{"id":867,"date":"2014-04-26T12:16:18","date_gmt":"2014-04-26T12:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stqw.org\/?page_id=867"},"modified":"2015-05-15T16:22:19","modified_gmt":"2015-05-15T16:22:19","slug":"safety","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stqw.org\/wordpress\/draft\/safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Safety and tranquillity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Objective 6\u00a0\u00a0 Maintain safety, security and tranquility in the area, contributing to a continued low level of burglary and street crime<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

6.1.1\u00a0 \u00a0Many responses to the StQW Survey demonstrated the importance that residents attach the comparative quietness and tranquillity of most streets in the area.\u00a0 Most residents feel safe and secure to walk the streets of the area in the hours of darkness, although the southern end of Latimer Road and that part of Freston Road between Latimer Road Underground Station and Oxford Gardens have been identified as feeling threatening.\u00a0 The pedestrian\/cycle route across Westway Trust \u00a0land behind Oxford Gardens is also seen as a route to avoid after darkness.<\/p>\n

6.1.2\u00a0\u00a0 In the Latimer Road part of the Freston Road\/Latimer Road Employment Zone, regular attempts to burgle office buildings have been a longstanding problem.\u00a0 The 2013 Peter Brett Associates report on Enterprise in the borough, notes that\u00a0At Freston Road and Latimer Road safety was again raised as an issue, with a number of the properties being \u2018off the beaten track\u2019 with little activity on evenings and weekends. Businesses feel that this encourages criminal activity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>One of the reasons why this Plan proposes more mixed use development in Latimer Road, with residential above commercial, is to have more \u2018eyes on the street\u2019.<\/p>\n

6.1.3\u00a0 \u00a0In terms of the Edwardian streets built by the St Quintin family, housing is terraced and also set back from the street with front gardens.\u00a0 This provides a combination of sufficient privacy from passers-by, with the reassurance that streets and pavements are overlooked by several households at any one location.\u00a0\u00a0 Levels of street crime are therefore low.<\/p>\n

6.1.4\u00a0 \u00a0Backland developments, away from passing cars and pedestrians, have specific security issues which require careful design.\u00a0 This applies both the housing and non-residential development.\u00a0 Blake Close has experienced problems of anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.\u00a0\u00a0 This Plan is not proposing any further residential development of backland sites, for this and other reasons.<\/p>\n

6.1.5\u00a0 \u00a0In terms of street crime and anti-social behaviour in the StQW neighbourhood, a more active police presence has been needed at times to address issues of youths congregating in St Helens Gardens. But such interventions seem to have worked.\u00a0 The shops in North Pole Road have had to take measures to address problems arising from large groups of young people dispersing at the end of the school day.\u00a0 North Pole Road has late night shops and takeaways, and can feel threatening in the hours of darkness.\u00a0 CCTV coverage in this area has been strongly recommended by a number of shopkeepers in the parade, in the StQW survey on local shopping parades.<\/p>\n

6.1.6\u00a0 \u00a0The neighbourhood has seen a growing trend in recent years for house-owners to introduce new security measures at their own properties.\u00a0 These include security lighting in porches and front and rear gardens, and higher front garden walls.\u00a0 A new trend has been the introduction of high front railings or fences, with security doors or gates fitted with entryphone systems, and the letter box moved to the outside wall.\u00a0 These measures are designed to create a secured front area, which will often be now paved over and in some cases part filled with bin stores and\/or bicycle store.<\/p>\n

6.1.7\u00a0 \u00a0These changes in the way that house-owners choose to use their front garden space are having a visible impact on the appearance of the conservation area, as well as on water run-off into the sewer system.\u00a0 While the StQW Forum respects the reasons why house-owners wish to make such changes, there are concerns as to the extent to which this trend may become uncontrolled.\u00a0 It is not clear how many residents are fully aware of RBKC policies and Article 4 Directions on external alterations to the street-facing facades of properties in the Conservation Area.\u00a0 Where unapproved works are carried out, this places an extra enforcement burden on the council.\u00a0 This Plan addresses these issues under Objective 2 on Conservation (see above).<\/p>\n

What role could CCTV play in the StQW neighbourhood?<\/strong><\/p>\n

6.2.1 \u00a0\u00a0RBKC Council operates a network of CCTV cameras in North Kensington, as part of its measures to prevent crime.\u00a0 The Council’s Community Safety Team is a joint partnership with the police, over seen by the Borough’s Community Safety Partnership.<\/p>\n

6.2.2 \u00a0\u00a0At present, all the CCTV crime prevention cameras in North Kensington are located north of Dalgarno Gardens, i.e. just north of the StQW boundary.\u00a0\u00a0 Responses to the StQW Survey have identified two further areas where residents, shopkeepers, and businesses consider that monitored CCTV coverage would contribute to crime prevention and a reduction in anti-social behaviour.\u00a0 These are:<\/p>\n