Crossfields' Big Planting Day – this Sunday!

Crossfields Green Spaces update

Last Saturday, members of Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA) helped some green-fingered Crossfields residents to build raised beds in the cleared area next to the Sue Godfrey garden. Eventually this little patch will be sheltered from the main road by a hedge and residents will be able to grow and tend plants – without too much bending! 

If you want to get involved in gardening and growing food on the estate, please contact TRA Chair Tim Wilson.

Deptford Launch #2 – Deptford Project Garden

Tuesday afternoon saw the launch of Deptford Project: An Urban Harvest in the Deptford Project yard behind the railway carriage. This 'community' garden, designed by Alex Bell, is sponsored by Greenwich Community Development Agency  and Cathedral plc, and was created for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2011. It has now been relocated back in Deptford for a short period.

Schools and volunteers from the Greenwich area helped to grow plants for the garden and to create the painted CD-box sculptures. The aim is to raise awareness of growing food in an urban environment.
Rosie Boycott, aka London's "food tzar" and chair of the London Food Board (and pictured below with Claire Pritchard of GCDA), was invited to cut the ribbon.

 

Hospitality included music from local blues guitarist Steve Morrison and seasonal food grown and made in the area such as smoked salmon hand prepared, cured and smoked by the 'Little Greenwich Smokery', cheese from the Greenwich Cheeseboard, free range Kent eggs, handmade chutneys from 'Potters of Brockley', and ham and humus prepared by Greenwich Kitchen (a GCDA training project). 

Guests at the opening mostly included those involved in the Cathedral development  – so there were a lot of suits. A model of the development was on show along with drawings and a booklet called Public Property (a paeon to public private partnership – the new PPI?).

Apparently there will be allotments on the top of the Richard Rogers building. No kidding.

Meanwhile, the garden's designer Alex Bell writes about his garden on a BBC gardening blog: "Urban food production provides an excellent means of involving groups such as women, ethnic minorities and older adults in socially productive activity. It also provided a valuable means of expression of local or ethnic activity, for example, growing culturally significant produce...

"Food growing provides communities with opportunities for community cohesion, community capital, access to healthier food, gentle exercise, community learning and often leading to happier, safer communities. Our sponsors (GCDA) have also developed growing projects in partnership with supported accommodation, schools, children centres, day centres, MIND, Age Concern and Older Peoples Services working with adults with learning difficulties and recently with centres for higher education."
www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/gardening/2011/07/raising-the-bar-on-community-g.shtml

See also: www.london.gov.uk/london-food/london-boroughs/growing-greenwich-case-study

Cycle Path: Funded or Not?

Conflicting reports about whether this project will be given go ahead this year..

Design for London say No. (But it is now "On everyone's radar" which I think means "they want it to happen")

Lewisham says Maybe. (They will decided which projects  will go ahead in September.)

They are having a meeting on Thursday to discuss all the proposals that Lewisham has on the table. So maybe after that we will get a clearer answer?

Martin Hodge, Lewishams "Public Realm Programme Manager", has agreed that this project needs to be fully discussed at this meeting. So maybe we could give him some fuel for this discussion?

The TRA are sending a letter demanding that a proper degree of real consultation is essential.

And I still have questions I'd like answered...

1) Does the brief to WWM include the commitment to explore options other than the proposal that destroys the Community garden?

2) Will a proper comprehensive consultation about this matter be carried out?

3) If a decision is being made about whether funding for this proposal is approved in September will that allow for any changes in the plans that will be more acceptable to the Crossfields Community?

Any other suggestion?

Martin Hodge:
020 8314 7585
martin.hodge@lewisham.gov.uk

Richa Mukhia: Design for London:
07939 203606
Richa.Mukhia@designforlondon.gov.uk

Arthur: WWM Architects:
020 7613 3113
mail@wwmarchitects.co.uk

Greening the Estate: Something More Positive from WWM!

 (click on map to see larger version)

This is the map that Arthur from WWM Architects produced after the Estate Walkabout regarding the application for funds to "Green the Estate" with his version of ideas for various areas and the improvements that could be done.

Very sneaky to put on it  "WWM to look at options regarding re-location." of the garden marked as 10) on the map. As far as I am concerned the option is to relocate the path NOT the garden.

Anyhow that aside...

Surely we can come up with a more cohesive, comprehensive and interesting set of proposals for these spaces?

The more engaging and involving our ideas are the more likely the funding is to be forthcoming.

I shall be canvassing for suggestions at the TRA meeting this evening... and any ideas are more than welcome here...

We have to do it quick though... the window for funding is apparentely small.

Inadequate Response from WWM Architects

Well after two weeks and 4 ignored emails I had to phone Stephen Witherford (one of the "W"s at WWM Architects)  regarding his terse response to my report of the Estate Walkabout regarding plans to build a cycle/foot path destroying the Garden by the Railway Arches  (see this post)

I was told he was in a meeting until two and that he would call me some time after that.

No call came but I did receive an email...

My mail to him first:

Stephen:

I have consistently been told that the proposals regarding the cycle/foot path are in the very early stages and nothing is set in stone as yet. Is this indeed the case?

Your statement seems to imply that no change has happened in your position as a result of suggestions which Arthur brought back from the Walkabout?

Could you acknowledge whether routes more considerate of the wishes of the residents of the Crossfield Estate will or will not, be considered at all?

Can you tell us what suggestions have made that you have considered?

Is the position in this email likely to change when Arthur returns from his holiday?

As I tried to explain to Arthur surely a scheme that preserves a much loved community resource would look better on your web site than one that destroys one! Why not make this a triumph for community involvement and design compromise for the benefit of the community?

I am glad you are in support of replacing the garden with a suitable replacement on the estate. Though hopefully this will not be necessary.  I appreciate your position re funding of course. What I really meant was to ensure that it would be included in any plans that did destroy the garden. I am also given a glimmer of hope by the phrase "should this be required".

Of course I do not see aggression in yr stance. You have your rationales and reason for the position that you take of course. As I said to Arthur and Richa I am all for co-operation and compromise...and hope that you are too.

I could explain to you how significant this garden has been to me personally in helping restore my mental and physical health after various long standing illness. I'm sure you would acknowledge the great benefits of gardening such as this.

I am very proud of the huge amount of time and effort I have put into this garden, bringing a corner of the estate previousley used for drug injecting and as a toilet back into cultivation. Making it a safer place where people want to be, and a place where children can  play I would love to be able to continue with my 5 year plan for its improvement into an important resource that we are planning on developing for the wider good of the community.

I mention all this because I'm sure the human aspects of the decisions that you make might sometimes become a little abstract and distant to you.

Perhaps you could return the favour by placing a fair record of my position on YOUR web site!

Maybe you would be interested in coming to visit the Estate to discuss alternative plans and explain WMM's  position personally to the Tenants and Residents Association?

Thank you very much for your time and consideration in this matter. Hope to hear from you soon.

John Rhodes.


And his reply...

Dear John

I am sorry that I missed your call earlier today, I was out at a meeting.

Apologies for not responding to your request regarding your invitation to attend the TRA meeting on Thursday. I am unable to attend the meeting because I shall be away on holiday from Thursday.

The last couple of weeks leading up to this break have been particularly pressured as I am currently covering for other staff in the office who are on holiday at the moment. This will unfortunately be the case throughout the summer as this is a small practice.

If the Deptford project can secure funding and is able to progress, I hope to have the opportunity to meet with you and other residents, to discuss in more detail your proposals for the open spaces on the estate.

Best regards

Stephen

Witherford Watson Mann Architects 

1 Coate Street

London E2 9AG

 t. 020 76133113
e. mail@wwmarchitects.co.uk
w. www.wwmarchitects.co.uk

 

Which I consider to be a shockingly inadequate response.

It does not address any of the concerns I raised and does nothing to allay my fears that they are treating this as something that will inevitably happen.

Should I be surprised that I'm treated in a way that I feel is dismissive and deliberately ignores the central thrust of my questions? I'm certainly very dissapointed and wonder if this is how WMM intend to continue? 

But as my Mum always says "You can't make things go away by ignoring them!

I shall hold fire until after the TRA meeting on Thursday to see what suggestions are made there...

I shall certainly have a list of questions that WWM will HAVE to answer :O)

Crossfields TRA Meeting Thursday 29th July & Crossfields Festival

There will be a TRA meeting this Thursday at the Pink Palace (50 Frankham House) at 7.30pm.

On the agenda....

CROSSFIELDS FESTIVAL
Hopefully going ahead on SUNDAY 5th SEPTEMBER (as usual, the first Sunday in September) SUNDAY 12th SEPTEMBER. Ideas for this would be MOST WELCOME - such as stalls and if you or your band would like to play at the festival. Contact Hugh if you want to run a stall or perform. Offers of help on the day to set up stage and stalls would also be most appreciated.

CYCLE PATH & ESTATE GARDENS
John will be reporting on recent developments around the Cycle Path and the Greening of the Estate (see his posts here and here).

DEPTFORD X 2010
As part of this year's Deptford X (September 24th – October 3rd), Crossfields residents will be able to take part in a project with the appointed RESIDENT ARTIST, Leila Galloway from Frankham House. Leila won this opportunity in an open submission in partnership with Sophie Hope (there will also be 'Resident Artist' projects in three or four other locations in Deptford). 

CREEKSIDE CENTRE
If there's time, we will also be canvasing on how Crossfields residents might like to make use of Creekside Centre. Michele from Holden House would like to know if you're interested in attending activities there such as barbeques, music, film screenings, games, exhibitions, competitions, and children's activities such as puppet shows and art workshops. Or perhaps using the building for a weekly youth club or as a clubroom, or for classes in art/yoga/fitness etc...

Hope to see you on Thursday. We shall also endeavour to keep you up to day on all these subjects on this blog.

New path update – your input required

On Friday evening, me and Marmoset met with WWM Architects, represented by Arthur, Steve and Jonathan, at Creekside Centre. They had just had a meeting with Jill Goddard, founder of the centre. Jill is now Executive Director of Thames Estuary Partnership, a dynamic woman with a full time job, who has stepped back to Creekside to salvage the Centre from extinction....

Having guessed what the meeting might be about and why it should involve representatives from Crossfields, we were a little weirded out by the first half hour of our meeting. Steve described their role as 'spacial negotiators', having to work in partnership with local authorities, communities and developers with a brief originating from Design For London. At some point soon they would like to present some workable ideas to Lewisham Council...

The focus was on how Crossfields as a community might use the Creekside Centre, and how we might like to expand our use of our green areas. They would like to introduce us to Claire Pritchard, who runs Greenwich Community Development Association (www.greenwich-cda.org.uk), a long running project that had just moved close by into Norman Road. Claire could come and tell us how to develop our green areas. All very interesting, but when were we going to get to 'the path'?

Getting to the point

Although there were plans in front of us on the table showing the route of the path, this was last thing being talked about. I suggested that these ideas about green areas we had just discussed were sweetners, since extending the path meant one of our gardening enthusiasts would lose their garden. They confirmed this. However, they believe the land belongs to Network Rail with whom negotiations were at an early stage. Later it was clarified that they did not envisage that the new extension to the railway path would be fenced off, so north and south parts of the estate would not be cut off from each other. But the garden would go.

They stressed that their focus was on improvements to our area that happened to include the proposal for the extension of the path and what happens to it at either end. Marmoset and I were entrapped in a bit of 'blue sky thinking' – or pie in the sky, as I like to think of it, such as we have come to expect from architects employed in the public sector given free reign to imagine our futures, unlike those engaged by developers who might at some stage be asked to draw up something to assauge a Section 106 community use....

They were expanding on ideas that had arisen in the Creekside Charette that had obstensibly had the aim of protecting us from the most dismissive aspects of new developments, unable to stop them, but suggesting ways to soften their harsher aspects...

It immediately appeared to me that there were snags and problems with almost all of the ideas on the table. No wonder these guys called themselves spacial negotiators, they were more like date finders for all the disparate interests, hoping to get a marriage from the most unlikely partners. I was reminded of local heroes long gone who made careers out of this sort of thing, for instance Jess Steele and Richard Walker, who, among others (eg Creekside Forum as was), fought for us to get the Ha'Penny Hatch. Marmoset and I were out of our depth.

How does your garden grow?

For starters, they had been looking at our little patch as a delightful collection of 'green areas', and wanted to improve our 'garden' spaces. The vision was of one long gone, the orchards that were here when we were Kent, let's not mention that's before it became home to the most toxic and smelly industries outside the city (tanning, potteries, slaughter, etc) that were housed around the Creek. These new boys must know that now the Thames is one of the cleanest rivers in Europe, but that doesn't necessarily include the land alongside.

Perhaps the GCDA might be able to help us, for instance, to increase the potential of our green areas by establishing more growing areas (allotments to you and me)...but I wondered after the meeting if the GreenwichCDA would be able to offer funding for what is essentially Lewisham Council land. Is the land even fit to grow on, for instance? Wasn't the nature park so contaminated they decided not to build on it? And, who on earth would manage our little green spaces? And there might be lots of us balcony dwellers who dream of growing stuff and then lose interest when most of our plants die after a hot summer or a cold winter...(a bit like Glendales, really, leaving a lot of bare patches)...

It became clear that 'looking for other parts of the estate to cultivate' was compensatory to the loss of the garden that the new path would cut through...That the path would be extended alongside the railway up to Deptford Church Street didn't appear up for debate. Another piece of land would be found for this gardener, we were told, with no one accusing anyone of 'squatting' on owned but unclaimed land.

I told them we had an Allotments Rep who we could take this to. I failed to say that Crossfields allotments were a rather informal arrangement, and this could be complicated. It appeared that was already recognised, in that land ownership was rather hazy. Marmoset and I also failed on the spot to identify other 'growing areas' whilst the architect boys thought we might take down the big trees on the Farrer lawn, for instance, and replace them with less shady and, er..., more trendy, fruit trees...

Whilst we liked the idea of returning to the Kent garden that this area once was, we already foresaw differences of opinion among the community on the whole tree thing. I say 'trendy' because the trend was definitely 'grow your own', regardless of the quality of the soil around here, which I was reminded earlier by one of our gardeners, is possibly still contaminated. It became apparent, whilst we were blue-skying with the architects, that they hadn't even walked round the estate yet and identified the green areas they had most likely mapped out from a Google satellite view. (BTW, it was a bit creepy that Frankham House, Congers, Finch and Cremer weren't included on it, but let's not get paranoid, and put it down to their concerns with what was closest to their main objective, 'the path')...

Surely they weren't working from Estate Plans which we still haven't been supplied with. We pointed out there was a patch of land near the Wilshaw allotments that was so overgrown that a dead body was found there recently only when some estate lads had been working to clear a bit of the land to make a BMX track. The TRA had been asking whether this land was part of the estate for a long time and had never got an answer. It was certainly never included in any maintenance. Could our architect friends perhaps finally find out once and for all who owned it?

Creekside Centre

As previously stated, they were also interested in expanding the use of Creekside Centre. Would residents like the use of it as a clubhouse? We talked about using the classroom area for table tennis or dance classes, but all this is dependent on plans for how the building is managed in the near future. The Centre needs to expand its revenue sources, but realistically, any alternative community uses should not interfere too much with the intrinsic purpose of the centre – environmental education and nature conservation. There is much public confusion around just what that is, and meanwhile, the Centre itself has still to find the funds to finance a manager that could keep the building open and be able to co-ordinate alternative uses.

Nevertheless there are possiblities there that it is hoped Crossfields folk may work with – summer events, playschemes perhaps...all ideas welcome. But probably nothing that involves the TRA directly, who in their present incarnation don't really have the wo/man power to run more than the Crossfields festival once a year by the skin of their teeth. All hands to the deck. (By the way, more news on Crossfields Festival soon)...

The West End...

As for the path through the estate, it is indeed a proposal to favour cyclists. Despite denials, the plan to extend the present path through to Church Street on the south side of the railway was obviously the reason for all this cuddly talk of green areas, but it was also unclear. Perhaps the pavement area by the bus stop would be divided into pedestrian and cycle path, encouraging cyclists to use the new entrance.

Perhaps another crossing of Church St would be made that led to Resolution Way. That was certainly how the path had been drawn on the map presented to us. It was suggested that when the Tidemill development was complete, the old Mechanic's Path would be opened up (and not closed at night), offering another safe route for pedestrians and cyclists, ie from Deptford Station direct to Ha'Penny Hatch.

Arthur had been involved in drawing up plans last year to redesign Church Street which involved getting rid of the bus lanes and reducing the dual carriageway to single lanes with a large central area studded with trees. This proposal would mean the road was much easier to cross and three informal crossing points were indicated on his plans. But they weren't hopeful of this going ahead any time soon, since it would be such a large and expensive project.

The architects seem to think this is the salve that would solve what they see is a great divide between us and the high street – even bigger than the Creek in the West-East division, Steve said. I pointed out the road was extremely busy and couldn't accommodate the loss of the bus lanes. They said they thought it was a quiet road on the whole. I said you haven't been here on Saturday when it could take half an hour to get out of Creekside by car, or when either of the tunnels are closed or there's an accident on the A2 or A200 and Creekside becomes a rat run...

The East End...

I was later reminded that the Blackwall Tunnel is now closed until further notice every weekend, so it is no wonder their scheme for a single lane Church Street is not being taken on seriously at this stage. Talking of the Greenwich end of things, it was very unclear what would happen to 'the path' when it meets Norman Road. Their plan showed it proceeding along the north of the railway after Norman Road, meeting with Straightsmouth to end up in Greenwich.

Unfortunately, as Marmoset pointed out,  this 'continual path' idea is scuppered by Greenwich's plans for a two-lane one way system planned to be put in place in time for 2012. Crossing such a bypass presented a problem that these boys still had to work out, and it appeared their 'spacial negotiation' abilities might be stretched to the full on that. One can only speculate what plans there may be for Deptford roads to be unveiled in the future to accommodate the wonders of Greenwich in 2012.

Another area the architects would like to develop for community use is the patch of land at the Greenwich end of the Ha'Penny Hatch which is owned by Thames Water, and they would welcome suggestions from locals for this too, 'spacial negotiations' with Thames Water were ongoing...

I mentioned to Steve, Arthur and John that there were ideas for this space emanating from some Creek boat people that sounded rather feasible in the spirit of a Berliner canal sort of happening. I was told the ideas couldn't include licensed premises...Doh!...surely this is a great spot for such a project before the hotel gets built on the disused industrial estate...tea by day, beer by night? No one around to hear it? Across the Creek, nestled in nowhere...Perhaps Pizza John and his Deptford Dekker might like to relocate?....I urge all local impresarios willing to pay ground rent to get in there now....

Over to you, folks...

In the meantime the WWM boys were tweaking with what they could. We agreed to meet again in a couple of weeks with a walkabout to identify potential in the green areas on the estate that we might 'develop' (anyone up for mocking up a fake dead body for them to come across? sorry, bad taste).

I hope this next meeting will include some Crossfields gardeners who know rather more than Marmoset or I about growing things in our green areas, or anyone who has something to say about the path extension, and others who may be interested in what we want and need in the area that might utilise Creekside Centre.

We'll let you know the date of this meeting as soon as we know (perhaps the 24th June before the TRA meeting?), but in the meantime if you've got any ideas let us know, contact crosswhatfields, the TRA, talk among yourselves, or leave your comments below.

Background information:
www.creeksidecharrette.org/
http://deptfordupdate.org/?page_id=25
www.lewisham.gov.uk/Environment/Regeneration/DeptfordAndNewCross/NorthLewishamLinks/ 
http://deptforddame.blogspot.com/2009/12/plans-for-part-pedestrianisation-of.html 
http://deptforddame.blogspot.com/2010/03/43-81-greenwich-high-road.html
http://853blog.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/deptford-and-greenwich-a-creek-runs-through-them/
http://www.greenwich.co.uk/andrew-gilligan/03162-blackwall-tunnel-to-be-closed-even-more-foot-tunnels-closed-from-this-week-for-months/