I would like to add my tuppence worth to the campaign to save the Romany by adding a bit of background. Please take the time to read this. What the community is facing is the very real prospect of losing a very rare community asset- a secluded, green and safe environment for toddlers and children of all ages that was recently granted the status of an Asset of Community Value (ACV). But WHY???
This site has been the home of the 1st Wandsworth Scouts Group in Earlsfield since the 1960’s having been formed over 100 years ago. As their name suggests, they were the first Scouts Group set up in Wandsworth.
Closely linked to the scouts are the Playhouse Playgroup, the Wandsworth Twins Club, a dance school and the Trefoil Guild who all share the same site -known as "the Romany", a name that dates back to the days when Romany gypsies regularly met on Wandsworth Common in the early 1800's. Apparently a couple of original Romany gypsy wooden caravans can still be seen from the train on the way in to Victoria or Waterloo on the rhs just before the Chesney’s warehouses.
Anyway, the site became a tennis club that then moved a few yards over the road to become Magdalen Park Lawn Tennis Club- which is thriving. A long lease was granted to the scouts and this is now up for renewal- in fact the scouts have been seeking to renew it for a number of months.
The Scouts thought that all was hunky dory until they read a recent report from Mr Buss director of finance and deputy chief executive of Wandsworth Council -following his meeting with representatives from the tennis club who tried to lift the ACV listing- that revealed that the tennis club had no intention of granting the extension to the lease. Instead the tennis club stated that they would “vigorously oppose” the renewal and would allow an extension of only 3 years, 5 at the most.
This came as a huge shock to the Scouts and everyone else who uses the site. The scouts now realise why the tennis club had been delaying the renewal – Oh, and racking up their legal costs at the same time.
It is now understood that the tennis club have been in discussions for some months to sell or lease the site to a local developer who wants to build a private childrens nursery on the site. As the Scouts allow other community groups to use the site and scout hut for nominal sums, all now are at risk of losing their "home".
Tough, you may say, Its the tennis clubs land to do with as they want, but is it? The issue is this:- there is also a restrictive covenant (until 2100) on the site that allows it to be used only for sporting or recreational uses. The tennis club know this.
Further, the covenant also restricts the building of any structures other than pavilions or similar that support the restricted uses - the old owners who first set up the Trust and restrictive covenant, agreed yonks ago that the scouts could build their hut on the site. Fine, so what's the problem?
The Trustees of the covenant are now Wandsworth Borough Council...... Hello. (They have endorsed the Playhouse Playgroup use of the site by the way- just in case you were thinking…).
Some may say that this must be good, after all, when the tennis club recently tried to get the ACV listing removed, the aforementioned Mr Buss at Wandsworth Council (a good man obviously) rejected their representations. So far so good.
Surely the council will continue to uphold the restrictive covenant and prevent inappropriate development on the site?
Well, I wish that the local councillors and MP's that I have spoken to could give me that assurance. Far from it. Well, you know, the council is always looking for ways to raise funds to pay for improvements to pavements........
So I guess you have to just sit back and let those who were entrusted with the safe keeping of the site and its use for sporting and recreational uses, to allow it to be developed- after the developer has paid a chunk into the newish Infrastructure Levy scheme that helps WBC balance the books back at the Town Hall. And Why Not? It all helps the community after all, surely you can see that?
Why not indeed. It seems that members of the very community who these councillors are supposed to be serving apparently are irrelevant when it comes to £££££££. It appears that the Town Hall are more likely to take the money rather than what I see as their duty to honour, protect and maintain the restrictive covenant entrusted to them until 2100. In short, it seems that money will win over the interests of community groups such as playgroups or Scout troops or indeed the largest Twins Club in London with parents from Wandsworth, Tooting, Putney, Balham, Earlsfield, Battersea, Southfields, Wimbledon, Stockwell, Clapham, Brixton and Streatham. All will lose their home. Have a look at the Twins Club websitehttp://www.wandsworthtwinsclub.org.uk/. And yes, that is the Romany site on their Home Page. They do fantastic work for mothers struggling to cope with the pressures of raising twins. I have seen Mums there close to breakdown.
The environment at the Romany is unique and far removed from the sterile and cold hospital style facilities normally associated with help groups or even playgroups. It has been mentioned before, but this is an oasis and in itself can and does, I am sure, help struggling Mums and kids alike to recharge the batteries.
These are the sorts of community groups that need the councils support and protection and yours as well. Over 120 Playhouse Playgroup kids use the site. 150+ Scouts. 120 members of the Twins Club. Over the years goodness knows how many thousands of Wandsworth kids and residents have used the facilities at this fantastic site.
I doubt that there is another like it in the Borough.
Lets see if the other councillors in Earlsfield can put their political differences aside and form a cross party support group that ensures that these community assets are not sold off for development at a time when safe, green outside space is getting hard to find.
The council were entrusted with the safe keeping of this site. You can help ensure that they don't mess this one up. That is what the petition is all about. There is a matter of principle to be upheld here. This is worth putting pen to paper for.
If you have not already read the petition, or a flyer or been Tweeted etc, please take the time to sign the petition that is available online - just google Save the Romany or click on this link http://www.nappyvalleynet.com/petition- ... scout-hut/
Many thanks. I'll crawl back under my rock now.
Menu
