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OUTRAGE OVER FLATS PROPOSAL FOR BURGESS PARK

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12 November 2009

John Prendergast
johnp@southwarknews.org

Plans to build flats on Burgess Park have been submitted to Southwark Council, leaving hopes the proposed site would be a community youth centre in tatters.

Aylesbury New Deal for the Communities (NDC) purchased the William IV pub on Albany Road in 2007, and stated they would turn the facility into a young person's juice bar and internet café.

The upper floors of the building were also to be converted into office space to be used by local groups and organisations.

However, plans have been placed with the council to build four flats on the upper floors of the disused boozer, with a retail outfit opening on the ground floor.

The news has caused outrage with the Friends of Burgess Park. A spokeswoman said: "This is Metropolitan Open Land - not an opportunity to develop residential property. This will offer nothing to the park in any way and sets a poor precedent.

"We feel that keeping the integrity of the open space is paramount; to balance the huge increase in property over the road which we know will be overshadowing the park.

“We think the building should be demolished and the area returned to green space."
The NDC have a wide remit to improve the life of those on the Aylesbury, and was set up in 1999 with a budget of £56.2million to spend in ten years.

Phil Bale, Chair of the Evolution Quarter Residents' Association (EQRA), which represents residents in Peckham, added: "EQRA queried the financial viability of that scheme, as well as the implications for safety. 

"Instead we requested consideration be given to locating the new youth cafe within an improved adventure playground facility nearby or the new day centre to be built opposite. This would have allowed the derelict pub building to be demolished and the land returned to Burgess Park. It now appears that the Trust has instead opted to
turn itself into a property developer!"

A spokeswoman for the NDC said: "An application is currently being made to renew the existing planning permission, which was due to expire, to maintain the option of developing the site. Creation is continuing to explore a range of development options that will benefit the community and enhance the park.

"The site was acquired by the Trustees of Creation in 2007 with the express intention of providing a new community building to replace the existing derelict former public house. The Trustees have been working with Eger Architects to develop a proposal that is acceptable for this site; however the current recession has made it impossible to deliver the original proposal for a youth training café with community space."

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