Dear Neighbour,

Click on pix to enlarge. Welcome to the October NAG newsletter.  Please forward to family or friends. 

Tulse Hill is currently very topical for at least two reasons. 

Tulse Hill no more?  Lambeth is considering the renaming of the area, including the station name.  This is due to Sir Henry Tulse, Sheriff and Lord Mayor of London in the 17^th century, amassing his fortune from slave trading.  We will all be hearing a lot more in due course as Lambeth has committed to public consultation.
 
What is already with us is a planning application for a 24/7 Admiral slot casino in the old Ladbrokes premises facing the foot of Station Rise.  NAG’s instincts are to oppose this as such premises are usually a blight to be avoided, but we only act when we know there’s a consensus.
 
The glossy Planning Statement makes bold claims about uplifting town centres, with “linked trips” resulting in spending in other establishments too.  The photo above shows the reality of the Admiral premises at Streatham.  The casino would take more money than it pays out, so there will be less to spend nearby.  Owned by international gambling company  Novomatic, its most recent published accounts in 2018 show annual revenue exceeding €5billion. Founder Johann Graf is said to have a net worth exceeding €8billion.
 
To comment on the application go to Lambeth’s Public Access and enter 20/02984 in the search box a bit down the web-page, then click on Documents Tab to read details, and comment if you wish.

Although many councils, including Lambeth, have policies to restrict the number of gambling premises, it is difficult in practice to stop them.  This is due to the fact that fundamentally they are not illegal, therefore a refusal has to be very well argued and evidenced based on local, regional and national planning policy.
 
Ward boundary review

This shows in red the boundaries proposed by NAG.  It is a four ward alternative to the current three local wards (in black).  We believe that this will best serve the community and aid good local governance.  Read the full submitted proposal here. The Local Government Boundary Commission will assess all submissions and make its recommendations.  This will be followed by consultation on its draft from 5^th January to 15^th March.
 
Black History Month in Lambeth
Lambeth was the first home to many of the Windrush Generation. Local councillor Sonia Winifred, cabinet member for equality and cultures, introduces a multi-faceted and densely packed programme of events to celebrate vibrant black heritage.  Find out more here.

Who would steal…
…a defribrillator?

 
Harvest Festival at St Luke’s, and Foodbank
This Sunday the 4^th, whilst Feasters are perhaps getting wet and chilled, there’s a warm welcome inside to its 10.30am all family Harvest Service, dedicated to helping Brixton & Norwood Foodbank.  So why not start your Feast day at St Luke's, with gifts for the Foodbank, open from 10am.  More here, and check recent posts there.

October Feast is on!
Yes, this Sunday the show goes on!  The weather is forecast to be cool and wet, so crowding unlikely, but still take covid precautions.  Feast says “Keep Your Distance and Enjoy Feast and we ask you, Please be Patient”.  They tell us that traders and volunteers will be required to wear masks, and they would like you to as well.  As always there’s a great programme, including lots of children’s activities, plus Cauldron of Bats children’s TAKE AWAY activity to do at home.  Read about Sunday’s events here.

Pleeeze, try to shop local and use local businesses
The continuing pandemic has made life very difficult for so many people, with death the ultimate price.  Whilst having real concern for all we are also worried for our local economy.  So instead of perhaps automatically going on-line, buy local whether it’s a pound of tomatoes or a loft conversion.  Station-to-Station has a local directory.  Amazon, et al are unlikely to sink, but many local businesses could.

Pay it Forward
Café Salva is the latest local enterprise to join The London Mayor’s Pay-it-Forward scheme.  The scheme has yet to really take-off, so here's your opportunity to support a well-liked local coffee shop, deli and safe space.  You can support them; also propose additional businesses for participation, right here.
 
Ideas to give West Norwood and Tulse Hill a boost
What ideas do YOU have to lift everyone’s spirits, either in the short term leading up to Christmas and the New Year, or even long term?  Perhaps street performance outside the library and cinema, or on Station Rise.  Who do you know who might relish providing free public entertainment?  Maybe yourself!  Busking for money is allowed, no permit required.  Already the excellent Window Wanderland Winter Festival, organised by Norwood Forum, is set for two weeks starting 28^th November and will light-up our local streets, including walks, talks, crafting and films, all on the lovely theme of Wild Norwood.  

Post-glyphosate 1 – Tree pits
With Lambeth having desisted from using glyphosate weed killer on tree pits, there’s an opportunity to make these mini happy spots.  Plant autumn bulbs for spring flowering, and plan what to sow or plant next year.  Lambeth Horticultural Society is source of inspiration. 

There could well be a family prize next spring…
 

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Do you want us to keep on Nagging for you?

Do we do a good job?  If the answer is Yes!   then pleeeze do support us by joining NAG, it’s only £5 each year to help us cover our minimised costs.
 
And if you already are a member, do check whether you’ve paid your annual fiver! 

The best way to join or renew is ideally an annual standing order by on-line banking to:
Norwood Action Group, Barclays, 
sort code 20‑94‑67, account 20410489
Thank you so much.

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Norwood Forum
NAG likes to enthusiastically encourage all to participate as much as possible in the local community.  Our colleagues at Norwood Forum continue their brilliant mission of Connecting the Community.  Window Wanderland is their lovely initiative.  So check Forum’s website for different news, different perspectives, and more missions.
 
Irony!
After lengthy lobbying by NAG and others to regain short term parking outside the Royal Mail sorting office, open hours have been substantially reduced and made variable, there’s talk that the office may be permanently closed to public collections.  Also, the ‘temporary’ alternate days of door-to-door mail deliveries may become permanent, and Saturday deliveries eliminated.  First Class next day? Not unless you’re blessed with a postie that day.
 
Planning News
After staunch NAG opposition, a whole plague of ‘fake telephone box’ appeals have been dismissed.  Excellent!
 
The planning decision on the biggie, the application for a massive waste metal recycling yard at Windsor Grove, just beyond Royal Mail’s office, will not be any time soon.  Lambeth is currently minded to determine this with the application for the linked development at Shakespeare Wharf in Herne Hill.  As this latter proposal is not yet a valid planning application, the decision would be in excess of three months, probably greatly in excess.  NAG’s lobbying, and others, means that the council at every level is very aware of the issues.  This is currently its status but there are other routes this could take toward determination.
 
Another biggie is the Lambeth proposed re-development at Roman Rise at the southern tip of Gipsy Hill ward.  Far from ideal when the council is in a position to approve its own plans.  In June, The Twentieth Century Society added its cogent arguments, well summarised here.

Readers may recall that the redevelopment of Yeatman funeral director was approved at PAC a long time ago, but consent has not yet been issued.  There is ongoing negotiation between the applicant and Lambeth of S106 obligations – the levy on approved plans toward local infrastructure.  No end in sight.

Latest offering at Yeatman, a gothic trike (quike?) hearse.
 
3 Thurlow Park Road may go to planning committee soon, though we do not know yet whether it will be recommended by officers for approval or refusal.  Many think it’s brutishly big ‘anywhere architecture’, and that this highly visible site deserves more harmonious design.  When looked at in detail there’s plenty more reasons for concern – for instance, the basement gardens and flats provide a sump for pollution, and only a pavement’s separation from thousands of exhausts every day when queuing at the traffic lights.  What price the health of occupants, especially children?  Windows at all levels would be prey to air and noise pollution, but especially the basement flats!  Not too late to make a comment.  Click here, enter 19/03669 in the search box a little way down the web-page, then you can say what you wish. 
 
The Park Tavern application for conversion to housing has been withdrawn, presumably as an essential viability report on continuation as a pub had not been provided.  Expect a reapplication.
 
The Lambeth College site next to Yellow Storage on Knight’s Hill, demolished more than 20 years, may yet again have a planning application coming forward after the multiple refusals over the years.  This is predicated by the site owner winning an appeal for residential redevelopment at Weir Road, Balham. If that is to be acted on, then a new location will be needed for the owner’s Cashco wholesale business at Weir Road.  This could mean an early new application for West Norwood.
 
The disused Brooks Laundry site (behind Waylett Place) redevelopment plan was approved.  We suspect that this will not be acted on and a new more ambitious application will come forward.
 
New Nursery at Peabody
Youngstars Nurseries has opened in the Peabody Hill Estate Community Hall.  The lovely staff (and children) from Chatsworth are so excited.  Nursery is from 9.30-12.30, and will soon be offering breakfast and lunch clubs too. Some government funded places are still available so please get in touch, and please spread the word.
 
Norwood Park One O’clock Club free lease
An opportunity to lease a community space from the council, with rental payments waived in return for the delivery of early years and community services.  Premise viewing on Monday 5^th, apply by 11^th.  More here.
 
Virgo Fidelis Senior School likely to close
More here, and what then?

Lambeth Park and Open Space annual survey…
…find it here.

Extinction Rebellion?

Probably.  It seems that the fears by some of attrition to Brockwell Park by ER by the occupation till mid-September, were unfounded.  The park was left clean and undamaged.
 
A&S Homecare
Perhaps our Nagging for Norwood and Tulse Hill promotion has had an influence.  Had a boost from Lambeth in Shop Local, but it’s a shame the name and its services reported incorrectly!  Cllr Mathew Bennett of Gipsy Hill ward was out promoting local shops and services – the movie.

NAG’s Window Competition
We appreciated the entries earlier this year, and the deserving winning family received tickets to Picturehouse.  We thank the cinema for its neighbourly gift.  There are of course strong covid precautions at Picturehouse which you can read here, as well as the forthcoming programming.

Post-glyphosate 2 – Woodvale Estate
This entire area used to be zapped with glyphosate rendering depressing sterile soil.  Residents have taken with relish to transforming.

 
Fix my street – quick response
This is a national scheme that connects quickly with authorities, but then the fixes themselves can take months to ‘deliver’.  Fix my street

It’s a scam…
…take nothing at face value.
       
 
Brockwell / Rosendale / Turney / Croxted / Dulwich imbroglio
With overlapping schemes in Lambeth and Southwark intended to reduce and calm traffic, and increase safety, there were bound to be issues.  It is difficult to summarise succinctly.
 
Brockwell Park / Rosendale Road junction – some modifications have been implemented.  These include cycle lane marker wands and a temporary barrier outside the park gate to stop the unwary or impetuous from rushing straight into the traffic.  The conflict between pedestrians and speeding cyclists continue to be concerning.  There may be further adjustments.
 
Rosendale Healthy Route
Phase 1 – from Norwood Road to Turney Road is under construction, but not as consulted in February, though it is as statutory consultation which ended only on Friday 2^nd!  It is thought that it is generally accepted that the changes have reduced the impact on the shops at the Brockwell Park end, though the traffic lanes are very narrow which makes turns difficult.  You can view the layout here.

Phase 2 – south of Turney Road to South Circular currently has no funding, but if delivered will be similar to Phase 1.  The proposed turn prohibition heading south down Rosendale where it meets the South Circular may well happen despite this inevitably causing serious knock-on effects.  Local councillors have had nothing to add since late August.
 
Phase 3 and Phase 4 – from South Circular onward, no funding.
 
Dulwich road closures – As with all such measures there are supporters and detractors.  If you have experience of the closures whether pedestrian, cyclist or driver, you can support the scheme here, or oppose it here.  Opposition is the mission of One Dulwich.

Croxted Road  –  from Brockwell Park to South Circular is suffering the knock-on effects of all that has happened and is happening around it.  Where will the domino effects end?
 
Safer Dulwich school cycle-route
This also provides a safer route for all cyclists.  More here.

Where is this?

The Tennis Club on Knight’s Hill.  The Knight’s Hill advertising hoardings have gone for ever after first appearing about 120 years ago.  Opposite was The Rosemary Branch public house and leisure gardens, now subsumed into the bus garage.  The photo below shows advertising hoardings in 1905 between what is now Bewlys Road and the Fire Station – notice the long-lived still current brands.  Interesting that after the local Enclosure Act of 1806 when land was carved-up and sold for would-be development, this land was not developed till 1929 – available but nothing built for more than a century when Bewlys and Roxburgh saw their first residents.


Please show patience, kindness and generosity to all in these difficult times -
we don’t know what others are undergoing.
Go well, from the NAG team