What’s On This Week: 31st August – September 6th 2009

I’m sticking close to the river for this week’s ‘What’s On’, with a raft (geddit) of events current-ly (ha ha) happening alongside the Greenwich stretch of the Thames. Ok, river puns over now, I promise.

On Saturday, the Thames Discovery Programme are hosting an archaeology lecture at Greenwich Heritage Centre, showcasing their work to discover more about the river’s history.   Their expert speakers will also be discussing the remains of what is believed to be a large warship, possibly the HMS Duke of Wellington, discovered at Charlton.

Whilst you’re down at the riverside in Woolwich, the Firepower museum at Royal Arsenal is also taking a trip to the past with it’s Second World War Evacuee Day, also on Saturday.  This informative and moving commemoration features first-hand written accounts from evacuees and memorabilia from the time, as well as the obligatory in-character guides such as an air-raid warden and soldiers to entertain the younger visitors.

The rejuvenation of one of the borough’s other rivers – I know, there are others! – is celebrated this week with the River Quaggy’s Annual River Walk.  Five years on from the success of the Quaggy Waterways Action Group’s efforts to transform Sutcliffe Park from wasteland into a wildlife haven, they re-visit the park to see how it’s thriving.

Back at Greenwich town’s riverside hub, the Cutty Sark Gardens, there’s a Continental village market on Friday and Saturday.  It’s mainly a food market, featuring the best cuisine from France, Greece, Spain, Turkey and Germany (to name but a few) and it will be moving inland to Eltham on Sunday.

Rounding up the non-river events, if you ever wondered what happened to Tony from Eastenders, well he’s alive and well and featuring in a new take on Dickens’s The Signalman at Greenwich Theatre this week.  For budding DJs, this Friday the British Music Experience at the o2 is featuring a Q&A session with some top name DJs from independent dance label Hospital Records.  And if space exploration floats your boat (sorry, couldn’t resist…), the Invaders of Mars showcase runs until Monday at the Planetarium, narrated by Tom Baker of Little Britain / Dr Who fame.

Greenwich House Prices Climb 2%

Latest figures published by the Land Registry show that house prices across the borough of Greenwich recorded a 2% increase in July.

But even with this small increase, houses prices in Greenwich were, on average, 13% down on a year ago.

It was a different story in neighbouring Lewisham where home prices were down 2.2% in July. Across the river in Tower Hamlets, they had the biggest increase of any London borough with a movement of +3.1%.

Across London as a whole, there was an average increase of 1.6%, which was almost mirrored across the whole of England and Wales where there was an average increase of 1.7%.

Photos from Blackheath Climate Camp

I wandered over to the newly erected Climate Camp at Blackheath this morning to take a few photos.  It’s a sea of tents and flags, with lots of people milling about, surrounded by a metal perimeter fence that has slogans attached.

It seemed quieter than I expected although I did hear one person suggesting there would be more happening there tomorrow. I also overheard someone discussing a blog post by the Mayor of Lewisham comparing climate campers with football hooligans which, understandably, doesn’t seem to have gone down too well.

There are more photos in our Climate Camp set on Flickr.

Greenwich Council Rejects Market Redevelopment

PLANS TO demolish Greenwich Market were unanimously rejected by Greenwich Council tonight in a decision which stunned both the developers and their opponents alike.

Members of the council’s planning board voted to turn down the highly controversial scheme, which would have seen the existing market replaced by a modern market, a contemporary shopping precinct and a 104-bedroom hotel.

The rejection comes despite Greenwich Council planning officers recommending acceptance of the plans.

The council leader, Cllr Chris Roberts, a member of the planning board, said at the meeting: “I simply don’t believe the design is good enough for the World Heritage Site. I am not convinced it would create a place I would want to spend time in.”

The council’s cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Peter Brooks, also a board member, said he had “grave concerns” about the quality of the design and said: “I’ve not been convinced by anything I’ve heard” from the developers and landowners, Greenwich Hospital.

Tory councillor Dermot Poston said the scheme could be anywhere: “Those shops might be in Brazil, or Canada, or Manchester – not Greenwich.”

Backbenchers from all parties said that the proposed hotel – which would be up to two storeys higher than the existing buildings – was an overdevelopment which could give rise to traffic congestion in the busy one-way system.

They echoed concerns first raised by greenwich.co.uk, which has run many articles analysing the weaknesses in the scheme.

Earlier, the Hospital’s director, Martin Sands, had told the meeting that the landowner was committed to maintaining a retail mix, with small shops of the kind the market has now. He said the hotel would enhance Greenwich’s economy by improving the town’s shopping and allowing more tourists to stay overnight. He was backed by the South-East London Chamber of Commerce.

But, questioned by councillors, Hospital officials pointedly declined to give a clear commitment that all existing traders would be able to return after the redevelopment at rents which they could afford.

David McFarlane, the Hospital’s spokesman, told the committee: “We are prepared to make some concessionary rents, but we have to have regard for the overall viability of the scheme.”

The meeting, which was attended by around a hundred members of the public, also heard from several of the objectors to the scheme. Almost 900 people sent formal letters of objection to the council.

Elaine Marshall, a shopkeeper at the market since it reopened in its present form more than two decades ago, said: “There is nothing wrong with the market as it is. It is vibrant and popular – it is often impossible to get around on Sundays.”

Another objector described one of the most controversial features of the design – a modern transluscent plastic roof – as “like Bluewater” and “a gift to pigeons.”

Two of the three councillors representing Greenwich West, the ward which covers the market, also spoke against the plans from the audience. One, Cllr Maureen O’Mara, said: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

The leader of the opposition, Cllr Spencer Drury, said the proposal put before councillors was not detailed enough and did not answer critical questions such as what the proposed wooden finish on the buildings would look like and how far the new buildings would disturb famous views and sightlines.

The existing listed buildings on the street side of the market would have been kept, but the issue of how far the new buildings behind would poke up above them became a central concern at the meeting. Councillors criticised the Hospital for not providing any long-distance images of how the town centre would look.

However, the Greenwich Society spoke in favour of the proposals, saying they were an “object lesson” in how to present a planning application. The society’s vice-chairman described them as “welcome” and an “improvement” to the area.

Had the plans been approved, the market would have closed at Christmas for a two-year construction process. Stallholders and a few of the shopkeepers would have been moved to a smaller temporary market on Metropolitan Open Land in the grounds of the Naval College. A separate planning application for the temporary market was withdrawn tonight.

The rejection is a serious blow to Greenwich Hospital, which has spent the last two years preparing for tonight’s meeting. The Hospital engaged a professional PR firm, distributed thousands of leaflets and newsletters and enlisted those it regarded as “key stakeholders,” such as the Greenwich Society and the local MP, Nick Raysnford, as cheerleaders for the scheme.

Mr Sands left the meeting tight-lipped and refused to make any comment when approached. “We will issue a press release tomorrow,” he said. It is not clear what the Hospital’s next move will be. It could appeal against the decision, but the council appears to be on strong ground since the scheme is in breach of more than a dozen of the policies in its Unitary Development Plan, the official statement of its planning policy.

The Hospital could return to the council in future with a revised scheme which addresses councillors’ concerns about the size of the hotel and the quality of the design. But reducing the size of the hotel and improving the design may cost too much to allow the scheme to remain economic in the current climate. Whatever happens, the Hospital’s hope that the scheme can be completed in time for the 2012 Olympics is now at an end.

Kate Jaconello, a trader from the market, said she and other traders felt a “huge, huge sense of relief” about the decision. “We can now get on with running our businesses without worrying about our future,” she said.

UPDATED 27/08/09:

Greenwich MP, Nick Raynsford, has responded to the news:

“I am grateful to all members of the Key Stakeholders Consultative Group, stakeholders and residents who have been involved in the Hospital’s plans for the market regeneration and for the huge amount of input received from the local community.

I believe this was, and still is, the right scheme; to ensure a successful future for Greenwich town centre which preserves and enhances the market.

I intend to meet with all parties concerned, and continue to support the sensible regeneration plans which preserve and enhance the market and Greenwich town centre”

Climate Camp Swoops on Blackheath

The Camp for Climate Action has swooped on Blackheath and and is aiming to stay there until the weekend. Protestors from the group had  kept the location of their camp secret, before it was suddenly announced early this afternoon that they were heading to Greenwich.

They say on their website: “Everyone is welcome to join us, as we converge on the secret location where the camp will rise. This summer, we are swooping together, and together we will transform a part of London into the physical manifestation of our desired worlds”.

There had initially been confusion as to where they were heading with news outlets such as the Daily Telegraph and Sky News reporting that camp would be in Greenwich Park.

Since arriving at Blackheath, Climate Campers have begun setting up and posted a series of pictures to their Twitter account, seen below.

Protesters will also be ideally placed to enjoy the Funfair which has also set up at Blackheath and begins tomorrow.

Greenwich Market: Almost 900 Formal Objections

Tonight, at 6.30pm, at Woolwich Town Hall, Wellington Street, the council’s planning board will consider the application to demolish Greenwich Market.  So a few days ago, a group of us decided to test the claims by Greenwich Hospital, the owners of the Market, that there is “widespread support” for their plan.

We set up our home-made banner and clipboards in the centre of town. In just five hours – three hours on Sunday and two on Monday – 806 people signed formal objection letters to the Hospital’s planning application.

Including others who wrote individual letters, the total number of objections now stands at around 880 – nearly three times the number of responses received by the Hospital to its own public consultation. More than 80 per cent of our objectors were from the borough of Greenwich or from within a few miles’ radius. It is clear that had we done it for a longer period, we could have amassed tens of thousands of names.

We showed people pictures of the proposal, and the text (written by the developers themselves) describing it, and were taken aback by the strength of feeling, verging in some cases on real anger. People were literally queuing up to sign.

There seems to be enormous concern, far greater than I suspected, among local people about “what is happening to Greenwich,” with the closure of the Village Market, the horse events in the Park, and now the Market redevelopment set to cause years of disruption and permanent damage to a unique and cherished place.

We were struck, too, by the large numbers of locals who didn’t really know about what was planned – who refused to believe, until we showed them the plans, that the market was actually going to be demolished and replaced with a modern market.

It is even more clear to me now than it was before that the development has no public support at all. The Hospital has managed to co-opt various local worthies – such as the Greenwich Society and Nick Raynsford MP – but this turns out to be no more than a symptom of how our representatives have lost touch with the people they’re supposed to represent.

Tonight, we objectors will have – ahem – five minutes to make our case (though this can be extended at the chair of the meeting’s discretion.) It is not even clear whether the 800-odd letters signed over the weekend will be formally notified to the meeting – the consultation period is officially closed – but we decided to send round copies of some of them to councillors, just so they could see what the public thought for themselves.

Will councillors take any notice? In a rational world, they should – because the application (and its cousin to put the temporary market on the Old Royal Naval College site) contravenes their own policy, the Unitary Development Plan, in at least five separate respects. However, the officers have recommended acceptance – and Greenwich councillors usually do what their officers tell them.

Greenwich councillors do not have a good record of listening to their voters or obeying their own declared planning policy – they recently approved a very unpopular high-density housing development in King’s Highway, Plumstead, despite its being in breach of 22 policies of the UDP.

I think all this says something important about how our democracy here in Greenwich is failing – partly because one party has a vast majority on the council, and feels secure to do whatever it wants; but more, I think, because of our serious lack of functioning civic institutions.

We no longer have a real conservation body – the Greenwich Society has turned itself into a PR organ for the Market developers and the people who want to tear up Greenwich Park. We don’t have particularly strong local media. Though the Mercury tries hard, it is based outside the borough and does not compare to local newspapers in some other parts of the capital. Hence the lack of information that we found among many.

Over the market, there is still time. Even if the redevelopment gets the nod tonight, the planning process is not concluded. But I think that had anything as bad as the market scheme been proposed in an area where there was a decent local paper and a strong civic group it would already have been defeated by now.

Greenwich Council Set To Decide Market Future

The Planning Board of Greenwich Council will meet tonight at the town hall in Woolwich to make their decision over the proposed redevelopment of Greenwich Market.

They will consider the plans for a new market development, as well as the related application for a temporary market in the Monument Garden of the Old Royal Naval College.

The controversial plans for Greenwich Market include the creation of a 100 bedroom boutique hotel. Last week, Andrew Gilligan reported in his weekly column that planning officials have recommended to the board that permission be granted.

The Planning Board will also be considering giving permission for a new 82 bedroom hotel in Greenwich High Road, on the site of the old petrol station that is currently operating as a car washing business. Planning approval had originally been granted for 14 flats at the site, but the developer backed out due to the economic climate and Travelodge stepped in, acquiring a 25 year lease.

Contentious proposals to expand the number of flights at London City Airport are also going to be discussed at the meeting, and the board will determine whether to enter into a Neighbouring Authority Agreement with the airport.

The meeting begins at 6.30pm.

Theatre Review: A Doll’s House

Following hot on the heels of the Donmar Theatre’s star-studded effort, the much smaller, much younger Candyking Theatre Company have turned their hands to a new translation of this Ibsen favourite.  This 1879 tale of betrayal, revelation and self-discovery features Torvald, an ambitious banker (yes, banker) and Nora, his seemingly doll-like, submissive wife.  When Torvald discovers that Nora once committed fraud, albeit to help him, his reaction changes their lives irrevocably as Nora finds the illusion of her perfect life shattered and decides to leave him.

Kate Dion-Richard as Nora is captivating, oozing stage presence and integrity despite a few slips in accent.  The volte-face between act one’s vain, immature Nora and act two’s heroically honest and dignified Nora is a difficult one to pull off, but Dion-Richard manages to do it with some style and succeeds in evoking both sympathy and respect.  Brett Harris’s Torvald is suitably sleezy and deluded, with Jose Domingos’ calm, melancholic Dr Rank giving a good counterpoint. Domingos stands out as the most seasoned performer with a slickness that isn’t quite there with the others, however all are invested enough in what they’re doing for it to not really matter.

The intimate setting of the Greenwich Playhouse plays into the main metaphor’s hands by making you feel as though you, along with Nora, are trapped in the eponymous prison of superficiality imposed by the controlling social climber Torvald.  The elegant Victorian set, with a two-thirds scale blue Chesterfield sofa and tiny fireplace, highlights the sophistication and yet suffocation that characterise Nora’s life.

It’s easy to forget how unthinkable Nora’s actions would have been in Ibsen’s time as his victory of honesty over delusion today looks more like a happy ending than he probably ever intended.  Clearly Ibsen’s work does not have the same subversive, groundbreaking effect it once did, however Candyking’s faithful portrayal successfully preserves some of the contextual significance of Nora’s choice.  The more enduring skill is that of Ibsen’s playwriting and his use of melodrama, suspense and pace – coupled with some strong performances from Candyking – still make this a compelling piece of theatre.

A Doll’s House by Candyking Theatre Company
Greenwich Playhouse until 13 September
Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 4pm. £12/£10

What’s On This Week: August 24th – August 30th 2009

Every week in my ‘What’s On’ article, I attempt to glean a vague a theme out of the coming week’s events, but this week the sheer diversity is making it tricky, so I’ve instead gone for a collection of goings-on that have almost nothing in common.  After all, random events are nearly always the best kind.

If you’re not totally festival-ed out for this summer or are keen to squeeze one last fest in before September descends (bringing immediate winter of course), there’s the Well Hall Summer Festival at the eponymous Pleasaunce on Sunday afternoon.  As well as the usual proliferation of sugary food, balloon-related activities and brass instruments to send your kids loopy there is also a promising Abba tribute band and some owls and falcons on display.   Not simultaneously, I hope; falcons don’t strike me as the Mamma Mia! types.

If you’re keen to stretch your legs and meet some new people then St Alfege’s Church is leading a multi-faith walk on Saturday.  The informal walk takes participants around some of the different religious centres in Greenwich and Blackheath encompassing, amongst others, the Muslim and Quaker communities.  The walk’s itinerary also promises abundant refreshments so you’ll be well taken care of.

The indigo2 are going for the longest name for a tournament in Greenwich’s history, with the G Force Street Dance Weekend UK Championships on Sunday.  Apparently Britain’s Got Talent champs Diversity are past winners of this competition, so the standard is likely to be high and it will no doubt be an energetic, grafity-defying spectacle – how do break dancers do it?

In anticipation of the forthcoming Greenwich Comedy Festival, The Albany are hosting their own brand of funny stuff with the Sweetfellows Comedy Show on Friday evening with some well-known urban comedians taking to the stage.

Over on the Blackheath side of town, the Railway pub are holding their cider festival, aptly name CyderFest, all next weekend with live music and… cider.  Young jazz/folk singer Janet Penfold is also performing at the British Oak on Old Dover Road on Saturday evening.
Finally, for those of you on the home stretch with the summer holidays, there’s a Wildlife Drop in at Greenwich Park on Wednesday morning.  The squirrels are out in force at the moment and don’t seem to be too bothered by having kids chase them so now seems like a good time to find out a bit more.

NOGOE On The Plinth

The campaign to stop the Olympic Equestrian events taking place in Greenwich Park scaled new heights this week when a supporter got up on Trafalgar Square’s “Fourth Plinth” wearing a NOGOE t-shirt.

“Kerry T” from East Dulwich took to the plinth on Wednesday at 9am. She was initially wearing a t-shirt supporting the Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau, before taking it off to reveal her NOGOE top.

Anthony Gormley’s “One and Other” project sees one person go up on the empty plinth every hour and will last until October 14th.

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