Record £2bn housing plan for Household Cavalry's Hyde Park barracks

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Plans to turn the Household Cavalry’s historic barracks inHyde Park into a record-breaking £2 billion super-elite neighbourhood have taken a major step forward.

Defence chiefs are “progressing” legislation paving the way for the sale of the home of the mounted regiment charged with guarding The Queen, the Standard has learned.

Senior property figures told the Standard that the development of Britain’s most valuable military brownfield site would “blow out of the water” the Candy brothers’ groundbreaking One Hyde Park apartment scheme just a few hundred yards away.

One leading developer who is interested in acquiring the 3.5 acre barracks site told the Standard: ”It ticks all the boxes, the location is just amazing and there is the potential to do three or four high rise One Hyde Parks because there is a tower already there that sets a precedent.”

In another sign of the accelerating pace of progress officials are holding high level talks with the property industry next week and hope to formally launch the sale - codenamed Project Rose - by the end of the year. 

The site bordering Kensington and Knightsbridge includes a 450ft frontage onto Kensington Road and is estimated to be worth around £500 million. It includes a 94 metre high tower designed by Basil Spence that was turned down for listing in 2015.

Discussions between the Government’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation - which is handling the sale - and developers originally started in 2012. 

But they have foundered until now on the MoD’s insistence that the buyers of the site have to provide a replacement barracks for the the 300 troops from the Life Guards and Blues & Royals housed by the austere 1970s blocks.

One requirement is that the new barracks have to be within 30 minutes ride of Horse Guards Parade.

The MoD appointed consultancy Bilfinger GVA last September to help identify potential sites and unblock the log-jam.

Developers are also concerned that the Government may have “missed the boat” following the rapid slow down in the ultra-prime market following a series of stamp duty increases.

Some are now looking at an alternative option of a huge luxury hotel and serviced apartments.

However, agents said the potential for the scheme was so great that it could single handedly revitalise the central London luxury residential market.

James Hyman, head of residential agency at Cluttons, said: “If the developers maximise the opportunity to the full they will be able to ask whatever price they wanted, within reason. Not dissimilar to when Candy & Candy launched One Hyde Park. 

“Due to the marketability and rarity, this is likely to generate a lot of interest around the world regardless of how the London market is performing and could kick start an international spending spree across the capital at every level of the market. Bringing much needed renewed confidence back into the London residential market.”

Tim Shaw, head of London development at property agent Carter Jonas, said: “When One Hyde Park came to market, it broke records and achieved £6,000 per sq ft. 

“Some developments in Mayfair have since broken £7,000 per sq ft, but you would expect a finished scheme on the Hyde Park Barracks site to blow any previous records out of the water. 

“It could mean that this enclave of Knightsbridge becomes the most expensive and sought after neighbourhood in London, perhaps even the world.”

However, a large-scale residential development may also be opposed by local residents determined to protect the area’s character.

The Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum has laid down a series of criteria in its neighbourhood plan which are being opposed by the DIO.

They include the preference to keep the barracks in Hyde Park, or return the site to parkland if the troops do move move, and a test of “tranquility” to guide the type of developments.  

Simon Birkett, chairman of the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum, said: “The Household Cavalry is as iconic to Knightsbridge as Harrods and the Royal Albert Hall.  

“We are keen to protect and enhance the Hyde Park Barracks site not see HM Treasury flog it off for another ‘One Hyde Park’ type development.”

Local residents also stressed an Act of Parliament would be needed to sell the barracks due to legislation dating back to at least 1879. The DIO has confirmed “that it is progressing the primary legislation that is required to enable the development of the site.”

Talks are understood to be ongoing at the Minstry of Defence and DIO over the legislation though work is not yet believed to have started on drafting a bill.

The forum’s neighbourhood plan insists that any development should not increase the height, bulk or footprint of the barracks, excluding the tower.

It has received legal advice from a leading QC to support its interpretation of neighbourhood planning rules.

Westminster City Council’s planning masterplan identifies the site for residential development, including full on-site provision of affordable housing and the full range of housing sizes.

 A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: “Hyde Park Barracks has not been sold. We are currently undertaking a detailed review on the feasibility of the barracks, and will report on progress in our update to Parliament next year. 

Westminster City Council Cabinet member for planning and public realm Daniel Astaire said: “Hyde Park Barracks is one of several sites across Westminster to be identified in the council’s City Plan as a potential location for future housing development. 

“Should the Ministry of Defence decide to sell the site and a developer comes forward with a proposal for residential development the planning application would be assessed against the council’s policies. We have received no applications to date.”

At the “industry engagement day” on Tuesday potential bidders will be invited to “test/challenge and validate the options presented and be given the opportunity to propose innovative alternatives either through open forum or confidentially".

London's economy tops £500m after latest strike, business leaders predict

Pic: Tube&rail strike pressure in bus
Staff reporter(wp/es):

Today's crippling Tube and rail walkout has tipped the total cost to the capital's economy over £500 million, business leaders have estimated.

It is thought half a billion pounds has haemorrhaged from London’s economy in the last year because of the fallout from the ongoing Tube and Southern Rail strikes.

Delayed meetings because commuters are late for work, missed flights and less footfall through London’s pubs, restaurants and entertainment spots are among the reasons for the capital’s estimated massive economic loss, business experts said.

Wednesday saw another one-day walkout by RMT train guards on the Southern network, leaving more than 300,000 passengers facing cancelled trains and delays.

A separate Tube strike on the Central and Waterloo and City lines saw hundreds of thousands of people forced to re-plan their journeys as the sixth major London Underground walkout in less than a year took hold.

Business leaders condemned today’s industrial action and said the cumulative impact on London and the South East’s economy could be more than £500 million.

Colin Stanbridge, boss of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “Tube and rail services are vital lifelines of the capital’s economy. There is no question about economic impact.

“Delayed meetings, missed flights or cancelled trips to bars, restaurants or theatres carry a collective, mounting cost.

“Continual industrial action could pose a real risk of damage to international perceptions of London as a good place to do business. 

“It is frustrating to see unions call strikes, sometimes on apparently minor issues, that paralyse the daily life of London.”

Researchers at Chichester University said each day’s Southern Rail strike costs the south coast’s economy £11 million, making the total currently standing at £319 million. 

Simon French, chief economist at City brokers Panmure Gordon, assessed the impact on London of the three-day Southern Rail network shutdown by striking Aslef drivers in January to be £60 million.

If all of the Tube walkouts are included, the total is likely to reach over half a billion pounds.

Peter McNaught, operations director on the Central Line, said: “I apologise to customers for the disruption this unnecessary strike is causing. We call on the RMT to join us for more talks to resolve this.”

The Tube dispute is over the “forced” transfer of eight drivers from their home depot at Leytonstone to others further afield. 

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “If LU are allowed to get away with this move on the Central line they will start shunting drivers around at the drop of a hat.”

East Ham killer who tried to decapitate girlfriend in 'narcissistic rage'

Crime reporter(wp/es):
A "ferocious" killer who tried to decapitate his girlfriend in a "narcissistic rage" in their east London home has been jailed for at least 20 years.

Alin Apopei, 27, repeatedly threatened to kill 25-year-old sex worker Denisa Silmen and boasted he would get away with it by pretending to be mad, jurors heard.

Alin Apopei, 27, repeatedly threatened to kill 25-year-old sex worker Denisa Silmen and boasted he would get away with it by pretending to be mad, jurors heard.

His mobile phone was activated and recorded sound as he stabbed her in the neck and chest.

Her last words were: "You finished me off," the court heard.

Miss Silmen’s partially naked body was found bearing “horrendous injuries” at the flat they shared in Eversleigh Road, East Ham, on July 30 2015.

Prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC said: "Her head was almost entirely severed from her neck and her chest cavity was cut open, revealing her internal anatomy."

Judge Gerald Gordon said the killer had disfigured his victim by inflicting 62 wounds on her, most likely after she died.

During sentencing at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, he added: “It can properly be described as a slaughter of an innocent."

Jurors heard the couple had a "volatile" relationship and Apopei had been violent towards Miss Silmen.

On one occasion, he told her: "If you will leave me I shall kill you. If I will go to prison I will pretend I am mad, they will put me in hospital and I will get free from there because I have lots of money."

A month before the murder, the court heard, Apopei laughed and threatened her and a friend, saying: "One day I kill you both."

On the day of the killing, he was heard by a neighbour to tell his girlfriend: "Look what's happened, don't play with fire."

The mobile phone recorded the sounds of the couple apparently having sex before a man says: "I'm going to kill you now. Shall I give you the first one?" then a slapping noise.

The victim screams "oh my God", and Apopei responds: "What did I do to you? Why did you kill me?"

Miss Silmen was found in her room half inside her wardrobe, covered in blood, with her suitcase on the bed.

Following his arrest, Apopei said: "I'm guilty. I did do it, but I can't make prison."

He described his girlfriend as "a witch" and paced around his cell ranting about devil worship, the court heard.

The court heard psychiatrists had differing opinions on whether Apopei was mentally ill and it was for jurors to decide whether his responsibility for the killing was diminished.

The jury rejected Apopei's defence of mental illness and found him guilty of murder.

Sentencing him to life in jail, Judge Gerald Gordon QC told Apopei: "You killed her because you could not face the fact she was finally leaving you.

"The attack that killed her was ferocious and sustained including blunt instruments including an iron, manual strangulation and very many stab and slash wounds."

The judge said the killing was "most likely the product of narcissistic rage of Denisa leaving you".

three people killed or seriously injured by knives every day last year in London

Crime reporter(wp/es):

The shocking scale of knife crime in London was revealed today as new figures showed three people were killed or seriously injured in stabbings on the streets of the capital each day in 2016.

The Met statistics showed 60 people were stabbed to death last year, while 1,159 sustained serious injuries. 

In total officers dealt with 21,365 knife crimes, including domestic assaults involving knives and gang attacks, in London in the 12 months of 2016.

The statistics, obtained by the Standard under Freedom of Information rules, show the total number of knife crimes rose by 17 per cent last year compared to 2015 when there were 59 deaths, 1,089 serious injuries and 18,202 less serious offences.

 Last year, 4,316 people were threatened or injured with a knife or other sharp instrument compared with 3,846 in 2015, a 12 per cent increase.

Senior Scotland Yard detectives say they have managed to reduce gang-related knife crime but there is concern more young people are carrying knives for their own protection.

Police are now expanding tactics used by specialist squads, such as checks on retailers and weapon sweeps, to patrol officers in boroughs.

Southwark is the worst affected borough with 1,258 knife-related offences followed by Newham with 1,165 and Lambeth with 1,156.

Knife crime in London

They are followed by Tower Hamlets (1,087) and Croydon (1,026).

In terms of injuries, Lambeth had the worst record last year with one death and 246 people injured closely followed by Newham which recorded three murders and 243 people injured. Croydon recorded the highest knife related murder rate with six deaths.

So far this year five people have been stabbed to death in London including teenagers Djodjo Nsaka, 19, a university student from Streatham and 15-year-old school boy Quamari Barnes from Harlesden.

Patrick Green, manager of the Ben Kinsella Trust, set up in the wake of the murder of 16-year-old Ben Kinsella in Islington in 2008, said the statistics confirmed their “worst fears”.

He said: “This data shows that in the last year more families have lost a loved one and more victims are having to rebuild their lives after a serious injury. 

“If these crime figures tell us anything it is that we can’t sit back and watch this problem continue to grow, tackling knife crime has to be the policing priority for London.”

Barry Mizen, 65, whose 16-year-old son Jimmy was murdered in Lee in 2008, said : “The stark reality of what these figures convey should be alarming to all of us.

“The collateral damage and the impact on people’s lives following these incidents can be huge. Hand on heart I don’t think much has changed.

“I don’t doubt that there are good intentions but we need to sit down and think about what we can do to tackle this.”

Sophie Linden, the deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: “Every death on the streets of London is an utter tragedy, and the Mayor and I are deeply concerned about the rise in knife crime in the capital.”

She said she was working with knife retailers to explore what could be done to reduce the underage sale of knives. 

She added :“We’ve got to work with communities, schools and the young people themselves to spread the message that carrying a knife is more likely to ruin your life than save it.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Kevin Southworth said police were constantly reviewing tactics on tackling knife crime.

He added: “The most recent phase of Operation Sceptre in January involved nearly 900 activities across the capital and we have similar proactive activity planned throughout the year."

Gatwick Airport workers to vote on strike action in long-running 'poverty pay' dispute

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Gatwick Airport staff who assist disabled passengers are set to vote on strike action amid a dispute over pay.

Unite said most of the 200 workers are paid £7.65 an hour – a salary which the union labelled “poverty pay.”

Its members have rejected three separate offers from their employer, the OCS Group, during a long-running dispute.

Regional officer, Jamie Major, said: "OCS doesn't seem serious about settling this dispute. At the last meeting management gave four separate options, none of which represented an improved offer in real terms.

"It is entirely unacceptable that OCS thinks it can get away with paying poverty pay to dedicated workers committed to assisting disabled and reduced mobility passengers."

The ballot closes on March 9, and Unite warned of "significant strike action", if there is a yes vote.

Young man suffers life-changing injuries after being chased and knifed by gang

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A young man has been left with life-changing injuries after he was chased and repeatedly stabbed by a gang on a busy north London road, police say.

Officers were called to Green Lanes, near Newington Green, just before 4.30pm on Monday.

An Air Ambulance was also scrambled and the victim, in his early 20s, was rushed to hospital with multiple stab wounds.

Police believe he was chased by a gang before he was knifed. Members of the group fled shortly after the attack.

Shocked witnesses described “gruesome scenes” between Aden Grove and Lidfield Road.

Social worker Chris Murray, told the Weastar Times: “There was blood spattered all over the ground and up a metal gate.

“It was horrible, the young lad was lying on the pavement and looked in a pretty bad way.”

Remy Waslyuk added: "There was a man lying on the floor being treated by the ambulance crew and a splattering of blood on the pavement.

"The police were then shutting off the road just as our bus passed."

A Met Police spokesman said there had not been any arrests and enquiries continue.

Oxford University set to open first overseas campus in Paris because of Brexit

Pic:Oxford University may open its first foreign campus because of Brexit
Educational reporter(wp/es):

Oxford University may open its first ever campus overseas because of Brexit.

French officials have held talks with Oxford University about opening a sister campus in Paris, a move which could guarantee the university European funding after Brexit, The Telegraph reported.  

Oxford and other British universities, including Warwick, have been told that any campus they open in France would enjoy French legal status and could therefore continue to receive European funding.

Opening these satellite campuses would mean relocating degree courses and establishing joint study programmes.  

British universities have warned MPs that Brexit could mean “disaster” for higher education if European funding is withdrawn.

A spokesman for Oxford University told The Telegraph a decision had not yet been made but said: “Oxford has been an international university throughout its history and it is determined to remain open to the world whatever the future political landscape looks like.”

Jean-Michel Blanquer, a former director-general of the French ministry of education, confirmed to the paper that discussions between British universities and the French government were taking place. 

If a decision is made to push ahead with the plans, construction of the campus could reportedly begin as early as next year.