The Wandsworth Voice
BATTERSEA REACH
How appropriate the name …. as indeed all local inhabitants this very evening (19 November 2015) are reaching for their earplugs. Whether in the site itself or all along the road opposite.
Why?
Because Wandsworth Borough Council, in its infinite wisdom, has rolled over in its usual supine manner and has allowed the infamous developer, St George (there’s an irony – he’s only our patron saint) to work the night through because they have to undertake a bit of ‘concrete power floating’ …
The normal working hours, so often abused, are between 0800 and 1800. But if there are ‘special circumstances’ … guess what… the council and its Environmental Health people in their even-handed wisdom will always acquiesce.
IAnd you know what – it’s been just like this since 2003. Only 12 years.
This time … were residents apprised in good time? Were residents consulted? Were the views of construction consultants taken into consideration? … Especially those who state that there is no real justification for work during the night.
The cycle could be completed during the day … though that would impact on other schedules on the site.
So who suffers?
Not our Patron Saint. Not our saintly Borough Council.
But local people whose lives are thoroughly and totally disrupted as they prepare for their working day ahead.
And here’s an anecdote … a resident of Battersea Reach was spotted in the local Tesco buying 4 bottles of Bulgarian Blanc – as opposed to her usual 2 – so that she and her friend might be guaranteed a good night’s sleep.
On a very serious note – we do encourage all local people to complain in the strongest possible terms about this infraction … people do have a right to sleep and Wandsworth Borough Council don’t have the right to deny it.
The Wandsworth Voice 