Love Ladywell Fields?

For more information on the likely discussion topics see http://ladywellfields.blogspot.co.uk

Robert Sheppard

River Clean-Up in Ladywell Fields - Sunday 16 November

Get out on Mothering Sunday, 30 March

Ladywell improvements - Streetworks now imminent



The Council has indicated that the streetscape work will be completed this Spring in five phases, starting at Algernon Road, then progressing into Ladywell Road east by the railway bridge then working west towards the mini-roundabout at the junction of Adelaide Avenue. The provisional schedule (which has yet to be signed-off with the contactor, London Buses and various underground service providers) is as follows - but may change during the course of the works:

1. Works at the Algernon Road (eastern) end of the scheme will start within the next week or so, probably on 11 or 18 February, with drainage works incl. the moving of gullies to new kerb alignment positions.

2. Footpath and kerbing works in Algernon Road will commence from 26 February. All property owners at 251-259 Algernon Road (incl. the Post Office and Barbers) have given permission for their forecourts to be repaved so the whole of this pavement from kerb to buildings will be one neat stretch of paving rather than the current hotch-potch. This is splendid news and will look great when completed!

3. On 1 March there will be road closure on Algernon Road to enable sewer works, and drainage works will continue to 8 March.

4. 8-26 March - lowering of Algernon Road carriageway and construction of speed tables at Gillian Street, Mercy Terrace and Algernon Road

5. 18 March - work on Ladywell Road will commence, with two way lights for the most part, but complete closure for periods of time if necessary.

For a reminder about the project see the item on the Council website.  Should you have any detailed questions/issues you can email les.senior@lewisham.gov.uk

Robert Sheppard

Coral-Coomes bow to pressure over flats

The Ladywell Village improvement Group’s long-running campaign to force Coral-Coomes to renovate the landmark double fronted flat above the Coral betting shop at 228-230 Algernon Rd might soon bear fruit.

Inspired by the recent Channel 4 programme – Phil Spencer’s Empty Homes Giveaway – which featured LVIG’s campaign to bring the flats back into use, Nick Long, Lewisham’s empty homes officer, has been putting pressure on Coral-Coomes to renovate the properties.

Earlier this year he applied to the residential property tribunal for an interim empty dwelling management order which could be used to force Coomes to repair and let the property.

But this week Coomes property manager Ashley Hall met Mr Long and indicated the bookmaker was now looking at improving the flats above three betting shops in the borough -  228-230 Algernon Rd,  347-349 Lee High Road, and 357 Sydenham Rd.

Mr Hall indicated Coomes would start work shortly on the six flats above their Lee High Rd shop.. Once completed, rental income from these flats will be used to renovate Corals on the corner of Algernon Rd. A builder is understood to be inspecting the long neglected flat this month.

The large flat is in a poor condition, with broken windows, peeling paint, and a deteriorating roof. It has long been seen by the local community as a sad waste of a family home at a time of acute housing shortage in London. It has been an eyesore on the high street for more than 10 years but Coral-Coomes had always refused to take responsibility for renovating the property.

But Coomes hs now told Mr Long that they have taken a strategic decision to rationalise  the ownership and control of their property portfolio across south east London to generate capital and maximise potential rental income.

 They are reducing the number of shops they own from 49 to 32 because of the tough competition they are now facing from on line betting and a growing number of high street competitors.

Mr Long said that as soon as Coomes confirm the undertakings they have given to the council and builders start work he will adjourn his case before the residential property tribunal  to give the bookmaker time to complete the projects and bring the dwellings back into occupation. 

As Mr Long said: “These are early days but it is encouraging”.

Coomes' about turn on these properties shows that determined action by the local community can force change. LVIG hopes Coomes will now move quickly in 2012 to bring this landmark property back into full and proper use. TonyM

.

Planters now restocked and tidied-up

(The planter outside Doorstep Bakery - before and after)

Thanks to all who showed-up on Sunday morning to refill, restock and tidy the planters for winter.  Thanks especially to Sue Luxton for initiating this and bringing the plants and compost.  Please help by litter-picking when you go past - it really makes things a lot easier if everyone shares responsibility!

Robert Sheppard

Ladywell Walking Tour leaflet now available!

The Ladywell Fields User Group, the Ladywell Society and the Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries have, with financial help from Lewisham Council, produced a leaflet which details two short walks around Ladywell.  Copies will be available at the Ladywell Assembly meeting this evening and, from later this week, in some local shops.  If you cannot get hold of a copy email your name and address to ladywell.info@gmail.com and we'll try to drop a copy in to you before Christmas.

Robert Sheppard

A step forward for streetscape?

A local resident who visited a council tent at Lewisham People’s Day has heard that work is progressing on proposed improvements in Ladywell. An engineer from the Wearside Rd depot explained that his colleagues, currently busy making improvements in Sydenham, are starting to model proposed changes to the Ladywell streetscape. Good news. Perhaps local councillors can confirm that the preparatory work is indeed progressing! Anybody else heard anything? TonyM

Ladywell Fields progress

Many of you are, doubtless, users of Ladywell Fields and will have been following with interest progress on the 'Parklands' improvements to Ladywell Fields, now scheduled for completion this April.  For recent photos (some of variable quality - apologies!), or to become a friend of Ladywell Fields on Facebook, see www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48838&id=100001380559134&l=7979cffe22.  A lot has been achieved in a short time and there's a lot of bare soil at present, but this should green-up naturally from now through to the Summer.
Robert Sheppard

Mmm . . . Morley's is coming

LVIG understands Morley's is about to take over the old off licence (drinks store) on Algernon Rd. Famous for its cut-price takeaway fried chicken, Morley’s will definitely be a big hit with school kids in the area. But does Ladywell need it? Fried chicken is the fastest growing of all fast foods, with outlets springing up all over the place. It’s cheap and cheerful but hazardously rich in fats and salts – not great for a healthy diet. Ladywell also has at least four takeaway outlets already in addition to a few other eateries. Some councils are imposing penalties on new takeaways in a bid to stop them taking over local high streets. So far Lewisham has let the market decide. But should it take a tougher approach to planning applications for takeaways so it can do more to protect the character of an area?  What do you think?

Rising from the ruins

It's taking shape. No.46 Ladywell Road, long an eyesore on the high street, is beginning to look like a decent shop unit again.
After a prolonged campaign by LVIG and sustained pressure from Lewisham council the old Nightwatch was sold to new owners who are turning it into two small flats and a shop unit. Work should be completed some time in the spring.
All we need now is a sustainable business to take over the premises! What kind of shop would you like to see in the high street?

Campaign on eyesore buildings hots up

Ladywell Village has plenty of interesting architecture, which has recently earned it Conservation Area status, but many of the once proud buildings are now left empty, are poorly maintained or spoilt by unsympathetic shopfronts and awnings, illuminated box signs etc.  There are few examples worse than the flats above Coral bookmakers which are highly visible, unoccupied and in a poor state of repair.  The Council's Empty Property Officer is on the case, but so far he's been unable to make much progress.  However, neither he nor LVIG are prepared to give up this battle.  Watch this space for more on this in the coming months.

Council pulls the plug on community garden

Community garden hopes dashed

Lewisham council has, in a complete reversal of its position last Autumn, withdrawn its support for a community garden on the former Watergate School site at the end of Church Grove, Ladywell.

Having encouraged locals to make use of the site on a short lease, the council has now backed out. It seems that whilst officers in one part of the Council were supportive of the garden idea, others had earmarked the site to build a school annexe in 2012 and were concerned that it might be difficult to take back the land at the end of 2011 once it had become a thriving and popular community garden.

Whilst residents cautiously welcome a return to education use, they do feel they've rather been led down the garden path and wonder whether some more joined-up thinking is needed at Lewisham council?  

Conservation plan for the Play Tower

What next for the tower?

The Council has let a contract to consultants for a Conservation Management Plan to be carried out on the Play Tower in Ladywell Road. This will provide up to date information on the state of the building and set out options for its reuse. The Council is also in the process of letting contracts for some structural work to the building. The start of both of these has been delayed due to the need to clear all bio-hazards and all other waste materials and collapsed tower sections from the site to enable full access to the building. The Council has said the works will start in January and last three months.

 In the meantime, a charitable trust is being formed by four organisations interested in taking over the building and securing funding for its refurbishment. They are three voluntary sector umbrella organisations active in the borough and a local church that would use the building to deliver community projects. Currently legal documents are being drawn up for approval prior to submission to the Charities Commission. Once the trust has been set up the intention is to promote it among the wider community as part of a consultation on the future use of the building. TonyR

Streetscape improvements face uncertain future

Mayor Sir Steve Bullock and his cabinet decided on Tuesday that funding would not be made available next year for the Ladywell Streetscape project but it would be Lewisham council’s “next major scheme”.
In the discussions on transport strategy in the borough (the LIP - Local Implementation Plan) and use of available Transport for London Funding, the Mayor and his cabinet decided Lewisham had little room for manoeuvre.
Deputy Mayor Cllr. Alan Smith argued Lewisham’s two largest transport schemes - Surrey Canal Road underpasses (£500k) and Sydenham High Street (£600k) - were already in train and that the council was already to some extent committed to them. Ladywell would therefore have to wait its turn.
But as Cllr. Smith emphasised at the meeting, beyond next year, the three-year LIP submission is "aspirational", reflecting the uncertainties in public sector funding because of central government spending cuts.
So where does that leave Ladywell?
Under the proposals, Ladywell’s project is set to be covered by £500k in 2012-13 and £260k in 2013-14. But we now know that none of this funding can be guaranteed given the 20-25% budget cuts most public bodies will face.
It is therefore vital that LVIG and the local community keep up pressure on the council to implement the streetscape action plan and revive our neighbourhood. Feasibility work on the plan will take place next year as scheduled.
LVIG collected 407 signatures in support of its streetscape plans. Along with some intensive lobbying, we made sure the case for the scheme was acknowledged and understood by councillors.
As a result the mayor welcomed the constructive approach taken by LVIG and secured cabinet consensus on the Ladywell project being the council’s “next major scheme.”
We will now have to keep up the campaigning to ensure that the Mayor and his cabinet stick to their commitments.

Progress in the park

Work on the Parklands project which will bring about major improvements to the middle and southern parts of Ladywell Fields (from the end of Malyons Rd right down to Catford), has started. The £1.2m project, funded by LDA/Thames Gateway, will involve river renaturalisation, landscaping works and extensive tree planting and will provide new riverside features, play facilities, an event space, some new pathways and bridges, refurbished tennis courts and better signage. See the up to date master plan on the council's website and pictures of the work so far at the Ladywell Fields User Group Facebook page

Construction of the new adventure playground is also progressing. This should be fully up and running by the autumn. Robert Sheppard

Who's chicken?

So for how much longer are the residents of Ladywell expected to play a risky game of chicken each time they want to cross

Ladywell Rd.

The traffic lights at the crossing have now been out of action for a week and there seems little sign of them being switched back on any time soon. I was crossing on Saturday and a driver slowed down and then inexplicably stepped on the accelerator as I reached the middle of the road. Thanks. So what’s going on? I can’t help feeling someone in Transport for London has decided that because of the temporary lights at the end of

Chudleigh Rd

, where road works are taking place, the Ladywell crossing lights should be disabled in order not to slow down traffic during the day. I mean, it just wouldn’t do to make drivers stop twice in a 200 metre stretch of road would it?. Imagine the chaos. But what about residents dashing to catch the morning trains?  TonyM

LINC project

Ladywell Assembly is taking part in an exciting new project aimed at helping communities to reduce their impact on the environment and climate change. It is hoped that the project will also provide a boost to community action and the local economy. There will be a consultation meeting held on 8th January at Prendergast School (in the New Science Block on Adelaide Avenue), from 7pm-9pm, which will be open to everyone who lives, works and studies in the Ladywell ward. To find out if you do, visit Lewisham Council website (www.lewisham.gov.uk) and enter your postcode into the page about ‘your councillor’. The consultation meeting will be facilitated by Impetus Consulting Ltd, a south London environmental consultancy. There will be a mix of presentations and discussions designed to draw out the environmental needs and concerns of the community. These will be used to develop an action plan for the community. The LINC Team will then help local people deliver this plan. Further information is available from Tony Rich, E: tony@richregeneration.com.