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These past few beautiful sunny days it has been a pleasure to walk over the common, and be surrounded by greenery. It is easy to imagine you are actually in the countryside. I have seen and photographed a heron by the pond, and I have not seen this on previous walks. I suspect that football will put an end to this bird visiting our common. The noise of rowdy players and supporters, (usually accompanied by foul language)not to mention refereees whistles will shatter the tranquility of our COMMON completely. Keep the common for the many who enjoy it, not just the few who will ruin it.
Muriel Gibson

Save Tooting Common! from a concerned local resident who uses the common a lot and prefers it to be left just as it is. Mark Taylor

My daughter attends The Waldorf School of S.W. London.  This is situated on the border of the Tooting Triangle.  The school is threatened with closure under Wandsworth Council's scheme.  My daughter's education began at the Waldorf School at age 4.  She is now about to turn 11 and is supposed to continue in her education there until she is 14.  It is a wonderful school and blends harmoniously with the beautiful environs of the triangle.
    Capitalism of the worst kind?  Hedonism?  Naivety, or plain stupidity?  My anger at this blatant attack on my daughter's human right to a choice in her education is equal to my sense of horror at the devastation to the local environment this madcap scheme will cause.
    This cynical development must be nipped in the bud...Victor Yelding

This is an area of well loved and used common ground. The proposed plan will have huge environmental and social implications, and will impact on the quality of life for the may local residents who use it. Louise Eyles

I see that the question of the Tooting Triangle land-theft has made it to the somewhat arcane pages of this week's Horticulture Week!  It includes comment from Open Spaces Society general secretary Kate Ashbrook that Wandsworth ''.....need to acquire land in exchange that is not already public land'' Anthony de Grey

How remarkably vague the council are - why will they not detail exactly how much of the common they intend to build over? 
They suggest they are trying to improve facilities for local teenagers.  Teenagers who want to play football, play all over the Common already for free.  Why not update the existing youth centre, modernise our playground (leaving the wonderful green hill and grassy field for the children to enjoy) and leave the Common Triangle alone.  We don't need any additional facilities - the Common itself is the best resource our children have. Senara Wilson Hodges

'The release also suggests that the playground is not a grassed area - you only have to look at it to see that’s not true!'

I agree! - my family and I used this grassy (dog-free) area for picnics through the summer months for years as do other people with young families!

The Wandworth press release is still evading answering the crucial questions:-
"This part of the Triangle was built on many years ago and is not a grassed area. But because a small piece of common land may be required to fit in all the things we want to offer young people, we would propose replacing that with the nearby Woodfield Recreation Ground.'

Are they taking a small piece of common land nearest the triangle play area, building on it and 'replacing that with the nearby Woodfield Recreation Ground' which is already common land? Sue Eves

Tooting Common should be granted Site of Special Scientific Interest status. The stag beetle is an endangered species and I have seen two in the last eighteen months whilst on the Common. Their habitat is under threat across Europe and - believe it or not - the South East of England is one of the few robust populations left. How can Wandsworth even contemplate this act of environmental vandalism? Any floodlighting in the winter is a further disturbance to wildlife, as well as adding to light pollution in the area and depriving local children of one of the few places they can see the stars.

Football is a minority sport (only 32% of the population watched England's last match in the 2006 World Cup - a fraction of that number must even play the game), and the pitches would lie idle probably 95% of the time. At the moment, kids of any age can have a fun kickabout on a safe, soft grass surface without paying fees. Enforcing formality will rob local children of the right to free and unstructured exercise, and it is counter to any rational health policy. Mark Speed

We recently sent this letter to our local MP and await his reply:

Dear Sadiq Khan,
Re: Proposed development of 10 five-a-side all-weather football pitches on Tooting Common.

Sue Eves and Alix Parker are co-authors of THE MAGIC CAFÉ by Fox E Parker, a children's book based on the history of Tooting Bec Common.

During our research, we discovered local people have been fighting to save the common since the 16th Century. Ironically, we find ourselves part of the latest struggle against enclosure by the present 'Lords of the Manor,' Wandsworth Borough Council.

William James Thompson transferred the manorial rights to Tooting (Graveney) to the Metropolitan Board Of Works (later, Wandsworth Borough Council) in 1870 after his unsuccessful attempt to enclose a portion of common land for development. Local inhabitants had opposed his enclosure policy. One of the most prominent agitators was the famous potter, Henry Doulton, who lived facing the common in the 1860's.

Wandsworth Council became the custodians of the Tooting Commons to protect the future of the land as an open space for public use.

Now it appears that the council are about to enclose a portion of common land exactly as Mr Thompson had tried and failed to do before them.

In 2007, Wandsworth Borough Council is planning to develop sporting facilities on ‘a small piece of land’ on Tooting Common (the ‘Triangle’). According to the adjacent Waldorf Steiner School, 'there would appear to us to be a net loss of about 19,800 square metres of common land by virtue of the proposed development.'

The Council estimates it might generate £100,000 per annum from these facilities.

Is it legitimately within the Council’s gift to rent out common land for commercial gain?

If so, who will be using these facilities?

At present, whole families from babies to great grand parents enjoy the common. Will they be using these facilities?

Yours truly,
Sue Eves & Alix Parker
(AKA Fox E Parker)

 You might want to see if Lambeth has any usage figures for the two newly resurfaced and fenced pitches in Agnes Riley Gardens (on corner of South Circular and Weir Road - these were fully renovated last winter and whilst get reasonable use on Saturdays, I didn't notice significant usage during the long summer evenings (can't be used in winter as they have no flood lights). This might provide some useful statistics to counter the 'high demand' claims. They are also only about 1km away from the pitches being proposed by Wandsworth so could be used as an example of why additional resources are not needed. oliverh

The Regents Park proposal seems as bad as Wandsworth's for our common and has raised enormous objection, but there is an interesting distinction in the legal position.

We are fortunate in that commons have additional protection from development over that of other open spaces such as Regent Park. Although parts of the common can be enclosed for special purposes, permission is required from the Secretary of State. One or more Public Inquiries would be necessary.

This, of course would not necessarily result in a positive outcome, but would make the proposal more open to objection.
 
The council officers are being very vague about their plans and giving a lot of reassurance about consultation. The key question however was not raised at the outset - 'Do we want the Triangle Field to be developed for five-a-side football?' The council would be aware that the answer would be a firm 'NO' and are now trying to bulldoze their plan through.

There is no evidence that the council have made any attempt to find external funds to refurbish the playground - this makes the motive for their development suspicious.

Similarly, the council committee paper (07-755) makes clear links between the Woodfield Recreation Ground and the development, yet Mr Simon Cooper-Grundy, at the recent MAC meeting, appears to say that they are quite separate issues.

As this is likely to be a long campaign it seems important that we do not lose momentum. Keep up the good work! Rodger Evans

I don't know the history of the Regent's Park case but it does seem to have gone a long way down the line if it is coming up for planning this week and underlines the importance of trying to kill of these schemes before they start to gain momentum

Rather than wait for Wandsworth to organise a public meeting and choose the agenda why don't we who oppose plan a show of solidarity by holding a well advertised silent vigil on the common one sunday morning inviting all the community to participate and asking councillors, officials and decision makers along to see the strength of opinion. It needs to be well organised.

We cannot afford to sit back and expect this to go away. Rod Pearson

I am concerned about the impact of traffic and parking. I live in the Abbotswood/ Hoadly triangle where at the moment there are no parking restrictions , ideal for teams  to park for free. Lambeth council have proposed parking permits in the past, this would be an ideal excuse. The consequences are even more front gardens paved over to be used as off road parking. flinda

It is my understanding that it is only the footprint of the buildings that Wandsworth lease to the school and not the whole of Woodfield site, which is available to the public already even if it is not used by many.  Perhaps this point needs to be clarified before Wandsworth so generously 'returns' the land to the public, the only part they would be 'returning' is the bit of land which the building is on! Demina Protheroe

I believe that the new 5 a side pitches shall be administered by a commercial group called Goals and shall be charging a considerable amount of money for their use and therefore are a money spinner for Wandsworth Council, making this development very commercially fixed. Arlene Allen

I haven't talked to anyone who supports the idea but then again I haven't talked to any footballers.  Presumably, instead of paying their couple of quid to play they will have to pay commercial rates to book fancy pitches so even they may not be all that keen.

What happens to the regular weekend cricket team who play there?

If there is such demand for pitches why doesn't the Council make much use of the existing hard pitch at the Triangle which is hardly ever used and if you make enquiries about booking it (I've tried there isn't even anyone at the Town Hall who knows what you are talking about)?

Wandsworth already has vast sporting facilities at Barn Elms.

Is it really financially viable for the Council to develop it in this way, apart from anything they have major drainage problems to deal with?

Most of all, can't we keep one bit of Common free of football for others to enjoy at the weekends when the whole of the rest of it is full of footballers.

I could go on and on but  the gist of it is, yes, I would like to save the Common. Emma Gibson

Thanks for this excellent site. A great start. I feel as a first step we should try and quantify what we are dealing with. At the meeting Rob knew of the possible operator and Michael had looked up the FA suggested dimensions. I think we should visit a current 5 a side centre and then superimpose what 12 pitches in terms of area might look like on the common.
I also think we should get a consensus of what we would like( that may well be no change) I am not against improving the facilities on the existing area but the scale is clearly the issue. I am a Chartered Surveyor by training and have a reasonable working knowledge of the Planning and developement process and would be happy to contribute. William Scoular

I would like to register my details to object against the proposed development of this area of the common. I'm on the common every day with my son and dog and I feel it will impact negatively on the local area.
Please use the money on improving local school facilities. Lara Zimmern

I agree wholeheartedly with the views expressed above about how unique
Tooting Triangle is.  There is a real sense of peace and calm in the Triangle and the trains add a gentle intermittent noise rather than the frantic consistent roar of the traffic elsewhere on Tooting Common.
It is a lovely place to be at any time of day because it is so peaceful.
 
I am not sure the council have taken on board that Tooting Common is completely taken over by organised and impromptu games of football particularly at the week-ends and espcially when the weather is fine. You are unable to walk anywhere on the common and you see young people and young families pushed to the edges of the common as there is little space left for anyone else.
There are cars parked everywhere along both sides of Dr. Johnson's Avenue all up and down the local residential roads and the car parks are completely full.

Why then do we need more football pitches?

The Triangle is rarely used by footballers because of its inaccessability.  The surrounding roads are very crowded and local residents find it diffuclt to park.  It is hard to drive around and access the area at the best of times as the roads are narrow.
The council say that shool minibusses and coaches will deliver the players to the site and then move on and park elsewhere.  Where exactly?
I am not sure this has been properly thought through.
It is hard to pass another car let alone a coach or minibus or two minibusses in the surrouding streets.
There is not enough parking space for the local residents let alone to cope with the influx of hundreds of football players and coming and going.  See Dr. Johnson Avenue at the week end and that is similar situation you would be dealing with on a daily basis until 11.30 at night.
Another council thought was that most people would come by public transport? 

If the Council feel that the Triangle needs a bit of a face lift then fine, tidy it up and sort out the rat problems.  Otherwise please leave it as it is. 

The current football pitch would be fine with a little maintainence. 

The council want to generate income and will not pay a penny for this development.
Perhaps they should be lobbying for more equal Government support which is given to other boroughs but denied to Wandsworth.

How many other prospective sites have been looked at as possible alternatives? Caroline Noble

According to the Wandworth Council paper 07755 (Revised) 'Officers propose to seek expressions of interest for a five-a-side football facility to provide a series of up to 10 five-a-side all-weather surface football pitches on and adjacent to the all-weather surface in the Tooting Triangle, or other similar activity, which would support the five Council corporate objectives. In order for this proposal to be financially viable a small area of additional Common may be required to be incorporated into the project.'

It may not be the land the school occupies but 'the small area of additional Common'  is still  Tooting Common land used by the public all year round - in all weathers - for free! Sue EvesI am really upset that a proposal for 10 to 15 five aside commercial football pitches could be so smoothly making its way with my council and yet no one in my road - Rossiter Road SW12 - seems to have heard anything about it. 

I have lived in Balham since 1985 and Tooting common is our only public outdoor resource.  The children's playground and the 1 o'clock club have saved the sanity of many a mother (and father) of young children.  Being a mother can be lonely and stressful, and the playground and club are the lynchpin of many a parent's day, providing companionship and play for the parent and child.  It is hard to understand the reasoning of taking away a much used family resource in order to build 10 - 15 all weather, arc-lit, 5 aside football pitches for young men (the ones who have the money to pay).

The council say that this development fulfills the need "to make a provision for 'youth'" but exactly who do they have in mind - what schools will the youth come from, etc.  There are already a number of areas where football is played on the common and on other commons throughout Wandsworth without having to 'develop' /destroy a much used existing amenity.

Environmentally, the Five Aside proposal is without any merit and is actually destructive of a small wildlife area, full of birds.  It is easy to imagine the damage that would be done during construction and then afterwards one would be left with large, locked, high-fenced, all weather surfaced courts, lit with arc lights at night.  There would have to be a booking office - the courts will not be free - and it would all be garish and of no use to us Wansdworth citizens.

I see no need to develop the area at all excet to plant some more trees and wildlife friendly plants. maryr

I agree with the comments that I have read above. I have lived in the SW12/17 area for 18 years and have been to Tooting Common on an almost daily basis to walk the dog, go running or to walk with the family. I love the natural environment that I find there. It is a pleasure to observe the seasonal changes, the common is very well maintained and it feels safe.  It is one of the highlights of living in this part of London.

The One O'clock Club and the playground have been valuable to us over the years and our children have played football on saturday mornings at the Triangle.  I have also enjoyed watching frisby games, seeing people relax with barbeques, gatherings and finding a calm place in the buzz of city life.  Tooting Common is unique and we as residents value it very much. 

I urge the Council to reconsider based on the impact this project will have on the local community. I find it hard to believe that people will not try to come by car and impossible to believe that the volume of people this facility will attract will not have a massive impact on local residents. Fenella Lindsell

I have for the past 4 years walked the Tooting Triangle at least 320 days out of 365 each year.  When I first started walking this area I was struck by how few people used it. However I soon realised that I had been deceived by its quiet and security (there are no cars and only a few cyclists thanks to the
No Cycling policy). Strangely the many trains do not intrude on the solitude of this area which is unique because it is cut off from the hurly burly outside. 

If you bother to go and sit for half an hour you will find that it is not empty but full of people.  They come in their thousands; with dogs; with push chairs and children; with Walkman and jogging shoes; with a bat, a ball and the kids; with their shopping.  They never stay long, 10-30 minutes is the usual but they come at every period of the day even into the early hours of the night.  When I walk my dog, who wants to make friends with everyone, I stop and talk to at least a dozen strangers per a day.  There are a few people I meet on a regular basis but seldom more than one or two per a day. 

When I walked the other side of the common, from Franciscan Road,  I enjoyed it and was impressed by its quality and diversity.  However since moving I have realised that in this Triangle we have something special.  I doubt that it is frequented by more people than the other parts of the common but if you were to do a count of the people using it, there would be at least as many as any of the other areas.  What is different is that people TALK.  On the other side of the common, people would say hullo but walk on.  Here they will stop and converse.  In this I am not unusual as it is not me that is the catalyst.  I will often come up on a group of people taking and as I eavesdrop on their conversation it is clear that in the main they are strangers.  No where else do you get this on the Commond and it is exceptionally rare in London.

Moving on I am a Chartered Surveyor, a Fellow with over 40 years experience of all types of property.  It was with some interest I read in my Chartered Surveyor about a small piece of research that the RICS has recently sponsored.  The effects on Land values - particularly residential - of adjacent parks and open spaces.  The general gist of this research was that these spaces increase the land values around them by between 0-20% dependant on how far you are from the space. Even more interesting the researchers indicated that the less developed the land was in the open space the greater the likely increase it would exert.

At the moment this space has one floodlit five a side football pitch along side the primary school.  In all the years that I have been walking this area I have only seen it used twice.  Before developing this area we need to be very sure that there is a demand for these facilities.

Lastly I am a great admirer of Margaret Thatcher but she did make mistakes and one of them which few would now deny is that she sold off the school playing fields.  We cannot now reverse this mistake as the land has been changed irreversibly.  Yes, if you spent hundreds of thousands of pounds, it could be reversed but we all know that will not happen.  The same is true of this triangle.  Once developed it is gone forever.  The Victorians in their wisdom gave us something very precious, something other cities around the world envy us for.  It would be truely stupid to squander it for a little short term gain.  We will not be able to get it back. Julian Colledge FRICS

This scheme is so very poorly thought out, without consideration of the needs of the local community or knowledge about how this space is currently used. 
If anyone is to go out onto the triangle any weekend, or any day during the holidays they will see it is full of people from all walks of life, getting on together and in their own groups in a wide variety of spontaneous and community-developing activities: games of frisbee, cricket, football, rounders, picnics, children's running races, family and group get togethers.
It is an invaluable space because it is one of the very few that is not flanked on any side by a busy road, and vision over the whole space is excellent.  This means that younger children can be given the space and freedom to run and run, under a distant but watchful parental eye, without constantly having to be brought back close to the inhibiting side of the parent. 
It is a space that gives people a chance to relax in the open air, without being overlooked by houses, or roads, or sports arenas.
It is a space that may can enjoy as a back garden when they do not have such a facility in their own home.
It gives people a chance to have unstructured, uninstitutionalised free space and time, to take exercise outside any form of sports regime. 
What on earth is the advantage of 10-12 football pitches over that?  How many people just want to play football?, or other pitch sports.
What is the point of covering over even more green space with concrete at a time when we are already aware of the dangers of removing seep away space for flood reasons?
Who did they ask about this plan before putting the wheels in motion? Kate Robathan

I cannot see the justification for taking away a public space for use by a minority that is already catered for in numerous sites around the capital.  The whole point of common land is that it is for people in common - not just people wanting to play football in the rain. Vicki Wharton

Well done for getting this off the ground. Caroline Lacey

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