Category Archives: Cricket Green Conservation Area

Local election candidates respond to our questions about Cricket Green

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The local elections on 22 May are important for the future of Cricket Green.

We have asked questions of all 10 candidates standing in Cricket Green ward about their views on key issues. These range from the impact of lorries on Church Road, the future of cricket on the green and their attitude to protection of the Conservation Area from damaging development, light pollution and other threats.

All four political parties have responded and their answers are revealing.

As a local charity it is not for us to take sides in the election.  The responses speak for themselves and we hope you find them useful.

Local election 2014 – all party responses

Local election 2014 – full response from Labour

Local election 2014 – full response from Liberal Democrats

Local election 2014 – full response from Mitcham Independent Party

Local election 2014 – full response from Conservatives

Local election 2014 – questions for candidates

Yet another Cricketers Pub planning application

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The owner of the Cricketers Pub seems to be discontent with the permission it has to convert the existing building into flats.

We are aware that a significant application is in development which will ask yet again if the pub can be demolished and replaced – something that has been refused multiple times already. From what we have seen of this plan so far, we are not encouraged.

Meanwhile, a planning application has been submitted asking if the ground floor can be retail rather than residential. We do not object to this idea, though we are objecting to the proposed implementation of it.

We have a number of concerns that include the lack of control over retail uses. The site owner made no bones about suggesting a cafe at a recent public exhibition, but in reality there is nothing to stop other uses, for example pay day lenders or betting shops. We also have concerns about other aspects of the proposal.

Read our  comments on the Cricketers – mixed use conversion planning application

Our Local Election 2014 questions to prospective Cricket Green ward councillors

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It’s local election time again and we’re asking all 10 candidates in Cricket Green Ward to answer some key questions.

If elected will they protect the conservation area?

Where do they stand on controlling light pollution and providing affordable access for locals to the new floodlit sports pitches being built in the Canons grounds?

Will they back a ban on lorries in Church Road?

How will they ensure a bright future for Mitcham Cricket Club and its pavilion?

Do they back the Cricket Green Charter drawn up with the local community last year?

And what is their most important priority for improving the quality of life in Cricket Green?

As a local charity we don’t take sides in local elections.  We’re here to hold everyone to account for the good of Cricket Green. Watch out for the responses which we will post online.

Read Local election 2014 – questions for candidates.

Car sales in the Burn Bullock car park – why we are objecting

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The owner of the Burn Bullock pub at Cricket Green has put in a planning application for car sales in the car park. Car sales have in fact been going on there for some time, without planning permission. In fact, we wonder whether the threat of enforcement action is all that lies behind the application for planning permission.

We are objecting to this planning application because we feel car sales are entirely inappropriate to the location, in the Cricket Green Conservation Area and adjacent to a Grade II listed building. We believe it goes against the council’s own policies and the Cricket Green Charter.

Read our objection to planning application for Burn Bullock car sales.

Wilson Health Centre extension of temporary planning permission – our comments

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The Wilson Health Centre, which is adjacent to the Wilson Hospital, has put in a planning application to extend its ability to stay at its current location.

This has come about because the original planning permission was time limited with a view to the Health Centre moving into the Mitcham Local Care Centre when that was built.

However, the Local Care Centre’s development has been beset by delays. There are financial issues and other difficulties which make it difficult to agree a location. Possible sites around Cricket Green include the Wilson Hospital itself and the Birches. Whichever site is not chosen will potentially be available for development (for example housing).

We believe there are also other possible sites for the Local Care Centre, though our repeated efforts to engage with the Clinical Commissioning Group and help it explore the wider implications with the community have been ignored.

We are supporting extension of the planning consent for the Wilson Health Centre providing it addresses issues around excessive lighting which causes serious pollution in this sensitive part of the Conservation Area. This would be consistent with the Council’s Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan for Cricket Green and the Cricket Green Charter which was developed jointly by Mitcham Cricket Green Community and Heritage, Merton Council, councillors and local people.

Extension of temporary planning permission for Wilson Health Centre

 

Our proposed additions to the local list

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Cricket Green has a large number of important buildings and other structures which add to its story.

Some of these – such as the spectacularly roofed Methodist Church and the 500 year old dovecote are nationally listed. Others are included on the “Local List” held by Merton Council. The recognises their importance and offers some protection from demolition or damaging development. The Vestry Hall, fire station and cricket pavilion are included.

When one of our volunteers – Joyce Bellamy – looked at the Local List she found a number of omissions and we have been very pleased by the way Merton Council has moved to address these gaps.

No fewer than five additions are proposed, including monuments in the parish churchyard, the war memorial on Lower Green West and the cart dip at Three Kings Pond.

Each of these has an important story and we have welcome their proposed inclusion in our response to Merton Council which can be read here.

The cart dip is also important as the first example of a structure other than a building or memorial to be included. We are also hoping its inclusion might encourage Merton Council to rethink plans for a damaging board walk around the edge of Three Kings Pond which would detract from this important historic asset.

Looking to the future we will be exploring whether the walled garden and Canons Pond might also be suitable for inclusion.