Development of Beckenham Place Park

[Tim Lund]

This is prompted by the current thread on the new open water swimming lake in Beckenham Place Park, but I thought I'd make it a separate thread.

In case it needs saying, I've little sympathy for the grumpy old reactionaries who can see nothing good in anything new, and I think Lewisham Council are to be congratulated on bringing in the National Lottery money which has made this possible.

But this bothers me



http://dclgapps.communities.gov.uk/imd/idmap.html

and the feeling that it's people from the other end of the spectrum of privilege who are getting the most out of all the money spent. I was looking at these numbers a few years ago, and noticed that Downham hadn't always, officially, been quite as deprived, because the ready access to open space, e.g Beckenham Place Park, counted as a plus. As it should, but then some sociologists registered that somehow is doesn't quite work like that.

I've also imagined how a really large scale property developer would look at Beckenham Place Park, and the surrounding area. Isn't the potential obvious, with an open space on the same sort of scale as Hampstead Heath, and a direct train service into London, and a decent local shopping centre in Bromley not far away? Yes, it's easy to get carried away, and I'm reminded of the amazing posts on here by 'Lifelike' when some of us were getting over excited about the prospect of a Bakerloo Extension

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19428&p=182502#p182478

There are more acute problems our dear country faces currently (Brexit) , but one of our worst chronic problems is the inability to master plan redevelopment at a proper scale. So instead, we end up with piecemeal development, which on balance can be welcomed, as I welcome this investment in Beckenham Place Park, but the large scale planning of how we get the better transport infrastructure doesn't happen, and the people who most need support get left behind. If the money spent on Beckenham Place Park does generate more investment in the surrounding area, I know Lewisham Council will look to get Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 money out of it, so some good will come of it, but it's all too fragmented.

OK - back to thinking about Brexit, and destressing gardening!

[JMLF]

Not making a comment on BPP / Funding etc. But just thought I’d mention that it appears as if the map has some sort of glitch so hopefully the info you are looking at/talking about is correct for what you want to say rather than deprivations scales being inaccurate!

The bit I’m looking at in particular is just north of Sydenham station (on the way to Forest Hill) which has a bunch of names of roads like Elmers End, Selsdon, maple road, rectory road Anerley etc - which are the roads in Penge on the way toward Norwood Junction. Additionally that area on the map is quite a dark red but some of those roads have a lot of big houses around Mayow Park so think that bit for sure is wrong.

[John H]

If saving lives (especially those of young children) makes me a grumpy old reactionary then I wear the badge with pride. Lewisham has presided over a scandalous waste of public money and the result is a dangerous facility which, in all probability, will have to be filled in.

The bulk of the "benefit" from the destruction of Beckenham Place Park will land in the pockets of the people of Beckenham and Bromley. After all the larger part of the boundary of the Park abuts those areas. Meanwhile the residents of Beckenham are busy trying to block access to the Park.

Fret not about Brexit. By the time we celebrate you ghouls we shall have completed it.

Meanwhile the map you displayed seems somewhat awry. That is something I have found is quite common with such resources. It seems that detail from another area is overlaid on the actual map...

GAGO

[Tim Lund]

Not making a comment on BPP / Funding etc. But just thought I’d mention that it appears as if the map has some sort of glitch so hopefully the info you are looking at/talking about is correct for what you want to say rather than deprivations scales being inaccurate!

The bit I’m looking at in particular is just north of Sydenham station (on the way to Forest Hill) which has a bunch of names of roads like Elmers End, Selsdon, maple road, rectory road Anerley etc - which are the roads in Penge on the way toward Norwood Junction. Additionally that area on the map is quite a dark red but some of those roads have a lot of big houses around Mayow Park so think that bit for sure is wrong.

Good spot on those phantom road names - has to be something to do with snip on my PC - I've amended the map

I don't think the mapping is wrong otherwise, but feel free to delve into the methodology. Relatively few of the big houses round Mayow Park will be in single family owner occupation, and of the owners of those which are, a disproportionate number will be found expressing their opinions on this and other Forums. The affluent are always the more vocal. Go leafleting, and you will see the contra indicators

[John H]

Not making a comment on BPP / Funding etc. But just thought I’d mention that it appears as if the map has some sort of glitch so hopefully the info you are looking at/talking about is correct for what you want to say rather than deprivations scales being inaccurate!

The bit I’m looking at in particular is just north of Sydenham station (on the way to Forest Hill) which has a bunch of names of roads like Elmers End, Selsdon, maple road, rectory road Anerley etc - which are the roads in Penge on the way toward Norwood Junction. Additionally that area on the map is quite a dark red but some of those roads have a lot of big houses around Mayow Park so think that bit for sure is wrong.

Good spot on those phantom road names - has to be something to do with snip on my PC - I've amended the map

I don't think the mapping is wrong otherwise, but feel free to delve into the methodology. Relatively few of the big houses round Mayow Park will be in single family owner occupation, and of the owners of those which are, a disproportionate number will be found expressing their opinions on this and other Forums. The affluent are always the more vocal. Go leafleting, and you will see the contra indicators

The map is a resource I had to access during my OU studies. I found the resource and allied data to be significantly misleading. From what I recall it is based on the last census or pehaps even the one before.

[Tim Lund]

It'll be the last census, and it's always worth checking data, but the relative deprivation of Downham, and the pockets round here, are pretty certain.

What was the OU course you did?

[John H]

It'll be the last census, and it's always worth checking data, but the relative deprivation of Downham, and the pockets round here, are pretty certain.

What was the OU course you did?

It is an experience I prefer to forget. Worthless!