After long negotiations and a lot of work by local residents, play equipment and an outdoor gym are being installed on Peabody Hill.
New play space and gym installed on Peabody Hill
16/00614/FUL – Installation of a roof top telecommunications base station and ancillary development
Residents on Trinity Rise, working in collaboration with your local cllrs, have successfully objected to the installation of a mobile phone mast on their street.
Their opposition was based on a number of factors including possible health risks, the negative impact upon the areas conservation status and that the proposal would negatively impact on the skyline view from the park as it would change very much for the worse.
Residents were also frustrated as it appeared that Metropolitan were intending going back on an agreement made in 2007 which said they would not install such a mast in Trinity – something which they have now given further assurances over and commitment to.
One resident said that this issue “demonstrates very well how having the collective power of our association has helped us to win this campaign”. Something that we as local cllrs could not agree with more.
16/00614/FUL – Installation of a roof top telecommunications base station and ancillary development
Ahead of 2016 GLA Assembly election we arranged for the Norwood Forum Chair, Noshir Patel, and Labour GLA candidate for Lambeth & Southwark, Flo Eshalomi, to conduct a walking tour of Lancaster Avenue and Thurlow Park Road with the bridge strike issue and subsequent road diversion the main topic of discussion.
As many of you may know, the bridge on Thurlow Park Road is the most hit in the country and the impact has been of growing significance to residents and business alike. The economic cost of delayed train and car journeys, the negative effect on air pollution, the impact on road safety, the actual damage to the bridge, and the cost to train operating companies.
As a reminder, we met with TfL and LARA residents last December 2015 and discussed a rage of short and long term strategies to help residents better cope with the ongoing issue. In the short term we had hoped to see better signage being installed. These would be “smart”, triggered only by oversized vehicles which should mean they are more effective. Otherwise, we had also hoped to see CCTV being installed to monitor and measure impact.
In the longer term we understood that TfL would be developing a business case for lowering the road as a way to prevent bridge strikes and to remove the need to divert any traffic down Lancaster Avenue. This will take some time because it is a complicated engineering challenge thanks to bridge foundations and the sewer. It will also have a huge impact on the road, as it would have to be closed for the works to be completed.
Florence was diligent in her questions and understood the need for something to be done as quickly as possible. She was keen to help and said that she would raise the matter, if elected, during Mayor’s question time.
As residents may have noticed there are a couple of resurfacing programmes going on in Thurlow Park at the moment with work on Arduli and Guersney roads /pavements having already started. Resurfacing works on Trinity and Deronda roads and Chatsworth and Idministon pavements will also be completed before the summer hopefully.
Our campaign for road /pavement resurfacing has had some great success with roads like Carson and Lavengro having already been completed. We are going to continue campaigning for other roads /pavements in the ward like Chancellor, Tulsemere and Eastmearn to be resurfaced as its a key issue for residents in our ward.
West Norwood & Tulse Hill regeneration update
West Norwood and Tulse Hill are undergoing a programme of change from street and park improvements to research and development around key business and industrial areas.
For more information about the Lambeth West Norwood Tusle Hill regeneration developments please visit the link as the information page has undergone a refresh and is now up and running. It’s complete with up to date information about the Visioning project and developing Business Improvement District (BID).
‘West Norwood and Tulse Hill need your thoughts – what you love about it and what should be improved. You might live here, work here or come to shop or socialise. Whatever your connection, we want your opinion.
Many changes and improvements have happened since the 2009 Masterplan and we want you to work with us and build on that further. Our interactive map is designed to continue the conversation. Your comments will help Lambeth Council and its partners to create a vision for the area that best reflects your needs and will also help the council to plan for future improvements and investment.
We’ll be hosting public events, workshops and exhibitions during the Spring and Summer 2016 to discuss people’s views, issues raised, suggested solutions and what people want for their community and neighbourhood. Details will be published online and via local print and social media nearer the time’.
Lambeth is preparing to roll out a borough-wide 20mph speed limit in Lambeth in April 2016. By reducing speeds to 20mph, it will reduce the number of casualties in the borough, improve pedestrian safety, encourage more confidence among cyclists and cut the number of incidents around schools.
If you have any enquiries or require any additional information please contact the Council’s Highways and Transport Group at the following e-mail address 20mph@lambeth.gov.uk or view this link – http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/parking-transport-and-streets/streets-and-roads/lambeth-goes-20mph
Parks maintenance contract transferring over to Lambeth
As you maybe aware the Veolia Grounds Maintenance contract in Parks will be coming to an end on Thursday 31st March and staff will be transferring over to Lambeth on Friday 1st April.
All staff will be issued with new uniform that will not be dissimilar to the existing one worn, with the only changes being to the colour of the trousers – which will be black, and the hi-vis jackets and vests – which will now be orange.
Staff will continue to operate from the existing depots, and for now the operational structure will remain the same. The existing Park Managers will also continue to be your first port of call for any matters.
Lambeth are working very hard to ensure that there is continuity of service, but hope that residents understand that things need to settle into place and this may take a little time.
Should there be any questions regarding the new staffing arrangements, please contact Lara Mifsud-Bonici, Interim Parks & Open Spaces Operations Officer at lmifsud-bonici@lambeth.gov.uk
Planning Enforcement update – Winter 2016/16
In line with government guidance, the key focus of the Lambeth team is to resolve cases informally without recourse to costly and time-consuming formal action – this is how the majority of cases our solved.
In terms of activity in Thurlow Park at a property along Croxted Road officers negotiated the removal of excessive noisy air-conditioning units from a residential property.
Otherwise, a large residential property on Norwood Road was in a dilapidated state and has been left empty for many years. As a result, formal section 215 notices were served requiring a range of remedial works to the premises. This will ensure the condition of the property is drastically improved and is hopefully brought back into residential use.
If you have any planning concerns please let us know.
Pushing for stronger planning enforcement in Tulse Hill
We have been concerned by recent changes in Tulse Hill – the use of the space on the corner of Thurlow Park Road and Norwood Road, and changes in use from retail to residential of shops and cafes on Station Rise. We have been pushing planning enforcement officers to address these issues.
Officers have visited the neighbourhood and written to the used car business on the corner of Thurlow Park Road. The proposed car wash being installed has been halted as it did not have planning permission, the area which was paved without permission has been depaved and damage caused by cars on the pavement to the electrical post by the bus stop has been reported to the Highways team. We believe that further work is required to check that car sales is a legitimate use of the site, to remove paving and to require that discarded concrete is removed to make the area less unsightly. We also want to ensure no part of the property is being used without authorisation as an HMO.
On Station Rise, we are worried about the apparent trend to convert retail units into flats. The Streetworks project will hopefully create a pleasant town centre space where people can use shops and cafes – retaining active shop fronts is important for this.
Thurlow Park News 