Old Oak is not a wealthy part of our borough but it has some fine architecture.

Indeed Old Oak and Wormholt Conservation Area is one of the borough’s oldest conservation areas, designated in 1980: a lovely enclave of Arts and Crafts houses.

However the council and the housing associations have allowed it to deteriorate. In particular there is massive blight from satellite dishes, when there should be none at all. See this picture of Erconwald Street, named like its neighbour Wulfstan Street, after an Anglo-Saxon bishop.

The Hammersmith Society have pursued the matter and I am pleased that action is being taken with the Old Oak Housing Association and the council working together.

Of course it is important for people to be allowed to exercise a choice of viewing and it is unfortunate that cable isn’t available. Even so technology has left many of the dishes redundant. Even if a dish is required – for instance for Sky Sports – it could be be placed less obtrusively on the roof than the wall.

It is interesting how quite small things can really drag down an area.