Newsletter September 2016 A view across the Old Burial Ground, in early August 2016 And here there will be a 26-storey The demolition of the old tower, right on the council office building boundary of the reveals the Old Court Old Burial Ground House, and the cranes to help transform it ready to raise the Ram into a much more Quarter to new heights useful and welcoming green amenity space (see the Editorial on page 3) and what’s coming next … Planning News - Late Summer 2016 The new Mayor of London has announced that one 1-9 Church Row (2016/3558) of the policies he will be pursuing is a higher proportion of "affordable" homes in new housing As part of the redevelopment of the Brewery site, schemes. One of the problems in the past has been buildings on Church Row were retained by the original that developers have been allowed to subject their developers, Minerva, whose architects, EPR, recently proposals to a viability test which "could invited the Society to consider plans for their demonstrate" that, with any greater provision of redevelopment. The buildings will be principally returned “affordable” content, the scheme would be unviable. to residential use, with welcome plans to extend the This, with all due deference to any members who are riverside walk. We shall be commenting on an application actuaries, is like asking two actuaries to agree a that appears to be a sympathetic restoration – plus new suitable figure for inclusion in accounts!! What it buildings that are not 20 storeys high! really has meant is that too much has been paid for the land in the first place. Time will tell if Sadiq’s Wandsworth Gyratory aspirations can be achieved. TfL has revised some of its plans following consultation Homebase, Swandon Way (see page 6), but the scheme remains pretty much as previously designed. One good adjustment is to permit all We were very pleased that the latest application, traffic to proceed down East Hill to the junction with considered on 27 June, with the officers’ Garratt Lane and make a left turn there. The scheme is recommendation to grant, was refused. Fairfield evidently on course for a 2017 start. Councillors presented a case for reconsideration which supported the Society's and many other 100 Garratt Lane – Big Yellow Storage (2016/3025). objectors’ grounds for refusing the revised proposals. But there will no doubt be further proposals for the A revised application has been submitted to rebuild the site. Among other concerns, we shall seek advice frontage building which will reduce the delivery/parking about the retention of the mature trees along the area and restrict views across the site to the River Wandle. road frontage that were planned to be removed and We shall be commenting, but, as the application does not replanted. add significantly to the height of the building and is not seeking a change of use, our comments will be restricted to Point Pleasant, Osiers Road ‘public realm’ improvement and signage. The application by Frasers Property for a 19-storey The Limes, Lime Avenue tower has received many objections, including the Society's. No further advice at time of writing, but An application (2016/3054) has been made to raise the we are keeping a hopeful eye on developments. roof height of the existing buildings to provide additional residential accommodation. The buildings are not listed, Garratt Place, East Hill and Garratt Lane but considered an attractive, mostly unchanged, 1930s example of residential development. We were asked by Demolition is now well under way (see cover). It Society members and others to support the many appears that the contractors are managing the site objections and have done so. A previous application was well – little noise or disturbance (as yet), it seems. refused by the PAC, and an appeal lodged, but then Somewhat surprisingly too, vehicles entering and withdrawn. leaving the site do not seem currently to be adding significantly to traffic congestion at the northern end Thames Tideway Tunnel of Garratt Lane. An application has been received by the Council to Crossrail2 discharge one of the many conditions imposed by the Development Consent Order. This is of significance – but Further information has been published by Crossrail. it is a matter, I fear, that we can do nothing about. Several Interested parties in and around Balham have mature trees will be felled at the northern tip of King presented their views to the project. The Society George's Park to permit a dig site. continues to support the original proposed route, with a new station at Tooting. We shall be writing to Finally, this is the last call for buildings, landmarks, or the Council Leader to emphasise the long-term anything else which is considered worthy to be added to benefits of the ‘Tooting option’, despite the problems the ‘locally listed’ buildings list. I have to confirm the of ventilation shafts and access requirements, and Society’s suggestions to the Council in mid- September. expected additional costs. Philip Whyte [email protected] 2 President Shirley Passmore Chair David Kirk 15 Aspley Road, SW18 2DB 020 8874 9167 Vice-Chairman Philip Whyte 49 West Side, Wandsworth Common SW18 2EE September 2016 020 8874 4745 From the Chair This Newsletter reflects the range and diversity of the Secretary Society’s interests: the manufacture of early gramophone records in Earlsfield; John Dawson 210 Beechcroft Road, SW17 7DP the excellent new buildings of Burntwood School; bees and honey; 020 8772 4282 forthcoming Society talks, on the development of the new ‘Ram Quarter’ (note a 7.30 start!) and Council policies on street trees; a commemoration, in music, Treasurer words and pictures, of an English composer killed in 1916; and of course our Norman Holmes ongoing environmental concerns, on all of which we seek to represent Flat 7, Tiffany Heights 59 Standen Road, SW18 5TF community views and work constructively with public bodies. 020 8877 9616 Our cover illustrates a transition: the Old Burial Ground, Wandsworth Town Membership Secretary (photographed by Peter Farrow in August) and its surrounds are changing Gill Gray rapidly. Work has started on a “landmark… regeneration and investment Studio 8, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building SW18 3SX scheme”, the Council announced recently. “[S]ites in the high street and 020 8870 4567 Garratt Lane are being prepared for construction to begin on 200 new homes, a better public library, new shops and a more attractive town centre green space”. The Other Committee Members scheme will “make better public use of … an important but underused green space. Bruce St Julian-Bown New pedestrian links will be opened up… The new state-of-the-art library 39c Heathfield Road, SW18 2PH 020 8874 6966 will… form part of this route… The Old Burial Ground will… benefit from a facelift … [with] new public art and additional seating ... [and become] a much Iain Gray more useful and welcoming green amenity…”. Studio 8, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building SW18 3SX The Council’s accompanying publicity images do not show the overwhelming 020 8870 4567 26-storey tower that will replace the 9-storey building currently swathed in Caroline Pook white (see cover picture). The fine Old Courthouse (our former Museum, 15 St Ann's Crescent currently a good library in an appropriate setting), visible in our picture, will be SW18 2ND ‘sold off ’. The Society will continue to take a close interest in all this, from new towers to trees and gravestones. Harry Waddingham 61 Magdalen Road,SW18 3NE 020 8874 8784 The principal focus of our and many others’ objections was of course the excessively tall tower. It was therefore very welcome, as Philip Whyte notes Open Spaces (lead & contact) (opposite), that the Society, working closely with other local groups and Bruce St Julian-Bown Fairfield Councillors, was able recently to persuade the PAC to reject a similarly Planning Group (lead & contact) excessive development on the Homebase site, Swandon Way. Philip Whyte PS Our ‘workers’ (more always welcome!) are all volunteers; our activities cost Roads and Transport Group (lead & money. The Society’s November meeting will therefore be preceded by a short contact) Special General Meeting when approval will be sought for an increase in Harry Waddingham subscription rates, following earlier discussion at our AGM. Events Team Valerie Taylor (lead - 020 8767 3814) David Kirk [email protected] Wendy Cater – Diana Godden Catherine Headley – David Kirk Jenny Massey – Caroline Pook Libby Spurrier Newsletter David Kirk – Nigel Newsletter distribution Paschal Allen – Wendy Cater Gill Gray – Iain Gray Jan Passey – Charles Walton The most important event this summer? (From the Daily Telegraph) 3 Columbia Graphophone Visit to Burntwood School, Company in Earlsfield – talk by RIBA Stirling Prize-winner Tom Going On the evening of 12 July some 50 Society members and guests were able to enter the distinctive archway entrance of Burntwood School, not as apprehensive teenagers, nor as prospective parents, but to take part in a guided tour. The redeveloped school buildings won the Stirling Prize, awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects, in 2015. We were led in two groups, one by Helen Dorfman, the Principal, and the other by Howard Jackson, a Deputy Principal who is in charge of the built environment of For the Society's meeting on 9 June – part of the the school. Wandsworth Heritage Festival – Dr Tom Going gave a fascinating, multi-media presentation about Earlsfield's Columbia Graphophone Company. The audience of about 70 (almost a record itself?!), members and non- members, were treated to locally-made recordings and the opportunity to examine recording discs, a recording cylinder and records themselves.