Save Catford
Henry alerts us to the existence of another local blog, Save Catford (from gentrification), which looks like it’s set up to fight the fight on the old Catford Dog Stadium site.
Here’s what I take to be the nub of the argument:
This is a massive development and will significantly impact on the existing community, the proposed accomodation will house over 1,000 people putting an additional strain on an already struggling infrastructure.
In addition to the impact on the transport network causing even more overcrowding on local buses & trains, the provision of 252 car parking spaces will increase road traffic congestion in an already thoroughly congested area, not to mention the environmental impact of increased traffic flow through Catford.
The impact on the existing community of this massive influx of people will lead to existing local shops & businesses being forced out due to the gentrification of the area.
And the mission statement of the campaigner behind it:
I plan to contribute more articles about the development on this site and to try and get as much information out there on the impacts of this development and urge as many people as possible to take the time to write to the council with any objections that they have and if possible to attend the planning committee meeting in person.
Unfortunately, so far at least, it’s difficult to get a sense of who the author is - no name, no photo, no background - which I think might help. Although the discussion forum that the blog links to suggests our author may be called Ross.
For myself I’m not as negative about the potential of the development as Ross appears to be, in part because I think that mixed development could be a good thing for the community, and that its only the start of the plans that I believe the council have for the area.
That said I think it’s great that blogs give an amplified voice to someone like Ross and hope that those at the town hall see it as e-democracy in action.
Anyway if you live in that bit of our lovely borough and have a thought or two on how it should be developed I’m sure your thoughts would be welcome.
Filed under: Lewisham | Tagged: Save Catford
I think I heard something about a proposed housing development on Bromley Road being opposed on the same grounds - the pressures the extra population would put on services, eg schools. I think it was the old huge pub opposite Homebase that was to be developed.
I’m personally not going to oppose anything that might gentrify the area!
Yes, the Green Man pub is the development that didn’t make it through the planning process I think - this of course is of a slightly different scale.
the development at the green man pub was resisted by the local community who were fed up seeing public space, resources and money transferred into private hands with no benefit being obtained in return by the existing community. they also managed to defeat the appeal made against the decision by the developers
andrew i’m sorry i didn’t include a photo of myself on the blog, not sure how helpful it would have been though!
Thanks for the comment Ross.
The point about the photo, name and background stuff is that I think it’s always nice to know a bit more about the reasons you feel the way you do. Otherwise it feels a bit like walking into the middle of a conversation.
Of course, if you’ve got a good reason for keeping quiet about yourself (wouldn’t go down well at work etc.) then fair enough.
Hi Andrew,
fair point although I think for the time being i’m happy to let the arguments stand alone. of course every argument has roots & motivations, but i would hope that those would be clear from, and contained within, the arguments being made
Cheers
Ross