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KICC SHOCKED AT COMMENTS MADE AT MEETING OF LONDON BOROUGH OF HAVERING PLANNING.

Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) is shocked at the comments made at the meeting on 15th January, 2008. The Regulatory Services Committee of the London Borough of Havering raised objections to its application to build a church and community complex on land at Beam Reach. KICC has spent £1.8 million on architects, town planning consultants and other necessary professional planning consultants, to ensure the community complex and church building will be built to benefit the local community and meet all the required rules and regulations.

The landmark development which includes an 8,000 seat auditorium, a building housing a range of training and other community facilities for children and young people and an office complex, will provide the church with a permanent home as well as a chance to contribute to the local community through significant direct and indirect employment, investment in local businesses and support for local causes. Public backing for the application has come in a 6,904 signature petition which was submitted to the London Borough of Havering, together with more than 1,300 individually written letters of support.

Commenting on the news Pastor Dipo Oluyomi, KICC CEO said,

“We are shocked to hear this news; the one sided approach of the councillors and the planning officers, the unfriendly banter of the other side and the very fact that it was not a debate as advertised but an orchestrated, one sided event. The whole approach to the meeting was rather uninviting right from the blocking of the entrance to the hall by the Adamsgate group and the booing and clapping. What happened was unfair and not expected of people who are genuinely after the progress of the community. We will however await the formal determination of the application by LTGDC next month. We have worked closely with them over the last year and trust that they will present a balanced and objective view of the proposals and recognise the many benefits that will stem from the establishment of our facility at Beam Reach.”

KICC awaits final determination of its application at a meeting of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation on 14th February, 2008 which will consider the advice of London Borough of Havering alongside KICC’s submission.

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For further press information and photography/images please contact:
James McGlashan – Tel: 020 8525 0000 ext 205 Email: james@KICC.org.uk
Muyiwa Kogbe - Tel: 020 8525 0000 ext 256 Email: muyiwa_kogebe@KICC.org.uk


Notes to Editor:
KICC is an independent, interdenominational and international church and registered charity (No.1102114). There are up to 12,000 people in attendance over multiple services every Sunday at the main church, with a growing number of smaller branches and chapels around London, the Home Counties and the West Midlands. KICC actively supports the community via a range of counselling services, skills training and a Supplementary School for GCSE pupils. KICC also works in partnership with statutory and voluntary organisations to improve social conditions for a wide range of disadvantaged people.


Beam Reach, Planning Application U0006.07


Background to the Plans
KICC is an independent, inter-denominational church and community organisation that was founded in 1992 by Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, an internationally renowned figure in the Pentecostal movement. As a dynamic organisation, KICC encourages its members to strive for excellence in all areas of their life through education and self-improvement and has helped many people to improve their prospects.

KICC has expanded rapidly and around 8,000 members now regularly attend Sunday services to hear Pastor Matthew preach. A fundamental principle of KICC’s operation is that it allows its members to come together in worship. This is a legitimate and unique requirement.

KICC previously operated out of a site on Waterden Road, Hackney, which it owned outright. It was initially granted temporary planning permission to carry out church services on the site whilst it drew up plans for an auditorium complex. Full planning permission was later refused and KICC commenced a search for a new site, (whilst continuing church services at Waterden Road under a temporary permission). Had the Olympics not arisen, KICC would have remained on the site to continue its administrative functions.

Following the refusal of its offer to fund one of the Olympic arenas, KICC recommenced its extensive search for a new site, which ended upon submission of the application last year. Contrary to the officers’ report, this search covered all of North East and East London and no sites were rejected on the grounds of planning policy allocation or designation. This identified Beam Reach as the only suitable and available site capable of accommodating an auditorium of the size required to allow KICC’s members to worship together.

KICC’s joint planning application with the LDA for a mixed-use auditorium and community complex at Beam Reach was submitted in July 2007.

KICC vacated its Waterden Road premises last September to make way for the 2012 Olympic development and is currently holding six duplicate services back to back every Sunday to accommodate its members at its church on Hoe Street in Walthamstow. It has also temporarily leased office space. These arrangements are unsustainable in the long term and are having a severely detrimental effect both on KICC’s congregation and on KICC’s ability to provide its community outreach services, upon which many vulnerable people rely. KICC therefore has a genuine and urgent need to relocate to Beam Reach.

The Need for the Proposal
KICC’s 8,000 plus membership transcends local authority boundaries, being dispersed across the inner and outer north and east London boroughs and beyond. The plans are therefore of significant strategic importance, meeting the needs of both the local Havering community and communities throughout London , the rest of the UK and internationally. To interpret London Plan Policy 3A.14 as only relating to the Borough’s needs, as Officers have, would mean that any wider needs would never be recognised anywhere in London. The proposal must be assessed against evident and accepted need arising from outside the Borough, as well as from within the Borough.

Employment and Regeneration
Officers state in their report that Beam Reach is designated a Strategic Industrial Location. Whilst KICC could not be considered an industrial use, it is a charitable organisation bringing a range of jobs to the area. In addition to the transfer of existing jobs, the scale of KICC’s proposal would generate over 600 full-time equivalent new jobs; some of these positions would be fulfilled by KICC volunteers but professional and specialist positions would be advertised as paid positions.

KICC’s plans would also indirectly generate employment through its policy of using local suppliers. It is estimated that KICC would generate £5m business each year for local firms and that its annual conference would generate a further £2m business for local firms such as shops, hotels, restaurants and taxis.

Indeed, KICC would not represent the first non-industrial use to locate at Beam Reach. KICC’s circumstances and characteristics are unique and thereby the Council should not be concerned about precedent.

Officers speculate that KICC’s presence at Beam Reach may discourage firms from locating there, basing this on a 2004 Inspector’s report. In fact, this did not prove to be the case at Waterden Road , where KICC operated for a number of years within a thriving industrial area without disrupting its neighbours’ operations or deterring businesses from locating in the area. The officer’s comparison to the Waterden Road site is misleading as it compares a converted warehouse to a state of the art venue as proposed at Beam Reach.

Accessibility
At present, although well served by local road connections and well away from residential streets, Beam Reach is not easily accessible by bus or train and this would be the case no matter what use was proposed for the site. However, KICC’s comprehensive Travel Plan has been carefully designed to remedy this. Whilst it is ambitious, KICC has a proven track record of ensuring its members reduce car travel and does not underestimate the commitment required to ensure the successful operation of the Travel Plan.

The proposed shuttle bus service has been thoroughly tested and KICC is confident that it will operate efficiently with KICC stewards ensuring that crowds waiting for the bus do not cause an obstruction. Similarly, KICC will ask its members not to park on nearby streets but if on street parking does occur, although it is not an offence in itself, KICC will police this and address any issues.

The dial-a-ride mini bus service will be available to both KICC members and the local community, ensuring that the community can access the facilities and services KICC provides in a convenient and sustainable way.

Had a suitable site been available closer to KICC’s core membership, it would have pursued this. However, Beam Reach is the only available suitable site and given that KICC’s membership is widely dispersed, wherever KICC locates its members will have to travel. That they are prepared to do so is a testament to the importance they attach to their regular worship at KICC.

Summary of the Benefits of the Proposal
KICC’s plans would bring significant benefits to all residents of Havering in the form of:
• An iconic landmark building
• A £50,000 fund (in its first year) for grants to local community organisations
• Shared use of KICC facilities including adult training and education, meeting rooms, library, gym and other sports facilities
• On the job training for local construction workers
• A dial-a-ride service for members of the community with restricted mobility (such as the elderly)
• Partnership with the local police to reduce youth crime
• A community liaison officer to develop a programme to meet local needs and promote KICC’s facilities and services to the community

Summary of the Proposal
The plans provide an auditorium capable of accommodating KICC’s regular attendees in one Sunday service, together with other facilities:
• An 8,000 seat auditorium spread over two levels for church services which will also be available for hire for events such as conferences, exhibitions and concerts
• A separate chapel for weddings, funerals and other smaller services
• An office complex with a refectory on the ground floor and meeting rooms available for hire by local community groups at reduced rates
• A building that will house facilities for children and young people: a crèche, a designated training and education area including IT facilities and other resources, a gymnasium and dance studio, and teaching rooms that will also be available for hire as meeting rooms
• An outdoor games area
• A multi-storey car park
• Extensive hard and soft landscaping
• A phased construction period, which will initially provide temporary accommodation to be gradually replaced by permanent buildings



Kingsway International Christian Centre
3 Hancock Road , Bromley-by-Bow, London E3 3DA
T: 020 8525 0000, F: 020 8525 0002
E-mail: admin@kicc.org.uk www.kiccbeamreach.org

Regular Services are held at 468-474 Hoe Street , Walthamstow, London E17 9AH.

KICC is a registered charity No. 1102114






NOTICE

From 12th September 2007, the Kingsway International Christian Centre Office will be based at:
3 Hancock Road, Bromley-by-Bow, London E3 3DA
Our telephone, website and fax details remain unchanged.
Regular Services will be held at 468-474 Hoe Street , Walthamstow, London E17 9AH.

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Email Disclaimer
The information contained in this message is confidential and legally privileged. It is intended only for the person(s) identified above. Any other party should be aware that dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication or its contents is strictly prohibited. Any views contained in this mail are the view of the writer and not necessarily the view of KICC. If this communication is received in error please notify us immediately at admin@kicc.org.uk or telephone 020 8525 0000. Please note that neither KICC nor the sender accepts any responsibility for any viruses that may be contained in this e-mail or its attachments. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that your systems have adequate protection against virus infection. Registered Office: 3 Hancock Road, Bromley-by-Bow, London E3 3DA. Place of Registration: England. Registered Company No.5036122. Registered Charity No.1102114.

NOTICE

From 12th September 2007, the Kingsway International Christian Centre Office will be based at:
3 Hancock Road, Bromley-by-Bow, London E3 3DA
Our telephone, website and fax details remain unchanged.
Regular Services will be held at 468-474 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17 9AH.

 

KICC UPDATE 14th February

 

KICC is extremely disappointed that the Thames Gateway Development Corporation at their meeting on 14th Feb 2008, refused planning permission for their new church, offices and community complex at Beam Reach.

 

This decision by the LTGDC Planning Committee flies in the face of the wide-ranging support for KICC’s plans. Backing from within the community has come in the form of over 16,000 signatures to petitions or letters of support sent to the London Borough of Havering and the Thames Gateway Development Corporation. KICC’s proposals for addressing the transport of its members to and from the site were developed in consultation with Transport for London and the Highways Agency who have not objected, particularly in the light of KICC’s proven track record in this area. Further support came from bodies such as the Greater London Authority which recognises KICC’s plans both in benefiting the local community and meeting a strategic and unique need.

 

Commenting on the news Pastor Dipo Oluyomi, KICC CEO said "We are dismayed by this news. As recognised by the GLA, we have proved to the planners’ satisfaction that there are no other suitable sites and that Beam Reach remains the only viable option for meeting KICC's unique needs.

Through our extensive consultation and through the development programme, we have gained much support for our plans and this has not been sufficiently recognised. We now have to consider how best we can progress towards establishing a permanent home for the church community and will be lodging an appeal against this decision”

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