This is about the very controversial proposal that the Recycling Centre on Regis Road is moved to a site at the side of the Police Station on Holmes Road. This only became known to local residents very recently and there was a deadline for responses of today – 27.6.25. This is the email that we drafted and was approved by a large number of members on the WhatsApp group
24 June 2025 10:07 To Camden Council and YOO Capital
To: Daniel Pope <Daniel.Pope@camden.gov.uk>; PlanningPolicy <PlanningPolicy@camden.gov.uk>; David Burns <David.Burns@camden.gov.uk>; Nasrine Djemai (Cllr) <Nasrine.Djemai@camden.gov.uk>;simon@camdenfilmquarter.com;lloyd@yoocapital.com; dominic@yoocapital.com
Cc: Meric Apak (Councillor) <meric.apak@camden.gov.uk>; Jenny Headlam-Wells (Councillor) <Jenny.Headlam-Wells@camden.gov.uk>; Joseph Ball (Cllr) <Joseph.Ball@camden.gov.uk>; Dan Carrier <dcarrier@camdennewjournal.co.uk>;keir.starmer.mp@parliament.uk;keir.starmer.constituency@parliament.uk; KTNF Secretary <kentishtownnf@gmail.com>
Dear Colleagues,
As you will know, the Inkerman Area Residents Association has been recognised for over 40 years by Camden as a representative community organisation for the area of the Inkerman Conservation Area and somewhat wider – including Holmes Rd and up to the railway lines.
We have been made aware recently of the proposal by Yoo capital that the recycling centre should be relocated within the Regis Road scheme onto the site which is currently the car park to the west of the police station on Holmes Road.
The reason that we have only recently become aware of that is that there was completely inadequate notification of this proposal. It was in fact buried on pages 46-47 of the final, adopted, Regis Road Guidance Area Supplementary Planning Document dated 10 March 2025.
It was not therefore the subject of any explicit or precise public consultation during the November/December consultation. It is causing huge concern in this area.
There is general support for recycling and at this time for the recycling centre to be on the Regis Road area, and this has been the subject of discussions over many months in meetings with Camden and with Yoo capital, but the planned relocation is hugely problematic.
The current location is in fact fairly embedded in what is a semi industrial area some distance from the conservation area and the residential properties – ie people’s homes – and the environmental impact is acceptable.
That environmental impact includes the high level of vehicle traffic by cars and heavy lorries with attendant pollution and the noise associated with the manoeuvring of the enormous metal skips.
For that environmental impact to be brought southwards, effectively right onto Holmes Road and immediately alongside family homes is unacceptable to many residents. In addition the proposed location is directly opposite Saint Patrick’s School.
Given the great and commendable initiatives of Camden, which have been fully negotiated, consulted on and supported by residents, to improve the safety and health of Holmes Road as a Healthy School Street, it is completely contrary to that philosophy to have this significant source of pollution moved to this location.
This association comments on all applications on the basis of a democratic mandate from members, usually expressed to our extremely vigorous WhatsApp group of 263 members, many of them representing several individuals in a family.
We have not yet established a complete consensus on all the details of the position that we will be taking, but this email addresses immediately and urgently the fact that we have almost no time in which to develop a democratic, coherent and full position and submit it to the council.
We are therefore asking for an extension of time for consultation – which should have happened explicitly and professionally by Camden and Y00 capital.
Two weeks must be the minimum for this procedure and we would very much want it to include a meeting with Camden and Y00 capital. Therefore we propose strongly that the deadline for responses should be extended to Friday, 11 July.
We are copying in our local councillors, our local MP, Camden New Journal and in due course will circulate this to our 400 online members, in addition to the WhatsApp group.
We look forward to hearing from you before the Friday deadline.
Yours faithfully
Debby Hyams, Chair David Jockelson, Secretary
Inkerman Area Residents Association. 31 Alma St NW5 3DH
—————————————– ———————————–
From: Daniel Pope <Daniel.Pope@camden.gov.uk>
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2025 1:22 PM
To: Inkerman Area Residents Association <inkermanara@hotmail.com>; PlanningPolicy <PlanningPolicy@camden.gov.uk>; David Burns <David.Burns@camden.gov.uk>; Nasrine Djemai (Cllr) <Nasrine.Djemai@camden.gov.uk>; Simon Lear <simon@camdenfilmquarter.com>; Lloyd Lee <lloyd@yoocapital.com>; Dominic Holmes <dominic@yoocapital.com>
Cc: Meric Apak (Councillor) <meric.apak@camden.gov.uk>; Jenny Headlam-Wells (Councillor) <Jenny.Headlam-Wells@camden.gov.uk>; Joseph Ball (Cllr) <Joseph.Ball@camden.gov.uk>; Dan Carrier <dcarrier@camdennewjournal.co.uk>;keir.starmer.mp@parliament.uk<keir.starmer.mp@parliament.uk>;keir.starmer.constituency@parliament.uk<keir.starmer.constituency@parliament.uk>; KTNF Secretary <kentishtownnf@gmail.com>
Subject: RE: The proposed relocation of Regis Road Recycling Centre and the need for more time to respond.
Dear Debby and David
Thank you for your email on this issue
As this is a statutory consultation, it needs to be undertaken in accordance with government legislation. Given this, we are unable to extend the closing date of this consultation, which is the 27 June 2025. However, we are happy to accept a late representation by Friday 11 July
It is important to clarify that the draft Local Plan Policy C2 Regis Rd and Holmes Rd depot sets out a number of development and design principles to guide the future development of this site. This states that:
“Development must retain or reprovide the Regis Road Recycling Centre and other Council service provision, as necessary, unless suitable compensatory sites are provided elsewhere that replace the existing service provision. The continuous availability of services must be maintained in all circumstances. Re-provision of the Recycling Centre must replace the maximum throughput achievable at the existing site”.
Therefore, the draft Local Plan does not indicate a preferred location for the recycling centre within Regis Road.
When we consulted on the draft Regis Road Area Guidance one of the main pieces of feedback was that the guidance should emphasise that the recycling centre is to be reprovided and provide details about its proposed location.
In response to this the location of the recycling centre within the Regis Road Area has been further emphasised and a potential location is now indicated on the Police Station site on Holmes Road. This is made clear on page 15 of the adopted guidance.
Whilst the guidance indicates the Police Station site as a proposed location for the Recycling Centre the environmental, amenity and health and safety impacts have undergone an initial review and will need to be thoroughly tested and assessed. The new recycling centre would be a modern, enclosed facility and would face and be accessed from Regis Road not Holmes Road. Holmes Road would have a residential frontage. This is consistent with the guidance which makes clear that new development provides an opportunity to improve the quality of buildings and public realm along Holmes Road.
Yoo Capital will be consulting on their proposals next month and that will be an opportunity to provide feedback and to cover your concerns in more detail. Whilst we are happy to meet you before that it might be better to meet with the benefit of their latest proposals given that the draft Local Plan does not indicate a location for the recycling centre.
Regards
Daniel Pope
Chief Planning Officer
———————————————————– ———————————————–
26 June 2025 at 17:38:16 BST
To: inkermanara@hotmail.com
Cc: Simon Lear <simon@camdenfilmquarter.com>
Dear Debby, David and IARA members,
Thank you for getting in touch and for sharing your concerns with us.
We understand that the future of the Regis Road Recycling Centre is of significant local interest.
Following the Council’s response, we just wanted to follow up to say we’d very much welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the proposals in more detail.
As mentioned, we’ll be launching the next stage of public consultation in July, which will be a chance for you and the wider community to view the updated proposals and share your feedback.
In the meantime, if you’d like to arrange a meeting, please let us know a time that works best for you. We’d be delighted to set something up.
With best wishes,
Suley
Suley Muhidin
Head of Communications and Engagement
Camden Film Quarter
Email: suley.muhidin@camdenfilmquarter.com
Mob: 07946 620296
2 Bentinck Street London W1U 2FA United Kingdom