Hello woodland supporters!

Our petition now has over 300 signatures, and 26 of the 27 public comments on the planning application are objections! Thank you so much for speaking up for nature.

Southwark Council has responded to our petition and planning objections with a letter. Text copied below - please have a read. Basically, they are repeating what is on the planning application - pointing to the proposed bits of landscaping, with a couple of bird houses, bat boxes, and whips or saplings they intend to plant as a replacement for the mature woodland area they are unnecessarily cutting down. 

We stand by our request for a more inclusive, honest, resident consultation, with the option to maintain and restore the existing woodland properly presented, and for the council to seriously consider other, less destructive places to build this housing.

At this time of climate and biodiversity crisis, trees lost to development cannot be easily replaced, as the letter suggests. A small, newly planted tree, which may not survive, will not provide the same value as a mature tree in terms of carbon storage, water uptake and flood risk abatement, reduced heat island effect, and natural habitat. Furthermore, the proposals to build on the Lomond Grove woodland are non-compliant with Southwark Council’s own policies, and pre-date both the council’s climate emergency strategy and action plan, and the New Southwark Plan policy Trees P60, which states: “Development must retain and enhance the borough's trees and canopy cover.” 

Over 2,000 mature trees have been removed in Southwark since 2018, and the council’s ambition to increase tree canopy as part of its response to the climate and biodiversity crises can succeed only if remaining trees are protected at the same time as new trees are planted.

At the council's recent community consultation on Linking Accessible Green Spaces within Camberwell, people showed strong support for the enhancement of the green corridor between Burgess Park and Camberwell Green, and Lomond Grove's little woodland is a critical link in that corridor.

At the council's original consultation for this project, very few residents were present. In June of this year, SNAVers Tracey and Anna went door to door at 61-91 Brisbane Street, and all the residents we spoke to were under the impression that there was no option available but to watch the building to go up as planned by the council.

Southwark Nature Action Volunteers support the building of new council homes, but we reject the idea that people must choose between social housing and protecting trees and green spaces. It should be possible for the council to modify its plans for Lomond Grove and retain the wooded area as a nature garden- our members would be very happy to work with the council to achieve this.

Please help Southwark to be wiser, more thoughtful, and more considered in its rush to build more housing. If you haven't yet, it is not too late to make a comment on the planning application 21/AP/198 at https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=QUFTKVKBGAD00

Thanks!

Here is the letter that Tim Bostridge of Southwark Council wrote to SNAV:

Dear Southwark Nature Action Volunteers
Response to Petition Regarding New Council Homes on Lomond Grove

We are aware that Southwark Nature Action Volunteers have raised objections and initiated a petition against the proposed development of new council homes on Lomond Grove. I write to you to address your concerns and respond to the points raised in your petition. Please be assured that the council is committed to protecting areas of nature and biodiversity in our borough as much as possible, and any proposals to remove trees are carefully considered and assessed before moving forwards.

We’re creating new homes on Lomond Grove as part of our commitment to providing more quality council homes across the borough. We currently have over 15,000 households on our housing waiting list, with a significant number of residents living in unsuitable or overcrowded accommodation. We have committed to creating 2,500 new council homes by May 2022 – a big goal, but crucial if we’re going to tackle the housing crisis and ensure our residents have quality homes they can be proud of, now and in the future.

The proposal to build 22 new council homes on this site will help to meet the housing need across the borough and at least 50% of the new homes built on Lomond Grove would be for local tenants in housing need.

Condition of the Existing Trees:

There are 11 trees and three groups of trees within the site area that would be removed and replaced for the development to take place. The tree survey carried out at the site sets out the categories of the trees we are proposing to remove:
Tim Bostridge Head of Development New Homes Development Team Housing and Modernisation

Tim.Bostridge@southwark.gov.uk Tel: 020 7525 1801 Date: 29 July 2021 Ref: Lomond Grove
Category
Number of Trees
B
3
C
8
U
3
Southwark Council, PO BOX 64529, London SE1P 5LX | southwark.gov.uk | facebook.com/southwarkcouncil uk | twitter.com/lb_southwark
The majority of these trees are sycamores, apart from two ash trees, a group of lilac trees and a cherry tree. The cherry tree is categorised as category U and removal is recommended regardless of the development.

There are two trees identified as category A within the survey, both of which are being retained. The proposed block has been shaped around the large category A plane tree on Lomond Grove in order for this to be retained.

Replacement Trees and Landscaping Works:

Landscaping works are proposed around the new development and wider site area. The key landscaping ideas are:

� A linear green area to the rear of the existing Caspian Street block, with defensible planting to the rear of the fences and wildflower planting to the existing grassed area.

� A new play area - the existing play space would be enlarged with a broader range of equipment including natural play elements.

� A wildlife area to the north of the play area with a variety of native species and insect habitat.

� The creation of a ‘pocket park’ and pedestrian route through from Lomond Grove to Caspian Street.

In addition to the landscaping works, we would also plant replacement trees. We are proposing to plant 18 trees within the wider site area where the landscaping works are due to take place. This includes a new tree avenue along Caspian Street. We would also plant more trees across the wider Elmington Estate.

We have been in dialogue with the Urban Forester in the planning department throughout the design development regarding the number of trees that should be replaced at the site. Based on a review of the tree survey, the Urban Forester has been able to provide indicative details of the trees that should be replaced based on the stem girth that will be lost from the existing trees.

The exact number of replacement trees is dependent on the size of the trees that are planted. Therefore, in addition to the 18 replacement trees that would be provided within the site area, further trees would also be planted across the wider Elmington Estate.

The flood risk in the area has been taken into consideration as part of the design development. The block has been slightly raised and flood defences has been incorporated into the construction. We have drawn up a sustainable urban drainage strategy which was submitted with the planning application.
Southwark Council, PO BOX 64529, London SE1P 5LX | southwark.gov.uk | facebook.com/southwarkcouncil uk | twitter.com/lb_southwark
Consultation:

Consultation with local residents took place throughout the design development phase, which included an in-person open event in December 2019, online project group meetings throughout 2020 and consultation on our online consultation platform, Commonplace. Part of consultation on Commonplace consisted of a specific set of questions regarding the proposed landscape works and potential locations for the replacement trees. Residents gave feedback on the proposals and shared their views on the design ideas.

Formal comments and objections raised by Southwark Nature Action Volunteers regarding the planning application will be considered as part of the planning process.

I hope this letter explains our approach to replacing the trees on this site, and alleviates your concerns about the impact on nature and wildlife in the area. If you have any questions about the development proposals, or would like to know anything more about our tree replacement plans, please don’t hesitate to contact the Project Manager for the site, Rachel Askew on Rachel.Askew@southwark.gov.uk

Yours faithfully

Tim Bostridge
Head of Development
Southwark Council, PO BOX 64529, London SE1P 5LX | southwark.gov.uk | facebook.com/southwarkcouncil uk | twitter.com/lb_southwark