During Covid and beyond, Waltham Forest Council must protect vital open green space for community, sport and recreation. We have kept our petition open. 

In the midst of this pandemic, Waltham Forest Council had planned to hire out our local sports field to Secret Cinema for large-scale private events with audiences of 5 thousand a day, ticketed at £49/£89.

In May 2021, following huge community opposition, sports protest, report, petition, objection and discussions with our National Sports bodies; Secret Cinema announced they had 'postponed' their events on Low Hall Playing Fields.

They subsequently withdrew their application and are holding their events elsewhere this summer. Thank you for signing and sharing this petition and for believing that if you are right, you can win. We were and we did.

We asked the leader of Waltham Forest Council, Clare Coghill to respond to 5 key concerns on our report which she was first sent on 19 April 2021. Although her office and CEO informed us she was working on a response, she stepped down from her post some months later without responding.

https://savelowhall.wordpress.com
@low_save

What happened?

The events would subject the site to heavy industrial use and would mean our community would not have been able to use the site as intended for team sport, well-being and recreation over the entire summer. It would also have caused overcrowding in our borough and the neighbouring green spaces of Hackney, Tottenham and Leyton.

Thousands in our community had objected formally including; ward councillors, grassroots sports teams, headteachers, schools, governing bodies, residents and individuals. Thousands more have not been consulted and will not know that this was planned. 

Our cause was supported by The Mayor of London and the GLA, who assured us that “The concerns that you have raised will need to be addressed by Waltham Forest Council in order for the application to be approved by The Mayor of London.” 

We circulated the above statement from the GLA, this petition, report and a film message produced by our grassroots teams to key decision makers.

It was sent to Councillor Clare Coghill for a response and to all Waltham Forest Council Leaders including our Director of Public Health, Joe McDonnell. We also sent it to the Board and Executive teams of relevant sectors. The CEO of Sport England and the CEO of Waltham Forest Council responded to us.

Why do we care?

Health Inequalities in Waltham Forest increase our risk of death during Covid-19

Low Hall Playing Fields are situated in a densely populated, 52.8% BAME and low income area of Walthamstow, North East London. The playing field is operated by Waltham Forest Council. Although the site has not been well maintained, hundreds of grassroots teams, families, individuals and informal groups regularly use the space for football, cricket, sport and recreation.

Covid-19 has caused unprecedented disruption to our team sports and to our mental and physical health. Our borough has had a higher than average death rate compared with the rest of London. The Covid-19 Marmot Report revealed that Health Inequalities for those living in densely populated, low-income and BAME communities meant they were more likely to die in this pandemic. Addressing issues like access to community green spaces or sports facilities are known factors which can help to prevent excess deaths in this pandemic.

Subsequently the Health Inequalities Strategy (GLA) and Public Service Strategy (LBWF) were written to address these issues. However, Waltham Forest Council has directly contravened these pledges, strategies and directives in their handling of this application.