FUSS are holding a Clean Up and Planting Day on Saturday October the 11th in Staplehurst Road from 10.30am until approximately 1pm. If you'd like to help out just turn up on the day. (This is, incidentally also the day that the Friends of Hither Green Triangle Nature Reserve are also holding a clean up day in the Triangle which is located between platforms 4 & 5 on Hither Green station.)
Future FUSS meeting dates in the run up to the Christmas Fair on Saturday December 6th are: 14th October and 18th November, all in the Parish Room of the Good Shepherd in Handen Road at 7:30pm.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Lee Green Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel
The Lee Green Safer Neighbourhood Team are looking for 12 people who live and/or work in the Ward to make up a new Safer Neighbourhood Panel. If you're interested they are holding a public meeting on 1st of October between 7:30 - 8:30pm at Lochaber Hall. And if you wish to attend the meeting you are asked to email or telephone the Safer Neighbourhood Team on 020 8721 2482 giving your details.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Boone's Chapel Re-opening Thursday 18th September
Boone’s Chapel, a Grade I listed building once thought to be the work of Sir Christopher Wren, is to re-open on Thursday 18 September following its closure in 1945.
The chapel was built in 1682 but fell into decay after the Second World War. Following a year-long restoration, the building in Lee will now hold regular public exhibitions and will be used as an office by a firm of architects.
During the restoration workers found a secret vault in the chapel, containing the 300 year-old leather-bound coffins of Christopher Boone, a wealthy London wool merchant and philanthropist, and his wife Mary. Their tomb was resealed following precautionary environmental health checks.
The chapel occupies the corner of the Merchant Taylors’ Company almshouses on Lee High Road. It is likely that Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to build the chapel and the almshouses, with the work probably carried out by his assistant Robert Hooke.
The restoration has been managed by the BHPT and backed by local community groups including the Lee Manor Society and the Blackheath Society. The restoration has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund; Research Design, an architectural partnership; the Merchant Taylors’ Company; local residents and Lewisham Council.
The chapel was built in 1682 but fell into decay after the Second World War. Following a year-long restoration, the building in Lee will now hold regular public exhibitions and will be used as an office by a firm of architects.
During the restoration workers found a secret vault in the chapel, containing the 300 year-old leather-bound coffins of Christopher Boone, a wealthy London wool merchant and philanthropist, and his wife Mary. Their tomb was resealed following precautionary environmental health checks.
The chapel occupies the corner of the Merchant Taylors’ Company almshouses on Lee High Road. It is likely that Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to build the chapel and the almshouses, with the work probably carried out by his assistant Robert Hooke.
The restoration has been managed by the BHPT and backed by local community groups including the Lee Manor Society and the Blackheath Society. The restoration has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund; Research Design, an architectural partnership; the Merchant Taylors’ Company; local residents and Lewisham Council.
Lee Heritage Trail Opens on Open House Weekend
The Lee Heritage Trail will officially open at 10.30am on Saturday 20 September, to coincide with London Open House Weekend.
The trail will take in St Margaret’s Church, a Victorian Grade II* listed building, and the newly restored Grade I listed Boone’s Chapel built in 1682. Other trail sites include the Grade II listed Merchant Taylors’ Almshouses and Gardens, and the Ice House in Manor House Gardens. The trail is being supported by Lewisham Council and plans are in hand to add further sites.
A local resident who has lived in the area for 50 years will open the trail, which will have sites marked by permanent interpretation boards. The inauguration ceremony will be held at St Margaret’s which will also be hosting a major Christian Art Exhibition from 20 September–18 October. The exhibition spans six hundred years of Christian art and is open every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday between 10am–6pm and Sunday from 1–5pm. (Closed Monday 22 September.) Entrance is free.
The trail will take in St Margaret’s Church, a Victorian Grade II* listed building, and the newly restored Grade I listed Boone’s Chapel built in 1682. Other trail sites include the Grade II listed Merchant Taylors’ Almshouses and Gardens, and the Ice House in Manor House Gardens. The trail is being supported by Lewisham Council and plans are in hand to add further sites.
A local resident who has lived in the area for 50 years will open the trail, which will have sites marked by permanent interpretation boards. The inauguration ceremony will be held at St Margaret’s which will also be hosting a major Christian Art Exhibition from 20 September–18 October. The exhibition spans six hundred years of Christian art and is open every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday between 10am–6pm and Sunday from 1–5pm. (Closed Monday 22 September.) Entrance is free.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Friends of Hither Green Triangle Nature Reserve Meeting
The next meeting of the Friends of Hither Green Triangle Nature Reserve will be on Thursday 25th September in the Parish Room of the Church of the Good Shepherd at 7.30pm.
The agenda for the evening is:
1. To agree the minutes of the last meeting (previously circulated)
2. Matters arising from the minutes
3. Publicity
(a) To elect a publicity officer
(b) Update on information boards
(c) Other local groups
4. Finance
(a) Membership Fees
(b) Current financial position
(c) Cost of works
5. Clean up day briefing
6. Christmas Social
7. Any other business
8. Date and time of next meeting
The agenda for the evening is:
1. To agree the minutes of the last meeting (previously circulated)
2. Matters arising from the minutes
3. Publicity
(a) To elect a publicity officer
(b) Update on information boards
(c) Other local groups
4. Finance
(a) Membership Fees
(b) Current financial position
(c) Cost of works
5. Clean up day briefing
6. Christmas Social
7. Any other business
8. Date and time of next meeting
Good Shepherd Quiz Night this Saturday (20th)
The Good Shepherd are having another of their popular Quiz Nights this Saturday 20th September. Tickets cost £8 and include food, but bring your own drink!
Date Saturday 20th September 2008
Venue: Church of the Good Shepherd, Handen Road, SE12
Time: 6:30pm
Cost: £8 (includes food)
Further details and tickets from Elizabeth
Date Saturday 20th September 2008
Venue: Church of the Good Shepherd, Handen Road, SE12
Time: 6:30pm
Cost: £8 (includes food)
Further details and tickets from Elizabeth
Friday, September 12, 2008
Where I stand on the Northbrook School Planning Application
As Chair of Planning Committee B I normally wouldn't make any comment with regard to any planning application because like any planning committee member I have to remain impartial, especially if it is likely an application will go to committee, and only come to a decision about an application after I've read the full committee report and heard the verbal submissions from both parties at the committee meeting.
However, with regard to Northbrook, because my partner works at the school and I've been involved in public discussions about the school, it could be considered that I've pre-judged the issue and already have a prejudicial interest. This means if I were to Chair or sit on a planning committee that considered this application this could constitute grounds for appeal against any decision that was made. Consequently I won't be taking part in any planning committee considering the Northbrook application so I'm free to comment on it here. I'm doing this because there's been a lot of speculation about where I stand on this issue, and I now feel it is important to make my position clear.
Until today I've been opposed to Northbrook's planning application. To me it was too big a building on too small a site, and I felt the Council should have been looking to acquire the land at Leegate and build the school there. I was struggling to find examples of other schools with similarly constrained sites in order to reassure myself that a site with restricted exterior space could work. I also wanted to be reassured that the senior management and staff could make it work too. Today I met with the new Head, Richard Peers, who could not only refer me to similarly site- challenged schools, but who also convinced me that under his leadership Northbrook can make the proposed building work. I'm now 100% behind this application.
In the last couple of years it has seemed to me that Northbrook has been in decline, with discipline a growing issue, and no one giving the school direction and a sense of purpose. The school I walked into today couldn't have been more different to the school I remember from my last visit. The building was calm, and while it's early days, it was clear there had been a change at Northbrook. Richard Peers is either the fifth or sixth Head of Northbrook that I've met, but I've never before had such a sense that here was someone who could make this school work and turn it into an exceptional local facility. Of course this doesn't magically make the proposed building smaller, or the site it's being built on bigger. But we have to recognise that in London today there's limited space, and if we were to wait for a site that fulfilled all the Blue Book's aspirations we'd probably never build any new schools in urban residential areas like Lee Green ever again. I personally home educated my children, but school is the preferred option for many parents, and while there is the demand I think it is important to retain a secondary school in the Ward, and in this part of the Borough and it seems to me that Northbrook's current application is our best and only realistic option. Delay now means two things; the value of the funding to rebuild the school declines yet further as it is eaten into by inflation, and students and teachers will have to continue to work in less than ideal conditions at their decant site. I fully realise it isn't ideal but if we are to have a school at all I've come to realise this is our only viable option. This is quite a change around to my previous position and is because I have every confidence that Richard and his team will make this school work.
With regard to the design, I personally like modern buildings but I realise they are not to everyone's taste. I've heard a lot of criticism of the design but I think the architect's been really rather clever and has managed to fit a lot into the available space, although I would like the exterior finish to be toned down. It has to be remembered that even if Northbrook was just rebuilt to take the existing number of students it would have to be physically bigger than the old school as this was just far too small. And, I understand the logic that if you're going to have to build bigger anyway it makes sense to also increase the number of pupils you're building for, so a broader curriculum can be offered. I personally feel this is a modest increase and hasn't caused the building to be disproportionately larger than it would have been if the student intake hadn't been increased.
There's been a lot of criticism of the way consultation has been handled, and complaints and enquiries have been dealt with, which I tend to agree with. Project such as this have a bewildering number of partners involved. There's the school, the diocesan body, the PFI partners, the council, it's a long list. With hindsight I feel that an officer should have been appointed as the principal contact for the project. Their job would have been to acknowledge correspondence and forward it to the relevant partner for a response. Also just a little more information about the choices available and why a particular option was chosen would have helped considerably, as would providing examples of similar sized schools with similar sized sites. I was unaware there were any until today.
Finally, while it isn't part of the planning application, the school is requesting time tabled use of the MUGA (multi user games area) and tennis courts in Manor House Gardens in order to give students access to outside space. This proposal is being discussed by a sub-committee of the Manor House Gardens User Group, (which has members of the Northbrook Action Group (NAG) on it), with Northbrook and officers from Lewisham Council. I don't myself see this as annexation, the thin edge of the wedge, or anything equally sinister. The times Northbrook are suggesting they use the MUGA are not in my experience times when these facilities are used to any great degree by residents so I don't really think they'll have a major impact on park users or unduly restrict resident use. I also know that Northbrook are fully aware of the concern over their use of the gardens and will do all they can to ensure their impact is minimal. Discussions are ongoing and I have no reason to believe an acceptable compromise won't be reached.
In conclusion, with all my concerns now answered, and reassured there's a team in place at Northbrook who can make this work I'm now 100% behind this application.
A note on my Leegate proposal:
There are two major planning issues in Lee Green Ward; Leegate and Northbrook. My proposal was to try to solve both issues by rebuilding Northbrook on the Leegate site. Of course nothing is ever that simple. Leegate is owned by a company called St Modwen, (who also own the Catford shopping centre).
Leegate is, as I'm sure you're aware, considerably run down with more than half the development empty. It has been the number one local issue at Area Forums, and continues to be the number one issue with the new Local Assembly. We've pushed hard for Leegate to be included in the LDF, and under pressure from the Council St Modwen recently came up with a suggested outline for re-developing just half the Leegate site. I personally think it is an inadequate response. From past experience I'm also not at all convinced that St Modwen will develop this outline into an actual planning application, or that it will be well received locally.
My proposal was based on a land swop; the Taunton Road and Ennersdale sites in exchange for the Leegate site. What I'd forgotten when I made this suggestion was that the Taunton Road site is owned by the diocese and is covenanted for educational use only which would not be attractive to a developer. While there are ways around this, and even if the land wasn't covenanted, it is likely the two sites don't have an equal monetary value to the Leegate site and the diocese probably wouldn't have the capital to make up the difference. This of course assumes St Modwen wants to sell, and there's been no indication that they are considering this as an option. On top of this, to start over now would delay things by at least two years if not more. The Ennersdale site that Northbrook now occupy was never intended to be used for an extended decant and any further expenditure on extended maintenance for the Ennersdale site would further eat into the available capital for any eventual rebuild. I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that while this is an appealing idea it just isn't viable.
Declaration of interest:
I have a long association with Northbrook as my wife has been the school librarian there for over twenty years, Over the years I've helped out there from time to time, and as a councillor I've supported their citizenship curriculum.
Reference:
You can find details of the Northbrook plans on the planning pages of Lewisham's website under application: DC/07/67730/X
http://www4.lewisham.gov.uk/acolnet/LEWIS-XSLPagesDC/acolnetcgi.exe?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeDocs&TheSystemkey=52565
And of Northbrook Action Group's (NAG) opposition to the plans here:
http://www.nag-lewisham.org.uk/
This issue is also on the agenda of the Lee Green Local Assembly which meets again this Monday 15 September 2008, 7.30-9.30pm at Lochaber Hall Community Centre, Manor Lane Terrace, SE13.
However, with regard to Northbrook, because my partner works at the school and I've been involved in public discussions about the school, it could be considered that I've pre-judged the issue and already have a prejudicial interest. This means if I were to Chair or sit on a planning committee that considered this application this could constitute grounds for appeal against any decision that was made. Consequently I won't be taking part in any planning committee considering the Northbrook application so I'm free to comment on it here. I'm doing this because there's been a lot of speculation about where I stand on this issue, and I now feel it is important to make my position clear.
Until today I've been opposed to Northbrook's planning application. To me it was too big a building on too small a site, and I felt the Council should have been looking to acquire the land at Leegate and build the school there. I was struggling to find examples of other schools with similarly constrained sites in order to reassure myself that a site with restricted exterior space could work. I also wanted to be reassured that the senior management and staff could make it work too. Today I met with the new Head, Richard Peers, who could not only refer me to similarly site- challenged schools, but who also convinced me that under his leadership Northbrook can make the proposed building work. I'm now 100% behind this application.
In the last couple of years it has seemed to me that Northbrook has been in decline, with discipline a growing issue, and no one giving the school direction and a sense of purpose. The school I walked into today couldn't have been more different to the school I remember from my last visit. The building was calm, and while it's early days, it was clear there had been a change at Northbrook. Richard Peers is either the fifth or sixth Head of Northbrook that I've met, but I've never before had such a sense that here was someone who could make this school work and turn it into an exceptional local facility. Of course this doesn't magically make the proposed building smaller, or the site it's being built on bigger. But we have to recognise that in London today there's limited space, and if we were to wait for a site that fulfilled all the Blue Book's aspirations we'd probably never build any new schools in urban residential areas like Lee Green ever again. I personally home educated my children, but school is the preferred option for many parents, and while there is the demand I think it is important to retain a secondary school in the Ward, and in this part of the Borough and it seems to me that Northbrook's current application is our best and only realistic option. Delay now means two things; the value of the funding to rebuild the school declines yet further as it is eaten into by inflation, and students and teachers will have to continue to work in less than ideal conditions at their decant site. I fully realise it isn't ideal but if we are to have a school at all I've come to realise this is our only viable option. This is quite a change around to my previous position and is because I have every confidence that Richard and his team will make this school work.
With regard to the design, I personally like modern buildings but I realise they are not to everyone's taste. I've heard a lot of criticism of the design but I think the architect's been really rather clever and has managed to fit a lot into the available space, although I would like the exterior finish to be toned down. It has to be remembered that even if Northbrook was just rebuilt to take the existing number of students it would have to be physically bigger than the old school as this was just far too small. And, I understand the logic that if you're going to have to build bigger anyway it makes sense to also increase the number of pupils you're building for, so a broader curriculum can be offered. I personally feel this is a modest increase and hasn't caused the building to be disproportionately larger than it would have been if the student intake hadn't been increased.
There's been a lot of criticism of the way consultation has been handled, and complaints and enquiries have been dealt with, which I tend to agree with. Project such as this have a bewildering number of partners involved. There's the school, the diocesan body, the PFI partners, the council, it's a long list. With hindsight I feel that an officer should have been appointed as the principal contact for the project. Their job would have been to acknowledge correspondence and forward it to the relevant partner for a response. Also just a little more information about the choices available and why a particular option was chosen would have helped considerably, as would providing examples of similar sized schools with similar sized sites. I was unaware there were any until today.
Finally, while it isn't part of the planning application, the school is requesting time tabled use of the MUGA (multi user games area) and tennis courts in Manor House Gardens in order to give students access to outside space. This proposal is being discussed by a sub-committee of the Manor House Gardens User Group, (which has members of the Northbrook Action Group (NAG) on it), with Northbrook and officers from Lewisham Council. I don't myself see this as annexation, the thin edge of the wedge, or anything equally sinister. The times Northbrook are suggesting they use the MUGA are not in my experience times when these facilities are used to any great degree by residents so I don't really think they'll have a major impact on park users or unduly restrict resident use. I also know that Northbrook are fully aware of the concern over their use of the gardens and will do all they can to ensure their impact is minimal. Discussions are ongoing and I have no reason to believe an acceptable compromise won't be reached.
In conclusion, with all my concerns now answered, and reassured there's a team in place at Northbrook who can make this work I'm now 100% behind this application.
A note on my Leegate proposal:
There are two major planning issues in Lee Green Ward; Leegate and Northbrook. My proposal was to try to solve both issues by rebuilding Northbrook on the Leegate site. Of course nothing is ever that simple. Leegate is owned by a company called St Modwen, (who also own the Catford shopping centre).
Leegate is, as I'm sure you're aware, considerably run down with more than half the development empty. It has been the number one local issue at Area Forums, and continues to be the number one issue with the new Local Assembly. We've pushed hard for Leegate to be included in the LDF, and under pressure from the Council St Modwen recently came up with a suggested outline for re-developing just half the Leegate site. I personally think it is an inadequate response. From past experience I'm also not at all convinced that St Modwen will develop this outline into an actual planning application, or that it will be well received locally.
My proposal was based on a land swop; the Taunton Road and Ennersdale sites in exchange for the Leegate site. What I'd forgotten when I made this suggestion was that the Taunton Road site is owned by the diocese and is covenanted for educational use only which would not be attractive to a developer. While there are ways around this, and even if the land wasn't covenanted, it is likely the two sites don't have an equal monetary value to the Leegate site and the diocese probably wouldn't have the capital to make up the difference. This of course assumes St Modwen wants to sell, and there's been no indication that they are considering this as an option. On top of this, to start over now would delay things by at least two years if not more. The Ennersdale site that Northbrook now occupy was never intended to be used for an extended decant and any further expenditure on extended maintenance for the Ennersdale site would further eat into the available capital for any eventual rebuild. I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that while this is an appealing idea it just isn't viable.
Declaration of interest:
I have a long association with Northbrook as my wife has been the school librarian there for over twenty years, Over the years I've helped out there from time to time, and as a councillor I've supported their citizenship curriculum.
Reference:
You can find details of the Northbrook plans on the planning pages of Lewisham's website under application: DC/07/67730/X
http://www4.lewisham.gov.uk/acolnet/LEWIS-XSLPagesDC/acolnetcgi.exe?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeDocs&TheSystemkey=52565
And of Northbrook Action Group's (NAG) opposition to the plans here:
http://www.nag-lewisham.org.uk/
This issue is also on the agenda of the Lee Green Local Assembly which meets again this Monday 15 September 2008, 7.30-9.30pm at Lochaber Hall Community Centre, Manor Lane Terrace, SE13.
Triangle Nature Reserve Clean Up Day
The Friends of Hither Green Triangle Nature Reserve, in association with Lewisham's Green Gym, are holding a Clean Up Day in the Triangle (which is located between platforms 4 & 5 on Hither Green station) on Saturday 11th October starting at 11am. This is for over 18s only, and if you're interested in taking part there's a pre-clean up meeting of the Friends on Thursday 25th September at 7.30pm in the Parish Room of the Good Shepherd. This is a brown field site and there are hazards, so I'm afraid you can't just turn up on the day. However if you can't come to the meeting on the 25th you do need to contact the Friends to let them know you'll be coming to the clean up so you can be briefed about working safely in the nature reserve.
Manor Park User Group Meeting
A quick reminder that the next meeting of the Manor Park User Group (MPUG) is on Tuesday 23rd September at 7:30pm in the Parish Room of the Good Shepherd in Handen Road.
Among the items on the agenda are an update on progress towards redeveloping the building in the park, and the entrance from Longhurst Road. We'll also be discussing the Green Flag judges report and hopefully forming a committee.
Hope to see you there!
Among the items on the agenda are an update on progress towards redeveloping the building in the park, and the entrance from Longhurst Road. We'll also be discussing the Green Flag judges report and hopefully forming a committee.
Hope to see you there!
Lee Green Local Assembly Agenda
A quick reminder that the Lee Green Local Assembly meets again this Monday 15 September 2008, 7.30-9.30pm at Lochaber Hall Community Centre, Manor Lane Terrace, SE13
The agenda for the evening is:
7.30-7.35 Welcome, introduction & format for the evening (Chair, Cllr Brian Robson)
7.35-7.40 Local Assemblies a new way of working (Local Assemblies
Programme Manager, Paul Jackson)
7.40-7.55 Lee Gate Centre - update
7.55-8.10 CPZ and Parking
8.10-8.30 Break
8.30-9.00 Ideas for Locality fund - discussion & Feedback
9.00-9.20 Northbrook School proposed development
9.20-9.30 Any other business
The agenda for the evening is:
7.30-7.35 Welcome, introduction & format for the evening (Chair, Cllr Brian Robson)
7.35-7.40 Local Assemblies a new way of working (Local Assemblies
Programme Manager, Paul Jackson)
7.40-7.55 Lee Gate Centre - update
7.55-8.10 CPZ and Parking
8.10-8.30 Break
8.30-9.00 Ideas for Locality fund - discussion & Feedback
9.00-9.20 Northbrook School proposed development
9.20-9.30 Any other business
South London cycling community online forum launched!
via Lewisham Cyclists Yahoo List:
A new online forum, designed to serve the South London cycling community has been launched. You'll find it at:
http://www.southlondoncyclists.org.uk
The intention is to create a social networking site for all aspects of
cycling. Commuters, racers, leisure riders, couriers, tourists and
BMX'ers are all be equally welcome. Chat about whatever you like, be
that professional cycle racing, decent cake stops, the latest kit, the
greatest routes or just have a moan about something that annoys you.
You can also post details of any rides that you wish to share.
A new online forum, designed to serve the South London cycling community has been launched. You'll find it at:
http://www.southlondoncyclists.org.uk
The intention is to create a social networking site for all aspects of
cycling. Commuters, racers, leisure riders, couriers, tourists and
BMX'ers are all be equally welcome. Chat about whatever you like, be
that professional cycle racing, decent cake stops, the latest kit, the
greatest routes or just have a moan about something that annoys you.
You can also post details of any rides that you wish to share.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Email problems
I really must apologise for the problems plaguing my email, and if you've emailed me recently and got a 'bounced' mail warning, or not received a reply, please hang in there as I'm trying to sort the problem as quickly as possible.
I've had email problems on and off for some time but they've always been fixed just as we were about to move to another ISP, so I've stayed with Mailbox, although I have to say this is not the Mailbox I originally signed up with as they were taken over a year or so ago. The current problems however are altogether more serious than anything experienced before. Not only can I not send or reply to any email, but the messages I've been made aware of as bouncing have bizarrely been arriving in my inbox. When technology goes wrong you really do find yourself with Alice down the rabbit hole don't you!
Anyway, enough is enough and I'm moving ISP. In the meantime however could you please send any correspondence to this address
Once again apologies for all the hassle and I'm working as fast as I can to clear the backlog of replies. Believe me it's no fun at our end either.
I've had email problems on and off for some time but they've always been fixed just as we were about to move to another ISP, so I've stayed with Mailbox, although I have to say this is not the Mailbox I originally signed up with as they were taken over a year or so ago. The current problems however are altogether more serious than anything experienced before. Not only can I not send or reply to any email, but the messages I've been made aware of as bouncing have bizarrely been arriving in my inbox. When technology goes wrong you really do find yourself with Alice down the rabbit hole don't you!
Anyway, enough is enough and I'm moving ISP. In the meantime however could you please send any correspondence to this address
Once again apologies for all the hassle and I'm working as fast as I can to clear the backlog of replies. Believe me it's no fun at our end either.
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