SEE3 Town Team meeting - 7pm this Thursday 16 April

[Chris Best]

We have our next SEE3 Town Team meeting this Thursday, 16 April starting at 7pm in Forest Hill Pools community room.

This is an open meeting for anyone who lives, works, trades, has a business or an interest in our local high streets.

We will start with a presentation on the £113k funding from the Mayor of London High Street Fund for improvements to the Dartmouth Road area around the library, Louise House and the pools. There will also be initial plans for the highway improvements to Dartmouth Road and your views on what this could like are important.

There will an update on the plans for Kirkdale and a welcome to the new shops that have opened in the last year.

Further ideas on Sydenham high street welcome as well as other views on the market - we still have some funding for additional signage.

Sydenham Arts are going to share their plans for the summer festival - and their Friends scheme.

Please join us if you want to be a part of the changes on your high street.

[leenewham]

I've been a staunch defender of SEE3 in the past, especially when some people who have worked hard for SEE3 have been attacked. Lots of stuff happened initially, some worked, some didn't but that's fine. Not everything will work and it's great that things were tried. Tony Buckley was great to work with for the Kirkdale Branding and signage and I know Ed, Richard, Michael, Jonathan, Louise and others have put in a huge amount of effort and done a fantastic job.

I've been to a few of these SEE3 meetings and walk arounds and nothing seems to happen in Sydenham, partly because you are always 'waiting to see what Forest Hill are doing'.

Lots of great ideas came out of other meetings about Sydenham between residents, businesses and shops. Yet none of it seems to have come to anything in Sydenham. Every meeting seems to be the same. Lots of ideas, problems highlighted, solutions given but nothing happens. It's like a reset button is pressed after each discussion.

Will it be different this time? I know a number of people who are dispirited about Sydenham and SEE3, me included. Can it operate a little more like it does in Forest Hill?

How is SEE3 changing? How will it engage, enthuse and support local people to get involved? Will the meetings be more than yet another talking shop?

I really don't want to be negative, but I think this needs to be aired and sorted if SEE3 is to be effective in Sydenham (this isn't a pop at Kirkdale or Forest Hill, it's just about Sydenham in particular). It takes careful management which HAS to support and encourage the people involved in endeavours like SEE3.

[Pally]

[quote="leenewham"]I've been a staunch defender of SEE3 in the past, especially when some people who have worked hard for SEE3 have been attacked. Lots of stuff happened initially, some worked, some didn't but that's fine. Not everything will work and it's great that things were tried. Tony Buckley was great to work with for the Kirkdale Branding and signage and I know Ed, Richard, Michael, Jonathan, Louise and others have put in a huge amount of effort and done a fantastic job.

I've been to a few of these SEE3 meetings and walk arounds and nothing seems to happen in Sydenham, partly because you are always 'waiting to see what Forest Hill are doing'.

Lots of great ideas came out of other meetings about Sydenham between residents, businesses and shops. Yet none of it seems to have come to anything in Sydenham. Every meeting seems to be the same. Lots of ideas, problems highlighted, solutions given but nothing happens. It's like a reset button is pressed after each discussion.

Will it be different this time? I know a number of people who are dispirited about Sydenham and SEE3, me included. Can it operate a little more like it does in Forest Hill?

How is SEE3 changing? How will it engage, enthuse and support local people to get involved? Will the meetings be more than yet another talking shop?

I really don't want to be negative, but I think this needs to be aired and sorted if SEE3 is to be effective in Sydenham (this isn't a pop at Kirkdale or Forest Hill, it's just about Sydenham in particular). It takes careful management which HAS to support and encourage the people involved in endeavours like SEE3.[/quote

A good point, well made Lee. The observation re ideas, suggestions for solutions and then nothing would be my observation as well. Frustratingly I cant make it tomorrow but will be interested to see any reports on the discussions, decisions and outcomes

[michael]

I've been to a few of these SEE3 meetings and walk arounds and nothing seems to happen in Sydenham, partly because you are always 'waiting to see what Forest Hill are doing'.

Lots of great ideas came out of other meetings about Sydenham between residents, businesses and shops. Yet none of it seems to have come to anything in Sydenham. Every meeting seems to be the same. Lots of ideas, problems highlighted, solutions given but nothing happens. It's like a reset button is pressed after each discussion.

Lee,
I disagree that Sydenham is waiting to see what happens in Forest Hill. Some ideas in Sydenham have clearly been the result of initiatives in Forest Hill, but pop-up shops and food markets was something that we were trying in Forest Hill before SEE3 came into existence. SEE3 turned this into a more significant focus for town centre regeneration with more pop-up shops opening across Sydenham than in Forest Hill and this has helped more sites in Sydenham to open as permanent businesses in Sydenham than in Forest Hill. The SEE3 market in Sydenham continues to this day, with large investment in infrastructure to make this happen (Forest Hill gained almost nothing from this infrastructure investment).

I would also mention the signage issues which in Sydenham were addressed by Legible London signs, in Kirkdale by some great work by Lee, and we are hoping to see something happen in Forest Hill next month (well after the other two schemes have been completed).

It is now Forest Hill that is playing catch-up a little bit, with the hope that the funds found to improve Dartmouth Road will make the high street a bit more like Sydenham Road, and provide a boost for local businesses. But this really isn't about FH v Sydenham, it is actually all about sharing our experiences and talents for the benefit of both areas (better together ).

SEE3 has only limited (if any) funds and these are earmarked for specific projects, it is not a magic box of money and people who are able to transform high streets. SEE3 is about bringing people together to find solutions, innovations, new funding sources, and volunteers who are prepared to give some of their time to make a difference. I know Lee is one of the people who does make a difference and I hope that more people are able to attend the meeting this evening to contribute new ideas, feedback, and possibly take on actions (with others) to make a difference.

[Robin Orton]

We went to this. A very interesting and well-attended meeting, ably chaired by Michael.

The topic which attracted most interest was the plan (still at the 'concept' stage) for 'highway improvements' to Dartmouth Road. It appears to be a smaller-scale (and much cheaper) version of the recent improvements to Sydenham Road. It would include narrowing the roadway and widening the pavements between (more or less) the library and the traffic lights by Forest Hill station, with proper parking bays hollowed out of the pavements.

Some scepticism was expressed from the floor about whether this would improve or exacerbate the current traffic problems at the north end of Dartmouth Road (no room for buses and heavy lorries travelling in opposite directions to get past each other, made worse by cars parked illegally and/or half on the pavement.) We were promised that these points would be taken into account.

There is to be a formal consultation on the proposals when they have been properly worked up.

[P1971]

I too went to this meeting and was one of the people that was vocal against narrowing Dartmouth Road by The Hill and Heron House due to the fact that buses and emergency services cannot pass each other when cars are parked on Sundays.

Today and yesterday there were temporary traffic lights at the above point mentioned and only one lane was in use (Heron House side) as roadworks were taking place near The Hill which meant no one could park on this little strip. The traffic flow was so much better!

I couldn't resist asking Mark (Brearley) if I could introduce him to the group and if he would get involved in this project as a local SE23 resident. Thankfully he said yes, I think its amazing to have the former 'Head of Design for London' now on board

[P1971]

Robin was nice to put a face to a name, but I've just noticed SE23.com have removed the link to this post, probably because I was posting on here admin doesn't seem to like me as I'm not able to post on there and I don't know why!

Anyway Happy Sunday All

Back on again! Bizarre!!!

[P1971]

A suggestion I made at this meeting was to red route the bottleneck areas and add a loading bay for local traders either/or outside Paddy Power and the Job Centre which was suggested to me by my shop landlord. I'm posting this as there is a bit of a discussion going on on SE23.com which I can't reply too but there is a link to this thread.

Hope all have a fab evening

Pauline

[Rachael]

Thanks, Pauline, as one of the people contributing to that thread, this is helpful! I think that is an excellent suggestion and would prevent most of the bottlenecks on Dartmouth Road.

[P1971]

I thought some of you might be interested in this twitter thread after someone tripped on uneven pavements on Dartmouth Road.

https://twitter.com/Dapper_Antiques/sta ... 4725201920

I spoke to a couple of the firemen at the scene and made them aware of the possiblity that Dartmouth Road may be narrowed, they were shocked and said this was a main Rd they travel on for emergencies and narrowing it could be fatal as it's bad enough already with them being stuck in traffic!

Pauline

[P1971]

Traffic chaos on Dartmouth Road again this afternoon, see pic here!


Sugar Mountain ‏@paulinewright2 19m19 minutes ago Lewisham, London
Chaos on Dartmouth Rd AGAIN this afternoon! Have your say #ForestHill #SE23 on #Improvements https://lewisham-consult.objective.co.u ... provements …

https://twitter.com/paulinewright2

Sorry I can't work out how to post pics on here.