Developers plan to build flats on contested Brockley Rise green space

The controversial fence between Brockley Rise and Duncombe Hill junction. Pic: Fiona Kelly

The owners of a green space in Brockley Rise around which an unauthorised fence has been built are planning to build two blocks of flats on the site, according to a local campaign group.

The campaign group, Save Duncombe Hill Green, and Lewisham council both disapprove of the landowner, Investor Alliance Limited, building a fence on the property without council permission. The  dispute started late January.

The piece of green contains trees that are subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), preventing any work being carried out without obtaining the council’s consent.

The enforcement notice. Pic: Nicola Johnson

Lewisham Council issued an Enforcement Notice last week on the landowner, requiring them to remove the fence and restore the land to its previous form and appearance. The company are also expected to appeal against the notice.

An online petition pushing for the protection of the land has received over 5,000 signatures and was presented to the council last week.

Nicola Johnson, the creator of the petition, said: “This is a great outcome for us, so I think we should all give ourselves a huge congratulatory pat on the back! However, the owner is a property investment company so it’s unlikely that this will be the end of matters.”

The Lewisham People Before Profit group have also threatened that they will remove the fence by force if the owners don’t remove it sooner.

Lewisham Council said: “We strongly advise against residents taking matters into their own hands and removing the fence, which could be both dangerous and raise legal implications.”

The owners of the land, Investor Alliance Limited, could not be contacted for comment.

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