Parkland walk deforestation

Luirette · November 2016

Anyone know what's happening to the area around the parkland walk bridge on Stapleton Hall Road? They've been furiously denuding it if all greenery for the last few days. Just watching them cut down the last tree. All the small shrubs have gone too. Seems to be way more than is necessary to aid repairs to the bridge, but I no civil engineer. It's just what was once a really lovely feature looks so sad and ugly now.

Toddlesocks · November 2016

I went past on Saturday and was shocked and saddened.

Arkady · November 2016

I agree it's rather shocking. The people living immediately south of the bridge must be especially upset as it's made their property much less secluded -though probably also brighter and less damp. My guess is that they are trying to stop the bridge from being undermined by the tree roots. That, and the recent temporary underpinning, may well be related to the electrification works that are being undertaken in the tunnel that carries the Gospel Oak-Barking line under Stapleton Hall Road. Amazing bit of Victorian engineering that - a railway tunnel crossed by a road, which is in turn crossed by another (albeit defunct) railway bridge.

Arkady · November 2016

Official word from the Friends of the Parkland Walk: "Haringey Council are carrying out repairs to all the bridges on the Parkland Walk and the work has no connection with the works on the railway. Years of allowing nearby trees to grow unchecked along with ivy and butterfly bush which has rooted through the brick work has now made the bridge dangerous and unstable in places. The timber underpinning is in place to prevent rows of bricks in the arches from falling. All trees within 10 metres of the bridge will be removed as will all the ivy that is growing on it. The Parkland Walk itself will remain open throughout repair works although Stapleton Hall Road will be closed of for a couple of nights (dates have yet to be fixed). We will post more information as we have it. At present they are concentrating on Stapleton Hall Road Bridge and Northwood Road bridge, the two which present the greatest concern." So we'll have a bridge preserved for the ages, albeit in a less bucolic form.

Luirette · November 2016

Noooo not the ivy too! Seriously depressed now. Thanks for the info though Arkady. The timber underpinning covered with graffiti looks dreadful. Doesn't sound like they have any immediate plans to actually repair the bridge...

grenners · November 2016

I've been looking at the bridge for years wondering why they are letting stuff grow all over it. They have probably worked out their neglect has created an expensive problem.

Toddlesocks · December 2016

Might be useful in future

‪ http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/landscape/rubble/ivy/ivy-report.pdf‬

maclondon · December 2016

I believe that there are plans for re-planting but they have not been finalised. From my chats with NR to change their plans on fencing in the Stroud Green Conservation area, they are talking to the Parkland Walk people on some of these plans. Still it would be good if the council actually put up some signs explaining what is happening!

emeg · December 2016

Fingers crossed for the re-planting. I live near the bridge and am already fed up with looking at the graffiti. Also, anyone know anything about the garage next to it being up for sale? Heard there were plans to build a block of flats...

Arkady · December 2016

I haven;t heard anything, but it's a matter of time - garages are closing all over the place and that's a prime site. We'll have to be pretty vigilant to ensure that we don;t end up with some total dreck there, it's a beautiful spot and crucial to the conservation area.

emeg · December 2016

I just found the garage for sale on rightmove under commercial properties - for sale for 2 million, an 'exciting development opportunity'

grenners · December 2016

To get best value for the site the owner ought to get some kind of outline planning consent. Also the tanks which store the fuel need to be dealt with in a certain way to make the site safe before development can start. I think part of the site sits over the railway line running beneath. I don't think it's a straightforward development site.

poxy · December 2016

The second photo in this tweet shows the site straddling the Goblin... https://mobile.twitter.com/NetworkRailGOBE/status/791293208395411456

Papa · December 2016

I never twigged part of the garage went over the line. Aren't there allotments behind it? Petrol stations are expensive to redevelop due to the recommissioning issue, but stupidly high house prices means that it happens now quite a bit in the south - whereas it used to be pretty rare and they would sit unused.

Ali · December 2016

Same issue down at the station where the car wash is. If it closes it is going to make getting petrol a bit more difficult in SG

fabruce · December 2016

Will the car wash at the station ever close down? I dont mind it, it s just that it makes everything quite dirty and it s a bit of a mess. Morevore cars keep on stopping on the pavement which is annoying

The petrol station has been on rightmove for months now so i dont know when the development will happen

grenners · December 2016

I think it's try on to see what they can get for it. It might never sell. There might be all sorts of legal title problems with that sort of site.

Arkady · December 2016

The allotments are the other side of the tracks.

HolbornFox · December 2016

The one on Holloway Road is being demolished and that took ages to sell.

Rows of the old style car garages are being sold off by the council at a rate of knots as well.

trainspotter · December 2016

That does make sense though, doesn't it HolbornFox? It's not making the most of the land.

HolbornFox · December 2016

It would make sense to me if it was not being sold off as private stock i.e. actually building more council houses.

Arkady · December 2016

I think that the garage redevelopment on Florence Road is for council houses, no? They look good, too.

trainspotter · December 2016

Yes there's a similar development on Connaught Road.

HolbornFox · December 2016

That's refreshing to hear.

I saw 2 recent developments on the Islington side and both had boards up before they were finished.

Hackney seem even worse, taking whole blocks down and putting 7 council flats back from memory.

gardener-joe · December 2016

...

grenners · December 2016

The old garages from the 1960's are useless. Too narrow and small for most modern cars. (I can't believe social housing came with a garage in those days) live the dream.

Ali · December 2016

Probably housed the egalitarian cars of the time like the Mini, the new Mini is such an overgrown version of the original that's seems to just get bigger over the years

HolbornFox · December 2016

Growing up my estate had the old school garages, people used to strip the wooden doors off to nick the motors.

Also had friendly neighbours, video shop, flat roof pub, chip shop, doctors, post office, bakery, buses and trains all within spitting distance.

The pizza firms would not deliver there either, amazing how all that would now be considered a luxury.

Edit: even got a half decent education.

grenners · December 2016

A friend of mine owns an ex council flat in wandsworth and he rents out his garage to a posh eccentric couple who use it to store their luxury garden furniture in winter. But they rent it all year round anyway.

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