Please note: this is the old RPWBRA web site, kept for historical information only. Please check our
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for up-to-date information.
Raynes Park and West Barnes Residents' Association
Serving the community since 1928
Local issues and campaigns
Development of sports grounds
:
LESSA
Prince George's Playing Fields
Sir Joseph Hood Memorial playing fields
Royal and Sun Alliance sports ground
Sports grounds in general
Flooding
Graffiti
Raynes Park library re-development
Other issues
General information about planning
Development of sports grounds
LESSA
Letter sent to local residents by Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender, January 2001
Update - January 2001
Letter to Director of Environmental Services
Circular regarding revised planning application, October 2001
LESSA planning application defeated
(17th October 2002)
The story continues
(Barratts appeal against the planning decision)
Public inquiry hearing, 3rd-6th June 2003
- report and result
Owners:
London Electricity
(part of
EDF Energy
)
Developers:
Barratt Homes Ltd.
Consultants:
Green Issues Communications
Local newspaper articles:
"Battle against plans for flats"
(21st November 2001)
"Revised plans for sports site"
(13th June 2002)
"No joy for developers"
(23rd October 2002)
"Developers to appeal as flat plans rejected"
(3rd January 2003)
"Flat battle continues"
(9th January 2003)
"Flood risk at park site"
(14th March 2003)
"Residents refuse to play ball over park homes bid"
(22nd April 2004)
"New homes plan angers residents"
(13th May 2004)
The Mayor of London's planning decision
(10th July 2002)
Reports
(in
Adobe Acrobat
format)
presented at meetings of Merton's Planning Applications and Licensing Committee:
22nd August 2002
17th October 2002
(with references to the
Open Spaces Study
)
19th December 2002
- reasons for refusing the application, together with a
pre-inquiry statement
for the appeal
Aerial photographs from
MultiMap
and
UK StreetMap
Prince George's Playing Fields
Article from "The Guide", March 2000
Update no. 1
(May 2000)
Update no. 2
(May 2000)
Response to planning framework document
Freeholders:
London Playing Fields Society
Current leaseholders:
Wimbledon Football Club
Local newspaper articles:
"Future plans for playing fields still cause concern"
(8th August 2001)
"Sports field to be kept"
(19th October 2001)
"Academy plans as Dons depart"
(5th September 2002)
GLA planning reports
on the building of a temporary "Academy" on the tennis courts at the David Lloyd Club (October 2001)
Aerial photographs of the playing field:
west side
,
east side
Photograph of the playing fields
(40Kb)
Sir Joseph Hood Memorial playing fields
Friends of Sir Joseph Hood Memorial playing fields
Letter to local residents
from Councillor William Brierly, September 2002
Local newspaper articles:
"Anger after sports club fire attack"
(3rd March 2003)
"Club pulls out of park revamp"
(30th June 2003)
Aerial photograph
Royal and Sun Alliance sports ground
Reasons for refusal
of the planning application
Previous owners:
Royal and Sun Alliance
Current owners:
Bryant Homes Ltd.
Local newspaper articles:
"Schools look set to gain playing fields"
(20th May 2005)
"'Help us get a playing field'"
(13th October 2005)
Aerial photographs:
west side
,
east side
(to the left of the picture)
Sports grounds in general
Good news after sportsfield walkabout (July 2001)
Merton Council Open Spaces Study
- including copies of the report
(in
Adobe Acrobat
format
) and a questionnaire so you can tell the council your views on it
Consultants:
W.S. Atkins
The government's Planning Policy Guidance Note no. 17 -
"Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation"
A possible source of grants for the improvement of open spaces:
Living Spaces
National Playing Fields Association
Local newspaper articles:
"Preservation of park could end"
(Raynes Park playing fields - 3rd March 2003)
"'Dangerous' park trees face chop to protect gas pipeline"
(Old Wimbledonians sports ground - 11th August 2005)
Flooding
Development on floodplain
History of flooding in this area
, from the book by the late E.M. Jowett
Planning application report on the St. John Fisher school extension
(19th September 2001 -
in
Adobe Acrobat
format
)
The Government's Planning Policy Guidance Note no. 25 –
"Development and Flood Risk"
Photographs of flooding
in autumn 2000
in the 1960s and 1980s
Flood guidance and maps
from the Environment Agency
Local newspaper articles:
"Residents who live in fear of heavy rain"
(transcript of front-page story from the Merton Boro' News, December 1968)
"Flooding hits Raynes Park"
(from the Wandsworth Guardian, date unknown)
"Residents given flooding advice"
(5th January 2001)
"Flooding concern about sports ground proposal"
(17th January 2001)
"Schools chance floodplain plan"
(28th September 2001 ?)
"It's plain to see where homes will be flooded"
(14th October 2004)
"Flood risk survey on the cards"
(9th February 2006)
Flood warnings:
Beverley Brook (Worcester Park to New Malden)
Pyl Brook (Sutton to New Malden)
East Pyl Brook (Sutton to Raynes Park)
An EU project about the
wise use of floodplains
Graffiti
The writing on the wall
Graffiti removal squad
Merton Council information about
graffiti removal
Local newspaper articles:
"Spray of hope in town's graffiti wars"
(26th April 2002)
"Street names to go up in the world in a bid to beat tagger vandalism"
(3rd March 2003)
"Graffiti cleanup"
(22nd July 2003)
"Children consulted over graffiti plague"
(6th October 2003)
"New graffiti law to be piloted across borough"
(28th November 2003)
"Graffiti removal booked"
(28th November 2003)
"New graffiti removal powers to be tested"
(25th March 2004)
"New powers to clean up graffiti"
(15th April 2004)
Raynes Park library re-development
Introduction (September 2000)
Update (March 2003)
Developers:
Michael Shanly Group
(withdrawn)
Exel Group
(rejected)
McCarthy and Stone
(new owners of site)
Local newspaper articles:
"Library is back on the cards"
(26th April 2002)
"Another chapter begins for 'bigger' library plan"
(1st May 2002)
"Help out at your library"
(12th March 2003)
"Readers' fury at library plans"
(31st December 2003)
"Library's last orders"
(23rd January 2004)
"Library users unite to fight for facilities"
(6th February 2004)
"Campaign's new chapter"
(13th February 2004)
"Merton books place at bottom of library league"
(6th May 2004)
"Library now calling at..."
(4th November 2004)
"Memories encapsulate Merton"
(27th January 2005)
"Questionnaire is novel way to take library into future"
(10th February 2005)
"Out of the pub, into the library"
(16th September 2005)
New Raynes Park library open
- details from the Merton council site
Merton's
Libraries and Heritage Service
Planning application reports from Merton Council
(in
Adobe Acrobat
format
):
19th September 2001
8th May 2003
Merton Council press release:
"Sale of former library site"
(21st January 2004)
Pressure groups:
The Library Campaign
Libraries for Life for Londoners
Other issues
Phone mast at Motspur Park - an instant win!
Wimbledon Union of Residents' Associations 2000
B&Q, Burlington Road:
Mayor of London's report
on the proposed re-development of the site (26th September 2002
in
Adobe Acrobat
format
)
Local newspaper article:
"B&Q development in store"
(8th July 2004)
Raising standards of maintenance at
Motspur Park Railway Station
Controlled parking zone
proposals for Raynes Park (June 2004)
Thames Water and car park site in Coombe Lane:
Planning brief
adopted by Merton Council in July 2005
(in
Adobe Acrobat
format)
Update
(September 2005)
Charlwood House
- the new development on the site of the old Co-Op in Coombe Lane
Local newspaper articles:
"Fight sparks fears over number of pubs in Raynes Park"
(8th February 2002)
Seaforth Avenue post office:
"Battle begins to save threatened post office"
(7th February 2003)
"Elderly to be hit by post office closure"
(14th March 2003)
St. Catherine's school:
"Flats will ruin green space, say protestors"
(31st January 2003)
West Barnes Lane railway bridge:
"Network Rail to assess pigeon problem"
(10th February 2003)
"Dirty work is delayed"
(15th September 2003)
"Feathered friends prove to be a mucky menace"
(8th July 2004)
Traffic calming in Grand Drive:
"Blackspot may go"
(5th September 2003)
Cannon Hill Lane:
"Fears raised over protected trees"
(5th September 2003)
Cannon Hill Common:
"Fishing line 'is killing birds' "
(13th February 2004)
"No drug dealing found by joint investigation"
(10th February 2005)
"What a waste: Common's abandoned pavilion falls prey to the vandals"
(26th May 2005)
"New life for old pavilion"
(23rd June 2005)
Suspected arson at pavilion:
"End of an era"
(24th February 2006)
Raynes Park station:
"Station gets 'secure' "
(31st October 2003)
"Station project under fire"
(12th December 2003)
"£750k to give travellers first-class train stations"
(27th January 2005)
Bodnant Gardens:
"Anger as phone mast erected near school"
(28th April 2004)
Coombe Lane launderette:
"Controversy over arcade plan"
(29th April 2004)
"Debate bubbles over"
(29th July 2004)
"Laundrette supporters get hung out to dry"
(2nd December 2005)
"'Eyesore' fears for Raynes Park town centre"
(10th February 2005)
Grand Drive/Cannon Hill Lane:
"Shopkeepers' anger over traffic calming"
(26th August 2004)
Controlled Parking Zones:
"Parking battle may go to court"
(4th November 2004)
"'Park at your peril'"
(27th January 2005)
Motspur Park:
"Parking plans on hold"
(10th February 2006)
Public transport:
"Police to patrol no. 57 bus route:
Dedicated team to tackle rise in antisocial behaviour" (11th November 2004)
"Bus 152 third on shame list"
(13th October 2005)
General information about planning
Merton Council
planning department index
Merton's
Unitary Development Plan
Reports on
strategic planning decisions in Merton
considered by the Mayor of London
planningNet
- the resource for local people and communities who want an effective say in building and development in their areas
Network of Residents' Associations
See also our archive of
Monthly Notes
.
Raynes Park and West Barnes Residents' Association home page