Legal aspects
Much depends on the legal status of the Common. Precious recently submitted a letter requesting information to this effect.
We have received comments as follows through the blog:
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!