by Julia Haythorn | May 2, 2025 | Consultations, Our Neighbourhood, Oxford Street, Planning, Public Space
REMINDER – YOU HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TOMORROW – 2ND MAY – TO RESPOND TO THE MAYOR’S CONSULTATION
Dear Members
We want to let you know about Fitzwest’s response to the Mayor’s plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street.
Pedestrianisation:
We can not say if it is a good idea or not without seeing detailed plans, as we have identified some issues that need addressing:
- Congestion
- potential for 70 buses per hour both ways down Wigmore/Mortimer Street
- Goodge St/Tottenham Court Road junction – will buses be able to turn left and right out of and into Goodge St?
- taxis and ubers. Where will they pick up and drop off fares? Will it be the end of streets like Wells, Newman, Rathbone, Berners Streets?
- Increased air pollution
- Access to business and homes,
- Access to Oxford Street shops,
- Access to night buses for the many users in our area,
- Access for loading for the businesses on Oxford Street
- Crime and safety during the day and night
- Pedestrian crossing safety.
The Mayoral Development Corporation:
- We disagree with the anti democratic use of the MDC to enable this scheme which will be an expensive quango
- The MDC will have total jurisdiction over all planning decisions – routine and major.
- We think that Westminster Council can do the job more effectively
- We are concerned and puzzled by the large size of the MDC which increases the potential for undemocratic planning decisions in areas around Oxford Street as well as Oxford Street itself.
- The Fitzwest Forum and all its business and resident members worked very hard over a number of years to create the Neighbourhood Plan. This was voted in a referendum of businesses and residents and the MDC will be able to ignore it. We feel Westminster Council is better positioned to make decisions on planning matters including enforcement.
- It will also reduce the amount of CIL money available for local projects designed to enhance the quality of life in Fitzrovia
You only have until midnight tomorrow – Friday 2nd May – to respond to the consultation which is on the TFL website. Here is the link
https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/oxford-street
by FitzWest admin | Apr 26, 2023 | AGM, CIL, Events, Oxford Street, Planning
Dear Members
All members of the Forum are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 18th May at 6pm at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, 25 Howland Street, W1T 4JG which will also feature:
- a presentation from Westminster Council and discussion about the changes to Oxford Circus traffic flow and how this will impact Fitzrovia
- a chance to hear about how the police are dealing with increased drug dealing on our streets
We look forward to welcoming you and for you to have a chance to meet your neighbours over a glass of wine.
If you are not able to attend in person, then a zoom link will be available for you to join virtually. Please click here to request the link by email.
AGENDA
1. Welcome, Introductions and Apologies
2. Minutes of the last meeting. Available on Fitzwest website: https://www.fitzwest.org/
3. Election and re-election of Executive members. Any member can stand for election. Please let us know via email if would like to stand. Candidates should be prepared to say briefly why they should be elected. If you can’t attend please send a few lines about who you are and why you should be elected.
4. Amending the constitution. Proposal: to amend the constitution so as to reduce the AGM quorum from 20 to 10 and the Executive quorum from 6 to 5. These changes would require a 75% majority of those voting. 10% of members can always call a general meeting to reverse such a decision.
5. Presentation of accounts
6. Proposed changes to traffic flow at Oxford Circus – Oxford Street Team, Westminster Council
7. Dealing with anti-social behaviour and drug dealing in FitzWest
8. Updates on current CIL projects
9. Any other business
by FitzWest admin | Sep 10, 2021 | Planning, Referendum, The Plan
We are delighted to announce that following the referendum on Thursday 2nd September a majority of residents and businesses in the area have voted YES to the question:
“Do you want Westminster City Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Fitzrovia West to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”
This means the Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Plan has been adopted.
Thanks to everyone who has supported the Plan. It has been over six years in the making and many residents and businesses have contributed ideas and support. So now the FitzWest Forum will continue to make sure the Plan is followed and to help Fitzrovia West thrive as an area where people want to live and work. If you would like to be involved in making this happen and to have influence and have your opinions heard then please get in touch (info@fitzwest.org) and join the Executive of the FitzWest Forum. We would love to welcome you!
Full details of results from Westminster Council here: Referendum Results
Key results:
Residential Referendum:
YES: 236 (79.9%)
NO: 62 (20.8%)
Business Referendum
YES: 26 (86.67%)
NO: 4 (13.33%)
by FitzWest admin | Sep 2, 2021 | Planning, Referendum, The Plan, Uncategorized
Please remember to vote today. Polls open until 10pm at the Fitzrovia Centre on Foley Street.
A YES vote means that local residents and businesses get a say in planning applications in the Fitzrovia West area. The Plan is a series of policies that have been created with input from residents and businesses over the last 6 years. These policies will influence development for the better in this area and make sure local people have input to planning decisions.
You can see the plan here: Neighbourhood Plan
by FitzWest admin | Nov 23, 2020 | Licensing, Our Neighbourhood, Planning
Your chance to be involved
We want an opportunity for the wider membership of the FitzWest Forum to have an input into the Council decisions around planning and licensing and we are aware it is difficult for residents and businesses to keep track of the many applications that affect Fitzrovia.
So we are creating a small committee of local residents to keep an eye on applications and draw attention to ones that are important. The committee will meet every 4-6 weeks, currently by Zoom, and discusses the implications of various applications. It’s an opportunity to have a real input and affect on Council decisions, and great for people who don’t have a lot of time but want to be involved. This committee will then influence and shape the response of the Forum to the applications.
If you would like to be on this committee please contact info@fitzwest.org
As part of our aim to include more members in important decisions, we have added a new page to our website
Planning and Licensing
Here you will find links to Westminster Council Planning and Licensing applications, a list of applications curated by Fitzrovia News and information about particular applications that affect the area and that you may want to comment on directly to the Council.
