I’ve received a letter from the Crown Estate today together with a glossy document which basically summarises all the objections they’ve had to their proposal to sell their housing estates in London, including their homes here in Lee Green.

The document simply tells residents what they already know – that everyone with an ounce of sense is against their proposal!  They tell us that their board will consider in coming weeks whether to proceed with the proposal.  If they do so, and once they’ve selected a buyer, a further round of consultation will occur.  There’s no promise of a ballot though.

So, a reprieve for a little while, but still no sign that they will withdraw the proposal, and without a ballot, a further round of consultation isn’t worth much.

Manor Lane must be one of the busiest roads through our area.  Many residents will use it to reach the South Circular or to head down towards Lee High Road.  It’s also used as a rat-run by many motorists.

Recently, some residents approached the local Lib Dem team, concerned that the various speed limit signs the Council has put in are contradictory.  Sure enough, signs at the entrance to Manor Lane from the South Circular tell you you’re entering a 20MPH zone – which you are.  But drive up Manor Lane towards the South Circular, and just before you hit the railway bridge, the round signs painted on the road tell you you’re entering a 30MPH zone.    They also said you were entering a 30MPH zone if you were driving towards Manor House Gardens!

We took this up with the Council, and asked that all the signs were inspected and corrected.  They’ve altered the sign painted on the road at one side – so it says the limit is 20MPH heading towards the park.  But they haven’t altered the sign painted on the road as you head to the South Circular.  So we seem to have a situation where if you’re heading north on Manor Lane, the limit’s 20, and if you’re heading south towards the South Circular, the limit’s 30 once you reach the railway bridge. <

This is an unacceptable state of affairs, so we’ve gone back to the Council and asked them to finish the job!

The ‘consultation’ on the Crown Estate’s plans to sell its residential properties, including those in Lee Green, closed on Tuesday 23rd. You can view our objection letter here. Pete spoke at the rally in London organised by the residents’ associations to mark the end of the consultation.

We’re now waiting for the response to the consultation from the Crown Estate, which I understand is due in the next two weeks.  My colleagues at the London Assembly tell me that the Crown Estate is likely to appear at their Planning and Housing Committee in May, so the pressure is still being kept up.

No, not me, but fame at last for Sven – he’s made it on to the Glum Councillors site, which celebrates the work of local elected representatives, and the odd photos they find themselves in as a result.

Follow Sven on the journey to the centre of the Earth, via Lewisham’s biggest pot hole, here.

It’s been brought to my attention that Ladbrokes are offering odds on the General Election here in Lewisham East.    Interestingly, they agree with the Lib Dems’ assertion that Lewisham East is now a two horse race between Labour and the Lib Dems.

Latest odds are:

• Labour 1/8 (fair enough in a seat they’ve held for 18 years)
• Lib Dem Pete Pattisson 5/1
• Conservative 12/1
• Green 100/1

Bookies obviously consider Pete best placed to challenge Labour on May 6th.  Votes for the Greens or Conservatives just risk helping Labour scrape in again.