Agenda item

The Chairman notified the Committee of the a question received from the Chairman of Planning and Transportation Committee, as follows:

“The Chairman of Culture, Heritage and Libraries and I went for a walkabout in Portsoken and a number of issues came up, which I know the Chair of Port Health & Environment is also aware of from her previous visit to the area. Could Officers please urgently address the following and commit to a date by which Members can expect an update:

1. TfL (Place for London) own a derelict site on the corner of Mansell St and Aldgate High St. The site has a stairwell that is open and being used for all sorts of decrepit activities. Can we get this shut down right away please? That site looks very abandoned and has been that way for some time. Can we get some idea of TfL plans for the site and maybe it’s something an investor wants to come in on and work up something in the City?
2. Around the corner on Aldgate High St is a digital advertising billboard. It is on another abandoned site and is a Decaux board- can we get it removed please? It seems contrary to our no advertising policy in the city. That site is rat infested and also abandoned. Can we get EHO on the case in the first instance and then look at what regeneration opportunities there are?
3. The bus station used to have a sign encouraging drivers not to idle their engines. That seems to have gone and on every subsequent visit I have been on, the buses are all static and running their engines. Can we get this reinstated, or speak to TfL about this as the air quality is terrible there.”

It was agreed that the Committee should focus on the areas within the question that lay within its responsibilities, such as the pest control and air quality. Following notice of the question, Environmental Health Officers had visited the site and contacted the owners of the relevant land. Advice had been provided for pest control and site management. The relevant points had been passed onto the air quality team. This would continue to be pursued, and a full update would be shared to members of the Committee, noting that it may take time to fully resolve. A Member requested that officers seek information from TfL whether the buses idling at the site were electric or hybrid.