Volunteers take a break from working at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.
Pic: The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Tower Hamlets may not be known for its greenery, but people from across London are coming to the Borough to volunteer at the city’s most urban woodland.

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park lies just off the busy Mile End Road and offers more than 30 acres of trees, flowers and butterflies. It was constructed in 1841 becoming the last of  the cemeteries now known as the “Magnificent Seven”.

These cemeteries were established in the then outskirts of London to bring down the number of bodies buried in the city’s centre.

The other six are Abney Park Cemetery, Brompton Cemetery, Highgate Cemetery, Kensal Green Cemetery, Nunhead Cemetery and West Norwood Cemetery.

The site has not been an active cemetery for more than 40 years, but it is now classified as a nature reserve and as a Site of  Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, which puts it under statutory protection.

Since the 1990s the park has been managed by the charity Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery.

The charity also organises events and volunteering days. These sessions see about 3,000 volunteers coming to the park to offer their time and help.

John Clarkson, the Cemetery Park Officer, said that the two full-time staff members would struggle without the help of volunteers: “There is very little work we would be able to get done. We’d be able to do the basic maintenance, maybe the odd special project, but [the volunteers] have enabled us to develop the nature reserve and make it the special place that it is now.”

The volunteers come for various reasons.  Some are local residents interested in helping out in the park and spending time outside. Others are offenders who come to fulfill some of their community service time on the grounds.

While more are corporate volunteers who come to volunteer as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.

The park’s proximity to Canary Wharf and the City of London makes it attractive to people in the financial sector, and the charity sometimes sees volunteer groups with up to 100 people in a single day.

Diego Coentrao is a drop-in volunteer who works for a local cleaning company. He said his employer wants to be environmentally friendly and is encouraging staff to volunteer.

“I think [companies] really need to look into this kind place [for volunteering], because it’s for the community,” Coentrao said.

Liaison Officer Kenneth Greenway said volunteers have different reasons for coming.

Some come to get to know the local community better; some to learn new skills; others simply because it looks good on their CV.

The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park has a drop-in volunteer day every Tuesday from 10am–4pm, and they also organise various events such as this year’s Spring Festival on June 8.

For more information on how to get involved, visit the website.

Stop the Incinerator Campaign outside Sutton Civic Centre Pic: Andrew Dickinson

Planning permission for the Beddington Lane South London Incinerator has been granted following months of deliberation and protest.

After a vote on April 24 resulted in a tie, the incinerator was granted the go-ahead at a re-vote at the Sutton Civic Centre on Wednesday May 15.

The Sutton Council Development Control Committee went into the meeting with an agenda that stated “The balance is considered to be clearly in favour of the scheme,” but protesters still gathered outside the centre and stated their case at the meeting.

The incinerator is part of an initiative called the South London Waste Partnership run by four councils, Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton to provide improved waste management services.

The current site is used for landfill for up to 63% of the participating borough’s waste. This operation is run by independent waste transformation company, Viridor, who will also manage the incinerator.

The cost of the new contract means a saving  of approximately £197m over the 25 year contract period when compared to landfill options.

Councillor Derek Osbourne, Chair of the South London Waste Partnership Joint Waste Committee said: “I’m very proud of the deal we have achieved for local people.  This facility is both kind to the environment and it avoids passing on large costs to the taxpayer. Viridor have listened to local people and offered something that makes sense for the entire area.”

Councillor Derek Osbourne, Chair of the South London Waste Partnership Joint Waste Committee

The first vote meeting, April 24, met with considerable opposition to the project due to complaints on environmental and air quality grounds. However, last night, the council stated that the proposals had been independently scrutinised by the Environment Agency concluding that the proposals do not pose any material health risks.

For Croydon in particular, the forecast effects on air quality were found to be insignificant.

The Environment Agency further stated that:  “the additional measures proposed go beyond those the applicants would need to apply if the plant were located elsewhere”.

The report stated that additional chemical treatments had been proposed by the applicant to reduce emissions of nitrogen dioxide to below the guideline levels.

Gordon Ross, Vice Chair of the Stop the Incinerator Campaign and a member of the Croydon Green Party, said that they still have health concerns.

Stop the Incinerator Campaign web-page rallying protest for meeting.

He said that 29,000 doctors across Europe have signed a letter asking for more research to be done into the potential health risks. He added: “To us it seems quite reasonable. It’s not saying never build any more incinerators, it’s saying just to hold off until more research is done.”

Viridor have made a video and published a web-page setting out the advantages of their proposed “state-of-the-art Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) facility.”

It argues that what the campaigners describe as an incinerator would provide: “a safe and cost-effective alternative to landfill. It will also bring forward the completion and restoration of the existing landfill into green spaces and wildlife habitats.”

Viridor describes the incinerator as an “Energy Recovery Facility”

Protesters have also raised concern about the impact on local traffic as the area already has congestion problems.

However, the council argued highways advisers have confirmed that the proposals will generate less traffic than the current landfill site. Gordon Ross commented that protesters find this hard to believe as 75,000 tonnes of ash will need to be transported away from the site.

Concerns about the routes of commercial vehicles have been met with the proposal of lorry routing enforcement measures, but Gordon Ross is not confident that this will solve the problem of heavy goods vehicle traffic.

In an attempt to resolve issues between the applicants and community protesters, a community forum will be formed to discuss issues such as traffic and pollution.

However, Gordon Ross of “Stop the Incinerator” sees this as a PR stunt and alleged that Viridor had not responded to invitations to community forums in the past.

Despite being granted planning permission by Sutton Council, the application will still need to pass through The London Assembly.

As a large-scale proposal, it may be called for further consideration by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

The “Stop the Incinerator Campaign” see this as an opportunity to raise the issues again and they hope that the plans can be challenged against a number of points in the London Plan, National Plan and the Metropolitan Open Land guidelines.

They are also calling people in the community to write to the Mayor in the hope that if he receives a considerable number of objections he will take them into consideration.

Honey bees inside the hive Pic:Hannah Newton

Beekeepers and honey bee experts in East London Line Boroughs are on the front line of a national crisis in the insect’s population and doing everything they can to halt its decline. Bees are vital to pollination for the country’s multi-billion pound agricultural industries.

At the same time an urban bee culture has developed in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham and Tower Hamlets and the insect has gone from pest to trendy pet.

More people are keeping bees in their gardens and urban bee enthusiasts are organising politically as well as evangalising their hobby as a positive contribution to the environment. But as the ELL investigation below reveals, too much bee keeping in the city may not be such a good thing.

Decline of British honey bees

Over the last century the number of honey bees has declined by 75-per cent. Alongside worries that a species of insect may be lost, bees are vital to the country’s eco-system. One in three mouthfuls of the food we eat is dependent on pollination and the economic value of pollination services provided by bees amounts to €265 billion globally.

There has been an ongoing media campaign to raise awareness, including the Bee Cause adverts run by Friends of the Earth and numerous online petitions.

Debate around bee population decline is ongoing, with factors such as the varroa mite and the fall in the amount of suitable habitats being explored. But the most recent research suggests that certain types of pesticide are to blame for bee deaths.

The European Environment Agency made recommendations for a change in policy after research showed that the neonicotinoid chemical, which impacts the central nervous system of insects, was shown to be a contributing factor in bee decline. This has resulted in the European Commission announcing a restriction on the use of three forms of the neonicotinoid chemicals. The European Environment Agency commented that “The ban, while welcomed, is limited in scope and should be seen as only a starting point on the discourse over the use of this class of pesticides.”

A petition of nearly 3 million signatures in support of the ban had been presented to the government and a demonstration called the March of the Beekeepers outside Parliament saw protesters calling for a ban. However, the UK did not vote in favour of the restrictions, stating that more research was needed.  Once put into place, the ban will be EU-wide and the UK will not be exempt.

Raising “bee awareness” in East London Lines

East London Lines decided to find out what was being done in the local area to raise bee awareness and to learn how locals can get involved. David Shepherd and Ron Williams are members of the Croydon Beekeepers Association.

David Shepherd and Ron Williams of the Croydon Beekeepers Association, lighting the smoker Pic: Hannah Newton

Founded in 1879, the group provides a source of information for current beekeepers, whilst also educating members of the public and school groups. Based at a council-owned allotment in Purley, Croydon, the apiary holds the society hives, as well as a number of private colonies. The plot of land has been planted with wild flowers and crab apple hedges, alongside adapted water features, to create a bee-friendly environment. Beekeeper and former science teacher, David Shepherd described that “you never stop learning about beekeeping” and says that the society has protective bee suits and display hives for people of all ages to use and to learn from.

When asked about his own experiences as a beekeeper, David Shepherd said that the current problem of bee decline is a result of a “multiplicity of factors”, but stressed that it was definitely a result of human intervention.

In reference to the decision to restrict neonicotoid David said that he was not completely in favour of the decision.  He argued that not enough research has been carried out and that this most recent research has taken the focus away from other factors, such as the varroa.

With the current bee campaigns asking people to get involved, ELL asked The Croydon Beekeepers what they thought locals could do to get involved. Contrary to current trends, David Shepherd said that he does not recommend that Londoners keep bees themselves. He referenced research at the University of Sussex by Professor Francis Ratnieks (the only professor of Apiculture in the country) stating that a square kilometre can only sustain up to five colonies. With over two and a half thousand registered beekeepers in a city of about 1,500 square km, there is not enough forage to sustain the number of hives in London. The association recommends that locals get involved in a different way, by funding and  lobbying for more research into a field lacking adequate statistics.

Tim Evans from the Hackney Community Tree Nursery and Edible Forest Garden commented that there are lots of different options for locals who want to help the Bee Cause. Tim suggested that people could think about avoiding using pesticides and buying organic food products. He urged people to plant pollen and nectar bearing plants, saying “A window box is better than nothing, you’ll be amazed what turns up.”

Artist’s impression of Convoys Wharf Pic: Farrells

Plans for the Convoys Wharf site, Deptford, the largest development site in the Borough of Lewisham, have been resubmitted by “internationally recognised firm of architects” Terry Farrell and Partners.

The firm, known for projects such as the MI6 building at Vauxhall Cross, was invited by developers Hutchison Whampoa to work on a new masterplan after the original designs drawn up by the company Aedas were withdrawn last year. The site was originally marked as ready for redevelopment by the Lewisham Core Strategy. The plans will be considered by the Lewisham Council over the next few months.

The new plans follow a period of consultation with people from the local area. An exhibition and open site day took place in February last year, followed by a further meeting in July,  allowing people the  opportunity to examine proposals for the masterplan and give feedback. Over 200 people attended, including local MP Joan Ruddock. TFP said that “the masterplan has taken into account comments from local residents and groups.”

Proposed view from the Thames Pic: Farrells

The new masterplan proposes to transform the Thames-side derelict site into a “new, vibrant waterfront”. The complex will include 3,500 new homes, three acres of parkland, and 120,000 square feet of retail space. The development hopes to create over 2,000 new jobs for local people, with around £1,million being used for training and employment initiatives.

The plans claim to reflect the need to preserve the heritage of the Royal Shipyard and the architects have carried out the largest ever pre-build archaeological exploration of the dockland to ensure this. This will be achieved alongside the integration of slipways and dry docks. The plans include the restoration of the Grade II listed Olympia building and the first ever Thames “island park” created from a derelict jetty.

“This part of Deptford has an incredible history,” architect Sir Terry Farrell said, “more so than any project I have worked on in my career, and we feel we have a scheme that strikes the right balance between respecting and celebrating the cultural heritage and providing much needed new homes and jobs.”

Architects Plans Pic: Farrells

However, the plans have met some criticism, with the phrase “3,500 new homes of which over 500 will be affordable” being particularly targeted on social networking sites.

The “Deptford is” campaigning group blog, along with authors of other social media community sites, is concerned that regional and local news media organisations are going to do ‘a cut and paste’ job from the developers’ press releases.

“Deptford is” argues that the development project is flawed in there not being a tube station service for what will become a densely populated area. There is a fear that if most of the residents work outside Deptford and Lewisham it will become a dormitory village and the references in an Evening Standard article to Convoys Wharf becoming “a Shoreditch of south London” have increased concerns.

The local blogger “The Deptford Dame” posted an analysis following a consultation in March 2013 arguing that the new design as a response to the objections to the previous plan “seemed to be a question of the emperor’s new clothes, or perhaps even Groundhog Day.”

“Podium parking” on the  first two floors of buildings was  criticised because it “doesn’t make for a vibrant streetscape – and the retail units that the developer is planning to create as a facade to these above-ground car parks will be serving a questionable demand.”

Another local blogger “Lewisham Campaigner” reported from a consultation meeting in January 2013 that residents in Evelyn ward thought that retaining a tower block of  46 storeys was still too high,  that in reality there would be less affordable housing in the development than is being presented, and there was also concern about commercial traffic passing by Deptford school.

“Deptford is” also attended a consultation meeting in March and reported: “many of the objections that we voiced after the public exhibition last year remain unaddressed, in particular those relating to the density and massing of the buildings, and the lack of public transport provision.”

Lewisham Council sees the development as being crucial to the future of this area of the Borough: “The scale of the development would inevitably have wide-ranging impacts on existing infrastructure such as public transport, as well placing new and additional demands on education and health facilities and other local services.”

The council has informed the developers that it wishes to receive new plans that include measures that mitigate: “the likely effect on local roads and existing public transport, as well as on the existing community and new residents and businesses (both during construction and when completed).

The development will include a primary school, doctors’ surgery, renovation of the Grade II listed warehouse, a 360 bedroom hotel, public transport improvements including a river bus service and new/diverted bus routes, and three tall buildings (46, 38 & 32 storeys).

Lewisham and Deptford MP Joan Ruddock says that “We don’t want it to become a millionaire’s waterfront playground and that is why I have been working with developers to not drive out local people and the character.”

The 40 acre site has been derelict for 13 years.  It used to be owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News International group.

Painting of the old Deptford Dockyard- the site of Convoys Wharf by Joseph Farington from a collection in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Lewisham Council has been under continual pressure from campaigners to take into account the needs and views of local people.  In 2011 it printed and distributed a consultation leaflet highlighting the fact that the development promised  “for the first time in centuries, to enable public access to a major part of Lewisham’s riverfront and provide a direct connection between Deptford High Street and the Thames.”

But the political debate centres on whether Hutchison Whampoa can deliver a plan that makes the  “major contribution to meeting Deptford’s need for new homes, employment opportunities and community facilities”  being demanded.

Online petitions were set up in 2011 to ensure that the heritage of the site is protected in the new proposals.

Action for Croydon’s Environment group working at the South Norwood Country Park Pic: Flo Neve

Action for Croydon’s Environment  is on the front-line of  volunteer groups battling to protect green spaces in Croydon.

They are part of a national umbrella organisation called The Conservation Volunteers, founded in 1959,  in response to large areas like playing fields, allotments and nature parks being sold off by UK councils.

The Croydon group are ‘reclaiming’ their local environment on a project-by-project basis.

They are currently working on a scheme in South Norwood Country Park.  A 47 hectare park that was once used for sewage farms to serve the London population, it is now a designated nature reserve.

The group are fencing off reeds around the ponds to protect them from a type of goose that feeds on them in summer. They have also been cutting back willow branches to allow sunlight to get to the pond, protecting pond-life.

Equipment for fencing off the protected area Pic: Flo Neve

Projects like this, according to co-ordinator Dave Johnson, encourage residents to take responsibility for what is around them. Dave told ELL that South Norwood Country Park is one of a handful of highly bio-diverse habitats to be found in Croydon.

Twice a week Dave meets the volunteers in Croydon town centre and drives them by mini-bus to various green sites around the borough. He believes the project has social as well as environmental benefits.

East London Lines spoke to Carlos who has been volunteering with the group for twelve years and said that the work “keeps me out of trouble.”

Andy, a volunteer who recently began working with the group after loosing his job,  said that it gives him something to do and offers the opportunity to get away from Croydon’s busy centre where he lives. He commented:  “I feel more relaxed when I’m out, away from loads of people. I think it’s important to keep these sorts of places going.”

Although Dave has no problem recruiting volunteers, funding is an issue. He thinks it is part of broader failure by funding bodies to invest in green spaces in Croydon, like this one.

But in such a difficult economic climate, there is an argument that it is urban regeneration projects that should take precedence. Dave, however, believes there should be a balance.

If  further support was there, this kind of work could potentially generate employment, as well as conserving the countryside.  As things stand, voluntary work does not always provide a long-term solution for individuals, considering the high living costs in London. Volunteer, Andy, said that he was aware of this:  “It would be good if there was some work being created for people too.  I enjoy it and I’d do it anyway, but it’s true that it doesn’t pay the rent.”

But for now, Dave believes that what is most important is for the group to carry on achieving what they can, to “sustain what we’re doing and keep doing it well.”

Protest outside the Sutton Civic Centre Pic:Andrew Dickinson

At a meeting held at Sutton Civic Centre on Wednesday evening 24 April, councillors were unable to reach a decision on  whether or not to approve the go-ahead for a waste incinerator on Beddington Lane. The vote resulted in an equal tie.

Sutton’s council plan to build an incinerator within the area that will generate heat and electricity. The company Viridor will run the operation in conjunction with the South London Waste partnership. But the council’s proposals have met with opposition. Locals are questioning the level of demand for this type of waste disposal and many are concerned about the health implications.

Some critics of the incinerator are running a Stop the South London Incinerator campaign to direct their concerns to the council and to inform the wider community of the environmental implications.

Head of the campaign, Dave Petterner, argued that the incinerator was a way for the council to gain profit, rather than think about the welfare of local residents. Petterner said: “My concern is that Viridor is building this incinerator purely from a profit point of view.”

He added “Historically, incinerators are placed in poor and highly polluted areas.  Croydon is a borough that has been ignored for a long time,  with poor health statistics. They are just adding to a bad situation and making it worse”.

A local man from Sutton, who works in the waste management sector and wished to remain anonymous, argued: “Why not incinerate? The new incinerators are virtually pollution free, it is a product that will be efficient and productive as long as people recycle”.

The council will meet again for a revote, but a date has not yet been set. Protesters say they will continue to campaign in the meantime.

Demonstration Poster Pic: Stop the Incinerator

A demonstration is expected in Croydon against the building of a waste incinerator at Beddington Lane on Wednesday evening 24 April. Campaigners plan to congregate outside the Sutton Civic Centre where the council is making the final decision on whether to go ahead with the project.

Waste incineration is championed by the government as a cheap alternative to sending rubbish to landfill sites, as well as a way of producing fuel. There are already thirty waste incinerators in the United Kingdom and there are currently plans to build a hundred more around the country.  Other European countries have operated waste incinerators successfully for many years.

Critics, however, point to the fact that countries like Norway and Sweden have found they have not had enough waste to burn and have been forced to import waste. UK household waste has fallen in past years, as recycling has increased, which has also led some to question the logic of the scheme.

The anti-incinerator campaigners point out that the Beddington Lane area already suffers from high levels of pollution. They fear this will increase, resulting in higher health risks to the local population.

The proposed construction at Beddington Lane is part of a broader project known as the ‘South London Waste Plan’. Croydon, Sutton, Kingston and Merton councils  intend to move away from landfill waste and follow central government policy to build incinerators.

The Stop the South London Incinerator campaign has been backed by the Green Party with a pledge of £2,000 for their fighting fund.

Pic: Ewan-M

A campaign group  has launched a petition to stop Hackney Council from hosting major events on Hackney Marshes.

The new group, Save Lea Marshes, calls for the marshes to remain as common land throughout the year – available for all Hackney residents. They claim that the BBC Radio 1′s Hackney Weekend in June last year caused “significant damage” to the wildlife, river and sports pitches.

Caroline Day, spokesperson for Save Lea Marshes said: “Many people who attended last year’s event on the marshes, two thirds of whom were from outside the borough, will not have been aware of the significant damage incurred to the area from the event.” The petition is hosted on change.org and has so far gathered over 180 signatures.

“I think the majority would be shocked by the serious adverse impact the event had, and is continuing to have on the environment and grassroots sport.”

Hackney Councillor Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Cultures, told ELL the council has invested £18 million over the last 5 years on improving pitches and adding new facilities across the marshes.

“I understand people’s concerns but 100,000 people – including 30,000 Hackney residents – attended the BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend, so there is clearly demand and interest in these sorts of events from residents across the borough.”

According to Day, Hackney Council promised the Planning Inspectorate that the land would be returned to its original condition after the event, but failed to do so. The petition aims to stop damage of this nature on the marshes from happening again.

Day believes the council should take responsibility for the protection of the environment, and stage music events in more suitable locations, such as the recently developed Olympic Park.

Tim Evans, a bee keeper at the Community Tree Nursery on the marsh, said: “I’ve used the marsh for 25 years. We were resisting the Olympics and associated short-sighted projects right from the start in 2004.”

“Our experience with Radio 1 Hackney Weekend was that all the other uses of the marsh were hindered or completely shut down for nearly a month. in addition, a hawthorn hedge along Homerton Rd was ripped out and never replanted”.

During the Hackney Weekend last summer, the marshes were entirely enclosed by opaque fencing for one month despite the council’s promise that only a “small section” of the Marsh would be closed for two weeks.

When ELL interviewed local people about the prospect of more major events being hosted on the marshes we were met with a mixed response. Read the report here

Pic: Eldan Goldenberg

Two ‘pocket parks’ will be created in Lewisham as part of the Mayor’s two million pound initiative to transform underused, urban spaces in the borough.

Blackheath and Sydenham will both see small green spaces being created as part of a citywide bid to enhance the natural environment in inner city neighbourhoods.

The Pocket Parks Programme, introduced as part of the Mayor’s London Great Outdoors initiative aims to deliver one hundred new or enhanced pocket parks across London by March 2015.

Lewisham is to receive £67,000 towards the creation of the two new parks. This will enable new planting, trails, seating and lighting.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said that public spaces were an essential part of London’s character and the wellbeing of its residents.

Brick Lane Bikes, a specialist repair shop in Brick Lane, was chosen by the Swedish retail giant H&M to collaborate in creating a collection of clothes inspired by the urban air of fashionable east London.

Open since 2006, the shop on Bethnal Green Road is the first fixed-gear bike store in the UK, specialising in on-site custom building and repairs. It has become a popular go-to for the numerous cyclists in the east end.

Peter, manager for over two years at the shop, is a big fan of the new line:  ‘’We have been testing the clothes for quite a few months now and I can tell you that they have been designed around cyclists like us.’’

H&M for Brick Lane Bikes. Pic: H&M.

The growing trend of cycling in urban centres was successfully traced by the H&M designers team. The result was the creation of the H&M for Brick Lane Bikes collection, which combines sportswear with the glamourous urban style and vintage fashion synonymous with Brick Lane.

‘’The idea with the collection is to mix and match to find your own style, just as you can do with the custom made bikes from Brick Lane Bikes’’, said Victoria Chappel, spokesperson for H&M.

The garments are made by sustainable resources materials such as organic cotton, recycled cotton and recycled polyester.

Unfortunately for London’s female bike fashionistas, H&M has not made a women’s BLB collection. Chappel said: ‘’The idea came from the men’s wear design team at H&M, and it was therefore natural for it to be a collection for men.’’

The collection will be featured in a pop-up store in the back of Brick Lane Bikes from March 7, in addition to being sold online and in 180 stores worldwide.