THE LATEST round in Crystal Palace Community Association’s opposition to the Masterplan for Crystal Palace park takes place tomorrow Wednesday (October 31st).
The CPCA legal challenge to a decision by the secretary of state to approve the London Development Agency Masterplan application for Crystal Palace park was heard in March 2012 at The Royal Courts of Justice before Mr Justice Keith.
The CPCA challenge was primarily to the proposed sale under the LDA Masterplan of “supposedly protected” Grade II* registered metropolitan open land (MOL) within Crystal Palace park for the construction of 180 private luxury flats in apartment blocks.
In a press statement announcing details of the latest hearing the CPCA say: “Despite the LDA no longer even existing, having disappeared like a conjurer’s rabbit into the Greater London Authority (GLA) and his pre-election promises to protect London’s parks and green open spaces, London mayor Boris Johnson, in blatant betrayal of his election manifesto pledges to Londoners where he stated his opposition to housing on the park, now ‘fully supports’ the park Masterplan.
“Although Mr Justice Keith found against the CPCA, our legal advisers considered there were good grounds for appealing his decision, though disappointingly, Mr Justice Keith refused such application, as did the Court of Appeal in a further application.
“More encouragingly, a CPCA application for an oral hearing has been granted and will be heard in the High Court in the Strand at 10 am on 31st October 2012.
“The CPCA has received many messages of support and generous donations concerning its attempts to preserve historic Crystal Palace park from commercial development, and any who would like to attend the hearing on 31st October 2012 would be most welcome.”
The CPCA challenge was primarily to the proposed sale under the LDA Masterplan of “supposedly protected” Grade II* registered metropolitan open land (MOL) within Crystal Palace park for the construction of 180 private luxury flats in apartment blocks.
In a press statement announcing details of the latest hearing the CPCA say: “Despite the LDA no longer even existing, having disappeared like a conjurer’s rabbit into the Greater London Authority (GLA) and his pre-election promises to protect London’s parks and green open spaces, London mayor Boris Johnson, in blatant betrayal of his election manifesto pledges to Londoners where he stated his opposition to housing on the park, now ‘fully supports’ the park Masterplan.
“Although Mr Justice Keith found against the CPCA, our legal advisers considered there were good grounds for appealing his decision, though disappointingly, Mr Justice Keith refused such application, as did the Court of Appeal in a further application.
“More encouragingly, a CPCA application for an oral hearing has been granted and will be heard in the High Court in the Strand at 10 am on 31st October 2012.
“The CPCA has received many messages of support and generous donations concerning its attempts to preserve historic Crystal Palace park from commercial development, and any who would like to attend the hearing on 31st October 2012 would be most welcome.”
UNIT WADE IN OVER LIBRARY FLOODING
UPPER NORWOOD Improvement Team are writing to Thames Water over flooding problems in the area.
Chairman George Filbey told UNIT’s latest meeting at the Phoenix centre on Westow Street he said: : “There has been a marked lack of drainage maintenance in this area.”
Citing a recent incident in the Upper Norwood joint library basement he said: ”There are floods all the time. I know we’ve had a lot of rain but we’re not in a valley.”
The meeting heard there were also problems with huge puddles in the Triangle area.
Crystal palace Community Association chairman John Payne said: “It’s potentially very dangerous. “I’ve seen people soaked – and been soaked myself – by substantial lies of water where cars have passed.”
DIG IT!!!
A COMMUNITY bulb-planting event is being held in Crystal Palace park on Sunday 28th / Monday 29th October.
Sessions will run from 11am to 3pm (although you don’t have to stay for the whole time).
Friends of Crystal Palace Park say all equipment will be provided but please be sure to wear sturdy outdoor clothes and shoes. Meeting point is the information centre which is opposite the cafe, at the bottom end of the park.
Friends of Crystal Palace Park say all equipment will be provided but please be sure to wear sturdy outdoor clothes and shoes. Meeting point is the information centre which is opposite the cafe, at the bottom end of the park.
There’s an additional session on Monday 29th, also 11 am to 3 pm. Meeting point is also the information centre.
Tags: Crystal Palace Community Association, Crystal Palace Park, Crystal Palace Park Masterplan, flooding in Upper Norwood, Friends of Crystal Palace Park, Upper Norwood Improvement Team
