The Earl’s Court Area Action Group (ECAAG) is organising the first Earl’s Court Fringe Film Night.

ECAAG is producing its own standalone fringe event that will coincide with the second Earl's Court Film Festival whose chief sponsor is Capital & Counties Properties Plc (Capco).

In the interest of balance, ECAAG’s aim is to stage an alternative event that is entirely free of corporate spin.

The core message is that Earl’s Court is, against the will of many residents, in danger of being defined within the narrow self-interests of the developer's Earls Court Masterplan.

When and where
Starts at 7pm on Wednesday, 9th November at The Bolton pub, 326 Earls Court Rd, London SW5 9BQ. Nearest tube is Earl's Court.

Earl's Court Fringe Film Night is free although donations are welcome on the night. 

Eventbrite URL
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/earls-court-fringe-film-night-tickets-28398350230

Starring
John Rogers, film-maker author and director will be showing extracts from his latest documentary “London Overground” partly filmed on location in Earl’s Court. The film takes place over the course of a year, rather than a single day. It follows Iain Sinclair as he meanders along the railway tracks on foot from his home in Haggerston, visiting 33 stations in 35 mile round trip.

After the screening, John will participate in a Q & A session.

"He is like Prospero crossed with Mr Chips," says Russell Brand.

Featuring
We will also show debut short films from young directors with close links to Earl's Court who have filmed in the area. ​

ECAAG’s fringe film night demonstrates the staunch resistance and resilience within the local community to keep the spirit of rebellious creativity burning bright within Earl's Court!

​Local government history was made tonight when the first joint Motion by Labour and the Liberal Democrats parties was put to the full Council meeting of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. 

The motion was moved by Cllr Linda Wade (Liberal Democrat) and seconded by Emma Dent Coad (Labour). There were some amendments proposed by the Conservatives to the Motion which were debated and then the Motion was unanimously agreed. 

It essentially acknowledged the inter-dependency of the Earls Court Masterplan site which straddles both the boroughs of  Kensington and Chelsea as well as Hammersmith and Fulham. 

Should developer Capco move forwards with their stated aim to increase the density on the Masterplan from 7.5k homes to 10k, they will need to put submit a fresh planning application which will be subject to public consultation and scrutiny. 

ECAAG brought Londoners together to celebrate a temporary reprieve for threatened Victorian terraced homes in Empress Place and two  pubs due to be demolished by Capital & Counties Properties Plc  (Capco) adjacent to the Earls Court Masterplan. 

Londoners celebrated a temporary reprieve from demolition for a much loved corner of London with a jolly promenade in Victorian costume.  ECAAG invited residents to join "HM Queen Victoria" and the "Prince of Wales" as they visited Empress Place and its much-loved Edwardian pub named in his honour to denounce their impending demolition by Capco.

Linda Wade, Chair of ECAAG attended as did Andrew Slaughter MP for Hammersmith. 

"We are losing so much of our built heritage and sense of place in London that appreciating what we still have takes on an added significance", said Linda Wade, Chair of ECAAG. 

Residents joined in street theatre and sang music halls songs from the period, some especially adapted for the housing crisis: "Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner, that I live with my mum!"

To raucous cheers from participants and spectators, Capco staff  pulled down their marketing suite’s blinds when residents in Victorian fancy dress sang the national anthem outside their Lillie Square showroom opposite Empress Place, 
 
The demolition of Empress Place and two adjacent parades of shops on the Lillie Road by Capco entity Earl's Court Partnership Ltd was due to start on the 11th January, 2016. 

Empress Place comprises two rows of attractive Victorian workers’ cottages in Hammersmith and Fulham. On the corner is the Edwardian Prince of Wales public house and a few doors up on the Lillie Road is The Imperial Arms. 

Thanks to outraged Hammersmith and Fulham residents’ application to list the Prince of Wales pub as an Asset of Community Value, demolition of this area has had to be temporarily stayed at a time when the UK is losing 29 pubs every week to developers of expensive flats and to the big supermarkets’ local outlets, designed to drive out independent traders.

The demolition of Empress Place and two adjacent parades of shops on the Lillie Road by Capco entity Earl's Court Partnership Ltd was due to start on the 11th January, 2016. 

Empress Place is comprised of two rows of attractive Victorian workers’ cottages. On the corner is the Edwardian Prince of Wales public house and a few doors up on the Lillie Road is The Imperial Arms. 

Thanks to Hammersmith and Fulham residents, who have put in applications to nominate the Prince of Wales pub as an Asset of Community Value, demolition of this area has been temporarily halted.  

Both the West Kensington and Gibbs Green Estates Tenant and Residents Associations have applied as have The Hammersmith Society, The Fulham Estate Residents Association and the Hammersmith Embankment Residents Association. ​

Our campaign contacted Nicky Gavron AM (Labour Party), Darren Johnson AM (Green Party) and London Mayoral Candidate Caroline Pidgeon AM (Liberal Democrat Party), who have all written to Hammersmith and Fulham Council in support of the residents fighting to save the Prince of Wales pub for the community.

Victory for Londoners and the RMT Union as Transport for London withdraws Clause 5 from the Transport for London Bill which would have allowed developers to cover up their roles in the exploitation of public land.

After a dogged 2 years fight in which three citizen petitioners and the RMT Union joined forces to petition against Clause 5 of the Transport for London Bill, on the 8th February 2016 in the House of Lords, TfL through Tanni Grey-Thompson, withdrew the Clause.

It would have enabled TfL to enter into opaque, “Limited Partnerships” with developers, ensuring its deals on its extensive public land holdings would not be open to scrutiny. It would allow developers to minimise their tax obligations while putting all of the risks attached to any project's failure onto TfL.

The citizen petitioners and the RMT Union fought for TfL’s interaction with private companies to be transparent, ethical and in the interest of the public. 

Clause 5 came to their attention due to TfL’s involvement with the ongoing development at Earl’s Court in its Joint Venture with Capital & Counties Properties Plc (Capco). A letter dated 6th May 2014 between Sir Peter Hendy and Mick Cash of the RMT showed that had a Limited Partnership option been available to TfL on the Earl’s Court Masterplan it would have been their preferred choice of vehicle.

Transport for London in its briefing document for the House of Lords debate on Lord Alf Dub’s motion relating to the Bill today stated:

“Clause 5 would have authorised us to form or join with others in forming limited partnerships. We took note of the strength of feeling in the House of Commons during the revival debate on 16 November 2015 about the clause. We recognise that, notwithstanding the amendments which were made to that clause by the Opposed Bill Committee, concerns remain about the possible future exercise of the powers which would be conferred by it. Accordingly, we have decided to amend the Bill and delete clause 5 and references to limited partnerships when the Bill is reintroduced in the Commons.”

The RMT Union in a press release stated: “RMT in conjunction with Andy Slaughter MP, John McDonnell MP, and numerous other labour MPs and the Save Earls Court Campaign combined together to petition against the Bill and try to prevent the most ill-conceived aspects of it from becoming law.”

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “We welcome that TfL has finally agreed to moderate its plans. TfL made a complete mess of the Earls Court development and was setting itself up to lose hundreds of millions of pounds by disposing of state assets far too cheaply.
“However, the story is not over yet. The proposals for commercially exploiting TfL land are coming in thick and fast. Accordingly, we will remain vigilant while the remaining provisions of the Bill return to Parliament for final scrutiny."

The Bill will now return to the House of Commons for further amendments.

Conservative-led RBKC Council rejects well-supported petition to halt demolition of Earls Court Exhibition Centre on public health grounds. Disturbing questions on asbestos and other public health issues go unanswered. Residents now urge Hammersmith and Fulham council to intervene.

On the 24th June, 2015 the Conservative-led RBKC council quashed a petition of over 1,700 signatures demanding an immediate halt to the demolition of the Earls Court Exhibition Centre on public health grounds and for an urgent, comprehensive, independent health review to be carried out. 

Here is the petition: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/petition-for-an-independent-health-review-of-the-earls-court-redevelopment

Despite lead petitioner Robina Rose’s plea to councillors to work together in the public interest, the full council meeting rejected the call for an independent health review with no abstentions. RBKC council has thus loftily  ignored the valid concerns of the Earl’s Court Action Group, local residents, businesses, trade unionists and environmentalists as the public health risks of asbestos, noise and vibration, pollution and poor air quality now coming to light as the demolition of the iconic building proceeds. 

They also ignored the peaceful protest outside Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall in support of the petition. 

Asbestos

Speaking in the debate about the 235 tonnes of asbestos in the Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Cllr. Robert Thompson (Labour) said:

“What is most disturbing in relation to the issue of asbestos is that Capco, this Council, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have declined to make public the asbestos report, even under Freedom of Information requests. This begs the questions - does this council have a copy of the report? Why is this council not making that report public?”

Noise and vibration

Cllr. Linda Wade (Liberal Democrat) pointed out that there were concerns over the impact of prolonged long-term impact on the health and wellbeing on residents, particularly babies and young children: 

“The developer’s submission appear to be assessed on the impact of ‘10 days in any 15-day period or for a total of days less than or equal to 40 in any 6-month period’ and do not consider the accumulative impact of noise over the course of the 20-year project on the health and wellbeing of residents.” 

Lack of trust in the Demolition and Waste Management Plans (DWMP) of the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre

Cllr. Mo Bakhtiar (Labour) speaking on behalf of Cllr. Emma Dent Coad who was indisposed said:

 “The residents of Earl’s Court are right to distrust this process. We support the demand for a cessation of demolition works and an Independent Health Review to revisit the inadequate plans currently in place. If not we are condemning residents to 20 years of intolerable conditions that for some could have fatal consequences.”

Petition: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/petition-for-an-independent-health-review-of-the-earls-court-redevelopment

The petition is addressed both to RBKC and LBHF councils as the Exhibition Centre straddles the two boroughs. Petitioners will now look to Hammersmith and Fulham Council to open these matters up to the meaningful public scrutiny denied by RBKC. 

As, in September 2014, the DWMP were approved BEHIND CLOSED DOORS under delegated powers to planning officials,  ECAAG is rightly worried as to whether the petitioners will be granted a fair hearing. 

Prior to the Earl’s Court Area Action Group’s peaceful protest outside Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall and the full council debate on the petition calling for an immediate halt of the demolition of Earls Court Exhibition Centre on public health grounds, the following three statements were issued in support. 

Shahrar Ali, Deputy Leader of The Green Party (23.06.15)

"Earls Court Exhibition Centre's demolition shows us everything wrong about how property developers are able to call the shots, whilst our local and regional government betrays the people they are meant to serve.

What's to like about increased air pollution on top of already dangerously high levels across the capital, with greater traffic pollution to come? What's to like about residential stacks marketed at already asset rich investors and out of reach of the ordinary Londoner desperate for a quality home?

Greens have made vigorous representations against this development, both locally and in City Hall, and will continue to expose the disbenefits that will be imposed upon the many for the sake of the few."

Cllr. Robert Atkinson, Leader of the Labour Group in Kensington (23.06.15)

“These two local authorities are putting the long term health and well-being of thousands of their residents at serious risk.

Labour in Kensington and Chelsea has campaigned vigorously against this redevelopment, which seems to be for the interests of greed, speculation and foreign investment.

It is high time that our Council woke up and protected its own communities.”

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the London Assembly Caroline Pidgeon (24.06.15) has called for a halt to work on the Earls Court Exhibition Centre demolition ahead of a crunch council meeting today 

Campaigners have asked for an independent health review to be carried out due to the existence of asbestos in the building and the dust and pollution caused by the demolition process.

Commenting on the demolition Caroline Pidgeon said: "I'm pleased to support local campaigners including Councillor Linda Wade in calling for a halt until a health review has been carried out.

“Local residents are right to be concerned about asbestos in the building and the potential severe health effects caused by dust, pollution and noise.”

“Over 1,500 people have recently signed a petition calling for the health review and I think it is very concerning the Kensington and Chelsea council are so keen to proceed with the plans."

Picture by Duggie Fields.

In BBC Radio 4's programme "The Affordable Housing Crisis" broadcast on the 26th May, 2015, Lesley Curwen asks whether the current system where councils do deals with developers to provide cheaper homes is working. Lesley examines three case studies - the huge redevelopment schemes at Earl's Court and on the Greenwich Peninsula, as well as a development in rural Suffolk. The Earls Court Masterplan will demolish the iconic Exhibition Centre, the Lillie Bridge depot and 22 acres of decent social housing on the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates. 

You can hear the broadcast here. It was produced by Susan Marling. A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4. 

On Saturday 7th February 2015,  the Earl's Court Area Action Group protest "Tearing the Heart Out of London" took place at various locations down the Lillie Road.  It was great to see so many residents take part and to have the support of the local Piccadilly and District West RMT branch who came along with their banner. We had children there with their parents as well as dogs bringing their owners. The atmosphere was happy and there was lots of singing and chanting.

We assembled outside Earls Court 1, opposite West Brompton tube station at 11am. Our protest was filmed by ITV London News and we made their 5pm news bulletin later that day.  Artist Duggie Fields who has lived in Earl's Court for over 40 years was shown on ITV speaking passionately about the importance of the Exhibition Centre and Linda Sanders from the West Kensington estate spoke about the problems tenants can have when they move from their homes and are faced with different tenancy agreements which means they may not be able to remain in their new accommodation. 

We also welcomed John Rogers of the Trews Report and a reporter from university student radio. 

At the Capco Lillie Square showroom, which was closed when usually it is open on a Saturday, a resident of Earl's Court and a resident of the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates served an eviction notice on Capco.  Protesters held up sheets of paper making up the phrase "Hall of Shame". Then when they turned the papers around you saw pictures of all those implicated in the Earl's Court "Masterplan".

We staged a die-in in Empress Place, opposite the Capco showroom, to highlight the concerns ECAAG has concerning the asbestos in Earls Court 1, as well as poorer air quality, noise, vibration and dust arising from the demolitions. Some supporters were dressed in "hazard" suits and wore face masks. 

Our protest then ended outside the Lillie Bridge depot which is also up for demolition as part of the "Masterplan".  It is a centre of manufacturing excellence and houses safety teams for London Underground.

We retired to The Bolton pub in Earl's Court (formerly O'Neill's) to warm up!

Many thanks to all who attended on the day and/or helped in publicising and organising the protest.

More pictures are under the tab ECAAG Protest on this website.