SEE BELOW ARTICLE COPY AND PASTED FROM ONLINE VERSION - You can go online to comment on the article!
South Norwood residents call on council to provide somewhere for their children to play
by Dave Burke dave.burke@essnmedia.co.uk
FUMING neighbours close to a plot of land in South Norwood have called on Croydon Council to pull its finger out and provide some open space for children to play on.
People living near Love Lane Green claim youngsters are missing out on somewhere to play because Town Hall chiefs are dragging their feet over issuing a compulsory purchase order (CPO).
They reckon that if the order is made, the site - whose future has been in doubt for several years - would become an asset to the community.
At the moment the green is fenced off, and numerous applications to build housing on it have been turned down.
A pressure group, the Love Lane Green Group, has now presented a petition with 600 signatures to the council calling for faster action.
Love Lane Green Group chairman John Clarke told the Advertiser: "If the will was there, the children would be playing on the green now instead of bouncing balls off cars.
"It's not as if a CPO is something really weird or unusual as far as the council is concerned.
"They should have plenty of experience of using CPOs."
Mr Clarke says his eight-year-old son Daniel would desperately like to use the green.
He added: "We try and get kids out exercising, but this does make it difficult."
His views are echoed by mum Jenny Rosbottom, who says her children, Connor, 11, Imogen, 8, and Elliot, 3, would love to have the green to play on.
She said: "I feel uncomfortable with them playing in the street.
"The government goes on about obesity and kids spending too much time playing computer games, so I don't know why this is taking so long."
Mum-of-three Danuta Plummer lets her children play on the streets but would rather have them using the bit of land.
She said: "Love Lane Green is an open space of land which could offer our children opportunities to safely play.
"Parents would be reassured that their children are meeting their friends, playing games and having fun in an appropriate, allocated environment, a safer option than playing on the streets."
A council spokeswoman said she appreciated the residents' desire for recreational open space in this part of the borough.
She added: "We are at present carefully considering all options regarding Love Lane Green, with an aspiration to bring it into public use.
"This includes the possible use of the council's compulsory purchase powers.
"In pursuing the matter, we are taking detailed advice from our professional advisors."
Saturday, September 20, 2008
WOoHOo Page 23 of the Croydon Advertiser
Go out and buy the Croydon Advertiser! We are on Page 23 and almost have the whole page which is brilliant. They printed both the photos of the group and the green, and was a really good positive article about the green! There was a couple of quotes from the parents and they choose the angle that the parents in the area would like a safe near area to play.
Only thing is it isnt just the parents that want the green back as a place to play but the whole community want somewhere back as an area that everyone can use as well. We want it back as Metropolitan Open Land which before it was sold it used to be!
Ideally and i dont think that this would be impossible that this land could be an area that the whole community could use in time. Children, Dog Walkers, walkers, people interested in the conservation of this area especially as its not a million miles away from South Norwood Country Park and actually before the tram was built was almost part of it.
The article is also online now go to http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/
for the front page and it is currently second story down or go to http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/latestnews/South-Norwood-residents-council-provide-children-play/article-340148-detail article.html for the actual article itself. Thanks again to Dave Burke for taking notice of us and writing the piece!
Only thing is it isnt just the parents that want the green back as a place to play but the whole community want somewhere back as an area that everyone can use as well. We want it back as Metropolitan Open Land which before it was sold it used to be!
Ideally and i dont think that this would be impossible that this land could be an area that the whole community could use in time. Children, Dog Walkers, walkers, people interested in the conservation of this area especially as its not a million miles away from South Norwood Country Park and actually before the tram was built was almost part of it.
The article is also online now go to http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/
for the front page and it is currently second story down or go to http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/latestnews/South-Norwood-residents-council-provide-children-play/article-340148-detail article.html for the actual article itself. Thanks again to Dave Burke for taking notice of us and writing the piece!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Photos from Croydon Advertiser Photographer!!!
Big Big thank you to Danny the Croydon Advertiser photographer! (see http://www.dfphotography.co.uk/ for his website) He has graciously let us use these two on the blog!!! And here they are.....
We wait with baited breath to see if the story is in tomorrow's Croydon Advertiser! Fingers crossed all.
Also just as a footnote 50 of us turned up! That is a big 5 and 0!!! Lets see if we can get at least four times that when it comes to the meeting in October!!!!
We wait with baited breath to see if the story is in tomorrow's Croydon Advertiser! Fingers crossed all.
Also just as a footnote 50 of us turned up! That is a big 5 and 0!!! Lets see if we can get at least four times that when it comes to the meeting in October!!!!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Well.........photos have been taken!
The photos have been taken, thank you so much to Danny the photographer, and of course everyone that turned up at relatively short notice for the photo. Hopefully the article that the Croydon Advertiser is writing will be in this weeks paper, if not soon we hope!
Also Danny kindly said that we could have a copy of the photo for the blog which would be great, thank you again for that!
Just want to say a big thanks also to everyone over the years that has fought to get back this green! We are still fighting and wont ever go away!
Also Danny kindly said that we could have a copy of the photo for the blog which would be great, thank you again for that!
Just want to say a big thanks also to everyone over the years that has fought to get back this green! We are still fighting and wont ever go away!
Today URGENT
Today there is a photographer from Croydon Advertiser coming at 4pm to take pictures of all those that want Love Lane Green turned back into a green. The meeting area is by the emergency gate at the top of Love Lane for 4pm.
I have been told that the reporter Dave Burke from the Advertiser may or may not be able to come, but if you have any comments regarding this story to phone him on 0208 763 6605 especially if you are a parent in and around Love Lane Green and thinks that the children may be missing out in the area!
Come and support us even if you dont want to be in the picture!
I have been told that the reporter Dave Burke from the Advertiser may or may not be able to come, but if you have any comments regarding this story to phone him on 0208 763 6605 especially if you are a parent in and around Love Lane Green and thinks that the children may be missing out in the area!
Come and support us even if you dont want to be in the picture!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Obesity , Social Interaction, Communites, free play space
Obesity , Social Interaction, Communities, free play space was thinking about all of these over the weekend. How the government and councils go on and on about children playing and exercising but build on areas where they could safely play. Also about good social interaction between and within communities and children and whilst i was musing on all of it found an article written in The Guardian from March this year.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/30/children.health
Some notable points from it were:
'Despite strong evidence that playing freely strengthens friendships, keeps children healthy and helps them to cope with risky situations, ministers will admit that the opportunities for children to do so have been falling rapidly.'
and
'In our consultations parents told us this is because there are not enough safe places to go - and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that parents think their children are safer playing inside on a computer than outside.'
and
'This week's strategy hopes to address that with a long list of promises - some being restated - to create thousands of safe spaces for children. The government will promise £225m in extra funding for local authorities, 3,500 more play areas, 30 supervised adventure playgrounds and spaces for older teenagers to spend time. Children's play, local authorities will be warned, must be central to housing, transport and planning decisions.'
and last
'Playing freely with friends, it found, let children experience primary emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, happiness, shock and disgust. The rules of the game, meanwhile, developed secondary emotions such as pride, shame and sympathy. The academics concluded that play was important when it came to forming friendships, building resilience and boosting emotional and physical health.
'The research confirms what every child and most parents know - that playing is a deeply instinctive need,' said Adrian Voce, director of Play England. 'Children are motivated to play because they enjoy it, and what they enjoy is its uncertainty and spontaneity; expressing themselves and how they're feeling, within a safe space. Children at play can experience and explore the fullest range of feelings, because they're "just" playing. The research also tells us that playing causes the brain to develop flexible responses to experiences and relationships.'
All very interesting stuff and certainly well put. That is what we need Love Lane Green to be again, an open green space with a place for the children to play football, or other ball games, hide and seek around the bushes or trees and to keep out of the roads which they would be able to do if there was a green space back here. Then the parents would be able to know that they werent too far away and could be called or easily seen from the houses in the area! Give it back to us now...
In fact in a few easy step this could be done:
Council do Compulsory Purchase Order
Fence is taken down with the area next to the fence cleared of rubbish and brambles.
Long grass in the middle is mown so there is a playing area, keep some longer grass on the outer area near the train and tram track.
Then like magic Love Lane Green becomes a green again....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/30/children.health
Some notable points from it were:
'Despite strong evidence that playing freely strengthens friendships, keeps children healthy and helps them to cope with risky situations, ministers will admit that the opportunities for children to do so have been falling rapidly.'
and
'In our consultations parents told us this is because there are not enough safe places to go - and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that parents think their children are safer playing inside on a computer than outside.'
and
'This week's strategy hopes to address that with a long list of promises - some being restated - to create thousands of safe spaces for children. The government will promise £225m in extra funding for local authorities, 3,500 more play areas, 30 supervised adventure playgrounds and spaces for older teenagers to spend time. Children's play, local authorities will be warned, must be central to housing, transport and planning decisions.'
and last
'Playing freely with friends, it found, let children experience primary emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, happiness, shock and disgust. The rules of the game, meanwhile, developed secondary emotions such as pride, shame and sympathy. The academics concluded that play was important when it came to forming friendships, building resilience and boosting emotional and physical health.
'The research confirms what every child and most parents know - that playing is a deeply instinctive need,' said Adrian Voce, director of Play England. 'Children are motivated to play because they enjoy it, and what they enjoy is its uncertainty and spontaneity; expressing themselves and how they're feeling, within a safe space. Children at play can experience and explore the fullest range of feelings, because they're "just" playing. The research also tells us that playing causes the brain to develop flexible responses to experiences and relationships.'
All very interesting stuff and certainly well put. That is what we need Love Lane Green to be again, an open green space with a place for the children to play football, or other ball games, hide and seek around the bushes or trees and to keep out of the roads which they would be able to do if there was a green space back here. Then the parents would be able to know that they werent too far away and could be called or easily seen from the houses in the area! Give it back to us now...
In fact in a few easy step this could be done:
Council do Compulsory Purchase Order
Fence is taken down with the area next to the fence cleared of rubbish and brambles.
Long grass in the middle is mown so there is a playing area, keep some longer grass on the outer area near the train and tram track.
Then like magic Love Lane Green becomes a green again....
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Okay Photos are UP!
Okay the photos are up - have a lookie. They show Love Lane Green from lots of different angles. Note the few bits of roads and the top of Love Lane by the Emergency Gate well they are where the children currently play football, ride bikes and play! Is that where you would like your children to play.
We need this green not in 10 years time when they are grown up! We need the green now for the Autumn, Winter and Spring to come, our children in this area need a green where we can see them , where they can play, where we can picnic as a community get chatting to each other and build the area back up.
If this area had houses that were worth half a million or a million each there is no way that land would of been left like this for such a long time.....
Come and support us at the meeting on 24Th October and before then don't forget to send in your questions to Croydon Council asking them what is going on with the Green!
Green it UP!
We need this green not in 10 years time when they are grown up! We need the green now for the Autumn, Winter and Spring to come, our children in this area need a green where we can see them , where they can play, where we can picnic as a community get chatting to each other and build the area back up.
If this area had houses that were worth half a million or a million each there is no way that land would of been left like this for such a long time.....
Come and support us at the meeting on 24Th October and before then don't forget to send in your questions to Croydon Council asking them what is going on with the Green!
Green it UP!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Was Thinking....
Was thinking today about the difference that the green being back in control of the council would mean...
...would be a community place where events could be run each year to get the local community around and near the green getting to meet each other and do activities.
.....would be a place for children to play football- especially if we had a dedicated area over there to do that!!!
..... would mean not having such a closed in space at the top of Love Lane with the horrible corrugated fence that is currently there.
...... would be an exercising, dog walking (dog bins would be good for this), picnicking area within a nearer walking distance
...... could be planted with flowers and shrubs to look nice.
.......could be a conservationist area for the stag beetles that have been spotted there and the slow worms.
They are lots of if only, buts and maybes... the more people that get behind this and come to the meeting in October and get ask Croydon Council questions the more likely it is that the green will be back to local use again !!!
...would be a community place where events could be run each year to get the local community around and near the green getting to meet each other and do activities.
.....would be a place for children to play football- especially if we had a dedicated area over there to do that!!!
..... would mean not having such a closed in space at the top of Love Lane with the horrible corrugated fence that is currently there.
...... would be an exercising, dog walking (dog bins would be good for this), picnicking area within a nearer walking distance
...... could be planted with flowers and shrubs to look nice.
.......could be a conservationist area for the stag beetles that have been spotted there and the slow worms.
They are lots of if only, buts and maybes... the more people that get behind this and come to the meeting in October and get ask Croydon Council questions the more likely it is that the green will be back to local use again !!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Forgot to say.....
Have emailed some media people about the blog and about Love Lane Green and well we will see what will happen.... more people should know about it and more should care about what is happening.
Also in the next week should be receiving some photos of how the green looks now ... horrible is a good word to describe it but we will see what you think when they are up.
Dont forget you can always comment under the post !
Also in the next week should be receiving some photos of how the green looks now ... horrible is a good word to describe it but we will see what you think when they are up.
Dont forget you can always comment under the post !
Friday, September 5, 2008
SUMMARY OF DATES
Here is a summary of dates and it is a long long time that this area of land has been in dispute about time that something i.e CROYDON COUNCIL actually did what they have promised and said that they will do and do the compulsory purchase order (CPO) and get on with it after all the broken promises and to be honest dis-interest from them!!!!!
1970 land was derelict, local mums petitioned early 1970’s to get it mown, and it was much like it is today.
Prior to this there were discussions to put a ring road through land but that didn’t materialise.
The land was auctioned in 1988 when the GLC was defunct and bought by Mr Morris (Senior) who died and left it to his son and daughter.
The fence was erected in the mid 90’s. At this stage a neighbour approached Roger Green as a Planning Application had been submitted for 32 houses. They wanted to know what we could do to oppose this.
Roger leafleted the area to inform residents of a meeting at the Den in
During that time petitions, meetings and Questions to Council have been implemented.
Latest petition, submitted to the Council at the end of August 2008 yielded nearly 600 signatures.
Continuation Annual General Meeting is on Friday 24Th October 2008 at 7.30 at St Mark’s Church,
In the meantime contact the Council and let them know your views on the area.
According to the 'Your Croydon' Issue 21 magazine, the deadlines for public questions for the forthcoming council meeting on Monday 6th October is 12 noon, on the MONDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER. To submit a question (max number of words 50)for consideration at a full council meeting, email to council.questions@croydon.gov.uk or fax to 0208 760 5657, or print and complete the form at www.croydon.gov.uk/councilquestion and post it to Questions for the Council, Democratic and Legal Services, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon, CR9 3JS: or call 0208 726 6000 ext 63876
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