| Topic: | Re:Re:Friends of Wandsworth Park / Assets of Community Value | |
| Posted by: | John Cameron | |
| Date/Time: | 18/05/17 09:20:00 |
| Jon, Sue The process is straightforward and entails no cost or risk to the applicant. In this case the obvious applicant is Friends of Wandsworth Park, given that FofWP is a community group formed specifically to protect and enhance the park etc. A community group needs to have 21 'members' to qualify, but that is easily satisfied by getting 21 neighbours to join. Members must be on the local electoral role, so don't ask all your cousins in Auchtermuchty to sign up. The sooner the application goes in the better to get the clock ticking. Wandsworth will register the application and then have 8 weeks to decide on it. The park meets the criteria for an asset of community value. There is a current use that furthers the social wellbeing of the local community and it is realistic to think this can continue. The council officers will be able to advise whether an ACV application should be specifically for the parcel of land in question, or alternatively for the whole park including the parcel. In either case Wandsworth will struggle to refuse ACV status, as it is self evident the land meets all the criteria and they would have no grounds on which to do so. Once listed as an ACV the land cannot be sold by WBC (unless the lease is for less than 25 years) without triggering the moratorium. The initial ACV lasts for 5 years, but is renewable. In terms of planning an application which seeks to replace the ACV with a development incompatible with community use should be refused to prevent the loss of community facilities. In this case the land is lost as public park and becomes private, with no rights of access, and planning is C3 - dwelling. The planning officers / committee would need to take an current application for an ACV into account as it is material in reaching a decision. So the sooner an ACV application is submitted for Wandsworth Park the better. From looking at the application online, I note that the application was declared valid on 9 May 2017, the day after it was submitted. Consultation letters must go out within 7 days and site notices be placed on / near the site within 14 days. There are NO dates for when consultation starts or ends nor copies of the consultation letters or the site notice. There are no details of the case officer, or when the application will be advertised, nor are there any comments for or against the application. As a trustee of Wimbledon and Putney Commons I take the view that the sale of the land is a concern. It may 'only' be 176 sq m of public park, but the question is whether any loss is acceptable. On the commons it's been only too easy for someone to have a bit they need or desire. Recent examples include the car park of the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club (was common, now a private car park), Putney Bowls Club (freehold common, now exclsuively under the control of Wandsworth), the common land lost at Putney Hospital which is now a tarmacked and fully enclosed road, the Spencer's beer garden and so on. As Wandsworth said when defending their land grab at Putney Hospital - it's only a little bit and you have so much. My home backs onto Putney Common, so may I have an additional 176 sq m of garden? No, of course not. |