Agenda item

Deputation requests from:

•  The Joint Library Campaign to Save Upper Norwood Library

•  Turney Road Residents Association.

RESOLVED:

That the deputation requests from representatives of Turney Road Residents Association and Crystal Palace Community Association (CPCA).

Deputation from Turney Road Residents Association – Basement Developments

The deputation spokesperson, Sue Badman from Turney Road Residents Association thanked the community council for the opportunity to raise the subject of subterranean evacuation in basements in the Dulwich area.  This issue had been on going for some time particularly in light of a current planning application in Turney Road in progress to extend an existing basement to provide extra living space.  The association was asked for an opinion and advice by a neighbour of the development. 

The purpose of the deputation was that residents were unable to find any specific basement advice for Southwark.  The Dulwich Estate’s view was that there was no formal scheme of management for change of use related to basement developments.  It only required approval for changes to external appearance and anything visible at ground level from the boundaries. 

The deputation spokesperson asked the council if there was any appropriate planning guidance for basements and lightwells, and if not when would such guidance be developed.  The residents association recognised that a basement development could help to make efficient use of limited space and land, however there were two areas of concern:

• Flood risk from surface water: Turney has suffered at least 3 flooding events in a 100 year period 1910, 1980s and 2004.  The residents association were now working with the flood risk asset team in Southwark on the impact of flooding in Turney Road which is considered high risk.

• Loss of amenity and impacts on neighbours during demolition and construction of the basement including excessive noise, dust and vibration, and impacts on businesses. Especially those who work or run their businesses from home during the construction period.

The spokesperson stated that the current situation means that it is extremely difficult to take any action against excessive noise from building works. At the time that the present environmental legislation was enacted, building works in residential areas tended to be fairly small scale and rarely lasted more than a few months.  What with increasing wealth and increase in land values, the situation has changed dramatically and it has become a common place for people to build major developments under an existing building.

The spokesperson explained that local authorities had produced their own planning guidance.  For example, Camden council has drawn up planning guidance on basements and lightwells and also has a ‘basement impact assessment’ which applicants need to complete that would involve specialist engineers and experts on land stability and hydrology. The residents association and the Dulwich Society had met with Southwark officers in planning policy, and have looked into producing information based on Camden’s guidance on basements and lightwells as a possible model that could be incorporated in the Dulwich supplementary planning document.

The community council agreed the following motion:

RESOLVED:

That Dulwich community council notes the deputation concerns about basement excavations and requests officers to have regard to them in drafting the Dulwich SPD and generally with particular regard to flood risk in certain parts of Dulwich.

Deputation from the Crystal Palace Community Association, (CPCA)

 - Upper Norwood Library

The deputation spokesperson, John Payne introduced himself and thanked the community council for the opportunity to speak at the meeting.  He mentioned that the Upper Norwood Library was situated in a special area of south east London across the five boroughs (Southwark, Lambeth, Croydon, Lewisham and Bromley).

This part of south east was in need of more cross borough planning and policing.  One possibility would be to consider a parish council that could be jointly funded by Lambeth and Croydon.  The spokesperson explained that the library was not part of the central library service; they provided their own books and had proved it was cheaper to run than any other library.  Some of the services the library provides were children’s reading club; various activities including authors giving speeches at the library which made it a vital resource of the community. The 112 year old library was now threatened with closure based on Croydon council’s decision to withdraw funding and the fact Lambeth council had already withdrawn their funding. 

The spokesperson stated that a large number of users were Southwark residents.  He asked those present at the meeting to support the library and urged people to complete the questionnaires that were located in the library on how best to support this service.

The community council agreed the following motion:

RESOLVED:

That Dulwich Community Council notes with concern the threat to the long term future of Upper Norwood Joint Library, an excellent and efficient local library service which served many residents in Southwark.  We would therefore request:

2.  That Southwark council’s library services communicate to both their

Lambeth and Croydon counterparts the excellent service provided by

UNJL and the need to set aside differences and seek a long term

solution.

3.  That Southwark council engage in making a positive contribution as to

  how the long term future and governance of the library can be

  secured.

The chair thanked the representatives for their deputations.