SLM Digest 5-6-15

Sent: Friday, 5 June 2015, 19:02
Subject: Save Lea Marshes Weekly Digest

Whilst the marshes are fruitful, we can't say the same for objecting with common sense to Hackney Council... View this email in your browser SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! 5th JUNE 2015 This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes.  We are an open group of people in the Lea Valley area trying to keep the marshes and green spaces in our area open and free for all and to ensure that wildlife and people alike have a places to enjoy and hand on to future generations.  For more information about our work carried out entirely on a voluntary basis, please see our website www.saveleamarshes.org.uk We hoped against expectation that Hackney Council wouldn't vote through the plans for the North Marsh Sports Pavilion on open green space and car parking on North and East Marshes at the Planning Sub Committee on Wednesday evening, but of course they did. We were arguing that, although we are in no way opposed to the construction of improved facilities for sport, the proposed location and design of the pavilion will needlessly and severely impact on green open space, removing it from public use forever. Some councillors asked some very good questions but were fobbed off with some very poor responses from officers and associated consultants.  For example, when asked how the number of car parking spaces were arrived at, the reply was: “we came up with a number of parking places per player”, but gave no detail as to what this formula was or how it was applied.  The Chair of the committee also made it clear that the car park should not be used by anyone outside of sport playing hours – so will be exclusive.  This means we will be forever losing green space in order to locate private car parks on both North and East Marsh, displacing changing rooms on to presently grene space. There is coverage in both The Hackney Gazette (page 4) by Emma Bartholomew about the (then forthcoming) planning meeting and the Planning Inspectorate inquiry later this month http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/environment/hackney_council_decides_on_marsh_car_parks_ahead_of_inquiry_1_4097499 And coverage after the planning committee decision in the Hackney Citizen  http://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2015/06/04/marshes-pavilion-plns-green-light-council-public-inquiry including ongoing comment from those supporting the proposals and those against. If we can take away any positive outcomes from this experience, it would be the inaccuracies and general poor quality of the research informing the planning report; the Council failing to demonstrate that the present proposals were the only and best way to provide up to date facilities for sports players on Hackney Marshes - a point we will be taking up most strongly at PINs. Bizarrely enough we were handed a leaflet outside the meeting by supporters of the application, objecting to development in Redbridge on the basis it would destroy pitches on green belt land, 'endanger' residents with traffic hazard and 'build on a green area that reduces pollution'. Well quite! See p.18  www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk  TRIANGLE  - whilst Hackney Planning Sub Committee were meeting, over in Waltham Forest at the same time, the Lea Bridge local borough forum was hearing that Network Rail were permanently closing off the King Alfred’s Triangle area of the marshes (which some of us thought might be taken over by LVRPA ..). PETITION OF THE WEEK – our friends in the Belair Park Campaign have sent us news of a petition to stop Southwark Council from clearing trees and historic gravestones in order to make space for new burials in Southwark Woods.  The campaign recognises this is a sensitive topic but wants to save the wildlife area.  To find out more or sign the petition go to www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk VOLUNTEERING – If you live in Waltham Forest and would like to nominate someone for a volunteering award, nominations will close on 12 June 2015 and the ceremony will take place at the town hall in September.  There are five categories including under 25s; over 25s and volunteering as a team and the award judges will be looking for exceptional service and those who have achieved a great deal of improvement though volunteering.  For -further details contact  info@voluntaryaction-wf.org.uk or go to http://www.voluntaryaction.net/ EVENTS   the Tree Musketeers Spring Programme continues to provide some healthy outdoor exercise that will benefit the environment including:  Sunday 7 June at the Tree Nursery, Homerton Road E9 10.30- 2.00 p.m. baby tree car and also a plant sale (shrubs such as currants, holly, thorns) ; Saturday 13 June at Well Street Common E9 come help with trees and shrubs there and on Saturday 28 June its Abney Park Bio Blitz.  All events are free.  For more details go to http://treemusketeers.org.uk July 14 – there is a special launch event for the Greater London National Park proposal at Conway Hall, Holborn WC1.  This is coming hard on the heels of the good news that the London Assembly voted unanimously to back the project and this might lead to wider support from the GLA.  To find out more or contribute to the crowd-funding campaign go to http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/help-make-greater-london-a-national-park-city/ Other reminders –  this Saturday afternoon 1-3 p.m. at the Waterworks for the LVRPA workshop meeting – your chance to find out the latest proposals and make your views heard or you can head off on a bike to one of four  “Beating and Bicycling the Bounds” trips from 2pm onwards ending up at the Ferry Boat Inn details from www.wfcycling.org.uk or www.walthamhistoricalsociety.org.uk Next SLM meeting – 7.30 at the Princess of Wales, Lea Bridge Road – all welcome.  We’ll be girding our loins and sharpening our rapiers for the PINS Inquiry starting on June 16 at 10am at the Stoke Newington Assembly Hall, Stoke Newington Church Street N16 – so if you can, do come and support us.

SLM Digest 28-5-15

SAVE LEA MARSHES WEEKLY DIGEST 28 MAY 2015

This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes.  We are an open group of local people concerned about keeping the marshes and green spaces of the Lea Valley Area for the current and future benefit of wildlife and local people.  For more information about our work, please see our website www.saveleamarshes.org.uk

Firstly, a correction relating to last week’s digest.  The LVRPA workshop meeting is on SATURDAY not Sunday 6 June at the Waterworks Centre, Lea Bridge Road E10.  The agenda will include the Art Project for the Lea Bridge Road underpass and Essex Wharf.  Thank you to sharp eyed readers!

GIANT HOGWEED – this year’s crop spotted growing in the Nature Reserve, north of the fig tree at Middlesex Filter beds – sparked off a lively, on-line debate about invasive species and the rights and duties of landowners under the Wildlife & Countryside Act.  Section S.14 of the Act states that:  “It is only unlawful to wilfully plan or ‘cause it to grow’ in the wild.  DEFRA give no explicit obligation to manage invasive species not introduced into your land by your own actions”.  Conversations also included other species that have appeared on the marshes such as Ragwort (injurious to horses), and broad-leaved and curled docks (which I’m sure, most of us have used to ward off the itch of a nettle).  Readers will remember that other invasive species, Japanese Knotweed, which has been given as one of the causes of delay in reopening the Lea Bridge Road station.

IN THE PRESS - “Private Eye” has two stories of interest in this week’s edition (29 May-11 June), on page 39 – “Flop failure” on doom-mongering that a plague of flea beetles will devastate the UK’s production of oil seed rape. The National Farmers’ Union has asked the government to be excused from the EU-wide ban on neonicotinoid pesticides. Despite similar claims last year, however, figures show that UK (and French, German and Polish) farmers produced a bumper crop.  (Bee lovers note that going against the ban, would be a double whammy for the bees, not only the pesticides but also oil seed rape itself, can be harmful to bees).  The second story on page 13 about the outgoing Mayor of London, (three jobs Johnson), ditching his involvement with two mayoral developments, one of being the previously ‘all important’ London Legacy Development Corporation and its controversial Olympic stadium football plans. www.private-eye.co.uk

In Waltham Forest this week – the www.walthamforestguarian-series.co.uk  web page has a report by Zoie O’Brien on fundraising for a legal challenge against the “Mini-Holland” bicycle scheme through Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone by a group called E17 Streets 4 All.  The objection is centred on a stretch of Walthamstow “village”.  There is also report on the latest news concerning the long-running campaign to restore the EMD cinema.

Over in Hackney, the “Hackney Gazette’s” front page story by Emma Bartholomew under the headline of “Horror over canal ‘spaceship’ plans, on the planning application to build a futureistic seven storey building off Orsman Road, opposite Kingsland Basin, which will result in the loss of residents homes, workplaces and be potentially damaging to local wildlife. www.hackneygazette.co.uk

Hackney Residents – should receive along with their regular mailing of “Hackney Today” – a questionnaire from the Council, inviting views about the way the borough is changing and how it is affecting you.  This is also on-line at https://consultation-hackney.gov.uk or

www.hackney.dialogue-app.com  Presumably this gets around the conundrum of one survey per household?

ON AIR – NuSound Radio 92 FM features a broadcast with Mike Knowles, author of the Kindle book on saving Walthamstow Marsh – listen at

 https://radiopete.org.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/newsound-radio92fm-210515-mike-knowles-save-walthamstow-marsh.mp3

EVENTS

Wednesday 3 June at 6.30 – Hackney Planning Committee – on the agenda is the report concerning the plans for the Hackney sports pavilion and associated car parks on North and East Marsh.  Open to the public to attend.  The public can also attend the Planning Enquiry starting on Tuesday 16 June at 10.00 at Stoke Newington Assembly Halls, 186 Stoke Newington Church Street N16, where SLM will be putting forward its case against the current proposals.

Saturday 30-Sunday 31 May from 2.00-6.00 p.m., Hedge Herbs will be taking part in “Gone Wild” at the Herbal Health Bar at the Dalston Eastern Curb Garden, 13 Dalston Lane, London E8 3DF – lots of workshops, art events etc., to enjoy.  Also n on Sunday 31 May, Hedge Herbs will be taking part at an Organic Lea open Day at 115 Hawkwood  Crescent, Chingford, London E4 7UH, on the edge of Epping Forest.  Further details on these and a host of other events contact Rasheeqa on 07784 506 494 also on Facebook and Twitter @TwitteringHedge

Saturday 30 May, 2.00-3.45 p.m. Horticultural Hackney Walk (free), retrace the footsteps of gardeners and nursery men from Shoreditch and Hoxton from Tudor times to the present day.  Among other events being promoted by www.chelseafringe.com

6-7 June and 13-14 June, next door to the William Morris Gallery, Forest Road, Walthamstow, work resulting from last year’s “Hidden Voices Event” (attended by some SLM members) about what influences people to get involved in social action).  Further details

http://www.e17arttrail.co.uk/index.php?page=101&passedindex=136

Saturday 6 June 2.00 p.m. onwards (one of those days when lots of things are going on..), if you fancy a cycle around Waltham Forest , there is the “Beating and Bicycling the Bounds” event with four different routes on offer concluding at the Ferry Boat Inn late afternoon.  For further details go to the joint organisers Waltham Forest Cycling Campaign www.wfcycling.org.uk or Walthamstow Historical Society www.walthamstowhistoricalsociety.org.uk  or contact katya@kay-oss.com 

Wednesday 24^th June from 6.30-10.00 Sustainable Hackney will be having its AGM and also a Green Fair with stalls at Dalston Curve Garden, Dalston Lane E8.  For information and to apply for a stall go to info@sustainablehackney.org.uk

Next SLM meeting will take place at 7.30 at the Prince of Wales pub, Lea Bridge Road.  All welcome.  

Saving the Marshes book

Saving the Marshes book

Ice Centre redevelopment

Ice Centre

Springfield Marina amenity block

On 23 Apr 2015, at 10:26, Farris, Alex <AFarris@leevalleypark.org.uk> wrote:

Hi Abi

I’d just like to make you and the SLM group aware of a planning application that LVRPA is about to submit to update facilities at Springfield Marina.

The Authority is intending to apply for planning permission to the LB Waltham Forest for a new amenity block at the Marina.  The scheme will  involve the partial demolition of the existing shower/toilet block and removal of the existing disabled toilet facilities which will be included in an improved facility designed to serve the boaters who use the Marina.  On the assumption that planning permission will be granted during the summer it is anticipated that works will commence shortly after with completion in September.

The Marina is now managed by the Lee Valley Leisure Trust.

Please get back to me if you have any queries on the matter.

Kind regards

Alex Farris – Green Spaces Manager
Parklands & VenuesDirect: 01992 709917

Fax 0845 612 9111
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Myddelton House, Bulls Cross, Enfield,
Middlesex, EN2 9HG
Tel: 01992 717711 Fax: 01992 709922
www.leevalleypark.org.uk

Katy Andrews

Katy Andrews, a passionate campaigner to protect the Lea Valley from development, has suddenly died. She will be sorely missed.

Katy Andrews

Hogweed

If you would like to see a spectacular stand of Giant Hogweed (a notifiable noxious weed which landowners can be fined for not eradicating) look no further than the nature reserve area just north of the fig tree at Middlesex Filter Beds!
There is Japanese knotweed and possibly Himalayan balsam too, but the hogweed is truly spectactular!
I presume it is Thames Water's concern, but the EA are responsible for the lower Lea, which is likely to prove responsible for much of the future spread if this is not quickly dealt with.
Katy.