Five Redbridge parks have been awarded “green flag” status for, among other things, their cleanliness, but also including their security and quality of facilities.
They are: Valentines Park, Ilford, South Park, Ilford, Goodmayes Park, Goodmayes, Elmhurst Gardens, South Woodford and Ilford War Memorial Gardens, Ilford.
They are not: Christ Church Green, Wanstead. Opinions will vary on the specific reasons.
What precipitation! What irrigation! What downpours! A couple of nice days, admittedly, giving us a tiny breathing space in which to cut back the overgrown lawns, but with more rain forecast, next week’s column might turn out to be Parker’s Arks.
I’m not a great one for galoshes, and it’s bad luck to open an umbrella indoors, except when cocktails are involved.
So when the monsoon arrives, I like to spend some quality time with the remote control and my favourite armchair, and an afternoon’s-worth of reruns of Grand Designs and the occasional hob-nob.
I must say there’s something of the young George in dear Kevin McCloud. The principles, the passion, the sensible knitwear .. he’s got it going on all right.
As for his programme of dreams and ambitions – I guess you could say that Wanstead hasn’t really featured in the shows to date.
Perhaps there’s a conjunction between the relatively high land prices and innate conservatism of the area – or maybe the producers find it easier to film when there’s a lovely loch as a backdrop.
Whatever those reasons, Wanstead, Snaresbrook and Aldersbrook have a number of former churches, shuttered-buildings, brownfield parcels and the like which are crying out to be brought to their full potential. Remember the grim facade of the current Belgique site, before the croissants arrived! And that was just a makeover, not a Grand Design!
Redbridge are currently evaluating a plan to replace 12 scratty old garages with a residential development in the heart of Nightingale country. Existing residents rightly raise issues of congestion, intrusion and privacy – but it’s very tempting to point out that the status quo is not worth preserving.
The ambitious plan, whose architects are actually based in the Corner House, includes a grass roof, solar panels, and heat recovery equipment too. Assuming the developers keep to their positive pledges regarding sensitivity of design, sustainability and renewables, the proposed four-bedroom house and two apartments would greatly improve the site and of course its situation. I’ll be keeping a close eye…
Mulholland Drive
When I’ve finished my McCloud binge, and cannot manage a single ‘will they be in by Christmas’ cliff-hanger more, I move on to the DVD collection.
Firing up the popcorn maker – that reminds me, we could do with a health-food shop on the High Street like this one – I make a selection based on the usual criteria – Oscars won, famous scenes, whether or not the current Mrs Parker is at home, and so on.
I’m unerringly drawn to film noir with its dark brooding heroes (and villains), the dirty deals and the charismatic properties that provide the backdrops.
So as I surveyed the curving expanses of Grove Park this week, I was excited to see this hidden gem peeping through the lush and overgrown frontage. To me it instantly evoked a Hollywood villa in the idiom of a Lloyd-Wright, though they do mention it’s hardly been done up since Frank’s day (and yet is on the market for offers in excess of £800,000). It’ll need more than TLC and a new red carpet inside, but with all the room available, a well-appointed home cinema would be a possibility, although I’d demur from gold stars and cement handprints set in the patio. With renovation in mind, the agents have provided a storyboard of their own, marketing the property with detailed graphics suggesting how new owners might create their own happy ending.
Spot any Wanstead properties on the market which put you in mind of TV, films or even musical theatre? You can always drop a line to George at georgecparker@wansteadium.com with your rave reviews.
Concern is mounting among some Wanstead residents at a planning application for a 29-bed hostel at 65 Cambridge Park. Details of the intended purpose of the hostel are not specified in the planning documents – the Wanstead Guardian reports it’s for a homeless hostel – but several residents are concerned that simple “change of use” permission could pave the way for a number of different groups to be housed there.
Wansteadium reader Paul Mullen wrote: “I am trying not to base my objection from a not-in-my-back-yard standpoint, but rather from the standpoint that this site is based within a half-mile radius from two primary schools and two care homes for the elderly.”
He said that while a homeless hostel would not be as worrying as a bail hostel, it would still, he believed, only be for overnight accommodation, “meaning that each morning there could be 29 homeless people being turned out on to the streets with nowhere to go”.
“I personally think it is a good thing that homeless people are being offered overnight accommodation but, I think that this is the wrong location,” he said.
The Wanstead Society are among about 60 representations that have been made to the council over the application. Their objection states that there is insufficient detail in the application for it to proceed safely.
“There are many different types of hostel – each with its own particular set of concerns for the local community. For example, if it were to be used as a bail hostel, then anyone awaiting trial could be housed there – including sex offenders. This would be extremely worrying for local residents as two schools are in the immediate vicinity. If it were an asylum hostel then other considerations would apply. Until and unless we are told by the developer, not only must we object to this application, but would also urge that no decision can safely be taken.”
Details of the application can be seen at this page. Consultation on the plans finishes on Monday.
Following their resounding victory earlier this week, opponents of plans to introduce new parking restrictions in and around central Wanstead might feel their work is done.
The “Area 1” committee on Monday decided to recommend that the plans to introduce pay and display on Wanstead High Street and paid permits for residents in central Wanstead and Snaresbrook should not go ahead (report here from the Wanstead Guardian). But that is not necessarily an end to the matter.
First off there is a debate to be held on Thursday night at the full council meeting, following the presentation of the petitions organised against both plans. This debate is triggered by the presentation of any petition with more than 1,500 signatures, but of course doesn’t in itself mean that the petitioners have their way.
The decision on both plans is one which will be made by the council’s cabinet, rather than the full council, as it is an executive decision. This meeting will not be held until 6 September, and it is to this meeting that the Area 1 committee recommendation will be presented.
The council papers, available here, include some of the reasons why the proposals were made. Particularly clear are the comments from the director of finances and resources, who writes:
The proposal to introduce pay and display parking restrictions in Wanstead High Street arises from the decision of Cabinet at its out a Parking Strategy Review. The context for this review was the financial environment facing the public sector in which all service areas within the Council needed to identify opportunities to make savings or generate additional income… Subsequently, one of the budget proposals approved by Council at its meeting on 3rd March 2011 was the generation of new income in respect of the expansion of charging for parking across the Borough. This proposal was to be effective from 2012/13 and amounted to £500,000 in that year and £1,250,000 in a full year and therefore is a significant element in the Authority’s overall budget.
Nevertheless, Valerie and Michael Powis, organisers of the Oppose Parking campaign, told Wansteadium: “We take our petitions to Full Council Debate on 21st July at 7.15 pm at Ilford Town Hall. Any supporters who oppose the parking plans would be welcome in the public gallery.”
Announcing a brand new feature for Wansteadium – Classified adverts.
Using our simple new webpages, you can advertise your unwanted stuff to fellow Wanstead folk, all for free. On offer at the time of writing are various bits of baby kit (cots, tricycle etc), a camera, a bike, books and other items.
Here’s how it works. Click on the blue Classifieds button in the site’s top banner. When there, you will be able to place an advert, or browse through adverts other people have placed. If you’re placing an advert, you enter the item’s details, plus a photo if you’ve got it, along with the price you want and your e-mail address. Your e-mail address is not publicly visible. But anyone who wants to buy your items enters their details and our software automatically sends you an e-mail. It’s up to you, as the seller, whether you get in contact to arrange the sale.
Wansteadium has no part in this other than introducing buyer and seller. And it’s all free, the kind of selfless gesture which gives Wansteadium a warm glow.
Remember, though, if you want to give stuff away rather than sell it, there are a number of excellent ways to do it. On Wanstead High Street there is Barnados, the British Heart Foundation and the Oxfam Bookshop. And there’s always the wonderful Freegle Redbridge, a network of local people who give away all sorts of things to people who need them.
