Westcombe News February 2016
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FEB 2016 WN_WN.QXD 25/01/2016 12:03 Page 1 WestcombeNEWS Free to 3800 homes, and in libraries & some shops February 2016 Issue 1 A community newspaper commended by the London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies Monthly newspaper of The Westcombe Society: fostering a sense of community “Wassaile the trees, that they may beare Circus Field: local You many a Plum voices heard & many a Peare...” ollowing an extraordinary number of consultation, which would include the Fobjections from local residents, ameni- Blackheath Joint Working Party (BJWP). ty societies and organisations, the Royal Cllrs Cherry Parker and Geoffrey Brighty Borough of Greenwich Events team have supported the societies’ objections. withdrawn a Licensing application to the The main concern was the scope of the Licensing Committee to extend the number application which could potentially have of events on Circus Field (the area of the extended the use of the Circus Field for heath just south of Blackheath Gate). events for an additional 110 days per year Cllr Denise Hyland said: “This is a very (including setup and breakdown days); special part of the borough which we are and, as the application did not give any all determined to protect and to listen to detail as to the nature of the events “Hollyman” aka PHOTO: the views of local residents whenever planned, it was impossible to estimate their Rich Sylvester Jacqui Woodward-Smith proposals come forward”. impact. A number of issues were Welcome to the New Year! East Greenwich’s fourth annual Wassail took place in The application submitted MAGGIE raised, such as noise, nuisance, GRAVELLE January in the Memorial Orchard now established in the Pleasaunce. The sun shone and was for up to five separate additional traffic, pollution and loss around 70 people drank "Magic Bus" cider from Kent, danced with Greenwich Morris events on top of the current usage by of amenity. There was also widespread men and sang along with Charlton-based Morrigan*, dressed in their Victorian "steam- circuses and fairs and “in perpetuity”, thus concern the Circus Field could suffer seri- punk" outfits! Pistachios cafe supplied warmth, food and drink. Thanks, Lizzie! reducing the possibility of effective ous environmental damage due to overuse. Children made "crowns" and "Ivy Queen" and poet Jacqui Woodward-Smith led the scrutiny and change in future. The Council have now agreed to apply children to say a wassail blessing, and place bread dipped in cider on the trees. To give credit where it is due, when for licences on an event-by-event basis. Organiser Pip! welcomes help in pruning and weeding the trees – and any creative asked, the Council did agree to widen the The BJWP have since given conditional ideas for Wassail 2017! Contact via Facebook Pip! Planting in the Pleasaunce consultation area so that more residents approval for the 'In the Night Garden' * Their CD As the Crow Flies can be obtained from http://www.morrigansong.co.uk could be made aware of the proposals, event to take place later this year on the and also extended the deadline for understanding the site be slightly changed Maggie Gravelle responses to the 18th January: actions to mitigate the impact for pedestrians. The Arches to be sold which were much appreciated. There was also agreement that if the event he purchaser of the former Arches and neighbouring properties of the So why was the application withdrawn? sought approval for following years its TLeisure Centre is to be Meritcape, Vendors.” So in principle the developer Certainly, the number of objections has a total duration would be reduced. which is a development company based in might have to pay compensation if they lot to do with it: many people wrote in to The Council deserves credit for listen- Hertfordshire. The company intends to were in breach of the covenant. However the Council opposing the proposals, and ing to the public: and the outcome may be redevelop the property for a non-leisure it is not clear who might make a claim for the Westcombe Society collaborated with regarded as a reaffirmation of the value of use, subject to planning consent. compensation, a fact which Meritcape the Blackheath and Greenwich Societies in the democratic process. The report to Council states that “the have probably considered. jointly urging the Council to withdraw the The BJWP meet next at The Bakehouse, Age land upon which the Arches Leisure Centre Regret by many local former users of application pending a fuller discussion and Exchange at 7.30 pm on Feb. 16th. All welcome. is built is subject to a 1922 covenant that the Arches, but, sadly, no surprise . restricts the use of the site to public baths, No development can go ahead without “We need the council to make a New wash houses and other buildings for planning permission so the Westcombe Municipal purposes”. These purposes Society’s Environment Committee will Year Resolution,” says IAN BLORE “shall not injuriously affect the adjoining remain vigilant. s reported in the last issue of the WN, asthma and heart conditions, and it is a AEast Greenwich Residents Association cause of stunted lung development in (EGRA) has conducted its own air quality children. So it is high time that the Council Our MP rocks the boat monitoring this year. made a New Year’s resolution to deal with Harmful nitrogen dioxide (N02) was these issues. oliticians come in for a lot of criticism, Korea of Africa.” He cited evidence from measured at 14 sites over two months, in EGRA’s draft air quality manifesto Pso it is good to give credit where it is one of his constituents, Habte Hagos, who Spring and Autumn. The results, together recommends 21 actions to tackle bad air. due. At a meeting with members of the owns and runs the award-winning Blue with those of the Westcombe Society, the These are set out on page seven of this Greenwich Society on January 16th, Matt Nile restaurant in Woolwich. No to Silvertown Tunnel Campaign, and issue of the WN. None are of these actions Penycook, described his first hectic nine He called on the government to review Greenwich Borough, reveal that: are magic wands. None are costly, and all months as our new MP. the UK’s guidance to ensure that asylum is • air pollution is bad, being above legal must be complemented by London – and Apart from dealing with constituents’ being granted to people who are genuinely problems in the five surgeries he has being persecuted, in view of detailed limits on all major roads nation-wide – measures. They include WN • it has barely improved since 2005 declaring East Greenwich, or indeed all every month, he gets some 200 UN reports of the oppressive and cruel • pollution is bad even in quiet streets Greenwich, an ultra-low emission zone, emails every day. Immigration reporter rule of President Isaias Afwerki. • major new developments (eg. the cruise providing greater publicity and traffic-free queries alone amount to 200 every In October he asked why one of liner terminal) will make it worse. days, and perhaps planting a tree for every week. his constituents was arrested for waving a Research by Kings College, London resident killed by air pollution. See p. 7. At the meeting he expressed concerns Tibetan flag and called for an investigation about the Council’s proposals on Circus into how demonstrations are policed. estimates that up to one in five of all Note: The World Health Organisation Field; he said he had come out against the He also voted against extending the premature deaths in Greenwich may be has issued a strong warning about proposed Silvertown Tunnel, and was bombing campaign to Da’esh positions in attributable to air pollution. deadly levels of pollution in many of the appalled at the effects the government’s Syria. In sum, last year, our MP has made Pollution is also a major contributor to world’s biggest cities, including London. housing bill would have on society. 18 interventions in Parliament on such The WN has looked at the work that he issues as mental health services, child << Newsbriefs >> has been doing in the House of Commons. poverty, welfare reform and work, social Apart from committee work (eg. on the landlords, off-patent drugs, tax credits for Housing and Planning Public Bill) here are working families, air pollution and the Happy Birthday, Ursula! coffee morning. claimed it would lead to traffic The distinguished architect, The Westcombe Society congestion in the area, and a few samples of his interventions on the economy. Phew! and founder and lifetime has donated £500 to Age could also affect the health of floor of the House, as reported in Hansard: President of the Greenwich Exchange in Blackheath residents. In December, our MP commended the The Westcombe Society Society, Ursula Bowyer, Village to buy 28 urgently government for the part it played in the celebrated her 90th birthday needed chairs. The BJWP negotiations on climate change in Paris, Annual Helpers’ Party on December 18th. Belated And the International Art The Blackheath Joint Working pointing out that Britain would need to be birthday greetings! Auction organised by the Party is a consultative body more ambitious regarding reductions in Sat 20th February 2016 local United Nations made up of councillors from emissions: the Government is struggling to Good news Association raised £1200 for Lewisham and Greenwich, 8.00 - 10.00 pm Westcombe Society walkers the refugee agency UNHCR. various amenity societies and meet its renewables target, particularly on heat and transport. He called for more in raised an amazing £972.72 for other interested bodies.