A baby in the house?

To encourage families to switch to real nappies Lambeth council is issuing free Real Nappy Packs to families agreeing to use real (reusable) nappies for babies up to age 6 months. As part of Real Nappy Week starting on Monday 15th April you can drop into Brockwell Park One O’Clock Club ( just inside the park – by Arlingford Road SW2 entrance)  on Wednesday 17th April between 1pm and 2pm for advice and to collect your pre-booked Real Nappy Pack.

For more details see post dated 8th April on  http://lambethenvironment.wordpress.com  or email realnappies@lambeth.gov.uk

Lambeth families throw away 2,000 tonnes of disposable nappies every year – costing tax payers nearly £300,000 a year. Families can save up to  £650 a year by switching to reusable nappies.

Question Time comes to Norwood

Lib Peck visiting new leisure & health centre construction site

People in West Norwood have the chance to quiz new Lambeth Council leader, Cllr. Lib Peck on Thursday, April 18th from 7pm-8.30pm  at Elmgreen School in Elmcourt Road SE27 9BZ.

Cllr Peck, who’s been leader of the council for just three months said: “ I want to get out and meet people face to face as much as possible. The success of Lambeth depends on us working together so I want to hear what people are doing locally, what they’re concerned about and how we can collaborate to make the borough even better.”

To reserve a ticket and submit a question email  dpacker@lambeth.gov.uk or phone 020 7926 7758.

Doors will open at 6.30pm.

Tennis Club Planning Latest

For the third time developers appealed to the independent Planning Inspector after Lambeth council refused their bid to build homes on the West Norwod Tennis Club.

A hearing took place in March at which residents & Cllr Jane Pickard supported the council’s refusal.

The planning Inspector agrees with the council and has dismissed the appeal:

“the benefits of the proposed development for 52 homes would not be outweighed by the harm from loss of outdoor space and the scale of the building.”

See the Inspectors report below

2187818 DECISION

 

Tennis Club planning appeal

Cllr Jane Pickard at tennis club gate

Developers are appealing against the decision by Lambeth council to refuse planning permission to build 52 flats on the site of West Norwood Tennis Club on the corner of Cheviot Road and Knights Hill.

If you want the Planning Inspector to take your views into account the deadline is Friday 1st February.

You can do this online by quoting ref APP/N5660/A/12/2187818  at :  https://www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/appeals/online/search

To see detail of the planning application refused by Lambeth quote 12/02129   at: http://planning.lambeth.gov.uk/online-applications/

Cheviot Gardens

Plans to rebuild Cheviot Gardens as specialised homes with a community centre & gardens for older people are on  the planning applications database. To see the plans input  reference 12/03809  on http://planning.lambeth.gov.uk/online-applications

Free home insulation in Lambeth

The RE:NEW scheme offers free insulation and energy advice – just ring free phone number 0800 652 7206 for a home check.

The Mayor of London and Lambeth Council are working with Climate Energy to help everyone live in energy efficient homes. The recommended thickness of loft insulation is now 270mm and any homes built between the 1930s and mid 1980s are likely to need cavity wall insulation.

But do hurry –  this scheme runs out by the end of November 2012!!

Greener & calmer traffic zone

Work is due to start in the autumn to create a new green 20 mph calming zone west of  Knight’s Hill and Norwood Road. This scheme is a unique approach to traffic calming and will include 85 new street trees. Some of the trees will be planted in tree pits in the road and others in the pavement.

Tree in a road tree pit

The scheme has been developed following a campaign by local residents to expand the existing 20mph zone around Cheviot Road and tackle rat running and speeding to and from Leigham Court Road. A series of consultation activities followed an initial resident’s workshop in 2010. The necessary statutory notices have already gone out and fuller details of the scheme will be available soon with more opportunities to comment.

A group of residents are talking to Lambeth council’s tree experts about the types of street trees that would best suit the area. To get involved in these discussions please email the group at:   trees4westnorwood@yahoo.co.uk

New housing plans for tennis club

Developers are making a third attempt to get their plans approved for housing on the West  Norwood Tennis club site.

Their latest plans are for a 6 storey building on Knights Hill with 52 new homes and 5 parking spaces. This time the plans will retain the tennis club with  2 courts and rebuild the club house & squash courts as part of the housing block  24 homes will be “affordable” home for rent and 28 homes for sale. The proposal is for 21 flats with  1 bedroom , 23 with  2 bedrooms and 8 with 3 bedrooms.

To see the detailed plans look at the web pages for the Planning Applications Database on Lambeth Council’s web site http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/HousingPlanning/Planning/PlanningApplicationsDatabase.htm quoting planning application ref 12/02129.

Paper copies of the plans can be seen at Brixton library SW2 1JQ. By the end of this week there should be copies in the temporary West Norwood library at 16 Knights Hill SE27 0HY.

If you want to comment on the plans the closing date is Friday 3rd August. Email any comments to planning@lambeth.gov.uk quoting the planning application ref 12/02129

Norwood Park

West Norwood‘s much loved park, Norwood Park bounded by Elder Road  & Salters Hill, has an active Friends group who support the park with a wide range of activities  –the dog show at the Jubilee weekend being their most recent success.

On Tuesday July 3^rd  The Friends of Norwood Park are holding their  Annual General Meeting at 7pm  at Little Starz Nursery, Benton’s Lane SE27 9UD (entrance by the side of Goodbehere House, Benton’s Lane).  Everyone  welcome to come along & hear about the achievements of the last year and plans for the next 12 months. The Friends group is also looking for local people to get involved ,join the committee and make a difference to our wonderful local park.

If you would like to join the committee please apply using this form ( FONPNominationForm )which must reach The Secretary by Monday 25th June:  email janetgrigg14@gmail.com or post 14 Auckland Hill, SE27 9PH

For details see http://www.friendsofnorwoodpark.co.uk/

Benches on the hills of West Norwood

New Benches

West Norwood shopping centre is at the bottom of a series of steep hills – York Hill, Lansdowne Hill, Knights Hill & Auckland Hill. So it’s great going downhill to go shopping but harder bringing your shopping back home up hill!

New benches have been strategically placed to create a rest stop for residents walking up, or down our hills.

Some residents do have concerns that the new benches will encourage anti-social behaviour.

Do the advantages of a bench, particularly for less mobile residents, outweigh the potential disadvantages? Do let Cllr Pickard know what you think [jpickard@lambeth.gov.uk ]