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Following the statutory process of consultation and publication of a draft, and further amendments, the latest Local Plan setting out the vision and guide to development of the borough, has been adopted. The full plan, with nearly 500 pages of policies and clear maps, can be viewed here: https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/localplan

As a change from our regular hall based meetings, John Dawson, aided by representatives of both the South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust and the housing developer, led a walk around the part-completed Springfield Village development. This is evolving gradually from the site of the former hospital buildings and the old London Golf Centre. The hospital is making a £150m investment which will sit at the centre of the site surrounded by new build housing, converted historic hospital buildings and a 32 acre park which is already open, in part, to the public.

The Annual General Meeting was held on 9 March. Philip Whyte was elected as the Chair and Richard Pook was re-elected as Treasurer. With no nominations, the post of Vice-Chair and Secretary remain vacant.

A recording of the business element of the meeting may be viewed here together with the annual accounts for 2022.

ANNUAL ACCOUNTS

On 8 September Tom Spurrier made a very topical and clear presentation to the Society giving us the clear messages on how energy performance of buildings needs to change. Tom outlined the complexity of this issue as carbon emissions are predominantly embedded in the construction of the buildings rather than the issues of occupancy.

To see a recording of the talk follow this link:

One of the largest open spaces in our part of South West London is under threat.

The AELTC’s planning application, to develop the golf course, continues. A year on, they have added 60 new documents, but the core principles are unchanged.

On Capability Brown’s Grade II* historic Metropolitan Open Land they still plan an 8,000-seat stadium, 38 courts, 10 other buildings and 9kms of roads and paths. The new AELTC park would still be “permissive” rather than “public” and still contains a 30,000sqft maintenance building. All this would still break the 1993 covenants demanded by Merton to protect the golf course and agreed by AELTC on their purchase.

For full details see Home | Save Wimbledon Park where you will find access to a petition.