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Fears that new parking restrictions have already been decided

Lewisham Council has taken a small but significant step towards implementing new parking measures in parts of Lee under the Sustainable Streets programme.

At a meeting on May 21st the Mayor and Cabinet agreed “for the Executive Director of Place to use their delegated powers to consider any objections received during statutory consultation on the permanent traffic order and make any applicable decision as a result.”

Hayley Whitchurch, the Sustainable Streets Project Officer told the Lee Manor Society: “The Mayor and Cabinet approval in May gives the Executive Director of Place the ability to approve and sign off reports regarding objections received following a statutory consultation. It also gives the Executive Director the powers to sign off or consider any changes following a review of installed measures in areas or CPZ.

“It means that we will not need to return to seek Mayor and Cabinet approval for any changes following a 6-12month review for any existing or new CPZ implemented.”

Residents on the East side of the Lee Green ward were consulted on the proposed measures. earlier this year. Lewisham Council has told The Lee Manor Society the proposals will be discussed by the Mayor and Cabinet in July.

Ms Whitchurch explained “We will not require Mayor and Cabinet approval for any areas that we review as part of the Sustainable Streets Programme.

“We have not implemented any measures in Lee Green or Phase 2 areas and therefore need to present the findings to Mayor and Cabinet which will be in July. If we implement any Sustainable Street measures in new areas (such as Lee), we will carry out a review 6-12 months after by seeking further feedback from residents and businesses via consultation. If we then propose any changes following the review, these can be considered and approved by the Executive Director of Place.”

“This sounds suspiciously as though it has all been decided but councillors and officers don’t want to own up,” said Charles Batchelor. “Officers were too frightened to come to the last (and final) assembly meeting to explain matters. .It appears that councillors, who depend on residents’ votes, are handing increasing powers over to officers who do not consider it their role to interact directly with those residents.

“Item 1.3 of the mayor and cabinet’s sustainable streets document of May 21 also refers to ‘a review of existing CPZs which the council undertook public consultation on amendments to align them towards the sustainable streets programme’. This raises the issue of the 10am-noon controls west of Burnt Ash Road being extended to all-day.”

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Glendale to trial patrols in Manor House Gardens to combat anti-social behaviour

Glendale is to trial afternoon patrols in Manor House Gardens in a bid to combat the wave of anti-social behaviour there.

The company, which is contracted to manage the Gardens, will mount patrols between 4 pm and 6 pm for the next two weeks, and will monitor activity near the Taunton Road entrance where the worst trouble has occurred recently.

The Chair of the Friends of Manor House Gardens welcomed the move and added “If successful, we would expect this to be extended over the school holidays with additional patrol officers recruited as required.”

In the last week vandals have torn down the netting in the football/basketball court, and wrecked the lock on the tennis courts. Both are now closed to the public.

Vandalised netting
Damaged tennis court lock

The Friends have invited Glendale and Lewisham Council to commit to a zero-tolerance policy of anti-social behaviour in the Gardens and provide the resources to stamp it out. The Friends, and Pistachios café, have both offered to help fund additional measures, if necessary.

A new petition to get CCTV installed has now attracted more than 600 signatures.

The Friends have told Glendale and the Council “We are disappointed about the slow progress of CCTV installation which has now stalled over the last 12 weeks. We understand the challenges but require both of you to commit to get this back on track in the next 2 weeks with a clear delivery timeline.”.

He is also due to meet the Police soon, when he will push for a more proactive approach to criminal behaviour in the park.

The Friends say “Although the council considers Manor House Gardens to be in an affluent area of Lewisham most of the our visitors are not. It is the poorest in our community who are impacted the most from not being able to use the park safely.” 

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How the proposed Leegate Tower will look

These images tell their own story. They are in London Square’s new document, published on the Leegate regeneration website, which reproduces the material they displayed at the recent exhibition about their plans for the site. You can read the entire document here.

Michael Haste, Lee Manor Society’s planning expert, has been counting the storeys in the artist’s impression and thinks it’s even more than the proposed eighteen.

He says: ” I am certain that there are a total of 19 floors shown above ground, which when the basement level is included provides for a building of 20-storeys (including basement level) not ‘up to 15-storeys (including basement level)…’ as is currently approved. This gives an increase of 5-storeys not 3-storeys over the current approved Application as London Square are quoting.”

Lee Manor Society will be objecting to the current section 96a planning application by London Square which just asks Lewisham Council to remove the reference to the number of storeys on the tower. If approved they will then be able to apply to raise the height of the tower by way of a further section 73 application under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

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Petition for CCTV in Manor House Gardens to combat anti-social behaviour

A Lee resident has launched a petition to get CCTV installed in Manor House Gardens, after a series of ugly incidents and anti-social behaviour there.

Ali Billenness said she had acted after the mugging of two girls and an attempted break-in in Taunton Road. In addition, vandals have torn down the netting in the basketball court,

“I have noticed a real change in the park in recent months. Fewer children are coming to the park, no one is playing football and more, young children no longer scoot around the MUGA and friends with dogs have reported being intimidated and harassed. It is really saddening to see and I think the CCTV would help,” said Ali.

You can find the petition here.

Ali added: “It has really been escalating in recent months and sadly getting more serious. It would be so sad if we get the wonderful public art installations and then they are vandalised. My children (12 and 14) don’t even want to go into the park now and most of their friends feel the same way sadly.

“The local police have been called out to the park more than 30 times in the past three months alone. So, there’s an argument that not having any deterrent or evidence-gathering tool is also costing money (just on a different budget).”

Lime bikes dumped in the Quaggy

The Friends of Manor House Gardens supported the idea of a petition. “CCTV has been agreed in principle by Glendale, Lewisham Council and the police.
“The scoping work has been done. I think costs have escalated due to the need to install a post for the camera which requires a cherry picker to move into position.”