THE RIDDLESDOWN R E C O R D E R A half-yearly publication of the Riddlesdown Residents’ Association No. 190 April 2010 INSIDE: AGM 12 May z Fun Day 20 June z More on Mitchley Woods z Police panel z Parking space rationing z Grassland on Platform 1 z SIgnificant planning issues PLUS: The tunnels under Riddlesdown z On becoming a writer z The perils of proof-reading 1 RIDDLESDOWN RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION THE COMMITTEE Vice-President: Mrs H.Kiernan Brian Longman Bernard Munn Chairman Treasurer 8657 8374 8657 0535 Phil Thomas Karen Whitehead Planning Secretary 8668 3815 8668 8677 John Rapp Nick Bygrave Membership, Road Stewards Editor, Riddlesdown Recorder; and Transport Website Administrator 8660 0787 8660 9531 Janice Kedwards Bill Whitmarsh Social 8660 2178 8668 2011 Frankie Wheeler Fred Wallis 8660 3886 8668 7837 Mavis Wilder Monica Pugh 8668 3579 8660 6008 Derek Gutteridge 8660 2584 Cover photograph: Mitchley Avenue EDITOR’S NOTES CONTENTS Page On Page 33 a resident has contributed some Nature Notes about wildlife in his garden and News and Committee Reports 4 nearby. Please follow his example and send in your observations of nature in the raw (human life excepted) in the streets, fields and Pioneering air travel over 14 woods and on the Common. Deer, badgers, insects and birds seen, unusual and out-of- season behaviour, changing populations; The Tunnels under Riddlesdown 15 anything to show the wildlife all around us could be interesting. RRA Accounts 2009 20 It has struck me that maybe residents (excluding our core of committee members whose reports are the basis of this magazine) Common knowledge 23 have to leave Riddlesdown before they begin to write for us. Several of those who do moved away some years ago – in the case of On becoming a writer 25 our most regular writer, Leslie Oppitz – more than 50. So if anyone is about to move, please keep in touch as it is likely that inspiration will Call centre conversations 27 strike you once away from the restrictive literary atmosphere of Riddlesdown. Tony Smith writes... 29 And finally, from Lower Barn Road, left, a happy reminder Riddlesdown Collegiate report 31 of the January snow. Please send in your interesting Nature Notes 33 photographs of the area and its residents. The Perils of Proof-reading 35 As in the last issue, group portraits would be ideal for the front Community pages 39 cover. Nick Bygrave You may write to Riddlesdown Residents’ Association at any of the following: 66 Westfield Avenue, Sanderstead, CR2 9JU 43 Westfield Avenue, Sanderstead, CR2 9JZ 37 Buttermere Gardens, Purley, CR8 1EJ 44 Riddlesdown Avenue, Purley, CR8 1JJ Please mark your letter with the committee member’s name, if applicable. You can also use the Website Message Board’s open or private email facilities. RRA Notice Boards are situated by Riddlesdown Pharmacy, by the Church Hall and by Saban’s Newsagents. We also use the board on St. Edmund’s Green and the one in the station waiting room. Website: www.riddlesdownresidents.org.uk Email: [email protected] 3 NEWS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS CHAIRMAN’S REPORTS Welcome to the April 2010 edition of only few and irregular typewritten and the Riddlesdown Recorder. This is roneo’d issues). issue number 190 which, I was gratified Can I particularly draw your to see, gets us to within five years of its attention to my sections below about production bicentenary. There can’t be the Funday on 20 June (see page 5) many local magazines with such an and the AGM on 12 May (see page 11). unbroken record of publication Please try to come. (although, with paper shortages Best wishes to all readers, residents during World War II, there were then or not. Brian Longman, Chairman MITCHLEY WOODS AND MITCHLEY HILL Once again I find myself returning to the This was all to no avail and the only subject of Mitchley Woods. crumb of comfort was that the purchaser In my last report I mentioned that was not a company that sub-divides land Taylor Wimpey had put their substantial into many individual plots, and was land holding of 73 acres in Riddlesdown previously known to Taylor Wimpey. Five up for sale. The land included a large months later and as far as we know, the section of Mitchley Woods, the two fields sale has still not been completed. This off Mitchley Hill and Mitchley Avenue, may be for a variety of reasons and it and a section of land adjacent to Honister might well have been completed by the Heights. time you read this report. With a guide price of £535,000, the land However you will remember that the as a single plot was clearly beyond our sale of this land was subject to an ‘uplift’ budget. With this in mind the Association provision whereby 25% of any increase in entered into joint discussions with the the value of the site, arising from the Corporation of London and granting of planning permission for any Riddlesdown Collegiate with the view of non-agricultural uses, would be payable to bidding for a key 12-acre plot in Mitchley the vendor. This uplift provision applies Woods and a 4.7-acre plot adjoining for a period of 80 years and may well Riddlesdown Common. deter potential purchasers of the land. The discussions were productive and we The Association is constantly were very close to the point where two monitoring the situation and I would separate bids involving the Association remind residents it has now been four would be made. However our hopes were years since the land owned by Mitchley dashed at the last minute when a bid, Wood Estate Trust was put up for sale. which we think was above the asking Despite this initial sale the land still firmly price, was accepted for the land. remains green belt and little has changed. We contacted Taylor Wimpey, as did our Since our formation in 1937 the local MP on our behalf, to explain to them Association has on many occasions the benefit of this land to the local needed to defend the open and pleasant community and to Riddlesdown Collegiate aspect of Riddlesdown and with your help for educational purposes. we will continue to do so. Visit our website: www riddlesdownresidents.org.uk 4 WIND TURBINES Some of you may have seen an article in might well be subject to a future green belt the local paper where the association challenge. In our dialogue with the was accused by Malcolm Wicks, MP Collegiate, far from having bigoted views Croydon North, of being selfish and on renewable energy projects as Mr Wicks bigoted in its opposition to a planning suggests, we fully supported a scheme for application by Riddlesdown Collegiate to a smaller wind turbine on the school site erect a 50ft high, 6KW wind turbine on but in a less sensitive location together green belt land. It was a pity that Mr with a range of solar panels. This would Wicks did not contact the Association to allow pupils the opportunity to examine find out the background to this situation. and compare the benefits of different If he had, he would have realised that the types of green energy systems. The green belt land around the school is, as application has now been withdrawn and you all know, currently under threat from the association would like to thank the speculative land developers. Collegiate for listening to the community. Our opposition was not against green The Association has excellent energy projects but at the precise location relationships with the school and will of this 50-foot wind turbine in such a be fully supportive of a future redesigned sensitive area, only yards from land that and relocated green energy project. NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE PANEL For those of you who are not aware of 10pm at night. In May 2007, Croydon the panel and its function, it represents the introduced a no cold calling zone in an views of residents on local policing issues. area of Shirley for a trial period of six It identifies local concerns, sets priorities months. The conclusion was the scheme and reviews the outcomes. had been an undoubted and resounding At its February meeting the panel once success. Not only had there been a marked again identified burglary and motor vehicle reduction in the number of cold callers in crime as its top priorities. Other issues the area but residents felt safer and more discussed were dangerous dogs and cold confident in their own homes. Comments calling. On dangerous dogs it was agreed on the scheme included: ‘The scheme is a that the Corporation of London and the good thing for the older, more vulnerable Safer Neighbourhood Team would arrange residents of the borough’; ‘thank you for a series of open events up on the pilot – we hope it continues as it adds Riddlesdown to raise awareness of the to a safer neighbourhood.’ issues involved. On cold calling there was The question is what do you think? general concern that many elderly Would you like the Association to explore residents can feel vulnerable when cold the idea? Please use the Association’s web callers knock on doors, sometimes up to site to let us know your views. RRA AND CITY OF LONDON FUN DAY 2010 If you missed out last year, this year’s date relaxed to the sounds of a jazz band, is Sunday 20 June starting at noon. I have donkey rides, Punch and Judy, swing checked the calendar to ensure no clashes boats, tractor rides, children’s races and so with England’s football matches at this much more.