SUDDENLY, another plan for the Hawley Road area has been made public – and it is one that is quite bewitching in simplicity, design and dynamism.

It deserves to be viewed by as many people as possible, especially those who live in the canalside area.

Whatever goes up on this massive site will stand, presumably, for another 50 years, if not longer.

It will be in our face, as it were, for such a long period of time that surely the council would wish to parade it publicly?

But there is a snag.

The developer, Sir Stuart Lipton, who has devised another plan for the area, and lodged it with the authorities several months ago, does not appear to be dismissive of the contending design, but, worried that time is pressing, believes it has come in too late for the perusal of the council’s planning committee next month.

The planning department, apparently, want an early decision.

But surely a matter of a delay of a few weeks, or even a few months, should not be factored in by departmental officials as of greater importance than anything else.

It is possible that the department has not yet seen the new concept and that when officials view it, in all its glory, they will decide to delay a decision in order to give it a chance for greater public consultation.

It is possible, on the other hand, of course, that the date has been stamped for the hearing, and even if the new plan is a thing of great beauty that would grace any capital in the world, and be captured by posterity, it has missed its time slot.

We cannot believe that would be officialdom’s view.

It would be too mechanistic, too damaging, reeking too much of a form-filling mentality, for the reputation of Camden’s planning department.

Rents up. . .  suicidal?

ABOUT 20 council tenants met on Monday.

There was no tub-thumping, no angry outbursts.

But sometimes great social upheavals have quiet beginnings.

The meeting, organised by the Camden Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations, was held to discuss the council’s plan to raise rents by just over 8 per cent.

A decision was held to raise a petition of protest.

Such tenants probably felt abandoned by Labour.

It will not be the first time a political party feels attracted to the idea of suicide!