RESIDENTS hugged Victorian-style lampposts in Mowbray Road to stop workmen replacing them with unwanted modern ones.
The workmen who had come to change the lampposts responded by calling in police and claiming harassment – sparking the London Evening Standard headline: “Send in the light brigade”.
Mowbray Road resident Mark Richardson, who raised the issue of the lampposts with News From Crystal Palace earlier this year, said: “The police officers were very confused at being told we were being aggressive to the builders.
“There were women and children, it was a spontaneous thing. “We were hugging the lamp posts and saying how nice they are. “But the builders said they were following orders and to speak to the council, who have failed to give us any proper answers.” Police left after finding no offences had been committed.
“I’m livid because we look after our neighbourhood, but the council are vandalising our street. “They have failed to reply to our emails. “The green option must be to upgrade the luminaries i.e. what they say they are going to do in the conservation zone.
“I’m livid because we look after our neighbourhood, but the council are vandalising our street. “They have failed to reply to our emails. “The green option must be to upgrade the luminaries i.e. what they say they are going to do in the conservation zone.
“We pay council leader Cllr Mike Fisher’s £65,000 salary.”
One resident, Phil Kendall of Mowbray Road, recently wrote to Croydon council cabinet members Simon Hoar and Phil Thomas branding the changes ‘ tantamount to vandalism. He told them: .”I am writing with concern regarding the removal of the current Victorian style street lights in Mowbray Road
“Your contractors are currently in the process of replacing the existing lights with the new ones. “My view, and the view of many others, is that the works are completely unnecessary, and is tantamount to vandalism. “All that the existing street lights needed was a coat of paint and energy efficient heads/lanterns/bulbs.
“The existing street lights are in keeping with the Victorian nature of the street.
“Last night our old street light outside our property was not working (disconnected perhaps). “This part of the street in now dangerously dark. “The new street lights are too few, too high, and too spread out. They are very bright in one part of the street, whilst other parts of the street are in near darkness.”
And Fox Hill gardens resident Alexis Bleadsdale resident told News From Crystal Palace: “I have recently had some correspondence with Skanska (see below) as I have been informed that my road, Fox Hill Gardens, SE19 2XB, despite being in a conservation area, is not eligible for a street lighting upgrade that is sympathetic to its surroundings – we are being issued with the standard kit.
“Apparently this is because my road does not fall within the ‘street lighting conservation area.’
“If anyone can shed any light on what this area is, and what criteria were used to assess the roads that fall within the area, then I would be most grateful for the information.
“Skanska have not replied to my email queries requesting further information (of which the email below is just the most recent example.)
“We are within the heart of the actual conservation area, and I believe that we should be issued with Windsor lanterns, just like the roads that fall within this mythical ‘street lighting conservation area.’
In another letter Alexis adds: The residents of Fox Hill Gardens are only this weekend (June 29th / 30th) clubbing together to get new gravel delivered and gardening to keep the appearance of the Gardens at its best, and would appreciate the best efforts of the council to maintain the lighting in keeping with its architectural surroundings.
Skanska’s reply reads:
Skanska’s reply reads:
Dear Mr Bleasdale
I am sorry if there is any confusion surrounding conservation areas. The authority have agreed a list of “street lighting” conservation roads of which unfortunately Fox Hill Gardens has not been selected to have enhanced columns installed of which the same applies for Mowbray Road.
Sorry I cannot be of more help in this matter.
Regards
John Algar
PFI (Private Finance Initiative) Contract Manager
Croydon & Lewisham Street Lighting PFI Alexis told News From Crystal Palace: “By the way contrary to Skanska’s assumption I’m Miss not Mr.”
I am sorry if there is any confusion surrounding conservation areas. The authority have agreed a list of “street lighting” conservation roads of which unfortunately Fox Hill Gardens has not been selected to have enhanced columns installed of which the same applies for Mowbray Road.
Sorry I cannot be of more help in this matter.
Regards
John Algar
PFI (Private Finance Initiative) Contract Manager
Croydon & Lewisham Street Lighting PFI Alexis told News From Crystal Palace: “By the way contrary to Skanska’s assumption I’m Miss not Mr.”
Alexis has since written to Croydon council and had a reply from a representative of Cllr Thomas. She sent several questions to Croydon – and got answers back.
What criteria were used to determine eligibility for this zone?
“The financing of the PFI contract does provide limited opportunity to vary the specification in certain specific circumstances (to) accommodate local character where it has been identified as either an historic asset or an area where an increased specification is justified.
“Fox Hill Gardens is not a designated conservation area and for the purposes of the PFI it is not identified as an area that justifies or requires an increased lighting specification.
“Fox Hill Gardens is not a designated conservation area and for the purposes of the PFI it is not identified as an area that justifies or requires an increased lighting specification.
“It is unlikely that the existing street lighting stock in Fox Hill Gardens pre-dates the 1940’s and is therefore not representative of the wider Victorian character of the area.”
Why were residents not consulted?
“Further additional dialogue via a public meeting to listen to the views of Fox Hill Gardens residents would not be able to exert any influence or alteration of the contractual arrangements and financial limitations of the street lighting PFI, would serve little purpose and may inadvertently raise expectations.
“The council’s street lighting PFI was agreed by cabinet members. “With regard to local character and historic assets, the council carried out a conservation area review in 2007-8 which underwent an extensive consultation process involving local residents associations leading to the designation of nine new conservation areas.
“Further additional dialogue via a public meeting to listen to the views of Fox Hill Gardens residents would not be able to exert any influence or alteration of the contractual arrangements and financial limitations of the street lighting PFI, would serve little purpose and may inadvertently raise expectations.
“The council’s street lighting PFI was agreed by cabinet members. “With regard to local character and historic assets, the council carried out a conservation area review in 2007-8 which underwent an extensive consultation process involving local residents associations leading to the designation of nine new conservation areas.
“Whilst the Church Road conservation area was extended as a part of this review it did not extend into the adjacent Fox Hill Gardens. “The 16 places of Croydon were developed as a part of the core strategy (Croydon Local Plan) and based on a detailed analysis of local and residential character of the borough. “This underwent extensive statutory public consultation during the period 2009-2012.”
What steps can be taken now to change or open up the decision to further consultation?
“The primary objective of the street lighting PFI project is to provide improvement to lighting within the borough from a technical performance (lighting level and distribution) and energy efficiency perspectives.
“When the scope and extent of opportunity contained within the PFI was investigated and developed in 2008, it was agreed that the borough’s statutory designated conservation areas, district centres and the metropolitan centre would be the only areas where a variation to the specification would be accommodated. “It was not possible to accommodate additional areas due to the financial limitations contained within the PFI contract. “Street Lighting does not require planning permission as its provision is covered under the Highways act
“When the scope and extent of opportunity contained within the PFI was investigated and developed in 2008, it was agreed that the borough’s statutory designated conservation areas, district centres and the metropolitan centre would be the only areas where a variation to the specification would be accommodated. “It was not possible to accommodate additional areas due to the financial limitations contained within the PFI contract. “Street Lighting does not require planning permission as its provision is covered under the Highways act
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