Lambeth Conservatives oppose Labour junction scheme
Community campaigners opposed to the seizure of over 1,000 square metres of verdant parkland in Brockwell Park were angered when Labour councillors voted en bloc to force through a controversial road junction improvement plan at Herne Hill. They dismissed out of hand other options that would have taken less green space and approved at the Planning Committee a "Soviet era style" monstrosity instead with minimal landscaping. The Conservative and Liberal Democrat members of the committee voted against the scheme.Cllr Clare Whelan, Conservative spokeswoman on the environment and a local ward councillor, told the meeting:
"The Herne Hill junction is dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists and contributes to traffic congestion. We start from a position of goodwill towards attempts to improve it. I would particularly like to pay tribute to the local residents who have put many hours, not to mention their hearts and souls, into the project, and much of what is proposed would indeed be good for Herne Hill which badly needs regeneration.
"I feel those hardworking residents, and indeed, all residents, have been badly let down, by a flawed process that has divided the community and still appears to be unsatisfactory in one particular aspect - that of the loss of green space.
"Council officers have failed to convince us that Transport for London (TfL) would not consider any scheme, other than that proposed. In fact TfL, which normally interferes in any traffic project going, has, on this particular project, I am told, been distinctly unhelpful, demanding that the Council submit a proposal, which it will then consider, rather than working with the Council to look at options and draw up a sustainable plan. Or is it the case that they did in fact suggest a proposal that was rejected as reported in the local press yesterday – if it did, this is not included in the paperwork before the committee. This is a serious issue and makes a mockery of a quasi judicial process. Other advice about the design of the junction that is adverse to the application, also appears to be missing from the paperwork, although some of it turned up tonight – far too late for it to be considered properly.
"In addition, there is a worry that advice given to the Council about the threat to the HLF bid is not correct. The assurance that there is no threat to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid appears to be based solely on a press release from the local MP for Dulwich & West Norwood, and in fact, as far as I can establish, no firm commitment has been given that the funding is safe. Indeed others involved with HLF have urged reconsideration.
"I go back to the point that the junction is currently dangerous, as we have heard from many contributors this evening, and urgently needs remodelling. If the Committee is minded to refuse permission, or at least defer it until they are satisfied they have full information and alternative options, then I would urge the Council to immediately take some small and obvious measures which would improve pedestrian safety and traffic flow, whilst this is being sorted out, without the loss of green space.
"If the Committee decides to agree the proposal, I urge it to include a condition requiring compensatory green space elsewhere. This should be non-negotiable. These issues were raised forcibly by you, Chair, during a discussion only last week at this committee about Thames Water seeking to take green space at Wyck Gardens in Coldharbour Ward. And only last night we were together at a meeting where discovered, to my dismay, that Brockwell Park is also being considered for the siting of a Thames Water pumping station. There are constant demands, nibbling away at the edges of our Park and the loss of any further green space must be resisted.
"I am desperately sad at the division this has caused in our community, when there is so much agreement that the junction needs improvement. I believe this has been poorly handled by the Council letting down local residents on all sides of the argument."
Labels: Brockwell Park, Clare Whelan, Herne Hill ward, Parks, Roads, TfL
posted by Cllr John Whelan on Friday, March 21, 2008
