Crayford Marshes – London Wildlife Trust objection to road/rail depot threat - Erith - Thamesmead - Slade Green - Crayford

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Chris Rose

London Wildlife Trust has submitted a highly critical objection to the re-heated proposal from an outfit called Roxhill to build a large rail/road interchange depot on a substantial part of the southern end of Crayford Marshes, adjacent to Slade Green train depot. We are now able to publish it here (see below). The previous exponents, Prologis, failed to start construction within the 5 years allowed.

The scheme would still destroy most of the separate Site of Importance for Nature Conservation on this part of the marshes, threaten the future of red-listed Skylark in Bexley, and red-listed Corn Bunting in London , when there may be only 20 pairs left in the whole of the capital. It would further industrialise one of the largest and most open areas left in the Borough for wildlife and people, on land classified as Metropolitan Green Belt, and add heavy lorry movements to local roads.

The planning decision on the previous scheme would have meant that the money from the destruction of this part of the marshes would have been put in a fund to properly manage the rest of it for nature. That ‘offer’ does not appear in the current application.

Other objectors include Bexley Natural Environment Forum, and Bexley Civic Society. More than 200 individual letters of objection have been signed so far.

For more background information see:

http://www.bexleywildlife.org/save-our-skylarks-string-of-marshland-sites-under-renewed-threat/

£150m of package deals to be won on Kent residential job

Around £150m of subcontract packages are up for grabs on a new housing job set to start in Kent next month.

Written by Grant Prior 

Residential specialist L&Q is partnering with the Anderson Group to develop 600 homes on the former site of Erith Quarry over the next five years.

Anderson will be carrying out core infrastructure works with a host of package deals yet to be awarded.

The development will see £300m invested in the 55 acre site including construction of a new 700 capacity primary school.

Andrew Jay, Group Managing Director at the Anderson Group, said: “We are dedicated to bringing life to lost land through responsible development and this project is no exception.

“Erith Quarry presented us with the perfect opportunity to create a thriving community on a site which is currently completely desolate.

“We have worked hard to ensure this project is innovative and replaced the familiar city pattern of flats and car parks with an ingenious, high quality design of terraced family homes that reveals the character of the land.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with L&Q on this landmark scheme and helping to provide much-needed housing in the area in addition to the provision of a new primary school.”

http://bit.ly/1MjlaPu

A Fine Bright Day Today

Written by Philip Goulding
Directed by Mary Board

Since the death of her trawler-man husband 30 years ago, Margaret Harvey has lived with her daughter, Rebecca, in a small cottage in a coastal town. Rebecca is moving out to live with her boyfriend, so when Margaret meets Milton Farnsworth, an American visiting the area to paint the landscape, she invites him to lodge with her during his stay. Margaret has become increasingly set in her ways over the years, dependent on ritual and superstition, but with patience, humour and cheap wine Milton gradually encourages her to relinquish control.

“A Fine Bright Day Today” sensitively explores love in later life and the shifting relationship between mother and daughter.

Cast

Margaret – Judith Brace
Rebecca – Terri McCann
Milton – Mark Jamieson

Crew

Stage Manager – Frank Andrews
Prompt – Elsie Bate
Props – Wendi Freeman
Lighting – Andy Woolliscroft
Wardrobe – Marjorie Sawyer and Carole Bramall

Tickets £9

This amateur production is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French Ltd

http://www.playhouse.org.uk/show/a-fine-bright-day-today/

David Lindo, the ‘Urban Birder’, backs campaign to save Skylark fields at Crossness

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Chris Rose

David Lindo, TV personality and conservationist, who has come to prominence as ‘The Urban Birder’, and fronted the recent poll to select Britain’s ‘national bird’, has spoken out about the poor signal building on important wildlife habitat adjacent to the Nature Reserve at Crossness will send to young people.

Cory ‘Environmental’ has submitted an application to build two huge computer server centres on the former Borax fields, which border the site, and are an integral part of its wildlife ‘resource’. If approved this will result in the loss of breeding red-listed Skylark from Erith Marshes (its other key nesting site in Bexley is also under immediate threat from ‘development’) and Ringed and Little-ringed Plovers as breeding birds from Bexley as a whole, as well as destroying key open mosaic habitat.

In a message to Reserve Manager Karen Sutton, David said: ‘It would be very disappointing to see further industrial development here. Crossness Nature Reserve is not only a vital urban resource for the birds and other wildlife that depend on it, but also for the local community who enjoy these urban reserves. In my speech at the bird hide opening event last year, I talked about the value of such places for our young people, how important it is to engage with them and increase their awareness of wildlife. Crossness does this! What kind of message will we be giving them if buildings are permitted on such valuable wildlife areas?’

You can make your concern – and your support for wildlife – known  by using the ideas here to submit a letter of objection to Bexley Council:

http://www.bexleywildlife.org/save-our-skylarks-cory-environmental-submits-plan-to-destroy-habitat-of-birds-in-serious-decline-four-storey-buildings-proposed-next-to-crossness-nature-reserve-please-object-by-f/

http://www.bexleywildlife.org/david-lindo-the-urban-birder-backs-campaign-to-save-skylark-fields-at-crossness/

New CAP Debt Centre for Erith and Thamesmead

Churches in Erith have combined with other local churches to set up a new CAP Debt Centre serving the area covered by the Erith and Plumstead Deaneries.

Erith and Thamesmead CAP centre, which was launched on 15th January at Bexley College by local MP Teresa Pearce, is an ecumenical venture supported by Anglican, Methodist, URC, Baptist and independent churches.

The service that the centre offers is designed to enable people trapped in spiralling debt the opportunity to become debt free. Negotiations with creditors are carried out by Christians Against Poverty from their base in Bradford, and the centre and its volunteers provide support to the person until they are debt free.

Julie Conalty, Area Dean of Erith, said: “We are delighted to have got this centre up and running. There is a real need for it in this area and it is wonderful to have done this as a collaborative venture with the other churches. We are also very pleased to be working in partnership with Christians Against Poverty and using their award winning service. We are also very grateful to the Church Urban Fund for their financial support, as well as to the Diocese of Rochester and Woolwich Episcopal Area .”

Caroline Clarke, Community Engagement Advisor for the Diocese of Rochester and CreditWise leader said:  “This is a super achievement and blessing.   Thank you to all those involved for your hard work  and determination to work both ecumenically and across two dioceses in order to get this CAP Centre open. This was in direct response to the local need to help and support people to become debt free, and is part of a wider vision to ensure access to responsible credit for all: work to open a branch of Kent Savers Credit Union in the area is ongoing.”

http://rochester.anglican.org/new-cap-debt-centre-for-erith-and-thamesmead.php

The proposal

The proposals have been designed around roughly three hectares of set-aside grassland and woodland belts across the site to protect and enhance ecology (animals and plants). The plans will provide up to 600 homes, a three-form entry primary school due to open in September 2017, and space for business or community facilities near the site entrance at Fraser Road.

http://www.erithquarry.co.uk/

Steam Survivors in Panama

Fraser and Chalmers

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MADE IN ERITH

in the Darien region about 20km from the border with Columbia. A British Company built a 700/750mm line from a port in Columbia to the site of pre-Columbian and Spanish gold mines around 1900. The site was abandoned in 1907 !!! and two locos were left behind, plus various steam pumping engines-one manufactured in Erith, Kent by Fraser and Chalmers. One locomotive is in bad shape, the other looks almost intact apart from loss of fittings. Much better than the Welsh slate quarry locos (like Wendy) looked in the 60s!

http://bit.ly/1PiTrEs