The weather was kind this year, and a goodly crowd attended the party. Thanks to Susan Hosking and Chris Parkin for the pictures.
Update on EDF Substation work on 03
Heron’s contractor’s McGee have issued this information regarding the work the will be doing over the next few weeks on new the EDF Sub-station being created in the 03 Car Park behind the Heron pavilion. The say…
All noisy work will only be carried out during the City Hours , that is 8 am till 10 am, 12 noon till 2 pm, and 4 pm till 6 pm. The Saw cutting of the perimeter of the base will be complete this week. On Monday, 12 July, we will be removing the Saw cutting equipment , and tidying up inside the compound. Also on Monday we will be bringing to site, two Mini –Excavators, with Hydraulic Breakers and Buckets. These will be driven into the compound and will commence to break up the Reinforced Concrete slab, which is up to 500 mm depth in places. Vibration should be reduced as the pit has been Saw cut around the Perimeter. It is considered that the noise levels should be lower than the noise generated by the large diameter Saw blades.
During the quiet periods the excavators will change to buckets to clear the arisings and reduce the levels to reach the formation level.
We will keep in close touch with you as to our progress. I should be most grateful if you could inform the residents of this change .
Summer Party 2010
Our ever-popular summer party will take place, as usual, in Speed House Gardens, in the area closest to the Cascade on the evening of Wednesday 7th July. All Willoughby House residents are welcome, and we also extend a cordial invitation to our neighbours in Brandon Mews, Speed House and Andrewes House.
We hope you will be able to join us on the lawn for wine and summer bites from 6.30 until 9pm. It’s an ideal opportunity to meet your neighbours and members of the House Group committee. If you are new to Willoughby, or have not made it to one of our events before, we extend a particularly warm welcome and hope we have the chance to meet you at this one,
There is a £6 charge for all adults to cover the cost of refreshments. No need to RSVP – just come on the night.
External Decorations: The Will of Willoughby is known
Polling closed on the 21 June, and a count of the votes gave the following results:
| 1st choice |
2nd choice |
3rd choice |
Any choice |
|
| Oxford Blue (Dark blue) | 18 58% |
3 10% |
1 3% |
22 71% |
| Saxe Blue (Bright blue) | 3 10% |
11 35% |
3 10% |
17 55% |
| Olive Green (Laurel Green) | 4 13% |
3 10% |
4 13% |
11 35% |
| Dark Green (Forest Green) | 1 3% |
5 16% |
6 19% |
12 39% |
| Grey | 5 16% |
4 13% |
2 6% |
11 35% |
| Brown (Olive brown) | 0 0% |
1 3% |
0 0% |
1 3% |
Oxford Blue, which is the existing colour is therefore the choice of the ballot, with 58% of first choice votes, and 71% of votes cast mentioning it as either 1st, 2nd or 3rd colour.
The next most popular colour was Saxe Blue, followed by Forest Green. The least popular colour was Brown, with no first choice votes and a solitary second choice.
A total of 31 votes were cast, representing 21.3% of the flats in the block. 27 were received on paper and 4 by email. To avoid any legal challenges, we can also declare that there were no (zero) spoilt ballots.
External redecorations 2010: What colour would you like to see?
Come and see at Davy’s City Boot on Moorfields Highwalk next Tuesday 15th – drop in between 6.30 and 8pm for a glass of wine or a soft drink at the “big table” near the centre door.
Dear neighbour
External redecorations of Willoughby House will be carried out by the Barbican Estate Office’s contractors this summer. We have the opportunity to specify the colour. We are consulting with all residents in order to see what the new colour should be. The Barbican Estate Listed Management Guidelines, agreed with English Heritage, offer us a limited palette of colours, most of which are in use on other blocks. We may choose any of these colours on the palette:
1. Saxe blue: Used on Speed House at podium level
2. Oxford blue: the existing colour at Willoughby House
3. Olive green: Gilbert House
4. Dark green: The Postern
5. Grey: Cromwell Tower and Defoe House
6. Brown: not currently used anywhere
Your house group committee is recommending either switching to grey, or retaining the existing Oxford blue. However, we are willing to propose any of the colours, if there is a consensus for change.
You can give us your vote in one of three ways:
- By printing this page, cutting our and marking this form, and leaving it with the Willoughby 01 CPA
- By voting at the drop-in session at City Boot
- By sending an email to chair@willoughbyhousegroup.com
Please specify 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice. We will pick the one that achieves more than 50% of the votes cast, after taking into account 2nd choices; if it is still not 50% we will take into account 3rd choices too.
VOTING FORM VOTES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 21 JUNE.
Only one vote per flat please! We will randomly discard any duplicate entries. |
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2010 AGM Minutes
WILLOUGHBY HOUSE GROUP
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting
Held at the Redgrave Room on April 20, 2010 at 7.30pm
Present
Committee Members
Tim Macer – (Chair), Caroline Swash, James Prentice, Simon Ebbins , Steve Grimwood,
Ordinary members
Nick Boulton, Turner Temple, Roy Fleming, Jean Soames , Chris Parkin, Maureen Tuffs, Ian Mongomery, Sally Day, Michael Swash
1. Apologies for Absence
Valerie Mills, Petre Reid, Tracey Wiltshire, Nazir Sayigh, Tessa Montgomery
2. Minutes of the last AGM held on March 17th, 2009
The minutes were read and agreed
3. Matters Arising
Tim Macer looked back over the year, mentioning with appreciation the newly instituted Christmas Party held in the garden under the cascade with mulled wine and nibbles.
Consultation regarding new carpeting had been concluded with the decision to continue to live with the existing carpet until external refurbishment (due in 2011) had been finished and paid for.
4. Chairman’s Report
Milton Court
Contractors were currently ‘deconstructing the lower levels’ of the site. It was observed that noise monitoring had been strictly adhered to. Work on this stage of the building would be completed in May with the next phase due to start in July. The absence of the tree next to the Heron marketing pavilion was noted. Simon Ebbins who had spoken at the planning meeting stressed the importance of speaking rather than writing. He revealed that the Heron Pavilion had only 3 years tenure and commented on the high charge of maintenance to be levied to those buying flats there. He also warned of possible disturbance from the much advertised open space above the concert halls. Discussion regarding car parking for Milton Court tenants followed.
CrossRail
Tim Macer noted that nearby retail outlets had already been closed in preparation for work in the area. As a member of the Cross Rail Liaison Group, he had stressed the importance of escalators to provide access from the network to the high walk – at present only lifts were planned.
St Alphage House
Tim Macer commented on the importance of contacting the client direct. When J P Morgan discovered that their new offices would be situated within a residential area, they withdrew their application, finding instead suitable accommodation in Canary Wharf.
New architects MAKE who have been engaged by Hammersons to develop the site, appear to be enthusiastic about the Barbican, planning additions that will be ‘strong and also respectful’. Highwalk access to the Guildhall will be retained although the upper garden will be closed and new open space provided – possibly at street level beside the ruins of St Alphage Priory. So far the firm have produced ‘massing models’ of their proposal and are in constant touch with representatives of all the affected buildings including Tim for Willoughby House.
Telephone Exchange
Two Hotels are planned on this site – an ‘Apartment’ Hotel and a four star Hotel run by a reputable chain. The buildings would fit the current ‘envelope’ and be no higher than the present roof line.
Roman House
Some surprise was expressed that Premier Inn had been awarded the contract to build a new Hotel there. Both construction and noise levels seemed unlikely to affect Willoughby House residents.
Digress
This wine bar nearby had applied for an extension of its hours from midnight to 2.00am. Since their management of exiting revellers had always been both firm and discreet, it had been decided that this extension would not be opposed.
Fire Hazard
Following the recent fire in a block of flats in Southwark in which blocked fire escape exits had contributed to the deaths of several people, the Fire Department have become concerned about the state of the balconies which are our own fire escape exits. Members of the meeting were reminded that these areas must be kept clear.
5. Treasurer’s Report
In the absence of Petre Reid, Tim Macer observed that although the Summer Party made a small loss, the finances were in satisfactory order with a reserve of £2,347.56 As a recognised Tenants Association, basic office expenses were reimbursed through the City of London as managers of the Barbican Estate. A vote of thanks was offered to the absent Petre trapped in New York due to the continuing eruptions of the Icelandic Volcano.
6. Election of the Committee for 2010/11
With 10 members available to attend committee meetings, extending the quorum was considered. However it was eventually decided to keep the quorum at 4 persons, with the committee standing at 7 members with 3 coopted:- Steve Grimwood, Susan Hosking, Tim Macer, Valerie Mills, James Prentice, Petre Reid, Caroline Swash, Nik Mehta, Nazar Sayigh.
The meeting closed with a heartfelt vote of thanks to the chairman, proposed by James Prentice.
AGM on April 20th
The House Group’s Annual General Meeting this year will now take place on Tuesday 20th April in the Redgrave Room at the Barbican Centre (level 4, between Cinemas 2 and 3). The meeting will start at 7.30pm and we expect it will conclude by 9pm, after which we will adjourn to the bar area at the Balcony Bistro for drinks (cash bar).
The main agenda of the AGM is to elect representatives to the committee for 2010-2011. In addition, we will be presenting a digest of current proposals and development schemes around the Estate that will have an impact on Willoughby House, including St Alphage, the hotel proposals for the telephone exchange site and also for Roman House, Crossrail construction at Moorgate Station, as well as information on proposed changes to licensing hours at Digress CityPoint.
Mulled wine by the cascade
residents enjoying mulled wine and mince pies
Residents at the party with the Lake behind them
The 16th December was the first day this winter that snow fell – though not in enough quantity to accumulate on the ground. A cold snap on a North-easterly wind had arrived in London with a vengeance. It was also the day we had chosen for the Christmas Party, when we had invited everyone to join us for mulled wine and mince pies in the cavernous space under the cascade by the Barbican Lake. Though it is under cover there, it’s open on two sides – rather like being under a bridge.
Undeterred, around two dozen residents wrapped up warmly to brave the chill, and a real party atmosphere developed in this most unusual venue for a party. It’s very Barbican, with its brutalist exposed concrete and its spectacular vistas along the length of the lakes – an extravagant space and a surprisingly good place for our gathering.
Susan, with some help from friends, achieved miracles with the catering, and decorated the area with candles and fairy lights. And we were especially pleased to welcome several new or recently returned residents to the Barbican. Well done Susan!
Re-development is back on the agenda
Though the climate for property development is still harsh, we have learned that two developments are now being drawn up that will affect residents on the South and South-West corner of Willoughby House. Hammersons are working with the City of London to bring forward a new scheme for the St Alphage House site. This is likely to be just the original site – from Alban Gate to Moor House, and up to the existing line of Fore Street. However, rumours in the building press seem to indicate they are still considering a very large 700,000 sq ft building on this site. The developers have appointed MAKE as the architects, whose founder, Ken Shuttleworth, is known for creating iconic buildings. Resident representatives from the BA and WHG will be meeting with Hammersons in January to learn more and raise their concerns.
Willoughby House Christmas Party
Wednesday, 16 December, 6:30- 8pm, £3 for adults, under 16s free.
This year we aimed for something that hopefully made it easy – and fun – to pop along to. Our little soiree is being held in the middle of the lake – directly underneath the waterfall. (Access through speed gardens, or walkway on other side.) It’s going to be scenic, festive and an opportunity to wish your neighbours a Merry Christmas, drink mulled wine or hot (non-alcoholic) apple cider and eat some festive nibbles. So dress up very warm and come and join us. We look forward to seeing you there.