Tuesday 24 November 2015

Lea Bridge - Mini Holland plans

Lea Bridge Road Mini Holland plans

SLM Digest 20-11-15

SAVE LEA MARSHES WEEKLY DIGEST 20 NOVEMBER 2015

This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes – an open group of people living in the Lea Valley area campaigning to keep the local marshes and green spaces free of unnecessary development and left in good condition for nature and for present and future generations.

This week is – budget edition (without Heron).  I have been on a workshop today to help balance my time more effectively and as a consequence haven’t had so much time to produce the weekly update.  Such a modern dilemma!  SLM’s meeting agenda and on-line communications this week have mainly concerned:
·       Dialogue with Hackney Council on the plans to remove the car park from East Marsh and “wild the space”.  We’ve been working with other local groups on this, such as Hackney Marsh Users Group and are broadly in agreement over what we would like to see done, with the exception of whether the current access gates stay or are replaced by smaller-scale pedestrian access gates.  There are pros and cons on this but SLM’s view is that vehicular access should be discouraged and that the access point is not ideal in the approach to the road.
·       Horseshoe Island – we discussed the re-appearance of boats mooring and people not respecting the land there at our last meeting and propose to write to the Canals and River Trust and get them to come to a future Lee Valley Regional Park Authority workshop (if the LVRPA agree to this), to look at a better way forward.  This is an issue which has been around the block a few times, so we’re giving it another go!
·       Pursuing an Freedom of Information inquiry with Transport for London over transport and parking issues resulting from the Planning Inspectorate process in June.  TFL is “dragging its feet” in coming up with a response, promising a letter by 7 December....
·       We are also continuing to draw attention to Tree 46 on Hackney Marshes which is scheduled to be eradicated and replaced by a car park and the surrounding trees which might have their roots affected so do follow us on Twitter @treefortysix
BEES ON THEIR KNEES -  I heard on Wednesday’s Radio 4 “Today” Programme, an explanation on the negative effect of Nicontinoid pesticides on honey bees – it effects the reproduction of honey bees, with the hive compensating by creating more worker bees.  This news followed on from an article in the Sunday Times last Sunday 15.11.15,p25. http://www.sundaytimes.co.uk  “New crop protection is the bees’ knees” – about factory farmed bumble bees that could be deployed to deliver pesticides to crops, protecting plants including strawberries, apples and rapeseed from fungus – basically by having a tray of pesticide powder that the specially designed hives would have at the entrance for the bees to walk through before they fly out.  I can see big flaws in this plan – it sounds like another misguided attempt to interfere with nature and rapeseed fields, which are reported to have bad effects on bees....

IN THE NEWS – this item just missed last week’s Weekly Digest but is worth mentioning in case anyone missed it in last Thursday’s “Evening Standard”, 12.11.15, “Let’s build on green belt..” an article presenting the rise of London house prices and the rise of commuters coming into London and saying that some of the green belt could be spared for housing,  to reduce the numbers of commuters http://www.standard.co.uk/business/let-s-build-on-green-belt-to-squeeze-on-commuters-a3112971.html
Personally, I didn’t buy this argument – commuters would still have to travel and building on green belt would be more luxury houses at unaffordable prices. 
In the Sunday Times, p.30 15.11.15 “So this is our grand Olympic Legacy”, by Dominic Laswson – an interesting piece veering from the recent Olympic drugs scandal to the statement that “to my complete lack of surprise, the London Olympics did nothing at all to attract children into athletics”.   Worth a read http://www.sundaytimes.co.uk/comment
This week’s “Hackney Gazette” has a number of housing/planning related stories.. on page 1 “Council’s new build sell off fear”, about rare new social housing that might have to be sold off  if the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill is passed; “Skyscraper shadow cast over Shoreditch” – on the protest last Sunday,p.p.4-5; “Residents locked out of road plan meeting”, residents had to be addressed in the street as the booked room was too small.. this concerns the Hackney Council plan to close off 16 roads in London Fields, p.7 and more on the borough’s school building plans which involve offsetting costs by incorporating private housing into the plans “New generations ‘short changed’ by school proposals.. p.15 www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news
EVENTS
Dalston Curve Garden – winners of the best local cultural place in Hackney in 2005 by “Time Out”, have activities celebrating a Festival of Light.  On Saturday 21 and Sunday 28 November there are free (just turn up) events for children and all to make lanterns out of fruit and veg. (you are requested to leave the lanterns behind) and on Tuesday 24 November and 1 December, there are paper shadow lanterns to be made..  Winter opening hours for the Curve Garden are Daily from 11.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m., Saturday open from 11 a.m. until 11.00 p.m. and Sunday closing at 10.00 p.m.  There are also wood-fired Pizzas on sale at weekends.   Further information from
Sustainable Hackney’s upcoming events include “The Big Fix” event on Saturday 21 – find out more at
http://sustainablehackney.org.uk/ and click events, they, SLM (look out for our banner), and Green Peace will all be at the Climate Change March on 29 November.  Greenpeace are producing a “march kit” – if you would like one contact team.uk@greenpeace.org.uk by this Sunday.  Greenpeace will be meeting at 11.30 at the Wellington Arch on the morning of the March.
Next SLM meeting will be on Monday 30 November at the Princess of Wales pub, Lea Bridge Road, Hackney from 7.30.  All welcome.

And finally .. SLM received a tweet from @help 4 Hedge.. about being hedgehog aware when digging compost etc.

SLM Digest 13-11-15

To: yahoo group <saveleytonmarsh@yahoogroups.co.uk>



 


Save Lea Marshes is an open group of  local people concerned to keep the marshes and green spaces of the Lea Valley open and green for wildlife and local people.  For further information go to
www.saveleamarshes.org.uk

 
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SLM Weekly Digest

Keep Our Marshes Open and Green!

This week, with the exception of housing development meeting organised to discuss the Lea Bridge Road developments (as reported previously), which we don’t know the outcome of yet, discussion has been mainly Hackney based...
 
  • Hackney Council have shared with us draft plans for the replacement of the car park on East Marsh with a brownfield habitat (discussions have not been concluded yet – we’ll keep you updated).
  • New plans being submitted for conversion of the existing 'Old School Nook' building at 146a Lea Bridge Road (reference number 2013/2118), to 2 x 2 bed flats  (this is the historic building near the Prince of Wales public House, which used to be used for schooling children of canal families).  There is a community plan to use the place for an historical project seeking Heritage Funding.  Anyone who wants to object to the flat conversion should write to the Planning Officer Gareth Barnett by  27 November or use the online service viawww.hackney.gov.uk/planning-applications
  • Horseshoe Island – there have been boats moored near the Island with people lighting fires and using the space again.  This bit of land near the Ice Rink is the responsibility of the Canals and Rivers Trust (CaRT), but the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority try to keep an eye on it (because it is a bird habitat, with swans nesting etc).  They would like to negotiate with CaRT to take over its management.  SLM will be discussing this matter at its next meeting (see below).
IN THE PRESS – a bit of promising news from the Waltham Forest Guardian is that a 45-house development plan on green belt land is likely to be refused as planning officers are not backing it at the Epping Forest District Council. Other great news from that area is that a petition to keep the forest free of charge has smashed the 12,000 signatures mark! See http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/14023041.Organiser__astounded__as_forest_petition_smashes_12_000_signature_barrier/

The Hackney Gazette features a front page story about Hackney Council reassessing a planning decision to grant permission for a block of luxury flats which would block out the light to an adjoining school playground due to a covenant written into the deeds in 2001.  On page 4 more news on a plan for allotment gardens at Hackney stations (further information from
Reclaimed London ) and on page 8 “Edible Park planting to begin” – the long-cherished idea to start an edible park thought up by the Mabley Green Users Group is finally getting underway in the New Year. www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news

PETITION OF THE WEEK – the Government is considering making changes to the Freedom of Information Act by clamping down on how the public can use it.  FOIs are a hard-won right which came to prominence over the issue of members of Parliament spending from the public purse (duck houses et al).  To sign the petition go tohttps://www.cfoi.org.uk/campaigns/stop-foi-restrictions/

CONGRATULATIONS – to our friends at The Mill – whose art postcard fundraising event raised enough money to pay their rent for a year as well as support 55 homeless people for a safe bed and breakfast for a night.  The Mill are currently recruiting for volunteers to help with their publicity further details from TheMill@coppermill.org.uk

EVENTS
Join Sustainable Hackney and others at a demonstration against the planned mega-storey flats at the Bishopsgate Goodsyard, being organised by Defend Council Housing. Sunday, November 15 from 11-3.00 p.m. meet at Shoreditch Overground.

Vision Redbridge are asking green-fingered volunteers are asked to help for a day of woodland coppicing at Hainault Country Park on Thursday 26 November – meet at 10.00 a.m. in the Car Park on Romford Road.  Finish 2.30 p.m.  Dress appropriately.

Friends of the Earth and Biofuelswatch are putting on a free film screening of “Threatened Forests” – about the impacts of the UK biofuels industry on U.K. energy policy, Tuesday 17 November from 6.30 p.m. at the FoE office, 139 Clapham Road, SW9 8HP 

The Waltham Forest FoE are having their regular third Tuesday of the month meeting on 17 November at the back of the Rose & Crown, 55 Hoe Street, Walthamstow and the main topic will be on Divest – persuading Waltham Forest Council to change its pensions policy and favour more sustainable choices of investment.

The People’s March for Climate, Justice and Jobs (a family-friendly demonstration), takes place on Sunday 29 November from 12.00 noon at Hyde Park towards Parliament.  Sustainable Hackney will be represented as will SLM and its new banner!

Next SLM meeting will be on Monday 16 November at 7.30 at the Princess of Wales Pub, Lea Bridge Road.  New people always welcome to attend.
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Copyright © 2015 Save Lea Marshes, All rights reserved.
You signed up for this email by contacting us directly or ticking a sign up sheet on a petition.

Our mailing address is:
Save Lea Marshes
c/o The Hornbeam Centre
458 Hoe St
Walthamstow, London E17 9AH
United Kingdom

SLM Digest 6-11-15

To: yahoo group <saveleytonmarsh@yahoogroups.co.uk>






Remember to check out our website: www.saveleamarshes.org.uk
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SLM Weekly Digest


Keep Our Marshes Open and Green!

This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes – an open group of people living in the Lea Valley area, concerned to keep the marshes and other green spaces in good condition for wildlife and local people and to ensure that development does not encroach on our vital “Green Lung”.

Last weekend, the River Lea and the marshes was swathed in a thick fog and looked fittingly spooky for Halloween.  On Sunday morning, I was taken with the way that the mist was rising up from the water as the sun started to break through.  Enough – what else has been going on?

On the SLM front we are continuing our efforts to get rid of the concrete and other car-parking edifices from East Marsh with cooperation from Hackney Council and keeping a watching brief on things such as building developments and the Mini Holland Scheme in Waltham Forest (more later).

Tree '46' is continuing to tweet from Hackney Marshes in an attempt to save itself from the Council's axe. Check out its words of wisdom @tfortysix

We are also working on new publicity and merchandising new products for fundraising including our new calendar which will be available for sale by the end of the month. It features more beautiful images taken by local lovers of the marshes so that's one present sorted in advance!

“MINI- HOLLAND” OR “DOUBLE DUTCH”?  An active local resident has informed SLM that she has written to both local MP Stella Creasy and Waltham Forest Council querying the removal of bus lanes and bus stops from the Lea Bridge Road.  The removal of bus lanes wasn’t mentioned in the original consultation and our local resident wants to know where this idea has come from and what are the sources of research which have led to this action?

IN THE PRESS

SLM has received an email of monthly news from the newly-established Waltham Forest Echo – there is more coverage of the “Mini Holland” scheme but also included in this eighth issue is an interview with an SLM member talking about her experience at the recent Public Inquiry on North and East Marsh developments.  TheWaltham Forest Echo has just had one of its regular consultations with members of the public this week but if anyone would like to have something included in Issue 9 the copy deadline is 19 November contact: wfecho@socialspider.com

The Waltham Forest Guardian has a story this week about a new car-free development of a four- storey block of nine flats that will go up on site at 590 High Road, Leytonstone – that’s the good news.  The bad news is that none of these flats is at an affordable price and WF Council will only receive £85k to spend on housing priority elsewhere – not even the cost of a garage!
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news

Over in Hackney, the Hackney Gazette has on p.1. “Voter Crisis could rob Hackney of MP” in the next election if people don’t check their vote under the Government’s new changes and find themselves disenfranchised and with a drop in numbers not meet the constituency requirements; on page 5, more on  road blocking plans in London Fields/De Beauvoir, which has residents divided; p9  Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground in Daubney Road gets voted the best in London by the London Adventure Play Awards and on p.7 “Mayor’s (of Tower Hamlets and Hackney) team up to fight goodsyard skyscrapers” by planning a conference to raise concerns.  These are mega-blocks of 48 storeys – which if the local Mayors don’t succeed will to the London Mayor, Boris and three guesses ...  http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk

Nationally – today’s Guardian 5 November, p.12 has “Fracking plan for nature sites is finally axed”, however, Greenpeace are not totally convinced and their spokesperson said:  “This seems like a statement to mollify concerned backbenchers but lacking the substance to actually protect the countryside from fracking pollution”.

Wednesday’s Guardian had an article on “Tiny beetle poses new threat to Britain’s ash trees”, which could be worse than Ash Dieback.. p.9 http://www.guardian.co.uk

CROSSRAIL – there are some consultation meetings being organised.  To check the latest go to
http://www.crossrail2.co.uk

EVENTS

Saturday 14th November 2-4pm: An Autumnal Plant Walk over Walthamstow Marshes
Meet at 1.45pm at the Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow E17 7HA 
Guided by the Gone Wild Herbs collective - Rasheeqa, Sarah & Steph: "We'll walk up to the marshes and take a ramble in the green freshness to see what's still out there this time of year that can bring us medicinal and edible joy, stopping to explore the uses of particular plants and  share collective  knowledge around traditional recipes."

If you're interested to join, please contact Rasheeqa on 07784 506 494 or email: rasheeqa@hedgeherbs.org.uk - £7.50/ £5 concessions

With all this gloom and doom going on if you fancy a laugh there are some Red Imp Comedy nights happening at Ye Old Rose and Crown, including Dec 5 with Sara Pascoe and Lenny Beige’s Christmas Smorgasboard on December 8.  For full details and prices go to http://www.redimpcomedyclub.co.uk
Next SLM meeting will be on Monday 16th November at 7.30pm at the Princess of Wales pub, Lea Bridge Road – all welcome.
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Copyright © 2015 Save Lea Marshes, All rights reserved.
You signed up for this email by contacting us directly or ticking a sign up sheet on a petition.

Our mailing address is:
Save Lea Marshes
c/o The Hornbeam Centre
458 Hoe St
Walthamstow, London E17 9AH
United Kingdom