Local Elections 2006

United Nations Association (Blackheath & Greenwich Branch)

PUBLIC HUSTINGS MEETING

Question Time

Your chance to meet candidates standing in the Local Elections for the Lewisham ward of Blackheath & the Greenwich ward of Blackheath/Westcombe and to ask questions about issues that concern you.

The Old Bakehouse, Bennett Park, Blackheath (opposite the station)
Wednesday 26th April at 8.00 pm

Planning Applications - April 2006

144 Humber Road 06/0661 /CP
Erection of a single storey rear extension

25 Ulundi Road 06/0713 /TC
Pear tree - thin by 25% and reduce all round by 1m. Sycamore - reduce all round by 2m, crown thin by 25% and trim back limbs to kerb edge. Magnolia - trim back limbs to balance

85 Maze Hill 06/0792 /F
Amendment to previously approved planing permission to replace roof of rear single storey extension

192 Westcombe Hill 06/0797 /F
Change of use of the first and second floors to two self-contained flats

75 Coleraine Road 06/0770 /TC
Sycamore tree in front garden - fell due to close proximity to wall and replace with suitable variety

27 Charlton Road 06/0847 /CP
Erection of a single storey rear and side infill extension

53 Ulundi Road 06/0834 /F
Erection of a single storey rear conservatory

What Future for 'The Woodlands'?

The Woodlands, the wooded area on old quarries between Maze Hill and Vanbrugh Hill currently owned by BPT Woodlands Company is to benefit from £57,800 funding over the next 6 years from the developers of the Restell Close Nursing Homes site as a result of a Section 106 agreement between the developers and the Council. Following this long-delayed news, the Blackheath Preservation Trust are discussing with the Westcombe Society and others transferring ownership of the site to a separate and more locally based organisation. The Society has until mid-June to decide whether or not it has a serious interest in being part of this new organisation. The initial view of the Society’s Committee is that it should, but before making any commitment we must first take a view on the appropriate form of the organisation and the nature of the Society’s participation. This could be a very big commitment, and it will be a major topic for members at the Society’s AGM on 13 May 2006 at Mycenae House.

Since acquiring the site in 1980, the BPT has done only the minimum maintenance work to meet its public liability obligations. The new funding should provide for secure perimeter fencing and a more active approach to woodland management, as well as covering running costs (including insurance). Given the precipitous nature of parts of the site, a major issue for any new organisation will be that of access - and views have varied from locking the gate and throwing away the key, through various degrees of educational access, right the way through to its use for tennis courts and picnics! Both the level of woodland management and the extent of access will determine the need for additional funding (both during the first 6 years and beyond) and the ability to apply for such funding.

Because of the potential size of this project, the Society will be looking at possibilities of working in partnership with the Greenwich and Blackheath Societies, as well as seeking to involve the immediate neighbours of The Woodlands. The eventual organisation might take many forms – for example, it might be closely controlled by one or more of the three societies, or it may be that we simply facilitate the setting up of a completely separate and independent organisation. This might be some form of charitable trust, or a CIC (community interest company), a new type of limited company created in 2005 to facilitate social enterprise. There could also be an associated “Friends of The Woodlands”.

We need your views - so please offer your comments here, write to the Westcombe New - or (Society members) please come along to the AGM where there will be the opportunity to discuss the options.

Planning Applications, March 2006

44 Mycenae Road 06/0401 /F
Erection of a part single, part two storey rear extension

111 Maze Hill 06/0458 /TC
Reduce Catalpa and ash and fell small apricot tree

55-57 Invicta Road 06/0594 /F
Demolition of former coach garage and two dwellings. Erection of 9 x 2-bedroom, 4 x 1-bedroom flats and parking for 10 cars

46 Glenluce Road 06/0572 /CP
Demolition of existing and erection of a new conservatory to the rear

Fairhaven House, 111 Mycenae Road 06/0575 /C
Demolition and replacement of single storey rear extension and alterations to the terrace and internally.

69 Maze Hill 06/0531 /F
Erection of rear box dormer and alterations to side/front roof area

60B Coleraine Road 06/0620/F
Loft conversion with Velux windows

East Greenwich Pleasaunce

East Greenwich Pleasaunce - Friends Public Meeting - 20th March 2006, 7pm at the Forum@Greenwich.

East Greenwich Food Market

The next East Greenwich Food Market will be held on 25th March 2006, 11am-5pm on the old Robert Owen Nursery School site at the top of Pelton Road (just off the Woolwich Road end of Blackwall Lane).

Woodland/Mycenae House

A meeting was held on March 10th with Council representatives, Westcombe Society Committee members, Vanbrugh Community Association members and representatives from the Steiner School to discuss the latest developments with regard to the future of Woodlands and Mycenae House.

There is a prospect of exchange of contracts with the Steiner School for a 125 year lease on Woodlands within the next few weeks (it is currently with the Chris Roberts, Council Leader) and emergency work could then be started on Woodlands. The Steiner School's developer would then put in a planning application for the residential development proposed for a small part of the site which is paying for everything, and if that goes smoothly then there be completion in about 5 months. However, there is every reason to consider that the residential proposal will not be problem-free, and there could be additional delays before the formal exchange of contracts.

East Greenwich Gyratory Works

Work has finally started on the Meridian Delta Section 106-funded works to improve the 'desire line' crossing options at this busy intersection beneath the A102 Blackwall Tunnel Approach flyover.

These include a new pedestrian crossing on the north side of the gyratory to facilitate pedestrian movements from the north side of the Woolwich Road to Sainsburys, Comet & B&Q, and a new bus gate to carry a service from Westcombe Hill in to the slip-road from the A102 to the gyratory. It has not yet been confirmed which route, or routes, will use this gate, but it is likely to be the 108. The 422 may use the gate, but will otherwise continue on its present route along Woolwich Road and Blackwall Lane and John Harrison Way to North Greenwich Station.

Planning applications , February 2006

Flat 1 73 Humber Road 06/0025 /F
Erection of single storey rear extension

Invicta School, Invicta Road 06/0026 /F
Erection of a new perimeter fence and gates and erection of a canopy

Barclays Bank, 43A Vanbrugh Park 06/0034 /A 06/0032 /F
Erection of two signs: one sign internally illuminated and one sign non-illuminated
and installation of an ATM machine on the north side elevation of building.

105 Humber Road 06/0048 /SD
Submission of details pursuant to condition 1 (Sound Insulation) of planning permission dated 21.12.05 (Ref No.05/2759/F) for the creation of one self-contained flat above and retain existing veterinary practice

195 Westcombe Hill 06/0096 /F
Use of part of rear garden for the erection of two parking spaces

32 Westcombe Park Road 06/0080 /TC
Fell cherry and lime trees in rear garden and replace with trees at least 2m in height

25D Mycenae Road 06/0146 /F
Demolition of existing single storey rear extension and erection of a new single storey rear extension

84 Coleraine Road 06/0260 /F
Loft conversion comprising two rear dormer windows and two Velux windows to the front (Re-submission)

2 Vanbrugh Castle 121 Maze Hill 06/0306 /F 06/0308 /L
Demolition of existing and erection of new roof terrace to provide enclosed structure

3A Coleraine Road 06/0300 /F
Erection of a single storey conservatory at rear of property

93 Westcombe Park Road 06/0291 /F
Demolition of existing garage at rear and erection of a single storey structure

Woodlands, Restell Close 06/0355 /TC 06/0359 /TC
Fell three sycamore trees on the steep bank and crown lift and thin max 30% Holm Oak.
Remove 22 young, 6 semi-mature and 3 mature sycamore trees and prune back 3 mature sycamores

47 Westcombe Park Road 06/0346 /F
Erection of two sets of gates to front driveway of property (Resubmission)

Threat to Tunnel Avenue plane trees

Blog visitor Indigo has posted the following item...

May I take advantage of your blog to request the Westcombe Society's support for the local residents' petition to the LBG asking the Council to work together with the local residents to find an alternative to a mass tree cull of all the 50-year-old plane trees?

You can download the petition narrative and form from;

http://www.maritime-greenwich.net/moodyblue/GT-THE-BC-PH-tunnel-avenue-petition.doc

The narrative includes a charming photograph of the plane trees when they were saplings, 50 years ago, complete with haystack in the foreground.

Greenwich Emotion Map

Local residents may be interested in the use of some amazing new tools, bio-mappers, to create an 'emotional map' of the Greenwich Peninsula. You will need to download a copy of Google Earth - now available for both PCs and Macs from;

Google Earth

The Project is fully documented at;

Greenwich Emotion Map

Peninsula.me.uk Project

This Project provides a new way to work with everyone in the Greenwich Peninsula area to build new ways of communicating local information and discussing local issues. Meet other East Greenwich and Peninsula residents and learn about your local area.

Forum@greenwich, 28th February, 2006, 6pm-8pm, or 4th March 2006, 11am-1pm. e-Mail: Forum@greenwich

Greenwich Transport for Sustainable Communities Conference

This is to be held at Greenwich University's Avery Hill Campus from 9.30am-1 pm on March 4th, 2006.

Workshops on Transport and Liveability, Transport Opportunity and Choice, Planning for the future transport needs of the borough.

Details: 020 8921 5915 or eMail emma.o'shea@greenwich.gov.uk

Further update on 108, 129 and 422 bus routes

Following consultations which took place last summer a response to the latest Council's letter of 30th November 2005 has been received from TfL/London Buses.

The revised proposalsd include retaining the 422 on its current routing via Woolwich Road, Blackwall Lane and John Harrison Way. This is likely to be welcomed as good news and reflects the strong views expressed by the Council, local residents and Millennium School parents during the consultation process.

Route 108 will be diverted via Sainsbury's/Odeon, as originally proposed, and supported by the Council, to provide a new direct link between Blackheath Village, Blackheath Standard and Sainsburys.

TfL have turned down the Council's proposals for the new route 129 which were that instead of following all the other routes along the busway through the Greenwich Millennium Village (GMV) to North Greenwich, it might run on from Sainsbury's/Odeon via Bugsbys Way and terminate at Charlton Station, thus providing residents of Greenwich and East Greenwich with a direct service to Asda and the new retail stores on both sides of Bugsbys Way, as well as to Sainsburys. The main reason given for turning down this suggestion is the need to provide extra capacity for passengers from the GMV to North Greenwich in the morning peak, although no figures have been provided to quantify this problem, as requested.

There has also been no response to the Council's suggestion that a cost benefit study could be undertaken to examine whether longer distance passengers (eg from Thamesmead, Woolwich and Eltham) could be provided with peak hour express services to North Greenwich to take the pressure off existing routes through the GMV. The proposed changes will result in an additional 11 buses/hour in each direction through the GMV, totalling 39 buses/hour each way (daytime) with route 422 continuing to provide a further 6 buses/hour each way along John Harrison Way.

Should anyone wish to comment on the revised proposals please do so by Friday 17th March 2006, in time for the Council to meet TfL's statutory consultation deadline of 24th March 2006.

Please send any email responses to: aneta.popiel@greenwich.gov.uk

Time to Listen Meeting

The next 'Time to Listen' meeting will be held at St. Alfege Church Hall, SE10 on 28th February at 7.30pm. Andrew Boag from London Buses will be in attendance - and Cllr. Mary Mills (Chair) looks forward to seeing lots of people with interesting and pertinent questions and points to put forward.

eMail: timetolisten@greenwich.gov.uk

Greenwich Market Future?

The Society is extremely concerned to learn from an article in the Evening Standard that the owners of the Greenwich Market site in Greenwich Town Centre, the Greenwich Hospital Trust, have announced that they propose to re-develop the site.

The Leader of Greenwich Council, Chris Roberts, has written an open letter to the Evening Standard in which he roundly condemns the proposal and urges a re-think.

If you are opposed to this move, then please ensure that you use every opportunity to voice your concern over this matter whenever the opportunity arises.

We will post more information here when we receive it.

108, 422 and new 129 route update

TfL Buses have responded to suggestions offered by Greenwich Council in their response to the original proposals - previously reported here. They indicate surprise at the level of response and interest, and suggest that the replies appear biased in favour of certain areas and don’t take in to account the needs of others. They state that they are pleased with the acceptance of the change to the 108 route to serve Sainsbury’s etc., but question whether the Council’s proposal to route the new 129 to serve Charlton Station involved a re-routeing away from North Greenwich. If so, it is considered that the prime purpose of the proposals, additional capacity through the GMV and an alternative link from Woolwich Road to North Greenwich, would not be achieved. They also state that the suggestion the 422 should use the proposed new bus gate in Westcombe Hill, but continue to service Woolwich Road and Blackwall Lane, would be taken in to account before a final decision is made. In conclusion they state that no final decisions have yet been taken over these proposals.

Greenwich Peninsula Update

Work is in progress on the development of the Piazza (aka Millennium Square), a large space, the equivalent of Leicester Square. The proposed opening date of the Piazza in summer 2007.

Improvement to public transport links include a bus priority lane at Westcombe Hill/A102M, prevention of rat running in Blackwall Lane, route 108 priorities north of Blackwall Tunnel, remote traffic messaging in the wider region and escalator works at North Greenwich (currently involving W/E closures of the station).

Developers will also be embarking on new soft landscaping (plants and trees). They will consult widely on this and work is due to be finished by mid-2007.

Discussions well advanced for Ravensbourne College to be accommodated on the Peninsula. They will have to fund the relocation through development of the College’s present site in Chislehurst, but this has currently been blocked by London Borough of Bromley. Discussions are continuing.

Westcombe Society Environment Committee (1/2006)

Some useful local transport links...

London Underground

South Eastern Trains, serving the Greenwich line and other local services

Live Departures from Greenwich Station

Live Departures from Maze Hill

Live Departures from Westcombe Park

London Buses

DLR Departures

North Greenwich Jubilee Line

Greenwich Council Car Club

Ever need to get your hands on a car for a few hours or an occasional weekend away?

Why not join the Greenwich Car Club?

What is the car club?
The car club is a pool of cars that members of the club can use.

Initially there will be 8 cars placed in the Town Centre in dedicated parking bays at four locations.

The car club will be operated by Streetcar and BioRegional in partnership with the Council.

How does it work?
When you join Streetcar you will be given a Smartcard.

You can use this card to access a pre-booked car at any time.

You can book a car over the phone or via the internet for periods of 30 minutes upwards.

How do I join?
For full details of the scheme and how to sign up, go to the Streetcar website.