I’ve been supporting residents who have concerns about the multiple planning applications which have been submitted for the site of what used to be 29 St Mildreds Road - this is the site on the corner of St Mildreds Rd and Birch Grove.      The applicants have appealed against Lewisham’s rejection of their last application, but in the meantime, their next application is due to be considered on Thursday 23rd October at 7.30pm in Rooms 1&2 at the Civic Suite, Town Hall, Catford.   The agenda isn’t online yet - but I’ll update this post when it is.

This meeting will also be considering the Station Yard application at Lee Railway Station - this is the one a planning meeting was held for back in July.

Coincidently, the Nazar licensing application goes back to the licensing committee on the same night.

As you might be aware, I’m enthusiastic about the package of improvements residents on the Leybridge and Newstead estates have negotiated with Broomleigh Housing Association.    The improvements will only happen if residents vote YES to transfering their homes from the Council/Lewisham Homes to Broomleigh.

With the ballot just a few weeks away, the resident steering group are keen to raise awareness of the great deal on offer - and the need to vote YES!    So with this in mind, there was a fun day on the estate today, complete with BBQ, face painting and a bouncy castle.

Thankfully, the weather held up, and everyone present seemed to have a great time.   Broomleigh staff were on hand to answer any questions, and I was particularly impressed to learn about the caretaking and estate services Broomleigh are planning to offer.   Everyone I spoke to seemed enthusiastic about the improvements on offer - but the residents aren’t taking anything for granted and know they need to say yes to stock transfer to make these improvements reality.

So - good weather, Open House, a Fun Day and Sunderland beating Boro 2-0.   All in all, quite a good day!

We’re planning to head into town tomorrow to visit some of the central London venues, but today we headed to Lee High Road to take a look at Boones Chapel and the Merchant Taylors’ Almshouses.

As you might be aware, Boones Chapel has been undergoing restoration, and was actually only re-opened on Thursday having been closed since 1945!   The chapel was built in 1682.  It’s thought Sir Christopher Wren was comissioned to build the chapel and the almshouses, with the work probably carried out by his assistant Robert Hooke.   I missed the official re-opening as work took me to Birmingham this week, but it was great to visit today and see the fantastic restoration and the small garden outside that’s been planted by local schoolchildren.  

While at Boones Chapel, you can also take a look at the Merchant Taylors’ Almshouses - as the photo shows, an oasis of peace just off Lee High Road.

Also open around Lee Green are the Ice House at Manor House Gardens, and the tower at Meridian South, the old Hither Green Hospital site.   Helpfully, former councillor Andrew Brown has picked out all the Lewisham venues.

Also available at Boones Chapel was a leaflet promoting the new Lee Heritage Trail.   Unfortunately I can’t find a link online, but it’s a really interesting trail running from St Margarets Church via the Almshouse and Boones Chapel to the Manor House Gardens Ice House - well worth doing.

The second half of the ‘traffic’ issue was CPZs.   I’ve already written about the latest round of consultations here.  The briefing doesn’t add too much to my post, but does set a rough date for the Dallinger/Holme lacey consultation (2011!)

“The Lee Green area includes the Hither Green East CPZ that was approved by Mayor and Cabinet in June 2007 following detailed consultation.

The programme of future areas for detailed controlled parking zone consultations was agreed by Mayor and Cabinet on the 25th June 2008, and covers a three year programme up to 2011. Eight areas were put forward for detailed CPZ consultation, and approved by the Mayor and Cabinet. Some of the areas form new individual zones whereas others would simply become part of an adjacent zone.

Three areas are proposed for consultation in the Lee Green ward:

• The Hither Green East CPZ extension, which is affected by overspill from the current zone, Consultation is planned for Autumn 2008, and will include a local public exhibition.

• Old Road/Bankwell road CPZ. As this is adjacent to the proposed extension to the Hither Green East Zone consultation on this will take place at the same time as the HGE extension.

• In the later stages of the programme (January 2011), it is proposed to consult a small area adjacent to Lee Station.”

 My views on CPZs are well-known - I think the Council’s one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work.   We had a really good discussion at the assembly last night, and while CPZs always produce strong views for and against, I think it’s fair to say there was a consensus that we wanted to keep this as a priority issue and that there needs to be a more strategic approach to parking, rather than continuing to shift the problem around the ward.   What do you think?   Let me know using the comments box below, or drop me a line if you’d prefer.

I chaired Lee Green’s second local assembly meeting last night at Lochaber Hall.   There was another great turn-out - I reckon over 100 people attended once again.

The issues on the agenda (drawn up by the coordinating group) were:

• The Leegate Centre
• Traffic issues - 20MPH zone, humps and parking
• The locality fund
• Northbrook school

I’ve already posted today to say that Northbrook should be going to planning on October 2nd.   Unfortunately, the Town Hall have ruled that senior Council officers won’t attend the assemblies, so last night we had to make do with written reports rather than speaking to the experts face-to-face.   That does, though, mean I can post the reports on Leegate and traffic here so that people who weren’t at the assembly can still read them and see what they think.  So I’ll do just that!

Once again, thanks to the Assembly team - particularly Ade and Paul, for making it happen.

I hear that the Northbrook School planning application is likely to go to the Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on Thursday October 2nd.   The meeting will be at the Civic Suite in Catford, and it’s open to the public if you wish to attend.     The date could still change, as the agenda hasn’t been published yet, but this is considered the most likley date, and as soon as I have confirmation, I’ll let you know.

Northbrook was one of the issues discussed at last night’s local assembly meeting - I’ll post more about the other subjects discussed later tonight.

I understand that there’s to be an exhibition of the revised Northbrook Plans on 26th August from 7pmtil 8pm at the Ennersdale School site.   This isn’t an official planning meeting - it’s organised by the team that have submitted the application.

EDIT: As Paul points out, the Northbrook Action Group have stepped in to organise their own public meeting.   Details are on their site here.   It’s at 7.30pm at Lochaber Hall on 3rd September.