Agenda item

The following Community Updates document was distributed to participants in advance of the meeting:

Community updates for Sydenham Assembly 22 January 2022

1          Lewisham Homes - Building for Lewisham programme in Sydenham

Silverdale is anticipated to complete in May. The scaffolding has been removed and Lewisham Homes (LH) are working on the internal fit out. Like most of the industry LH continue to be challenged by material and labour shortages so productivity on site is not always predictable, but we continue to monitor closely.

The Elderton Road scheme had an update provided to residents on 20th December to inform all that the demolition work of the garages had been completed. The newsletter is also on the commonplace site here https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/commonplace-customer-assets/eldertonroad/Elderton%20Road%20Demolition%20Letter%20December%2021-%20FINAL.pdf 

The Elderton project is out to tender for the main works contractor currently and LH will be informing residents when the contractor is appointed and construction of the new 5 homes will commence, we hope this will be within the next 3 months. Mayor and Cabinet approval was granted on the 12th January 2022 to proceed.

Markwell Close and Hensford Gardens https://hensfordgardens.commonplace.is/ are undergoing reviews of feasibility due to the increasing build costs in the construction industry and also the Building Regulations changes that will be coming in to use mid-June. LH hope to provide an update to residents once that viability work is completed.

Site on the corner of Mayow Road and Ferryman’s Lane is still being reviewed by the development team at Lewisham Homes. We have raised the issue of the rubbish dumping and overgrown brambles and suggested a meanwhile use of a community garden.

London Community Land Trust are still inviting applicants to apply for homes at Citizens House, Unity Way (Brasted Close), Sydenham. These homes will be sold well below the market rate and should be completed in by the summer.

There are 11 homes available:

• 6 x 2 bedroom 3 person homes - each being sold at £272,500
• 5 x 1 bedroom 2 person homes - each being sold at £215,000

To be eligible you need to:

• have lived in Lewisham for at least 5 years and preference is given to those in Sydenham and Forest Hill
• be able to obtain a mortgage (which entails having 10% of the asking price in savings and a steady source of income)
• be able to demonstrate housing need.

More details here https://www.londonclt.org/lewisham

Peabody Housing Association - 154-158 Sydenham Road SE26 5JZ

Work continues on the construction of a part 2/ part 3-storey building fronting Sydenham Road providing 17, one, two and three bedroom self-contained residential flats and 155sq.m ground and first floor commercial floorspace (use classes A1, A2, B1, D1, D2), with the provision of upper floor residential balconies; and the construction of a part 2/ part 3-storey building at the rear of the site comprising 10, three bedroom single dwelling-houses, 1, one bedroom self-contained flat and 1, two bedroom self-contained maisonette, together with associated landscaping.  There 14 parking bays (including 4 disabled spaces) and dry/ secure cycle spaces.

2          Planning issues

2.1       Our Lady and St Philip Neri School Construction

The Archdiocese’s Judicial Review (JR) of the Planning Inspectorate’s appeal decision was not granted leave to proceed in late November 2021.  Planning Officers and the Archdiocese have been in discussions around a way forward for the site, and the Archdioceses has submitted a request for pre-application advice to the Council that Planning Officers are currently reviewing.  All parties are committed to addressing the planning issues at the site and ensuring the continued operation of the school. 

2.2       Regents House Business Centre, Cobs Corner (291-307 Kirk dale)

There are two extant planning permissions at this site (DC/19/114157 - 9 units, DC/19/113878 – 35 units) as well as an extant Prior Approval.  The developer has not indicated which consent will be implemented or when.   Any planning consent can be implemented within the three year window from the decision date.  Implementation is a matter for the developer provided all pre-commencement matters are resolved. 

2.3       Queensthorpe Mews site

There are two pending appeals at the Queensthorpe Mews site.  One for three terraced houses (DC/20/118208), the other for extension and alteration works to the existing building (DC/20/118697).  Residents were notified of both appeals in the usual way in December 2021 and the decisions will likely be issued by PINS later this year.  There is an extant consent at the site for three dwellings at the rear of the property. 

2.4       Planning Enforcement

The planning enforcement complaint regarding unauthorised high street flyposting linked to a recent local funfair has been registered (ENF/21/00383) and Planning Enforcement Officers are investigating the matter.  As complainant, Sydenham Society will be updated regarding resolution of the case in due course. 

3          Highways

3.1      Modal Filters on Silverdale and Bishopsthorpe Road - The temporary arrangements have moved into an experimental phase, which was necessary so that the modal filter remained legal as the original temporary traffic order expired in early January.  

This will allow for a period of further data collection to assess the impact of the modal filter.  This will include surveys of traffic volume and speed being undertaken on nearby streets so that the wider impacts can be understood. During this period there will also be a public consultation where residents and stakeholders will have the opportunity to share their views about the traffic restriction.

The data and the views expressed through the public consultation will then be considered in the context of the Council’s agreed policies and objectives and a decision will be taken about whether to retain the measure on a permanent basis or remove it.

Whilst the experimental traffic order can be in place for up to 18 months (June 2023) the Highways Team have reassured us that the intention is to undertake a review well ahead of that, and within this calendar year.

As Ward Members we will continue to engage with officers and the Cabinet Member in relation to this scheme and seek to achieve the best outcome for the local area.

3.2      Footbridge between Sydenham Park Road and Dacres Road
Works to upgrade the Sydenham Park footbridge have been rescheduled as there is a review of the design consider if a more user friendly access can be provided on the Dacres Road side of the bridge.

3.3       Issues of speeding
Although our roads have been made 20mph limit, speed surveys have shown that a lot of drivers are ignoring it and driving too fast. We are working with Transport for London to carry out further measures on the worst “offending” roads to try and bring the speeds down to those acceptable in a 20mph limit.

Currently financial resources are stretched as Transport for London do not have any Local Improvement Plan (LIP) funding to support other measures including physical traffic calming and extra signing etc. We will continue to work with officers on any designs but implementation will be delayed until we have resources available.

We continue to work with Transport for London and the Police on the Community Road Watch initiative. It is for the Police to manage enforcement of the speed limit.

4.         Borough of Culture 2022 – We Are Lewisham- https://www.wearelewisham.com/

We Are Lewisham begins on Friday 28 January 2022. The first day is visually and creatively impactful, setting the tone for what will be a wonderful, celebratory, inclusive year. Residents will have the opportunity to engage with culture across the borough with events happening indoors and outdoors, on the street, in schools and in venues throughout the day.

9 – 10am: ‘Commotions’ at train stations across the borough, including transport hubs - Lewisham DLR, Hither Green, Catford, Blackheath, Deptford and Bellingham stations.

Students from Trinity Laban are working with local musicians and community music groups to create some brilliant, exciting new pieces of music, which will be performed at key sites across the borough to set the tone for the day. Expect dancers too – and TV new crews and photographers have already expressed an interest in covering these events. We will of course be sharing as many of these as possible on social media.

10am – 4.30pm: Identity Tapestry

Lewisham Shopping Centre (next to H&M, indoors)

The UK premiere of ‘Identity Tapestry’ by US artist Mary Corey March will be unveiled. Lewisham residents will be invited to ‘map’ their identity on the Tapestry during the day, with the end result an amazing piece of artwork that visually represents the diversity of our borough.

11am – 4.30pm: Artist in Residence

Led by renowned poet, Jacob Sam-la Rose, Artist in Residence will see all 18 wards host an artist to create work for and with the local community. This day-long celebration and invitation to get involved will spread across the entire borough. From ‘STOMP!’ style workshops and reclaim sculpture-making to sing-a-longs and spoken word performances, residents will be able to make their mark during Day One, regardless of postcode. Again, we’ll sharing plenty of these works via our social media channels throughout the day, and will have photographers out and about to capture the works coming together. Find out where your Artist in Residence is below:

12pm-12.15pm: Creative Challenge: LBOC BOP

Across 40 primary schools in the borough

The Bop is back! IRIE! Dance - in collaboration with Lewisham Education Arts Network (LEAN) - will celebrate January's creative challenge by inviting all Primary Schools in Lewisham to join a mass dance moment - the LBOC BOP. We’ll be filming this and sharing clips on social media, encouraging others to film their attempts too!

2 – 5pm: Liberty Festival (invite only) at the Albany

Elsewhere, the Albany will see a creative takeover from Liberty Festival who will host performances in anticipation for their main festival in July. Six artists will run three one hour taster performances to invite conversations around the creation and support of D/deaf and disabled work. Audience capacity is strictly limited, but if you would like to attend, please contact the Culture Team and we will do our best to accommodate you.

6.30pm: Piccadilly Lights Projections

Piccadilly Circus

A new film, We Are Lewisham, celebrating our wonderfully diverse borough, will be premiered at the famous Piccadilly Circus big screen. The film weaves together the identity of Lewisham and what it stands for, by showcasing photos and clips of diverse people – artists, community members, local heroes and famous faces - interspersed with identity statements.

6 – 9pm: Projections

Four locations: Lewisham Shopping Centre, Goldsmiths University, Downham Leisure Centre and Broadway Theatre

We will also be projecting the film onto sites across the borough, creating a visually striking, open-air experience that celebrates Lewisham. The projections have been planned at sites across the borough to avoid mass gatherings, and we will also be sharing the film and images via social media.

You can read more on the We Are Lewisham website.

Cllrs Chris Best, Liam Curran and Jack Lavery