Park BenchNews from around the London ParksLB Camden Loses Battle of Lincoln's Inn FieldsTHE London Borough of Camden has been using Lincoln's Inn Fields in the south of the borough for private hire events. Now they will have to stop.
Camden's response was to promote a Clause in Parliament to get the Act amended in its favour. One of the leading campaigners against Camden has been William Palin, son of TV star and traveller Michael, and assistant curator of the Sir John Soane Museum, which overlooks Lincoln's Inn Fields. The Museum joined forces with Lincoln's Inn, the Royal College of Surgeons, local businesses, residents and community groups to fight the Clause - supported by English Heritage and the Garden History Society. Petitions were submitted and a long legal battle ensued, culminating in a seven-day hearing in the House of Lords. The Lords were not impressed by Camden's case, and their proposed Clause was rejected. The campaigners hope that the victory over Camden in the battle for Lincoln's Inn Fields will inspire other community groups to fight the exploitation of their own precious open spaces. A new body, the Friends of Lincoln's Inn Fields, is currently being formed to represent the interests of the users of the square in future discussions with Camden Council. If any readers are interested in joining FLIF then please contact William Palin on 020-7440 4246. New Professional Institute for Parks StaffIN May GreenSpace, the national charity dedicated to the improvement of parks and green spaces, announced its decision to launch a new institute, the Parks & Green Spaces Institute, to address Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and the information, support and accreditation needs of those working in the sector. This comes amid growing concerns that the proposed merger of the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management (ILAM) with Institute of Sport and Recreation Management and the National Association of Sports Development (NASD) may lead to parks and green spaces issues being "a low-priority marginalized area of interest for the new body". Elsewhere, a new CPD scheme, the Historic & Botanic Garden Bursary Scheme (HBGBS) has been set up by English Heritage, with a contribution of £720,000, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and input from 20 partner organisations. lt will enable employees already in the sector to undertake detailed training placements and exchanges covering a wide range of vital skills. Over a period of four years, more than 1,000 learning opportunities, from a sinqle day to one year, will be offered through the Scheme. More information from the English Heritage Website. Britain's Top Parkie?CABE Space has launched the search to find Britain's best Parkforce and Britain's best park worker. The Parkforce awards will celebrate work being done by thousands of park staff across Britain and recognise their rôle in keeping parks and public spaces safe, clean and beautiful for people to enjoy. Parks Minister, Baroness Andrews said: "It is so important that our parks are well cared for and that people feel safe using them. Across the country there are outstanding examples of people who are helping to put parks at the heart of their community; it is these people who deserve to be nominated for a Parkforce Award." The awards are the latest development in CABE's Parkforce campaign to encourage every urban park in England to have dedicated staff present during daylight hours. More than 100 local authorities have signed the Parkforce pledge and ten thousand Parkforce badges are being worn by park workers across the country. www.cabe.org.uk/parkforce Drought Orders to Hit London ParksIN the midst of one of the hottest Junes on record, Thames Water applied for a drought order. The order covered all London Boroughs except for Hillingdon, Harrow, Barking & Dagenham and Havering. Although there is no immediate emergency, chief executive Jeremy Pelczer said the situation was "serious" and dry conditions meant further restrictions might be needed. The application is subject to an independent inquiry, which started on 12 July and was in progress as London Landscapes went to press. Any ban on watering has serious implications for parks, where managers face having to allow lush green grass to become parched and brown and traditional planting wither and die. In addition the hot dry weather is causing many trees to shed their leaves at a time of year when ground maintenance contracts do not cover regular leaf collection. Updates can be found on the Environment Agency and Thames Water's websites. New Sundial at Ravenscourt Park
The idea was conceived and designed by the Friends of the Walled Garden in Ravenscourt Park and largely carried out by them in conjunction with the LB Hammersmith & Fulham. The project was largely funded by a grant from the Western Riverside Environmental Fund (WREF), Green Light at Jubilee Gardens
After years of stalled attempts to improve the space, a scheme by Dutch designers West 8 just been granted planning permission. The new design envisages soft undulating hills, promises to create a 'botanical ambience', with trees and flowers which bloom throughout the year, and will incorporate facilities for public events. Paul Finch of CABE, who chaired the selection of finalists for the project, said, "The opportunity now exists to create a truly splendid new pocket of London, with its own character, which responds to the need for a different experience from that currently available along the South Bank, and which local people can identify as being (in part at least) theirs. Balloon over the SerpentineTHIS year's Serpentine pavilion in Hyde Park has been attracting a lot of attention. Designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and constructed by Arup, it consists of a series of clear insulated panels, with a translucent balloon for a roof. Shaped like a turban, this inflates in hot weather to allow the air to circulate inside and is filled with projected light. Hancock's Half CenturyGUNNERSBURY Park Museum is celebrating one of British comedy's classic actors, Tony Hancock, with an exhibition and a series of talks. Hancock's Half Century runs until March 31 2007 and features an impressive collection of memorabilia, scripts and even a set from the television series, Hancock's Half Hour. Long Term Plans at Fulham PalaceTHE restoration of Fulham Palace including the grounds, was the subject of a very interesting LPGT talk in February, by director Scott Cooper.
The formal Conservation & Management plan for the grounds has recently been completed by the Landscape Agency. The Plan will be used to help secure further funding to realise future projects such as rebuilding the derelict early 19th century vineyard and developing a working organic kitchen garden in the two-acre walled garden. Fireworks on the Heath?TRADITIONAL Bonfire night celebrations on Hampstead Heath ended in 2003, due to fears of overcrowding (the event attracted over 40,000 people). Now the ruling Lib Dem group on Camden Council has asked Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee to host a fireworks display on Parliament Hill. Heath Superintendent Simon Lee told the heath committee: "I don't think it's feasible for this year. We need to consider our resources and the damage. I think we'd need to be hosts and someone else could run it."
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Enjoying The Summer's EventsTrust News from Chair BARBARA SIMMS
The Trust's key objective of promoting the value of London's historic green open spaces has been achieved by a number of activities in the first six months of 2006. Open Garden Squares WeekendThe event which achieved maximum publicity (and much-needed funds) for the Trust was Open Garden Squares Weekend (OGSW), featuring a record 139 participating sites. As well as the capital's beautiful traditional squares, the HLF-supported OGSW Development Project has facilitated expansion to include less well-known gardens, such as those in HM Prisons at Holloway and Wormwood Scrubs, St Joseph's Hospice and the newly restored Red Cross Garden in Southwark, laid out in 1888 by Octavia Hill. The hot weather and welcome wine, supplied by the event's sponsor, Loire Valley Wines, made the weekend a memorable occasion. Particular thanks go to Val Burton, Sarah Jackson, Wendy Neville and teams for their excellent work - and to Drew Bennellick for being the 'face' and the 'voice' of the Trust for the media! We are also grateful for the support of Capital Gardens Ltd who provided the ticket hotline. Garden PartyThe annual garden party presents another opportunity to meet, greet and thank those who help the Trust to promote London's green open spaces. The delightful Westminster Abbey Gardens were the venue for the event again, courtesy of Canon Jane Hedges, and attended by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of the City of Westminster and the Mayor and Mayoress of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, as well as nearly 150 guests and Trust members. London LandscapesI am also delighted that much praise was received for the last bumper issue of London Landscapes. With a circulation of 2,000, Hazelle Jackson is to be congratulated on the newsletter's developing profile as a major promoter of Trust aims and activities. Hazelle welcomes contributions from members (and offers of help) so please contact her - this is your newsletter! Annual General MeetingAnd finally, thank you to all those who made the journey to Chiswick House for the AGM and talk by Martin Clayton on the restoration of the gardens. This was followed by a very wet, but nonetheless enjoyable, tour of the gardens, led by Adrian Cook and a welcome meal at a local Thai restaurant. The AGM also welcomed
Thanks were also given to the retiring Treasurer, Alastair Clark, and retiring Trustees Jenny Potter, Sue Marcus and Anne Jennings for their excellent work for the Trust in recent years. Thames Gateway ConferenceA more serious, although not less enjoyable, event that highlighted the importance of historic spaces in London (and the bordering areas in Essex and Kent), was the Thames Gateway Conference.
Organised jointly by the Trust and English Heritage, the conference brought together a diverse audience, including many representatives from the London Boroughs, and also provided the opportunity to promote the Trust's Inventory of Historic Green Open Spaces. The next step must be to make core data from the Inventory freely accessible on line as a valuable resource for researchers, developers and planners. London Parks Discovery Project
Park PeopleRecent Appointments in the London AreaChristopher Woodward has been appointed new Director of the Museum of Garden History. He has previously been Director of the Holburne Museum of Art in Bath, and lectured and published on designed landscapes of the 18th Century. LEADING landscape architect and historian Kirn Wilkie recently agreed to join the board of David Cameron's Quality of Life policy group. Professor Stephen Hopper has been announced as the new Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, taking over from Dr Peter Crane who returns to America in October. Professor Hopper is currently professor of plant conservation biology at the University of Western Australia and a former director of King's Park and Botanic Garden in Perth. THE City of London has appointed Mat Roberts as the new Superintendent of Epping Forest. He took up the post on 8 June 2006. The position was previously held by Jeremy Wisenfeld, who sadly died in December 2005. Mat Roberts will join Epping Forest from Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park in Scotland, where he served as the Warden Services Manager. Colin Buttery is the new director of parks and deputy chief executive for the Royal Parks, following Mike Fitt's retirement. An ecologist by training, Colin Buttery has wide experience of land and leisure management, working for the National Trust and the Woodlands Trust, then for the London Borough of Bromley. He comes to the Royal Parks from the City of Westminster, where he was head of parks and leisure. FOLLOWING the retirement of Neil Cossons, the Department for Culture Media & Sport is looking for his successor as Chair of English Heritage. The appointment is expected to be announced later this year. Jane Wardle is the new Events Manager for the Civic Trust. She has taken on the role of managing the Green Flag Award ceremony, Civic Trust Awards and Heritage Open Days and will be based at the Trust's offices in Liverpool. Jane was previously Technical Events Co-ordinator at Mersey Sound Productions & Staging, an audiovisual company in Liverpool. THE Land Restoration Trust (LIRT) has appointed Jonathan Ducker as its Development Manager for the Thames Gateway and South East. Jonathan has an MSc in Environmental Conservation and a track record of successful work in the Thames Gateway. |
In
staging events there, Camden was found to be breaking the law. Campaigners
showed that an 1894 Act of Parliament forbade the holding of private
events or erecting structures in the Fields.
THE
historic walled garden in Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith, has a new central
feature. A previously empty eyesore goldfish pond has been filled in and
surrounding metal railings removed. The former pond has been replaced with
a sundial surrounded by scented perennial plants.
JUBILEE
Gardens, a prominent area of green space next to the London Eye, finally
looks set to be transformed into a world-class park.
Implementation
of the ten-year restoration plan has already begun with much of the work
being carried out by the dedicated team of on-site gardeners. The
buildings are currently undergoing a major programme of restoration backed
by £4 million of lottery funding.
The
Inventory is also the base information for the web-based