#rosendaleplayingfields

In the latest development the planning based public consultation ended in March 2018 having been extended because of our work along with officers to give residents more time to engage in the proposal. This included letters being sent to residents, print signs being placed along the proposed fence route, and the local press being notified.

We are pleased to inform the local community that based on resident feedback the planning department wish to investigate further into the proposal to better understand resident questions specifically about the level(s) of the fence around the site. Therefore, further drawings have been requested by the planning department before a second planning based 21 day public consultation is to be held.

Back in October 2017 we wrote on this blog the latest update on the situation regarding the proposed fence. Though we were hoping the planning consultation would begin in December 2017 it is now underway. Lambeth Council have sent a letter to local residents that might be affected by such a proposal.

As you may recall this has been an on-going issue for some time. Following a review of the condition of the fencing around the perimeter of the fields and previous residents engagement we feel it’s necessary to upgrade the existing fencing with new, robust materials.

Three local schools make use of the facilities at Rosendale Playing Fields for physical education activities and outdoor learning. It is also home to the Lambeth & Southwark Primary Schools Football League and its 35 schools that play competitive football every Saturday morning of term time and occasional spring afternoons. Safeguarding these children while they’re making use of the facilities is a priority, as well as making sure that the area remains free from damage that might be caused through anti-social behaviour by people accessing the fields and vandalising the area.

The fence that is currently in place is wooden picket style fencing and we feel that at present, it doesn’t meet our standards and requirements for keeping the area secure, and as part of the Lambeth Parks Capital Investment Plan, we’ve made funds available to install a new perimeter fence around the full boundary of the facility.

This will certainly ensure that all children are safeguarded more effectively, and will also mean that more sport and outdoor learning resources such as new football goals and cricket nets can be installed, free in the knowledge that they won’t be affected by vandalism, which has also been an ongoing concern for its users.

In effect, the proposal is the replacement of the existing timber (picket-style) perimeter fencing with 2.4m high Protek 2000 perimeter fencing. The existing timber double leaf gates will be replaced by Protek Spectator gates designed to compliment the robustness and design of the Protek 2000 fencing.

Details of the planning application, including the drawings and any other related documents can be viewed on the council’s website (www.lambeth.gov.uk/planningdatabase), which also provides detailed information about the planning process, a frequently asked questions page, details of council policies relating to development (Lambeth Local Plan 2015) and links to other useful Planning websites. Comments are to be submitted online through our Planning applications database (www.lambeth.gov.uk/planningdatabase) and searching for the application reference:18/00156/RG3. 


To discuss this application, please contact the Case Officer, Mr Gareth Ball, on telephone number 020 7926 0541, or via email: [email protected].

UPDATE - 07 February 2018

Having worked with officers we can inform residents that the deadline for submissions to the planning consultation has been extended. The Planning Department have therefore requested site notices be printed and a press notice be issued, which should help inform the wider public of the proposal. 

Site notices were placed/issued on 09 February 2018 which means therefore that the new expiry of the consultation period is set for Friday 02 March 2018. 

Having recently held a meeting with officers overseeing the Rosendale Playing Fields fence proposal the timetable for residents to respond to the planning application is still on track. This means December 2017.

We undertook resident engagement work in December 2016 ahead of a proposed planning application regarding a new fence around the playing fields. During our conversations with local residents, including a drop in session, it became clear that there were some questions that still needed answering before such a planning proposal could go to public consultation.

With that in mind, Lambeth officers spent time working with the Dulwich Estate to develop a possible plan for the site going forward.

We can now inform residents that the proposed planning application for a fence around the playing field will go ahead, and it should go to planning before the end of the year. It has been agreed that there will be fencing on three sides of the playing fields (i.e. excluding the rear gardens side that backs onto Dalkeith Road). Dulwich Estate have agreed to the fencing on three sides, and the site will therefore be deemed to be secure.

Councillor Max Deckers-Dowber to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Councillor Jane Edbrooke

Supplementary Question

Councillor Deckers-Dowber asked what communities could do in order to work with the Council as there was likely to be a £20m government funding shortfall this year, and therefore co-operative management of green spaces was essential.

Supplementary Answer

This is just just a short update to state that Lambeth Council are still working through some of the questions raised during the engagement survey.

This has meant that any planning application has been delayed, though we keep residents updated as and when anything develops. If you have any questions please do no hesitate to contact us. 

Below is a link to the results from the the survey conducted in December 2016 to provide an indication as to what local residents thought and felt about a new fence surrounding Rosendale Playing Fields.

'The results indicate that over half the residents responding are in favour of the new developments taking place. Residents who objected on the basis that they felt there was insufficient engagement on the proposal at this stage, may change their opinion as opportunity for formal Statutory Consultation will take place as the project proceeds...'

Cllr Max and Cllr Anna spent much of this week talking to residents at our Rosendale Playing Fields drop in or visiting residents that were not able to attend. 

The evening discussion at Peabody Commuity Hall about the possible changes to the fence surrounding the field, supported by Lambeth Council Officer support, was useful and well attended. 

During the various conversations it was clear that there remained a number of outstanding questions, though it was good to engage and gain a feel for what people thought and wanted.