Revitalisation
The next tour will be on Saturday, 11 February 2012. Numbers are limited so you need to register in advance. Please contact Nadia Chowdari at Southwark Council to register and to check start time and location.
Two disused industrial tanks have been discovered in the ground. Council
chiefs said there was no danger to the public from the tanks and that
any contaminated waste will be removed as quickly as possible. It is
expected that the removal of the material will mean a delay to the
park's opening but the council said it was confident that the new site
would be ready by summer next year. Read more on the Council website published on 16 November 2011.
BMX track proposal
Southwark Tennis Club has been granted £150k to fund a new BMX track
for Burgess Park. Once completed, the new BMX track will include a
floodlit, national standard size arena that could host international
events.
The Friends of Burgess Park meeting in October reviewed the plans for the development of the BMX track next to the current adventure playground.
The presentation given by Ruth Miller the project manager is available to download here.
Comments on the plans for the BMX track can be sent to Ruth Miller.
Revitalisation timeline
May 2011 Hoardings and fencing began to be erected. Service diversion works began.
On 23 May work started on the improvements to Burgess Park. Because of the scale of the works and in an effort to get the work done as quickly as possible, the contractors will be closing off large sections of the park. The map below shows the areas to be closed and those which will remain open, as well as the cycling and walking routes while the work is in progress.
July The project area of Burgess Park east of Wells Way closed including the underpass.Earthworks in progress
August The project area of Burgess Park west of Well Way will close.
Look for noticeboards at main entrances for photographic updates from Balfour Beatty the lead contractor. There should be monthly opportunities to tour the site as the work progresses. Next tour will be 11 February 2012. Numbers are limited so you need to register in advance. Please contact Nadia Chowdari at Southwark Council to register and to check start time and location.
Parks and green spaces near Burgess Park available during the revitalisation period
January 2012 330 trees have started to be planted along St George's Way and towards Camberwell Road.
February/March 2012: Depending on the weather, mound seeding should start.
Most
of the planting will be take place in Feb/March except that at St.
George's Gardens which will have trees and hedges planted in Feb/March
and then the remainder laid as amenity grass. Later in the year
(Oct/Nov) the herbaceous plants and wildflowers will be planted at St.
George's and on the Albany Road mounds.
March 2012: the playground and parking area should be opening.
May/June 2012: Burgess Park reopens fully
For further updates visit www.southwark.gov.uk/burgesspark
Revitalisation Project useful links:
The planning application (10/AP/3246)
Designs for Burgess Park. Existing and proposed views.The planning application was approved at Southwark Town Hall on Tuesday 1st February, 2011.
Decision details
The Friends acknowledge the challenge faced by the design team in producing a plan that took into consideration the views and needs of a very wide range of stakeholders. The designers worked hard to take into account the range of opinions they heard and each updated version the plans saw feedback from the consultation feeding into the designs.
We recognise that in a project of such complexity, it is unlikely that any stakeholder will feel fully satisfied. However, on balance, the Friends feel stongly that the new plans will lead to a better park. The proposed development is an impressive attempt to balance the need to preserve valuable exiting habitats and amenities, while also aiming in the longer term to raise the biodiversity of the park and increase the range of amenities the park offers to local residents.
The Friends consider the plans to be in keeping with our aims to protect as much as possible of what is best in the park, enhance what the park offers to local people and wildlife, and to promote the use of the park by the community.
We acknowledge that there continue to be some concerns about the plans for Burgess Park.
In relation to the loss of several small areas of existing woodland*, we believe that this issue should be considered against the long-term aspiration that the park will include a wider range of higher-quality wildlife habitats. The Friends prefer to judge the plans against a broader measure of improvement that takes into consideration the quality, health and range of trees rather than just their number.
Regarding the loss of the existing bike track, the Friends feel that it is vital that efforts are made by all involved to ensure that plans for a high-quality, yet publicly accessible, BMX track are rapidly brought to fruition. In general, it is important that as far as is it is safe and feasible to do so, access to the park’s existing amenities, especially those for children, should be maintained while work is being conducted on site.
We recognise the success of the existing gardening and bike project but really want to see it made as accessible for all children around the park, not just a few.
Finally, the Friends would like to emphasize our concern that the plans for the park will only be a success if they are matched by proper plans for ongoing maintenance and environmental management of the park so that improvements in the park can be sustained for the long term. The Friends will continue to work with Southwark Council to achieve this sustainable future for Burgess Park.
More about the design consultation process
* Southwark Council's 'urban forester' provided the following information to clarify what is proposed in the planning document:
The total number of trees surveyed in support of the planning application was 2787 trees above 50cm diameter at breast height (dbh).
The number of trees to be removed is contained within the tree survey where full details can be seen.
A total of 456 trees are to be removed, 167 of which are open grown 'specimen trees' with the remaining number being smaller, immature and lower amenity value stems found within scrub areas. Through the project 4,300m² will be removed, 6,600m² will be planted resulting in a net gain of 2,300m². No areas of established mature woodland which is characterised by well established trees above 150cm diameter dbh are to be removed.
A total of 331 specimen trees are to be planted. There is a net increase in canopy cover due to the additional areas of woodland scrub areas which are planned. A number of high quality trees which are worthy of retention are also to be transplanted.