights.

But it is not clear when the construction phase will begin.  Mc Gee have completely vacated the site, even the scaffolding has gone (a bit surprising).

So, time to enjoy a bit of quiet while at the same time hoping that we won't be left with a half completed building project as a neighbor for too long!

Here is the farewell note from Mc Gee:

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Good morning,

As you may have seen we have been demobilising on the 1 Golden Lane site as our phase of works are now complete. We officially left the site on Friday 23^rd February 2024.

At this moment in time, the contractor that will be carrying out the next phase of works at 1 Golden Lane has not been confirmed. However once confirmed we will have a handover where things including neighbourly matters and sensitive receptors will be discussed.

In the meantime, if you need to contact anyone regarding 1 Golden Lane, please contact Thomas Woolf, t.woolf@gardiner.com.

Please can you confirm If you would like me to pass on your email address to the client so they can give it to the next contractor, to include their mailing list. Until we receive approval from you, we will not share your email address.

Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you for your patience, understanding and feedback whilst we have carried out our work. We appreciate fully how our works impacted you at times, and by incorporating your feedback we have remained committed to carrying out our project in the least impactful way possible.

It has been lovely speaking to and meeting with so many of you and I wish you the best for the future.

Thank you from the whole of the McGee 1 Golden Lane team!

Kind regards

Removal and delivery of transformer to Barbican Exhibition Halls

From the City:
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We are writing to inform you of the removal and delivery of transformers to the Barbican Exhibition Halls. This work will require large lorries parking at 86 Golden Lane.

• The removal of the existing transformer will take place on 6 October 2021
• The delivery of the new transformer will take place on 25 October.

Road closures will take place for both of these deliveries but will only be in place for a couple of hours.

If you have any questions about the works, please do get in touch with info@barbicanprojects.co.uk or call 0800 772 0475.

With best wishes

Barbican Projects Hub

This weekend: The Whitecross St Party

The Whitecross St. Party returns this year.  The 2021 event is entitled RISE OF THE NON CONFORMIST and will run from noon to 18:00 on the 11th and 12th of September.

The Poster

Event Map

Beech Street Zero Emission Scheme - reversed for now

A recent letter from the City explains that due to the combination of administration mistakes and a legal challenge the current 'experimental' Zero Emission Zone scheme will revert to allowing all traffic:

"The experiment (which can only last a maximum of 18 months) will conclude on 18 September. Beech Street will then reopen to general traffic and the closures at the junctions with Golden Lane and Bridgewater Street will be removed."

Here is the full text of the letter:

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Dear Occupier

As you may know, the experimental traffic order (ETO) for the Beech Street zero emission scheme has been the subject of two legal challenges. The first, a statutory challenge of the validity of the ETO, was heard in October 2020. 

The judge found that while the ETO was valid and could continue, the City Corporation could not follow the usual “truncated” process for making an ETO permanent due to non-compliance with two procedural regulations. The first was that the ETO documents were not available for public inspection at Guildhall between 23 March and 22 April 2020 (during the first Covid-19 lockdown). The second was that the City Corporation did not provide an adequate statement of reasons to explain why the ETO was being introduced. The consultation carried out in respect of the ETO was found to be compliant with legal requirements. 

As a result of this finding, if it was decided to promote a permanent traffic order with the same effect as the experimental zero emission scheme, it would be necessary to follow a separate process to introduce a new traffic order. 

The second legal challenge was a judicial review of the decision by the Streets & Walkways SubCommittee in February 2021 to continue the experimental zero emission scheme. This was heard on 29 and 30 June 2021. The judgement, issued on 10 August, concludes that the experiment remains valid and dismisses the claim. 

An interim order issued when the judicial review was granted permission to proceed, prevented us from undertaking any further work on a permanent scheme that replicates the current experiment. As a result, planned public consultation on a potential permanent scheme for Beech Street was put on hold. The recent judgement means that we can resume work on a potential permanent scheme. 

The experiment (which can only last a maximum of 18 months) will conclude on 18 September. Beech Street will then reopen to general traffic and the closures at the junctions with Golden Lane and Bridgewater Street will be removed. 

Islington Council will be reviewing the ETO in relation to Fortune Street and will write to its residents both in Fortune Street and the surrounding area to advise whether the restriction on Fortune Street will also be removed on the 18 September. 

We will continue to monitor the Beech Street experiment between now and the 18 September. Despite the impacts of Covid-19, the experiment has enabled us to collect useful data on traffic and air quality and to understand the impact of the scheme on resident access and deliveries.

We are investigating whether it will be possible to retain the new central reservation gaps (for Lauderdale Place and Shakespeare/Defoe car park) on Beech Street. This will be subject to an independent road safety audit. 

Infrastructure changes made for the experiment, such as the new cameras and signage, will be left in place but disabled, so that these can easily be reused if a decision is taken to proceed with a similar permanent scheme in the future. 

The project team and your elected members remain committed to improving air quality on Beech Street and in the wider area. We plan to launch a consultation on options for Beech Street before the end of the year. Some of these options could be relatively quick to implement. At the same time, we plan to begin engagement to understand aspirations for wider changes to improve air quality and the experience of walking, cycling and spending time in the Barbican and Golden Lane area. 

In the meantime, we are continuing to progress separate improvements to the zebra crossing on Golden Lane and the Fann Street and Brackley Street junctions with Golden Lane. 

Please do not hesitate to contact the project team if you have any questions at beech.street@cityoflondon.gov.uk 

Many thanks 

Ian Hughes 

Deputy Director, Transportation and Public Realm

Builders Yard - unnecessarily noisy and wasteful?

The use of the builders yard established beneath Ben Jonson House seems to be bizarrely inefficient, noisy and polluting. Is it possible the the contractor has no incentive to use the most efficient practice, and perhaps even the reverse (e.g. charging for additional vehicles and work)?

I have written to the City to suggest how the negative impact of the project and the builders yard can be reduced.  I'll not hold my breath for any practical response, but one can hope. 

Here is the body of my letter:
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Regarding the repaving works currently underway around the new Denizen flats on Golden Lane:
http://bjhg-blog.blogspot.com/2021/05/builders-yard-with-us-until-october.html

Since we'll be stuck with this project until October (or later if/when the project slips) I'd like to suggest some better work practices which will:

• Improve efficiency
• Reduce costs
• Reduce environmental impact
• Minimise noise impact on residences

The project is to work around the new Denizen flats, replacing the pavement surface. This involves digging up the existing surface, removing the waste material and installing new paving. The work will start at the junction of Golden Lane and Fann Street, proceeding west along Fann Street and follow the path around the Denizen to eventually end up back at the starting point. When viewed from above the project will move anti-clockwise around the Denizen.

The work will proceed by first clearing a few meters of old paving, preparing that area for new paving and then laying the new paving.

The current method in use as I type:

1. Remove the old paving material and place in a heap on the ground ahead of the current work area
2. From time to time, shovel the waste into a dumper truck
3. The noisy dumper truck shuttles back and forth from the work site to the builders yard area beneath Ben Jonson House
4. … and dumps the waste on the ground
5. From time to time a noisy truck with a grabber visits the builders yard to scrape up the waste back off the ground and into the back of the truck. The grabber truck waits for some time (engine running) while the dumper noisily makes several top-up trips.
6. New material is delivered to the builders yard
7. A noisy forklift shuttles the new material from the builders yard to the work site for installation

Suggested method:

1. Place a skip ahead of the old paving to be cleared
2. Remove the old paving material and place it directly in the skip. The skip will be removed from time to time to be replaced with a new skip a little further along.
3. The materials for the new paving are delivered to an area of pavement (perhaps protected using plywood) behind the current work area.
4. The cleared area is prepared and new materials installed
5. Replace any internal combustion powered site vehicles with electric alternatives.

The current method requires all materials to be moved several times:

• Waste is dug up, dumped on the ground, shovelled into the dumper, noisily shuttled to the builders yard, dumped on the ground again, noisily scraped up again by the grabber and driven away.
• New material is delivered to the builders yard and shuttled up to the current work site using a noisy fork lift vehicle.

The suggested requires far fewer moves:

• Waste is dug up and placed in a skip which is removed from time to time
• New materials are delivered to a point close to where they will be needed
• ... and any site vehicle still needed (if any) could be electric and thus less polluting

The suggested method saves time and effort for the people on the project and would have a significantly reduced impact on the environment from an air pollution and noise pollution perspective.

Since we’ll have to live with this project until October could we at least minimise the environmental impact and pain caused to residents?

Many thanks

Builders Yard - with us until October

The 28th May newsletter from the BEO has an item about "Public Realm Works" which will upgrade the pavements all the way around the new Denizen flats. The builders yard for this project, and the associated mess and noise, is located beneath Ben Jonson House on Golden Lane.

The project is due to last 21 weeks. So we can expect the builders yard to be around until October this year, or longer.

This is clearly quite a large project.  There will even be regular project update email messages if you sign up (see below).  It's a shame the people running the project didn't engage with residents before deciding to export the static noise and mess of the project from the work location around the Denizen to a builders yard beneath our homes.

Here is the notice from the newsletter:
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Public Realm Works in Fann, Viscount and Brackley Streets and Golden Lane

The works around the Denizen development at 43 Golden Lane started on Monday 24 May and will be delivered in phases to minimise impact on movement in the area, with one way system operating in Brackley, Viscount and Fann streets to accommodate vehicular access.

The works are contained to the footways around the newly completed development at 43 Golden Lane and to the works on Zebra crossing in Golden Lane. The full duration of these works is approximately 21 weeks.

For more information about the project visit www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/goldenlaneworks or email citypublicrealm@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Download the plan of works, you can also sign up to receive our regular project updates directly to your mailbox.

Builders Yard beneath Ben Jonson House

A builders yard has been established beneath Ben Jonson House in support of works happening on Fann Street.

The builders yard is shown in the image below which shows Golden Lane from beneath Ben Jonson House up to, and beyond Fann St.

There are temporary huts on the west side of Golden Lane close to the main exhibition hall entrance, on the other side of Golden Lane there is a waste storage area.

Waste is taken from the work site on Fann St to the street beneath Ben Jonson House by a dumper truck (which you can see heading south in the image).  The dumper truck tips the waste on the road.  A waste lorry (parked next to the waste heap in the photo) uses a grabber to scrape up the waste and load into the back of the lorry.  The lorry scrapes up the waste which is there when it arrives and then hangs around, engine running, while the dumper truck makes additional trips until the lorry is full.

The newly blocked junction between Beech St and Golden Lane is clearly a very handy place for 'considerate contractors' to dump their stuff.

Is this a wild-cat builders yard or has the City approved it?  Either way, what was the process by which the area beneath our homes was chosen to host this noisy yard, and why has this come as (yet another) complete surprise?

The yard in action

The project engineer for these works is Simon Roliston (sp?) on  +44 207 332 1588

The on-site person in charge is Bradley on +44 788 257 2461

... and rather than the 08:00 morning serenade of the dumper truck being started, could they perhaps use an electric dumper truck?  Surely that would make sense with the builders yard being right next to the ULEZ of the Beech Street tunnel?
 

Beech St. - central reservation works completed

From the BEO

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Completed Central Reservation Works: Beech Street

Please find images of useful access maps for Beech Street from the graphics team within the Department of the Built Environment. They now reflect the recently completed works to the central reservation on Beech Street which allow vehicles going to Lauderdale Place and the Shakespeare Tower/Defoe House car park to come in from Aldersgate Street and undertake a right hand turn.

Car park access

The signs at each end

Beech St. - Works in the tunnel

If you wondered what all that digging and drilling noise was all about ...

From the BEO:

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Beech Street Zero Emission Scheme – central reservation works update

Following feedback from residents we are improving access into properties located on Beech Street. Gaps in the central reservation have been made to allow vehicles to approach from the west (Aldersgate Street), making right hand turns into:

• Shakespeare and Defoe House car park
• Lauderdale Place

This will improve access for residents and their guests, delivery drivers and taxis. We are also notifying SatNav companies and Google Maps of the changes to the road layout.

For questions regarding the project email beech.street@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Beech St ... central reservation works

From the BEO:

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Beech Street Zero Emission Scheme – central reservation works

Since the 18 March 2020 Beech Street has been open to zero emission capable vehicles for through traffic and open to any vehicle accessing the carparks, forecourts and servicing areas located directly on Beech Street.

Following feedback from residents regarding some problems with taxis and deliveries, the City's Built Environment Department are improving access into the below sites. Three gaps in the central reservation will be made to allow vehicles to approach from the west (Aldersgate Street), making right hand turns into:

• Shakespeare and Defoe House car park
• Lauderdale Place
• Barbican Centre Beech Street car park no.5

These changes will allow easier access to the residential and cultural premises located directly on Beech Street from both the east and west. Cromwell Tower forecourt and ground floor car park will continue to be accessible in either direction. The Barbican Trade Centre will remain accessible from the west only.

Construction work for the Shakespeare & Defoe House gap and Lauderdale Place gap started on 22 March 2021. Street works will be carried out by our term contractor JB Riney and while every effort will be made to keep noise levels to a minimum, some noise impact is anticipated.

The contractors will be working during the following hours:

• Monday to Friday – 8am to 4pm (noisy working hours would be 8am – 10am and 12pm – 2pm).
• Saturday – 9am to 2pm.
• Sunday – No works (unless agreed beforehand)

For any queries or concerns please contact the City's Built Environment Department for this project. For any construction enquiries please contact: Steve Martin, JB Riney on 075 9520 1876, or email Steve.Martin@jbriney.co.uk

Beech Street Zero Emission Update

From the BEO:

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Beech Street Zero Emission
Scheme Update

On the 18 March 2020 the City of London Corporation introduced experimental traffic changes on Beech Street, Bridgewater Street and Golden Lane with the aim of reducing air pollution.

Over the last 10 months, many residents have taken the time to write to the City Corporation about the traffic experiment. Many of the enquiries have been about the problems some residents have experienced around access to their car parks, as well as some deliveries and taxi/private hire vehicles not arriving.

We thank residents for the time they have taken to highlight these issues. While air quality in Beech Street has improved by over 50%, further work is proposed to be undertaken to improve the access to properties and the understanding of the restriction amongst taxi and delivery drivers.

City Corporation officers have met regularly with the Barbican Association, and have prepared a report which details the measures proposed to help improve access and legibility to the car parks and forecourts on Beech Street.

Please find a link to the latest City Corporation Committee report and accompanying documents . This report will be considered by the Streets and Walkways sub-committee for decision on the 18 February.

We thank all residents who have fed back their thoughts on the experiment, you can continue to do so via the Beech Street zero emmissions consultation paper in the link. Feedback for the temporary changes in the City streets can be given here.

Beech St. Tunnel - Emission fines start 27th July

The Beech Street Tunnel is the UKs first zero emission street.

From July 27th you'll be fined if you drive the full length of the tunnel in a vehicle which is not deemed to be zero emission capable. 

Click to read the whole letter

Covid-19 - City Streets

From the BEO:

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Covid-19 - City Streets

The City Corporation is ramping up its transport recovery plan, designed to ensure the gradual and safe return of people who work, live and visit the Square Mile.

Temporary elbow room

Phase One of the scheme has now been largely completed. This includes providing more space for people walking on Threadneedle Street, Old Broad Street and Cannon Street; and the introduction of timed closures and changes on Coleman Street, Lombard Street and St Mary Axe.

The Policy and Resources Committee (11 June) endorsed Phase Two of the recovery plan offering support for City businesses through the introduction of various transportation and public realm changes. Phase Two will see a further seven kilometres of streets being temporarily changed, including the reallocation of highway to pedestrians and cyclists on Fleet Street and Moorgate, timed closure of Moorfields to motor vehicles and the closure of Chancery Lane to through traffic. These proposals are subject to technical approval from Transport for London.

The initiative will remain adaptable to changing circumstances with the measures able to be scaled up or down as required to ensure the safety of all City workers, residents and visitors set to return in coming weeks in line with Government guidance.

We will shortly be launching an online portal on our webpage for street users to comment on the specific changes. This will be launched once the plans have been implemented onto the streets. In the meantime, for questions and to provide feedback on the Phase 1 plans and Phase 2 proposals, email the City Transportation team.

For up to date information please visit our webpage.

Alternate ways to walk through the Barbican

From the BEO

Secret passages; who knew?

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Changes in Access Routes due to the Closure of the Barbican Centre

Due to the closure of the Barbican Centre, routes across the estate will have changed.

Now that the Barbican Centre entrance in Silk Street is closed, residents may not know how to use the car park route back up to the High Walk Podium level.

You can get to the street via Gilbert House Staircase 52, this brings you to lakeside terrace and there is a small set of stairs down to the Centre car park entrance. This then leads up to Silk Street.
Alternatively, the ramp on Whitecross Street takes you to the corner of Ben Jonson House.

Beech Street scheme - meeting 25th Feb

A fellow resident sent the following about the next meeting of the streets and walkways committee at which the new zero emissions scheme for Beech St will be discussed.

The scheme currently includes the complete closure of junctions off Beech Street which will cut off access routes to some Barbican car parks.  A number of residents are seeking an exemption so they can get their cars in and out as they do today.

If you feel the scheme will affect you this is probably your last chance to influence the decision makers.
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A reminder - it's streets and walkways at 10.30 tomorrow morning. It would be wonderful if we get a good turn-out of residents. Here are the details again:

Time: 10.30am
Date: Tuesday 25 February
Venue: 2nd floor committee rooms, West Wing, Guildhall - entrance in

Aldermanbury, at the Gresham Street end.

Beech St Zero Emission works begin

From the Barbican Estatewide News Bulletin 21 February 2020:

Image posted on Barbican Talk (click to read the article)

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Notification of Construction and Drop-in Sessions:
Beech Street Zero Emission Street

In mid-March the City of London Corporation will introduce traffic changes on Beech Street, Bridgewater Street and Golden Lane with the aim of reducing air pollution.

With regards to this, the Department of Built Environment started highway construction work, yesterday, on Bridgewater Street and Beech Street, to install removable bollards. This work is expected to last three days and will require a closure of Bridgewater Street to enable the work to take place.

During this time, pedestrian access will be maintained. Please click here for the further information.

To find out more, speak to a member of the project team at one of the drop-in sessions.

• Exhibition Hall 1, Golden Lane, EC1Y 0QT
• Monday 24 February 12pm-2pm and 6pm-8pm
• Thursday 27 February 12pm-2pm and 6pm-8pm
• Vibast Community Centre, 167 Old Street, EC1V 9NH
• Tuesday 25 February 6.30pm-8.30pm

For more information, detailed maps and contact details visit the website.

Beech Street Tunnel - Zero Emission Scheme

The City sent out a letter dated the 5th Feb (see below) and held a meeting on the 12th Feb to announce their plan to make Beech St a 'Zero emission street'.

Barbican residents with cars will find that the routes from their homes will be changed.  This affects users of the Ben Jonson / Breton house car parks in particular as they will only be able to access the car park from the north along Golden Lane.  Golden Lane will be blocked at the southern end for all vehicles, even 100% electric ones ... so no way to drive home via Beech St.

Busses which deliver pupils to the Prior Weston complex entrance on Golden Lane will also have to approach from the north and leave to the north, somehow making a u-turn at the southernmost part of Golden Lane directly beneath Ben Jonson  House.

Click to read the whole letter

12th Feb Meeting - Beech St Zero Emissions

The following is from the chair of the house group, along with the observation that "We also need to be aware that this proposal is closely connected with the development of Beech Street as part of the Culture Mile which will have a different kind of impact on us, positive I hope."
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Meeting for City residents
Beech Street: Proposals for a Zero Emissions Street

Come along and hear from the City Transportation Team what is planned for Beech Street, why, and how it will affect nearby residents

12 February 7pm, Main Hall, City of London School for Girls

Entrance on St. Giles' Terrace (off corner of Wood Street and Fore Street), Barbican, London EC2Y 8BB

Presentation from the City of London Transportation Team:

• Leah Coburn, Group Manager for Major Projects, City Transportation
• Kristian Turner, Project Manager

... Followed by your comments and questions

(The Transportation Team is also running question and answer sessions on 18, 24, 27 February in Exhibition Hall 1, Golden Lane, at 12-2pm and 6-8pm)

Organised by the Barbican Association www.barbicanassociation.com

Beech Street - zero emissions scheme

From the BEO:
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Regarding the Beech Street - Zero Emissions Scheme Press Announcement
Dear Barbican Resident,

On 16 December, City of London Corporation committees backed plans to launch the UK's first 24/7 zero emission street in a bid to improve air quality in the Square Mile. Following the subsequent press release this headline and story has widely been reported in the media. This announcement may have caused confusion and worry with residents and we want to take this opportunity to apologise and provide details regarding the scheme below.

Beech Street is expected to become restricted to zero emission vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians by Spring 2020, pending final approval by Transport for London. Exceptions will be provided, as detailed below for those accessing premises off Beech Street. Bus route 153, which is fully electric and runs down Beech Street, is unaffected by the changes.

The experimental traffic order will run for a maximum of 18 months, during which time the impact on air quality and traffic will be monitored.

Beech Street experiences high levels of air pollution as it is a busy, enclosed thoroughfare. A significant improvement in air quality is expected, resulting in health benefits for the many pedestrians and cyclists that use the street. The scheme aims to bring nitrogen dioxide levels within air quality guidelines set out by the European Union and World Health Organisation. We also hope to improve air quality in the vicinity of the street, particularly around the entrances to Richard Cloudesley School and Prior Weston Primary School.

If deemed successful, the trial may be made permanent. The scheme has been funded by the City of London Corporation and the Greater London Authority Mayor's Air Quality Fund.

Who can continue to use Beech Street during the scheme?

• drivers of zero-emission vehicles
• bus route 153 and its passengers
• cyclists
• pedestrians
• vehicles accessing premises off Beech Street for loading and servicing purposes
• emergency service vehicles

Those accessing the following located off Beech Street

• Barbican Centre car park, Beech Street entrance
• Barbican Estate
• Shakespeare Tower and Defoe House
• Cromwell Tower ground floor carpark
• Lauderdale Place
• Barbican Trade Centre West Vehicle Entrance

Access for the following activities will be able to continue, as it does now, to the off street car parks:

• Taxi / Private Hire pick up and drop off
• Deliveries including Royal Mail
• Takeaway food deliveries
• Refuse collections
• Visitors
• Care workers
• Tradesman and other servicing requirements.
• Removal vans

What is a zero-emission vehicle?

As per Transport for London's guidance and standards for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount for the Congestion Charge, zero emission vehicles will need to comply with all of the following criteria:

• Maximum 75 g CO2/km
• Minimum 20 mile zero emission range
• Euro 6 equivalent NOx emission standard

Awareness, consultation and monitoring of the scheme

In June of this year, Members of the Barbican Residential Committee and ward representatives were 

briefed on the objectives of the project, and the feedback from Members has been used to design a plan that minimises impacts on residents' activities.

Early in the new year, the City of London Corporation will be meeting with the Chair of the Barbican Association and our information campaign will begin from January onwards. The information campaign will take place before the traffic restrictions come in to force and will include social media, leafleting, and direct discussions with City firms and residents. Drop-in sessions for City and Islington residents will also take place in February.

The City of London Corporation will be meeting with the Chair of the Barbican Association early in the new year and our information campaign will begin from January onwards. Our information campaign will take place before the restrictions come in and will include social media, leafleting, direct discussions with City firms and residents. Drop-in sessions for residents of the Barbican and Islington will also take place in February.

As the scheme is being implemented under an experimental traffic order, the formal public consultation period will coincide with the first six months of the restriction. There will be additional public drop-in sessions and meetings with local businesses during this time period. A comprehensive monitoring strategy will be in place during the experiment measuring traffic flows and air quality both on Beech Street and the surrounding road network. Results of the public consultation, and the monitoring outputs will be reported back to Committees.

Enforcement

To deliver these changes, vehicles will be rerouted via advance warnings and signage on the approach to the street. Vehicle restrictions will be enforced via automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras with a penalty charge notice issued to drivers who contravene the experimental traffic order.

Next steps and further details

Following approval by the relevant City Corporation committees, the implementation of the scheme is subject to final approval from Transport for London.

• Read our full press release.
• Read the December 2019 Committee report.
• Visit the project webpage – www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/beechstreet

Contact us
If you have any questions related to the scheme, email the project team at beech.street@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

Kind regards,
City of London Corporation

Our mailing address is:
Barbican Estate Office
3 Lauderdale Place
London, Lnd EC2Y 8EN
United Kingdom

Golden Lane - Denizen heating works

The Denizen block of flats will be provided with a combined heat and power (CHP) feed.  The feed will travel through the Ben Jonson House car park from the western end and connect up with a trench running up Golden Lane to the Denizen block. The trench is currently being (noisily) cut and the pipes laid.   When the trenching works reached Brackley St. access was largely maintained using metal plates over the trench which allowed Taylor Wimpey to keep moving vehicles to their Denizen site; nice for them.  Now the trench has reached the exit ramp from the Ben Jonson House car park access is completely blocked.  No metal plates which would allow us to keep using the exit ramp over weekend and evenings, oh no, instead we get several layers of fencing just to make sure the exit ramp can't be used.

No attempt to minimise the impact for residents

It is true that residents can use the entrance ramp for both getting in and getting out of the car park, but this diminishes safety in and around the car park and is of course inconvenient for residents and the CPAs.  But note that Taylor Wimpey could have accessed their Denizen site via Fann St. ... but it was altogether more convenient for them to use the metal plates to retain access when possible.  Clearly inconvenience counts less for residents.  Thanks City (who licensed the work).  Thanks Taylor Wimpey (a considerate contractor?).

Here is a notice from the BEO which appeared in the 2019-11-22 Estatewide News Bulletin.  Note the email address at the end which is for a bloke who had nothing to do with the licensing or decision making and is probably just there to take/deflect the heat from those who are inconvenienced.

From the BEO:
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Citigen Works in Ben Jonson Car Park

Citigen’s works on Golden Lane are progressing well, and should be cleared by the second week of December. The next phase of works are due to start week commencing 25/11/19 and will take place within the Ben Jonson House basement car park. They will be installing a short length of new heating pipework to serve the Denizen development in Golden Lane, these works are expected to last around nine weeks. To facilitate the works it will be necessary to relocate one of the lockers to a new position and form two new holes in a wall.

Every effort will be made to avoid inconvenience and disturbance to residents. The works are being carried out under the terms of a licence issued by the City of London which includes strict conditions for working hours, noise, deliveries, etc. In the event of a complaint about these works or for further information please contact Graham Humphreys at graham.humphreys@eonenergy.com.