Ferndale Area Residents Association (FARA)

We’ve been told by local police of several instances of dog walkers being mugged on the Flats, usually (but not always) after dark. No-one has been hurt so far as we know – but obviously it’s a distressing experience. So if you walk on the Flats/in Bush Wood, please be aware of your surroundings, and leave your precious items at home.

FARA residents spring cleaning Wanstead Flats

We’d like to thank the dozen or so residents who joined us for the spring clean on Sunday 25 March – a few of whom are shown in the picture above. Thanks also to the Council for lending us litter grabbers and also to Anthony for helping.

We’ve had a request from a 24-year-old student of Tourism and Events Management at the Sheffield Hallam University. She is looking for local people to do a short online questionnaire about the Olympics (it’s all anonymous – no personal details required). The information will be used as part of a 7000 word dissertation ‘What are the Social Impacts of  the 2012 Olympics on London.’ She’s looking for all ages and any type of person, but it needs to be done soon as her deadline for writing the dissertation is 24 April. If you feel like helping out, the questionnaire is at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6H8VPQS

Olympic Temporary CPZ

This is what Cllr Clyde Loakes said in his latest email update to Leytonstone ward residents about the CPZ.

“As residents will know from the south of Lea Bridge Rd down to the Newham border eg the whole of Leytonstone and Leyton, during the period of the Olympics and Paralympics will become a temporary CPZ, in order to try and prioritise local residents during what will be an unprecedented and extremely challenging time for road and traffic management.

Residents were initially consulted by LOCOG in the autumn on their initial proposals.

This is a LOCOG initiative and we’ve tried with varying degrees of success to influence the final proposed scheme dealing with some of the consultation responses from local residents. It is highly unlikely that we will be able to secure any further concessions or changes that wouldn’t ultimately create risk to our and LOCOG’s ability to manage our roads and the traffic on them. Ultimately time is actually running out as the logistics of delivering the scheme need now to take priority.

The latest position and concessions were tested out with residents from the Leytonstone Area Residents Assoc. (LARA), last week. Despite some wishes to test LOCOG further, they received significant support inside and outside the meeting.

Residents will be written to by LOCOG over the coming week outlining some of the final details of the scheme and inviting residents to come to a number of road shows to discuss the details- dates and locations below. However we wanted to give you a heads up on where we are in advance as all of the following detail will not be in LOCOG’s letter.

• Period of the Temporary CPZ Scheme- originally to run from 22^nd June- 9^th September- 80 days. Will now run from 16^th July- 9^th September- 54 days. A significant reduction in the days of operation.
• Hours of Operation of the Temporary CPZ Scheme- originally 8am- 9pm- Monday- Sunday- 725 hours of operation. The WF scheme for the whole period of 16^th July- 9^th September will operate 8am-1pm and 3pm- 9pm- 616 hours of operation. We hope this 2 hour break everyday will enable some visitor and delivery activity to take place, whilst preventing Olympic Park visitor traffic from exploiting this free parking.
• Visitor Permits- Originally 48 hours’ worth in total for the Olympic and Paralympic periods and unlimited during in-between period.

Going forward for the period of the Olympic Games- 21^st July- 12^th August- the equivalent of 4 half day permits per week will be available for visitors. Plus a Games Time Permit for 1 vehicle registered at a different to that property; this maybe for a carer, grandparents, a partner or regular visitor.

For the period in-between the Olympics and the Paralympics- 13^th August- 28^th August- residents will receive the equivalent of 8 half day permits per week. Plus a Games Time Permit for 1 vehicle registered at a different to that property.

For the period of the Paralympic Games- 29^th August- 9^th September- the equivalent of 4 half day permits per week will be available for visitors. Plus a Games Time Permit for 1 vehicle registered at a different to that property.

On like for like this is an increase from 48 hours to 80 hours on visitor permits, plus there is now the 2 hours a day between 1-3pm and the Games Time Permit. This will create a significant increase in visitor capacity and flexibility during the duration of the Games.

• There will be an emergency contact number.

All resident’s permits and allocated visitors permits will be free as will the Games Time Permit. The same vehicle could be registered for the Games Time Permit for the whole duration if required but at this stage and it is highly likely to remain the same only 1 vehicle can be registered for this permit for each of the 3 periods eg it will not be possible to change the vehicle entitled during each of the Olympic, in-between or Paralympic periods to cover 2 or 3 separate vehicles in each period.

Road markings for the location of signage is already started to be marked out on affected roads.

The road shows- details below- will explain how the scheme will work, how to apply and receive your permits and any other questions you may have.

If you’re tired of betting shops spreading like a rash over high streets everywhere, why not sign this cross-party petition to give councils the power to control them.

High Streets First campaign

FARA responded to a recent consultation about doubling the size of Davies Lane School and using Pastures. Our thanks to all the residents who suggested points to be covered and gave their views. (Where there were conflicting views we’ve gone with the majority.)

NB Should the plan to expand into Pastures go ahead there will be a further more detailed consultation – so please watch out for more news here or sign up for our email service (just send a message to info@fara-leytonstone.org.uk).

Our response on behalf of FARA contained the points below:

“We DO support the proposal for Davies Lane Primary School. Our support comes with the following caveats:

• Any expansion to the Pastures location should include enough parking spaces to accommodate every staff memberthat may commute by car.

• A plan to prevent an increase of school-run traffic into Davies Lane and Ferndale Road should be drawn up and shared with residents, and the level of traffic monitored.

• No temporary buildings (such as portakabins) are used at any time.

• Playgrounds should not back onto residential gardens.

• Playgrounds should also be screened by e.g. a line of trees to ameliorate any visual or noise issues to residents.

• The high brick wall at the Davies Lane boundary should be retained, and also the line of mature trees at the boundary with the back gardens of Ferndale Road.

• Pastures is a wildlife haven, attracting woodpeckers etc., and this should continue, i.e. some “wild” space must be left rather than considering all land for school use.

•  Community groups should be able to continue to use Pastures land for events, including but not limited to Leytonstone Muslim Community Centre for their annual Family Fun Day, Transition Leytonstone for their annual Birthday event, etc. A particular effort should be made to provide free or low-cost meeting space out of school hours for local voluntary groups, and for youth groups such as Scouts/Guides and Woodcraft Folk (to compensate in some degree for the loss of the former youth centre).

•  We wish to record our discontent that pressures for more school places are being brought on the south of the borough, when more affordable housing (and hence school places) could in future be provided in Chingford and other areas.”

FARA members may recall a recent consultation on how to use the £170,000 that the Met Police will pay for their controversial police base on Wanstead Flats during the Olympics. A limited range of options was given: FARA favoured restoring the tree avenues in Bush Wood, but the final vote went to relining Jubilee Pond. (People who pass this part of the Flats regularly will be aware this pond is somewhat leaky and prone to drying up.)

The decision has not gone down well with some locals, who think the Corporation of London should have stumped up for the repairs, allowing the new money to be used for something else. See the local Guardian for more on this story.

The Council plans to double the number of pupils enrolling at Davies Lane School from this September, which involves building on the Pastures site to increase the school’s capacity. There are no plans available yet for what the new buildings would look like. A public consultation is happening now (deadline is 5 February) so please feel free to make your own response on the Council website, and if you are a FARA member please let us know what you think as we will be making our own response and would like to hear from as many residents as possible.

FARA is due to meet a senior school governor next week and we will update our members, and this website, with any useful information we may receive.

From the consultation document:

“The proposal for Davies Lane Primary School is to enlarge the school to increase the physical capacity by two forms of entry, utilising the Pastures site. The number of pupils to be admitted to the school into Reception from 1 September 2012, and subsequent years, would increase from 60 to 120. The number of pupils to be admitted to the nursery will remain at 45 full time equivalent places.”

On Wednesday 23rd November the outside / forecourt of the former Lincolns pub will be used for a film shoot, for The Magnificent Eleven film. There will be a fight scene followed by an arrest. Exciting!

Parking from outside 2-20 Davies Lane will be taken by film crew vehicles on the day. After the filming, the building will be left in its new guise as an “Indian restaurant”.

Demolition will now take place in the New Year.