The Highstone is back, having been knocked over in a road crash some months ago. There are some signs of repair visible. But it’s good to have it back. History of the highstone is here.
Highstone returns
Nightingale shame
Very sad to see some nitwit has defaced the nightingale mural at the top of Nightingale Lane. It’s amazing, in a way, that the bird has survived since Sept 2021 untouched. But here’s hoping former glory can be recovered.
Block blocked
A planning application to put a five-story apartment building on Highstone Avenue, off Cambridge Park, has been rejected by Redbridge planners.
The rejection read: “The proposal, by reason of its scale, massing, cramped layout and close proximity to the Victorian host building, in the context of the two storey houses on Highstone Avenue and Chestnut Drive, would be harmful to the appearance of the streetscene and an overdevelopment of the site.”
It also said that the proposed flats would “provide substandard residential accommodation as there would a significant number of flats with substandard private balconies by area and depth, and no communal amenity space provided for future occupiers either”.
Farewell phone box
Unloved and unused, the phone box on Nightingale Green has gone to meet its maker. It would be interesting to know how long a phone box has been on that site, on the corner of Nightingale Lane and Stanstead Road, but hey times move on.
Lucy’s lockdown singing marked
Celebrated Wanstead soprano Lucy Crowe, discussed the nightly open air singing she and husband Joe performed during lockdown on Radio 3 on Thursday. You can hear it below.
Lucy was awarded an OBE for services to music in last year’s King’s Birthday Honours.
(Note to wonderful people at the BBC. We’ve used a clip of this interview for one reason only… that BBC Sounds STILL doesn’t allow you to share an exact point in a radio programme, even after all these years.)
DIY rubbish change
NB to anyone mid-DIY.
You are now only allowed to take the detritus from DIY to the Chigwell Road Recycling Centre by appointment.
The East London Waste Authority announced the move at the start of the year, saying:
From January 2024, a booking will also be required for any vehicle bringing in DIY or renovation waste. This will make it easy for residents to use a new increased allowance of DIY waste, while helping to protect the RRCs from misuse by those who are required to pay to dispose of waste (such as builders).
DIY waste includes rubble, fitted kitchen and bathroom units, structural wood and metal, and soil.