Caring about Wandsworth's buildings, open spaces, rivers and transport.
The proposals in the White Paper attempt to simplify and clarify the planning system. The existing system has been adapted to the changed social, political and economic circumstances over the past 70+ years with mostly beneficial results. This has however resulted in what appears to be an over complicated process.
For a review of the White Paper from the Society’s Planning Group please see the Planning section of this website.
In August the Government published a White Paper entitled Planning for the Future, with consultation closed on 29 October. There have been thousands of responses from a range of national bodies, small societies, and individuals and the issue has had an airing in the national press.
If you just read one of the responses, our Planning Group suggest looking at that from The London Forum of Amenity & Civic Societies (of which this Society is a member) which makes a most interesting read.
London Forum’s final response to the consultation on the Government’s Planning White Paper can be seen here.
Wandsworth Council are holding a Climate Summit with six virtual sessions with representatives of the Council, residents, community groups and organisations to discussing key issues surrounding climate change in the borough. These will be held on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November 2020 covering topics including recycling and waste, green space, how to ‘green’ your home and how to get involved. Find out more and book your space at http://ow.ly/KAnB50C5TR5
During the fine weather at the end of June all the Coomons, including Wandsworth Common, have been invaded by sunseekers – often picnicking and leaving vast amounts of rubbish. The Friends of Wandsworth Common and those paid to empty bins have made a sterling effort to clean up but the littering shouldn’t be happening in the first place.
38 Degrees have set up a petition and you can add your name to that in the hope of effecting some important drivers including fining perpatrators to reduce the problem:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-trashing-of-wandsworth-common
Sadly an icon of Clapham Junction since 1885 will not re-open after the lock down closure and the store is now boarded up.
This has been on the cards for a while. It goes back to Debenhams’ CVA process (a sort of ‘voluntary bankruptcy’) last year where Debenhams asked landlords at 105 stores all over the country (including the Arding & Hobbs building) for rent cuts so they could afford to keep trading. In exchange the landlords were given a consolation prize of being able to end the leases early if they found a better deal.
Most landlords just accepted this, but in Clapham Junction’s case, W Real Estate found it was a great opportunity to make a quick return by selling it for redevelopment. And that is what they have done.