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Redemption time over an appalling plans decision?
• CAMDEN Council’s executive is to be congratulated for respecting the wishes of the community to grant Talacre Gardens Town Green status (Talacre Gardens set to be capital’s first ‘town green’ May 28).
As the report accurately said: “Although it was not specifically consulted on, it is clear that concerns about the proposed residential development on Dalby Street had a significant effect on residents’ attitudes towards Town Green status. In particular people are concerned about the development encroaching on the gardens, the precedent this may set and the subsequent long-term implications for the gardens continued existence as a green space. In view of this protecting the gardens from future development is a high priority for residents and there is a considerable lack of trust in the council around this matter.”
In apparent contradiction is the appreciation almost universally expressed at the way the gardens and the sports centre itself have been managed. Unusually, perhaps, there wasn’t a call for decisions on the running of the area to be taken by the community.
What was sought was protection. Protection from the sort of appalling decision that taken in the Dalby Street development.
The blame for that decision lies with those who pushed it forward without any consideration of its access needs and then succeeded in vetoing any discussion of the overall scheme when it was shown it could only work with the most bizarre of access arrangements.
The opportunity exists for the council to redeem itself since this development could only be built if the council allows the developer to ignore or change the existing signed agreement. Although the obligations of the developer in this agreement are inadequate, they are still sufficient to make the development make no economic sense – even if the developer ignores the amount of over £6million he has so far spent.
Nick Harding
St Anns Gardens, NW5
Protecting open spaces
• THERE is a good reason for Talacre residents to be optimistic (Talacre Gardens set to be capital’s first ‘town green’, May 28).
Liberal Democrat members alone of the coalition recognised the uniqueness of Talacre Gardens and decided last week to self-register our local park as a Town Green. This will protect Haverstock’s only available public open space from encroachment by developers for ever.
Nevertheless, there is still cause for concern. The Town Green status is subject to negotiations on the boundaries. But for a tiny dog exercise patch on the south west of the park, the Friends of Talacre Gardens drew up the Town Green line on the area marked by the existing boundary fencing. Camden officials, however, appear to want to reduce this space and wish to set other boundaries removing approximately one quarter of the existing open space.
What the council don’t seem to remember is that local residents have already fought tooth and nail to preserve some of that proposed excluded area (for example, the Dalby Street developer wanted to build a parking lot recently, and earlier, Camden officials supported a private restaurant “sitting-out” area within the park.)
The loss of any other space is unacceptable to residents.
Camden claim they are trying to preserve the space for the Talacre Community Sports Centre. However, if we fail to protect that extra area, we could find ourselves fighting developers wishing to build a high-rise building or some other monstrosity where the green pitch is now.
Our main objective is to ensure that the Town Green protects as much land as possible for leisure and recreation for the future.
Ideally, green spaces contribute a sense of openness as well as active recreational and leisure space.
We must be grateful that we have been promised the Town Green and that the council are listening to residents. At the same time, we must continue to be vigilant while the issue of boundaries remains undetermined and unresolved.
Celine La Freniere
Talacre Gardens, NW
A triumph to inspire
• WOW! What an achievement for all the hard work that volunteers have put in over the past two years to save our precious Talacre Gardens for ever and for it to become London’s first Town Green.
From residents who filled out consultation forms to the many hours of meetings attended by young and old alike.
It has been a whirlwind of press interviews, photo-shoots, letters, slots on radio and BBC1 news. Hours of research from people who genuinely cared, deputations to council chambers but nobody ever gave up hope.
Having been a volunteer on a number of panels over the past five years, it is so rewarding that community spirit, public opinion and support from dedicated ward councillors who we voted in has all come together in such a positive manner.
I hope this triumph inspires voluntary groups across the borough and also increases the number of people to volunteer on panels. Your time is worth it and Camden Council does listen.
Beverly Gardner
Vice Chair
Friends of Talacre Gardens
Listen to the local people
• GREAT elation in Haverstock and Gospel Oak wards, and elsewhere too, about Talacre Gardens being granted Town Green status
Residents who bothered to respond to a turgid consultation, about how to protect Talacre Gardens, have been vindicated.
Only one cloud over the celebration: Conservative leader, Councillor Andrew Marshall, refused to vote for the Town Green, because he claimed the local framework plan would protect open spaces in Camden for the next 25 years.
He then went on to say that a large number of private developers, have participated in helping to draft the plan.
When local residents contacted the Town Hall, however, we were told that our participation was not needed.
What kind of local framework is this, that the ordinary resident is not included? All I can say is, thank god we got the Town Green!
David Landman
Southampton Road, NW5
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