Image source: CPRE London
Why are green spaces important in cities ?
- Green spaces and public land are increasingly under threat in the UK, with a trend forming of locals banding together and challenging planning permissions for great builds on parks.
- As a result, it is important that we protect the land and trees (because what good is an ecosystem buried under concrete…) However, there is worry that as soon as one developer obtains the green light, momentum may build to target additional green spaces.
What happened re: Whitewebbs last week?
- A group called The Guardians of Whitewebbs achieved a moment of success as the High Court granted them permission to proceed to Judicial Review. They will be proceeding with their case to challenge Enfield Council’s granting of planning permission to build a women’s football club on Whitewebbs Park.
A summary of Whitewebbs Park & Enfield Council’s building plans:
- The contention: Tottenham’s Hotspur’s women’s training centre has been granted planning permission to build on Whitewebbs Park, with a 25 year lease of the park.
- Consequently, this training centre will utilise 16 hectares of land, which has been accessible to the public for almost 100 years.
- Previously, the Friends of Whitewebbs park led a judicial review at the high court regarding this 25 year lease but lost their appeal.
- Currently, the Guardians of Whitewebbs park will not be challenging the lease this time round, but will be challenging Enfield Council on the ‘Breach of Local Government Act 1972 on the transparency of the planning committee & for misleading the committee on issues of biodiversity net gain (among additional points too).
- To date, the Guardians have crowdfunded £30,048 from 915 pledges for this court hearing- there is strong communal support behind their campaign (with vocal supporters extending to the likes of Judi Dench!)
But it’s not just in Enfield! Locals are challenging developments in Wimbledon Park too:
- A group called ‘Save Wimbledon Park’ are campaigning against the development plans of The All England Tennis Club, which would expand into land protected against developments by a legal covenant.
Striking the balance between protecting green spaces and businesses seeking expansion seems to be an increasingly recurring theme- what’s your stance?
Image Source: CPRE London
Content Source: Enfield Dispatch | Crowd Justice | Enfield dispatch
