Sydenham Town Forum

On 5 October, news was received that the Secretary of State ( no less a man than the Rt Hon John Prescott MP) has decided to call in the Bell Green Out of Centre Retail Park applications for a local inquiry into relevant aspects of the proposed developments. He will be inquiring into whether the pro...

Crystal Palace FC is not in the frame. A talked about partner at the NSC is South Bk University Sports Science Dept which would seem a logical bedfellow. Re 3/6d expenditure - the figure of £100m is being bandied around. A new Sports Centre would take up about half this. This and demolition of old N...

Marianne, I saw your posting and I have seen letters to the press and leaflets which have been delivered around the area. The public consultation is up and running in Crystal Palace Park and that is why I urge everyone interested in the future of this park to go and see for themselves. It is time fo...

Tremendous news about Sydenham Library!! And now for something completely different......... The future of our local, regional and national park is up for local consultation NOW! Visit the London Development Agency exhibition being held in a marqee at Penge entrance, close to the cafe, from today ti...

Just a small but very important point. The Agenda for tomorrow's Mayor and Cabinet meeting (which is published on Lewisham Council's web-site) shows that they need to agree a reduction of £10m budgetary cuts to be put to the full Council on 26 October for agreement. At 7.10.7 is the item Closure of ...

On the Agenda for next week's Mayor and Cabinet meeting is the item asking for approval of the closure of Sydenham Library. Has there been any consultation? If there has been none has come my way. Was it being discussed behind the scenes at the last Sydenham Road Regeneration Partnership meeting, ch...

Just a reminder - News Shopper photocall at 11.30 tomorrow morning, Sunday 9 October, by gasholders at Bell Green.

Next week the News Shopper will be running an article on the Government's decision to call in the Bell Green Gasworks Planning Application for scrutiny at a Public Inquiry. They have requested a "photocall" for Sunday morning at 11.30 am at the gas holders. If you feel as strongly as Syden...

The Greyhound goes green! Tubs of shrubs on the forecourt and plants in the neglected flower beds by the front door! It makes one realise just how stark and unwelcoming the appearance of this pub has been over the past six years or so! Cobbs Corner, the gateway to Sydenham, is looking up. Shame abou...

In March 1996 the Lewisham Council took a decision to close Forest Hill Pools but, following a very strong local campaign, in June 1996 the decision was overturned. Once again the future of the Pools is being considered. As I understand it the council is offering two options (one wonders why only tw...

Hi Ezza Agree with everything Annabel says. Couple of other items of info: In 2010 we will be directly connected to the London Underground by the East London Line Extension. Along with the overground rail system this will mean 8 trains an hour to London - travel time approx 20 mins! And apart from t...

Just as an aside to the main thread of what to do with £5000 Locality Fund money, of which I am sure Chris Best is taking note. I took a detour after dark last night to look at Station Approach lighting and am happy to report all 3 lights in operation and, in my opinion, Station Approach was well li...

On Tuesday Matt wrote "repairing the lighting by the station (ready for winter)". The lights in Station Approach are the responsibilirty of Network Rail - are these the ones not functioning? I reported them to Network Rail several weeks ago and was promised that they would be repaired. Unf...

If you are having nuisance problems with a local pub make sure you keep a log of the nuisance, phone environmental health each time, and confirm in writing (e-mail should suffice) to Licensing at Lewisham each time, copying in your local councillor. If your neighbours agree with you, get them to do ...

TONIGHT! AND FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY Diet, Dirt and Discipline - Medical developments in Nelson's Navy at Venner Road Hall, 7.45 pm As part of the bicentennary of the Battle of Trafalgar, Sydenham Society is hosting an illustrated talk by Jane Bowden Dan about the medical developments which really helped...

The Sydenham Society has had a number of meetings with local councillors over the past 12 years during which the threat of a retail park at Bell Green has hung over Sydenham and Forest Hill like the Sword of Damoclese. The Society would be the first to acknowledge that the derelict site at Bell Gree...

Why not come along to tonight's meeting about the future of Crystal Palace Pk and the National Sports Centre at Grove Centre, Jews Walk at 6.45 pm? The LDA (sport) is the regeneration arm of the GLA, TfL ELLX) is the transport arm of the GLA. If ever joined up thinking is going to work then LDA and ...

Next March the London Development Agency takes over the lease of the National Sports Centre. By 2009 the LDA will take a 125 year lease on Crystal Palace Park - an English Heritage Grade ll* - only 28 such graded parks in the country. Over the past few years the park has suffered from a shortage of ...

Wells Park Road collapse - council advise repairs not expected to be completed till mid August. With Newlands Park and Wells Park Road both closed and Sydenham Road nigh on impassable, I think it is high time this little island of Sydenham declared independence. The only way in seems to be via Syden...

Cicely Saunders was definitely a Dame (awarded in 1980) and made a member of the Order of Merit in 1989. There are only 24 members of the Order of Merit at any one time in this country. Have a look on the web at who else has been awarded the OM and one can appreciate the respect in which this great ...