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Newsletter September 2012 The Wanstead Society Executive Committee Save our local Police Station Scott Wilding: Chairman and Membership Secretary Borough Commander Sue Williams will be forced to Eileen Flinter: Vice-chair make a decision sometime in September about the John Ongom: Treasurer future of the Metropolitan Police building stock in Avril Rodriguez–Dizon: Secretary Redbridge - namely which police stations could be closed and sold off! Peter Arben: The Borough Commander says she has little choice Conservation Advisory Panel representative but to sell off some assets or face sacking police officers. All of which comes at a time when the Billie Figg Jack Figg Government admit that police numbers are at a 9 John Goodman Geoff Horsnell year low. Katriye Ibrahim Valerie Sayers Marian Temple The Wanstead Society has continually campaigned for a pledge to keep Wanstead Police Station open, Consultant members with a staffed counter service. However, it is now Gabrielle Collard: Website Manager and Substitute clear that - as we predicted and feared - post Conservation Advisory Panel representative. Olympics will likely see our only police station under Roger Estop: Planning Consultant. threat - yet again! Iris Vandenberghe: When the station closed last time, crime in Wanstead Residents’ Forum, Cleansing Department. rose by 23%. Coupled with the fact that Wanstead Geoff Horsnell: Newsletter Editor. has the highest burglary rate in Redbridge, crime is due to go the only way it can without our community As you may see from the executive committee list station and the staff that sit within it - and that’s up! above, we have said a fond farewell to one of our This is the result of the continued cuts in police founder members, Derek Mathew. He feels that it is budgets which have left Wanstead residents and the time to hand over to younger members. We wish Police in a dire position. him well in his retirement from this “active duty”. In If, like us, you want to do something to help save our recognition of his sterling work over the past 15 station, then contact us by any of the means shown years, he has been awarded an honorary life on the back page - join our campaign and get membership of the Society. involved! At our stand on Christchurch Green during the The Wanstead Society Annual Wanstead Festival on 12 August, we managed to collect over 300 signatures for our petition to save General Meeting. the Police Station. We aim to get 1,500 signatures in order to force Redbridge council to debate the issue The 2012 Wanstead Society AGM will take place at at their next council meeting on 20 September. In the the Allan Burgess Centre (formerly the Corner meantime, there is an extraordinary meeting of the House) at the top of Grove Park in Wanstead High Area 1 committee planned for Friday 14 September Street. It will be on Saturday, 6th October and start at which will be held in the Churchill Room at Wanstead 11:30 am. The room will be open from 11:00 am for Library. As well as the six local councillors for refreshments, and will be open until 13:00 (1:00 pm Wanstead and Snaresbrook, our local MP John in “old money”!), so come early if you would like to Cryer has been invited, as has Roger Evans (our have some tea or coffee before the meeting starts. local GLA representative), and Keith Prince - the This will be our first AGM as a small charity, so leader of the council. The borough commander, Sue come and join us! Williams, was also invited, but will be on holiday. She All six of our local councillors have been invited to will send a representative in her absence. It is this meeting, so you can also take this opportunity to intended that there will be a full discussion on the ask them any questions you may have as well as Metropolitan Police report which is to make asking the executive committee of the Wanstead recommendations for saving money - including a list Society about our projects, aims and goals. of police stations under threat! We anticipate that / continued on next page … Wanstead Police station will be near the top of that Wanstead Markets Under Threat? list as it is in a conservation area and is considered a It was reported in the Wanstead and Woodford prime site for redevelopment. The local view is two- Guardian of 19th July that a decision by Redbridge fold. First, the building itself has historical significance Community Safety, Planning and Enforcement - being one of a small number of purpose-built police department to increase the daily ground rent fees houses (including married quarters) still in its original for all market traders in the borough from £15 per condition. It was designed in Queen Anne style by day to a staggering £28 per day. The press release, John Butler - who also designed the original Scotland issued the previous day went on to say that the Yard building. The Wanstead site is locally listed. policy had been put out for comment and as none Second, we need a site in Wanstead where our local had been received, the increase would go ahead. police can be based. As the Metropolitan Police As a result, the market had currently own the Wanstead site, it makes better declared that it would have to cease trading as the financial sense to modernise this site rather than stall holders were barely breaking even at the lease a replacement. In the long term, any leased site current rate and could certainly not continue at the will surely be more expensive! In addition, Sue new rate. The markets in Wanstead High Street Wiliams has already stated that any new site will have been trading for longer but even so, were simply be a police base - without a front desk where under threat of closure. At this point the Wanstead the public can go. This may be a cost-effective Society decided to take a look at the situation. We approach for the police, but the Wanstead Society spoke to Rachel Root, the chair of the recently believe that the police should also be approachable reformed Wanstead Business Partnership to see if by the general public. The increased use of remote they had been consulted on this matter. Not only “call centres” does nothing to endear the police to had they not been consulted, but at their three local residents. Indeed, an inordinate amount of time previous monthly meetings had been urging the is wasted by the caller having to identify precisely local councillors to extend the market to cover more where they are - something that a police officer with of the High Street. The Wanstead Society wrote local knowledge would not need to ask! letters to both Councillor Patel (Cabinet member for The meeting will include time for discussion and Community Safety, Planning and Enforcement) and questions from the floor. We urge you to put this date the six local councillors of Wanstead and in your diary and do your best to turn up to show your Snaresbrook wards. Two days later, we received a support. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7:15pm. response from Cllr Patel, in which he stated: “We have recently received some feedback from The Wanstead Festival - 12 August 2012 businesses in different parts of the Borough in The date of the Wanstead Festival was changed this relation to the increase in fees for market stalls. I year to coincide with the date of the closing ceremony would like to re-emphasise that I have always of the Olympics. Unfortunately the event was poorly listened to businesses in the past and tried to take advertised - with no posters and only a single banner on board their concerns where possible. (placed on the fence by Christchurch Green only a I have again listened to what traders have to say, matter of a few days before the festival) that the recognising that these are still particularly difficult Wanstead Society were able to determine. Hopefully economic times, especially for small businesses. the pre-event advertising will be better next year. I am always keen to see businesses thrive Despite this, the event was quite well attended - with throughout Redbridge and on this occasion have about half the number that attended last year’s therefore, in response to representations, decided festival. The good weather was perhaps a factor in to suspend any increase in fees until further notice. this. Despite the lack of advertising, we feel that the They will remain at the same level as last year for day was a definite success! the foreseeable future - £15 per stall per day. The Wanstead Society has learned, however, that this news may nevertheless have come too late for the South Woodford market, as talks have already started to move the market to other areas.

Do you have any Olympic related stories? As the London Olympics are now upon us (perhaps even a fading memory), the Wanstead Society would be very interested to hear of any stories, events or happening in Wanstead, Snaresbrook or Aldersbrook that have come about as a result of the Olympics. For example, have any of the local road restrictions affected you in any way (good or bad)? The festival was attended by giants! Volunteers Needed! The Evergreen Doctor’s Surgery The Wanstead Society is asking you, its members, It may have come to your attention that the doctors for help! We need some enthusiastic members with surgery beside the Evergreen Field has very recently some time to spare to help us organise a few social changed its telephone number from a local (0208) events throughout the year number to a national rate number (0844). This We want to repeat the success of our recent 15th means that anyone calling the surgery - even to birthday party which gave members, young and old make an appointment - will be charged at a national alike, an opportunity to get together and meet over a rate (somewhat higher than the local rate). This drink in a relaxed setting, and get to know other money is charged to your telephone bill and ends up Wanstead, Snaresbrook and Aldersbrook residents. in the surgery’s coffers. At peak times, say at 08:30am, this means that you could be held in a Examples of the type of activities that spring to mind queue for up to fifteen minutes. Whilst we include: understand that the NHS is in dire straits at the moment, surely this is too much! It will end up with ● Winter evening meal for members in Wanstead the older resident not wanting to call the doctor out ● Summer picnics in the park because it is too expensive. The Wanstead Society ● Quiz nights urges the practitioners to think again. After all this ● Social drinks was tried about two years ago by the other major ● Healthy historic walks around the East London surgery in Wanstead - the Wanstead Place Surgery. area They reverted to the 0208 number very quickly then. ● Wine tasting at Majestic We urge the Evergreen Surgery to do the same!

Of course, if you have any other ideas, we are more Wastebins than willing to listen and learn The Wanstead Society has been campaigning for some time now over the state of the waste bins on If you are interested in any of the above, then please Christchurch Green. Originally, we asked for bigger contact us. You might even wish to become our bins and more frequent emptying. There are now social secretary and be responsible for organising some of the large bins in evidence. However, the such events! situation is still in need of more action because it All our contact details are given on the last page of appears that, even when the bins are used, the foxes this newsletter, so why not give us a call? come along at night and proceed to drag all the We look forward to hearing from you! rubbish from the older style bins in the hope of finding something edible. There are only two actions The Evergreen Field. that will combat this. You may have noticed some activity recently on the Evergreen Field in Wanstead High Street. At first, The first is to empty the bins more frequently - the Society thought that the grass was being cut as a something that will increase the cost of sanitation to result of a letter written to Furlong Homes, who we the borough - but to what price clearing the site of believed owned the site. However, it transpires that the rats and foxes? Furlong Homes (part of the Gladedale Group) have The second is to ask for better bins - more like the sold the site back in May of this year. The new style of the recycling bins - after all they are not owner has not used a reputable garden company, troubled by foxes! Once again, this comes at a cost. resulting in the land being stripped of all saplings - It is more difficult to discard the waste in the first including those large enough to be protected by the place - does this encourage littering? blanket Tree Preservation Order (TPO) afforded by If anyone has any other suggestions, please contact the site being within the Wanstead Village the Society using any of the contact details given on conservation area! In addition, the site has now been the last page. left in a dismal state, resulting in Redbridge issuing an Enforcement Notice that the site be tidied up Then there is the matter of George Green. This site, forthwith. The new owner has agreed to tidy the site however, is owned by the Corporation of London - an by the end of September. We will watch altogether different prospect! Certainly more bins are developments very carefully! needed here too. Once again, any ideas would be Another question that arises out of this transfer is most welcome. Contact details are on the last page one of intent. What does the new owner intend to do of this newsletter. with the site? The last time that a planning application was submitted, the application was Finally, if there are any other open public areas of turned down by the planning department. The appeal Wanstead that could benefit from more waste bins to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol was also (or indeed, any waste bins!), then please let us dismissed. Once again, we must be vigilant to see know. what develops over the coming months. Gardening Corner News from the Corner House Garden to work with a will and amazingly after only one This is the cottage garden on the High Street that fronts session had cut back the bindweed, shifted the the Age Concern Luncheon Club. rubbish and chopped three unwelcome sycamore And the rain it raineth every day, or so it seemed this trees. Over the next few weeks he cleared the very year. Good news in a way for us gardeners, the Corner unsavoury patch at the far end of the raised bed. This House garden overreaching itself, all the tall plants had been so overgrown that none of us had an idea achieving giant proportions and marching right up to the of what was there! What was revealed was a low wall so beloved by the Wanstead High School pupils. collection of black plastic dustbin bags containing They sat there waiting for their buses and chatting while raided, rotted items of food obviously pinched from stems of bronze fennel leaned over them, obviously the Co-op supermarket rubbish containers. Another interested in their conversation. disposal job. Soil revealed and levelled up and now In the past, I’ve tried to keep tall plants back from this ready for planting. wall, concerned that the flower heads would be pulled off. Meanwhile, the retaining wall. We decided to make a It seems almost to be an instinctive reaction for young sort of dry stone wall but the Wanstead version uses males between the age of 12 and 23 to grab at bricks. The bricks came from just about every skip in overhanging flowers and then toss them aside. The Wanstead with colours many and various. psychology of this must surely be intriguing. However, Consequently, the finished wall has a tapestry effect. this year the sheer mass of plants pressing up against This is indeed the Great Wall of Gurzel in tones of the wall has seemed to overwhelm young male instinct pinks and buffs and oranges which just happen to and very little was touched. match the flowers blooming above it. The star of the show this year or rather the object that The staff of the Co-op supermarket opposite have elicited the most enquiries was without doubt the cardoon observed all this with interest from their smoker’s (see the picture, below). This looks like a giant, silver doorway. They’ve taken a particularly proprietary leaved thistle but in fact is of the artichoke family. At a attitude to the wall and developing garden and see towering nine foot high, it doesn’t sit happily with busy off anyone who wanders into the car park and tries to lizzies. Luckily there aren’t any of those in this garden pick flowers. Flower picking is not really something and the cardoon gets a run for its money height wise with we would object to because cottage gardens are the hollyhocks and verbascums. particularly generous and anyone picking flowers Now it’s the time of year to start cutting back and tidying probably really wants them. However, we do up a bit. This will be done quite subtly so that the garden appreciate this protective attitude. never looks as though it has had a combined harvester Gurzel is still with us every Tuesday. Watch this driven across it. We also want to leave a fair amount of space for a richly developing patch of garden over seed heads for the birds to enjoy and so they will sit there the autumn and the coming year. through autumn and winter, looking particularly beautiful adorned with spider’s webs and frost. Other High Street Patchwork Gardens The bed outside the Wanstead pharmacy has been brilliant this year having copious amounts of light and rain. In contrast, the bed outside Peter the greengrocers has been a sad experience. Overwhelmed by tree canopy, its a challenge to get anything to grow there and look happy at the same time. Regular watering in summer would help and that’s coming up on our wish list later. The council provided both these beds with posts and chains this year, and that has made a huge difference as far as keeping feet off goes! The bed outside the Allied Irish Bank had a sort of hang dog expression for the first few months of the year, then suddenly in July, woke up and decided to do something. It gave us a lovely disply of bright yellow achillia and anthemis, purple linaria and all the cottage garden usual suspects that had been lurking Meantime, round the back, strange things have been in the wings. happening. What used to be a very manky car park is now looking considerably less so and this year a garden New Kid on the Block is springing up on the raised bed all the way down the This is the new patch at the Snaresbrook end of the length of the old wall which dates from the previous High Street. It’s a small piece of ground behind the Georgian house. The prime mover in all this is Gurzel, office of Startin and Co. on the corner of Sylvan our Tuesday volunteer. He is a man who likes a project Road. It’s actually on the top of the retaining wall that so his project was to de-mank the car park and to build a goes up to the Snaresbrook station bridge - so we retaining wall to hold back the earth from the raised flower bed to enable us to plant it properly. Gurzel set …/ continued on next page call it the Bridge Garden. Wanstead Society Patchwork Garden’s Cultivating this patch has proved to be not without it’s Wish List problems but we’ve laid the stepping stones and put in ● Well, we always need extra volunteers. No need plants which should be happy in full sun and poor dry to have any gardening experience, so much of soil. We want the sort that will overhang the wall, or what we do is cutting back and tidying up. stand up tall at the back. Lavenders, Irises and However, for anyone who would like the Hollyhocks feature strongly in this plan. The hollyhock opportunity to learn a bit about the art of cottage seedlings come from between the paving stones of the gardening, well here’s your invitation! All helpers cleared front garden of the old Methodist Church in welcome. Cambridge Park Road. Nice to know that something of ● We need someone to put up some trellis to that lovely garden continues somewhere else in encourage our unwilling climbing roses to do Wanstead. The bearded irises come from the what their name suggests. One section of trellis beleaguered Christchurch garden at present labouring would be up a high wall, so a head for heights under the hoarding and scaffolding of the major re- could be useful. roofing project. With such donations, surely the force ● There are other jobs that need doing from time to will be with us! time which need a bit of muscle rather than anything else. Hopefully, if this little garden gets going, it should give ● Individuals who will keep an eye on a street delight to passers by on that rather bare patch of High flower bed (watering when needed etc) Street. If you think you can help us with any of these please Those patches of Earth around the Street phone Mat on 0208 989 9553 or contact the Wanstead Society by any of the means given on the Trees, and how to Adopt Them back page of this Newsletter or approach any Having twice had the frustrating experience of member of the executive committee. adopting the square of soil (it’s called a “tree pit”) around the tree outside my house, planting it with ***** STOP PRESS ***** interesting plants, seeing it thrive, only to have the Elsewhere in this Newsletter, you will see an article council street weed sprayers come along and splat it, I about a number of historic postcards that were given was happy to learn that there is a way of officially to us by Mrs Jean Wood nee Higgins - now in a adopting a tree pit so that this won’t happen. residential home in Bury St Edmunds. In the course of Spraying happens four times a year. The first spray is conversation with her, it transpired that she would Feb/Mar. This is with a residual herbicide which very much like to visit Wanstead again to see for prevents the germination of seeds and lasts for about herself the changes that have occurred. “Still very six months. The other spaying sessions are Apr/Jun, nice”, everyone told her - but there’s nothing like a Jul/Aug and Sep/Nov and these three sprays are with first hand look! So that’s what we arranged for Jean glyphosphate which will poison any green leaf it Wood, now 92 years young, to do. Starting with a touches. lunch at the Allan Burgess Centre - or as she knew it - The council street tree people are keen for residents to The Corner House where, in her time in Wanstead, Dr. Corner lived. Next a visit to Homesdale Nursing adopt tree pits. For a start, it just makes the street look Home - as it was converted from the Victorian house better and more cared for. It makes people more which was her family home until she and her husband aware of the trees outside their houses. Additionally, a mat of suitable plants will help preserve the moisture for the tree roots. They actually keep a register of adopted tree pits and the street contractor makes sure that these pits don’t get sprayed. We thought this a bit unlikely but apparently it does work. Low growing, undemanding plants such as sedums and ornamental grasses are suitable but we’ve also seen attractive tree pits with other plants such as alyssum and marigold. There are some with thriving hollyhocks and jolly good they look too! Interested? Here’s what you need to do. The council person to contact is Stephanie Orrel on 0208 708 5325 or email her at [email protected] She will put you on the register. We think this is a great idea! The more people that adopt a tree pit, the better Wanstead will look! moved to Cambridge in 1947. If you need any further details, then please contact the Where next? The High Street, of course! After all, Wanstead Society by any of the means given on the they change from month to month - but here in Wanstead the basic architecture and ambience are last page of this Newsletter, or approach any member still largely as they were in Jean’s day - just a little of the executive committee. more busy! …/ continued on next page Not so the curving leafy lane that Jean knew as that its location to the west of the borough means George Lane, now a noisy thoroughfare - cottages and that more teams could be stationed here. Given blossom trees all gone. that Wanstead is surrounded by major road Still Jean agrees, we can call ourselves lucky for, not a systems, rapid response to Wanstead from any world away, Wanstead still boasts the restful charm other current site will not be rapid enough. The she remembers of Christchurch Green, still as tranquil attached car park provides parking facilities that as ever. other stations do not have. The last time that All in all, Jean Wood’s check up on Wanstead makes Wanstead Police station was closed, crime in the us realise how lucky we are. Wanstead is still almost area rose by 23% - it was re-opened within six as wonderful as she remembers it. months as a result! Commander Sue Williams has And it’s now our business and duty to keep it that way! stated that, should Wanstead Police station be closed, she would immediately press the Met to In support of the Police Station obtain and lease a new site specifically to cover the In support of our Wanstead Police Station, WaSRA west of the borough. This is very short term have written the following open letter to Boris Johnson, thinking. As the Met already own Wanstead Police Mayor of London. station, how long will it be before the cost of leasing a replacement site outstrips the money “saved” by selling the existing site? Isn’t this part of WaSRA the reason that the economy is in the state that it Residents' Alliance is? The nearest alternative site is Waltham House in . However, this is a “closed” station - it BY EMAIL has no front desk! In our opinion, any police station without access for the public is “not fit for purpose”. 1 September 2012 We already know that any new replacement site Dear Boris Johnson, will have no front desk. How are the public Re: Wanstead Police Station expected to access the police in this day and age? The call centre which we are encouraged to use is WaSRA is an alliance of three local groups, all in central London. Much time is wasted in trying to dedicated to maintaining a village atmosphere within explain to the operator just where Wanstead is Wanstead and Snaresbrook and jointly represent over located in order for the call to be redirected to the 700 households. Part of our remit is to look out for any nearest office site. Wasn’t the lesson learned with proposed planning developments, including the sale of the “shop front” approach long since abandoned - interesting properties. We are concerned at the where only 1% of the shops allowed the public in! imminent publication of a consultancy that you have The very existence of a Police station in Wanstead instigated, looking at ways to save money from the is itself a deterrent - the various teams coming and Metropolitan Police budget. We fear that the borough going provide a continual visible presence. The commanders will be given the stark choice between men use the local shops, cafes and restaurants - losing manpower or losing police owned sites, such as increasing the visibility - all of which adds to the Wanstead Police Station. There are two aspects to this ambience of Wanstead. question, and we would draw your attention to both. We therefore urge you to give Wanstead a second The building. Wanstead Police station is a Victorian look and see if it is possible to retain the police purpose-built police house, designed in Queen Anne station and thus a visible police presence within style by John Butler - who also designed the original our community. Scotland Yard! The site is in original condition - even retaining the stables. As such, it is one of a small Yours faithfully number of such unique sites, making it of significant WaSRA local (if not national) interest. However, as the site is in the middle of a conservation area it is considered to be a prime candidate for development. Despite being **** Stop Press 2 **** locally listed, it is ripe for any developer to knock down As you may be aware, the Wanstead Society, and replace with a block of flats. This would be a along with our sister groups under the WaSRA disaster for the area. banner have been out collecting signatures in order Police presence. We have heard from the borough to force a debate at the next council meeting on 20 commander that she considers only two current sites September. In order to achieve this, we needed a remain safe from any proposed sale - and minimum of 1500 signatures. To date, we have stations. The Wanstead station is currently over 2140 signatures and so will be pressing for used by a number of teams - including Rapid the debate to go ahead. A very big Thank You to Response, SNTs and includes a manned front desk. all who came and supported us by signing the Whilst it may be considered underused, we are sure petition! Postcards of Wanstead’s Past! Back in June this year, the Society was given a selection of postcards from the family of a member who is currently living in a care home at the ripe age of 92! This is the first time that the Society, in its new role as a small charity, has been left something by a former member and we are very grateful to have such historic gems in our files. Here we can only show a few of the 16 postcards in the collection, which date from about 1905 to the 1930s. We have put the full 16 pictures on our website (see back page for the web address) so please - if you can - take the opportunity to have a look at the full set. We will also arrange to have them available at our AGM on 6 October (see the notice Planning Issues on the front page of this newsletter!). There have been a number of developments recently in the planning department, covering a number of sites across the Wanstead area. Somewhat surprising is the proliferation of alteration work being carried out in the High Street - one of the few Conservation Area High Streets in the country. A lot of this work is either without planning consent or is going ahead before planning consent has been granted. Whilst the latter action is not illegal, it does raise the issue of what will happen should the application be refused. Here are just a few of the examples: 1. Purbani Restaurant - 153 High Street. This restaurant has just constructed an entrance portico If, when you have to their premises - without, it appears, any planning seen the application whatsoever. Not only that, but the new complete set of entrance incorporates internally illuminated signs sixteen which are not allowed in a conservation area. We postcards, you understand that an enforcement notice has already think that you can been served and await the outcome with interest. add anything to The latest information from the Redbridge planning the history of and enforcement team is that discussions are in them or the progress to determine the before and after status, period, or using photographic evidence. perhaps have 2. Nakhon Thai - 62 High Street. This site was first some historic transformed from the old Gotico Italian restaurant pictures of your some years ago. In the process, a new front window own - please let was introduced which contravened the conservation us know! area design rules. An enforcement order was We are always served. This order comes with a time limit within interested in any which any remedial work should begin. Before this aspect of limit had lapsed, the restaurant was converted into Wanstead - past a Thai restaurant, Nakhon Thai, and the problem or present! then compounded by the addition of internally illuminated signs above the fascia. Redbridge planning and enforcement team have told us that the time limit has elapsed without any progress. Thus the matter has now been referred to the legal department for further action. In the meantime, the team are still hopeful that a negotiated settlement can be achieved. The new internally illuminated signs are, however, illegal within a conservation area and therefore must be removed, regardless. …/ continued on next page 3. Truffles Chocolate Shop - 46-48 High Street. Payment Details This site has been granted retrospective planning consent as the building collapsed during There are a number of different ways in which you renovation. However, as the rebuild continues can join the society, or renew your existing behind the hoarding, it now transpires that the membership. These are: plans submitted to Redbridge do not appear to match the design being followed by the Site ● Cheque Manager. ● Paypal (online) Redbridge planning and enforcement team are in ● Standing Order the process of comparing before and after ● Cash photographs as they too believe that the rebuild does not conform to the submitted plans. A meeting Annual membership is now £8. Cheques should be will then take place with the owners, but it may be made payable to The Wanstead Society, and can be necessary to issue a Breach of Condition notice. sent directly to the Treasurer Please remember to 4. The Co-Op 87 High Street. This application is of include your name and address for our records. It interest not because of any lack of planning would also be useful to tell us of any preferences application, but rather because of a surfeit of you have, such as how you would like to receive this applications. It appears that the Co-Operative newsletter. We are happy to send out the newsletter group have submitted two near identical either by post or by email. Requesting the applications from two different agents! The work is newsletter by email helps us to save money on now complete. One can only guess the outcome postage. Just let us know when you join or renew should one or both of the application be refused by your membership. the council. Both are still to be reviewed! Redbridge enforcement team are currently in the (Note: The postcode given in the last newsletter was process of comparing the two sets of plans and will incorrect - here is the correct address for our make a decision about a way forward after that treasurer!). review. Wanstead Society Treasurer 5. Belgique semi-permanent frontage. Having 36 Camden Road constructed the new frontage at Belgique in Wanstead Cambridge Park Road, the owner has now London submitted a retrospective planning application. This E11 2JP application is currently awaiting validation with the planning department. It could result in an Join or renew via our website using Paypal: enforcement notice being issued - but under the www.wansteadsociety.org.uk 2011 Localism Act, once an enforcement notice has been served, it is not possible to validate a retrospective planning application. We have just You can contact us by email: heard that the council have issued an Enforcement [email protected] Notice - thus the planning application has been You can write to us at The Wanstead Society, c/o refused. Wanstead House, 21 The Green, London E11 2NT Or you can approach any member of the Executive 5. The Kinema 157 High Street. We have just Committee. been informed that the refusal by Redbridge to grant permission for the redevelopment of the Kinema has now been referred to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol. They must now decide the fate of the site. We await this judgement. All papers submitted to the planning department (including any local representations) will go to Bristol so that The Wanstead Society the Inspector can arrive at a sensible decision - www.wansteadsociety.org.uk although it may not be to everyone’s taste! [email protected] Renewing Your Membership As the Wanstead Society strive to move their membership database into the 21st century, may we take this opportunity to tell you that you will Printed by receive two reminders when your subscriptions are Alan Rowett, Newnorth Press Ltd, Park Gate House, due. The first will be sent out 4 weeks ahead of the 100 Woodside Green, Great Hallingbury, renewal date and the second 3 weeks later. If you Bishops Stortford, Herts, CM22 7UQ have given us an email address, the reminders will 01279 210090 be sent by email, otherwise, they will be sent by [email protected] post. www.newnorthpress.co.uk