December 2009 Applications

98 COLERAINE ROAD, LONDON, SE3 7NZ ref 09/2597/TC

Reduce by 20% and thin a Bay tree in rear garden APPROVED

Case officer: Ian McFerran Telephone: 020 8921 5098

Registration date: 16 December 2009

Site Notice Date: No Public Consultation

Deadline for decision: 26 January 2010

70 BEACONSFIELD ROAD, BLACKHEATH SE3 7LG Ref 09/2637/TC APPROVED

Crown reduce a Walnut Tree by 25%, Crown reduce a Holly Tree by 30% and Crown reduce a Cherry Plum Tree by 30%. APPLICATION DOES NOT INVOLVE ANY FELLINGS

Case officer: John-Lloyd Stephenson Tel: 020 8921 5516

Registration date: 19 November 2009

Site Notice Date: No Public Consultation

Deadline for decision: 31 December 2009

84 BEACONSFIELD ROAD, BLACKHEATH, SE3 7LQ Ref 09/2640/TC

Reduce a London Plane Tree by 50% to improve light for the property

Case officer: Ian McFerran Telephone: 020 8921 5098 REFUSED

Registration date: 16 November 2009

Site Notice Date: No Public Consultation

Deadline for decision: 28 December 2009

23 HARDY ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7NS Ref 09/2498/TC APPROVED

To deadwood and a Crown reduction of a Robinia tree by 25% and Crown reduce two Yew Trees by 30%

Case officer: Brenda White Telephone: 020 8921 5494

Registration date: 10 November 2009

Site Notice Date: No Public Consultation

Deadline for decision: 22 December 2009

Mycenae House, 90 Mycenae Road, SE3 7SE Re09/2689/F APPROVED

Installation of ramped access with handrail to front entrance and rear exit to facilitate disabled access

Case officer: Kemi Erifevieme Tel: 020 8921 5566

Registration date: 2 December 2009

Site Notice Date: 6 January 2010

Deadline for decision: 27 January 2010

1A WEBB ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7PL Ref 09/2663/TC Sycamore Tree - crown reduce by 30% and crown thin by 20% APPROVED

Case officer: Ian McFerran Telephone: 020 8921 5098

Registration date: 30 November 2009

Site Notice Date: No Public Consultation

Deadline for decision: 5 January 2010

131A WESTCOMBE HILL, BLACKHEATH, SE3 7DX ref 09/2636/TC Re-Pollard two Sycamore Trees in the front garden

APPROVED Case officer: John-Lloyd Stephenson Tel: 020 8921 5516 Registration date: 24 November 2009 Site Notice Date: No Public Consultation Deadline for decision: 5 January 2010

5 Mycenae Road, Blackheath, London, SE3 7SF Ref 09/2646/CP

Erection of a single storey rear extension REFUSED

Registration date: 24 November 2009

Site Notice Date: No Public Consultation

Deadline for decision: 19 January 2010

73 VANBRUGH PARK, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7JQ Ref 09/2488/TC APPROVED

Fell a Snake-Bark Maple tree and grind stump

Case officer: Ian McFerran Telephone: 020 8921 5098

Registration date: 24 November 2009

Site Notice Date: 16 December 2009

Deadline for decision: Not stated in letter

Council Inaction over “Illegal” Hexagon Walls

In April 2007, Hexagon Housing Association built walls alongside Bellfield Close that blocked two, decades-old, rights of way for pedestrians and cyclists (one of which the Council has described as ‘pivotal’). The walls are twice the maximum height permitted for “any gate, fence, wall or means of enclosure erected or constructed adjacent to a highway used by vehicular traffic”. However, notwithstanding complaints from local residents, clubs and traders, the Council has failed to take any enforcement action to remove the walls, even though it has confirmed that the rights of way have “not been legally diverted or stopped up”. No acceptable traffic-free diversion routes have been built (a prerequisite for any closure of the rights of way). The Safer Neighbourhood team has confirmed that the construction of the walls did not have any effect on reported anti-social behaviour on the estates.

It was not until more than a year later that the Council started to consult local residents on the future of the rights of way – still without ending their illegal obstruction. It concluded that “there is no doubt that the existing routes provide quick and easy access to a range of local services and shops and their segregation from nearby roads does offer a quieter and potentially safer journey..”. It therefore re-offered supporters of the walls (on estates crossed by the rights of way) a compromise (a new wall segregating some rights of way from the estates, a proposal which estate representatives had already rejected in 2006). These residents of the estates continue to reject any compromise.

Since the rights of way could not be lawfully closed by the Council, the local planning committee unanimously voted in April 2009 to refer the matter to the Secretary of State, as required by law for any disputed proposal for closure. However the Council continued to take no action to end the illegal obstruction pending any decision, even though a decision to divert the rights of way would still require the current rights of way to be kept open until alternative off-road foot and cycle paths had been constructed.

An informal meeting of both supporters and opponents of the walls took place last week. They again failed to find any acceptable compromise.

It remains to be seen if the Council will continue to procrastinate for yet another year.