If you’ve walked down Taunton Road lately, you can’t fail to have noticed the posters in residents’ windows regarding the Northbrook School Planning Application.   The people behind the posters are the Northbrook Action Group - a group of concerned local residents who have come together following the public meeting held on June 5th.   I met with some of NAG’s members on Saturday morning.

I was able to hear direct from residents their concerns, which fall into two broad categories - concerns about the size, scale and design of the proposed new school building, and secondly - but equally important to the group - the school’s proposals for use of Manor House Gardens.   The group explained that they’re not opposed to the school returning to Taunton Road - some of them have connections of their own to the school - but they are very concerned about the current proposed design and the proposals for use of the gardens.   NAG members are currently putting together a detailed case based on reference to planning policy, which is absolutely the right way to proceed.

I explained my own position - I’m opposed to the plans which have been submitted, for several reasons.  These include the scale of the building,  the proposed ‘teaching deck’, the poor standard of finish proposed (which hasn’t responded to suggestions made by the Council’s own design panel),  the potential impact on light to surrounding properties and gardens, and the fact the site is only 50% of the size recommended by the government.  

Yesterday’s meeting was useful in that it allowed me and the group to clarify our positions and also to discuss the planning process and the background to the application.   I’ve repeated my offer (which I made at the public meeting on the 5th June) to use my right to speak at the planning committee meeting to represent residents’ views.  I’ve also promised residents I’ll lobby the chair of the planning committee to see whether they might get longer than the usual 5 minutes to give their views.  

There’s a meeting on Tuesday night at 7.30pm in the cafe in the park where the garden usage issue will be discussed.    I also understand the planning department are expecting some revised plans from the applicant soon, so it’ll be interesting to see what changes the applicants are prepared to make, and what residents think of them.  There are also other potential solutions that I think should be explored - like purchasing playing fields off-site for use by the school.  

It was great to open a dialogue with NAG and I hope the members present felt it was as useful as I did.

I visited the farmers’ market at Blackheath Station on Sunday with Chris Maines, one of the Blackheath Councillors, and also our parliamentary spokesperson for Lewisham East.

It was really busy, and there was a great selection of food on offer - if you haven’t been up it’s well worth a visit (10 til 2 every Sunday - so still some time for a lie-in!)

 Of course, closer to home there’s also the monthly farmers’ market held in Manor House Gardens on the first Saturday of the month from 10 until 4.  Details can be found here.

Better late than never - I’ve been having some problems with my internet connection, as I moved flat over Christmas - but a reminder that you can recycle your Christmas tree at two points in the ward:

• Old Road entrance to Manor House Gardens
• Manor Park entrance to Manor Park

Two years ago, we didn’t have any recycling points for Christmas trees in the ward.  Last year, my colleague Paul Bentley persuaded the Council to introduce one in Manor House Gardens, which was a massive succcess.   This year, we’ve managed to get another point in Manor Park.

Please do take advantage of these free facilities, and help get the ward off to a clean and tidy 2008.