A petition in support of the wild swimming park gained the 3,000 signatures needed to trigger a discussion at the next full council meeting, but Waltham Forest said it was a matter for the planning committee, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
A charity campaigning to build a community-run wild swimming park in Lea Bridge says it “won’t give up” despite Waltham Forest Council declining a petition to debate the matter.
The East London Waterworks Park team (ELWP) had presented the council with a petition showing thousands of residents supported its proposals for the disused Thames Water depot in Lea Bridge Road.
It crossed the necessary threshold of 3,000 signatures to trigger a discussion at the next full council meeting, but a spokesperson for the authority said it was instead a matter for the planning committee.
ELWP members will be able to present their case for three minutes at Thursday’s meeting (18th July), but no debate will follow.
Abigail Woodman, the chairwoman of the charity, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) she felt “frustrated and disappointed” the “goal posts had been moved at the last minute”.
She added: “I’m sad councillors have not been given the opportunity to debate the petition, and the conversation about something so many residents care about so much is being stifled.”
In a letter emailed to ELWP, and reproduced on its blog, the council said it was involved in “pre-application engagement” and a wider discussion involving all members could “prevent it fairly hearing the planning application when it is submitted”.
The future of the site is being contested by the government, which has earmarked the same parcel of land for London’s first secure children’s unit.
Vulnerable children are currently being sent as far as 200 miles away, according to London Councils, which oversees the capital’s 32 boroughs.
The land was selected from a longlist of 70 sites – cut down from a prospective list of 450. Though campaigners are sceptical it is the only suitable land in the capital, the DfE maintains it is.
It would house 24 children with “complex needs,” but the specifics remain under wraps. The developers have declined Freedom of Information requests on the grounds the information was “in draft” and would be presented with the application.
A Waltham Forest spokesperson told the LDRS petitions on planning or licensing matters were “referred to the relevant officer or committee rather than to full council for debate”.
He said: “The monitoring officer has considered the petition request, alongside the fact that a planning application for the site will be forthcoming, and has determined this petition should be referred to the planning committee.”
“The petitioners have requested to speak for three minutes at full council to submit their petition. Following their statement, there will be no further discussion and the petition will proceed to the planning committee when considering the application.”
Neither ELWP nor London Councils have submitted a planning application for the site, though the latter is expected to before the end of summer.
The charity has so far raised more than £500,000 to transform the land, which rests on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a place for the community.
It says it does not oppose the home in principle but believes the waterpark, complete with natural pools, a ‘forest school,’ and walled garden, would be a better use of 14 acres’ worth of Metropolitan Open Land (MOL).
MOL is treated similarly to the Green Belt, and councils are advised to reject any applications that would take away from its natural characteristics.
Though Waltham Forest Council previously turned down plans for a school on the site, a spokesperson from London Councils said the “chronic” need for such a unit constituted “very special circumstances”.
The Department for Education (DfE) maintains the former depot is the only suitable location in Greater London and the land, owned by the Department of Housing, would only go on the commercial market if no alternative use was found.
Council leader Grace Williams previously said there were concerns over the “feasibility” of ELWP’s plans and the authority was now “fully supportive” of the “need” for a home, adding: “We are acutely aware of the absence of a secure home for vulnerable children in London.”
However, she had also previously congratulated the charity for crossing the £500,000 milestone and said it showed a “huge appetite” for wild swimming in Waltham Forest.
On top of the 3,319 signatures, around 90 residents showed up to a meeting last Monday (8th) to discuss how to “save” the plan.
Abigail encouraged attendees to write to Waltham Forest to show their support and told the LDRS it was “not going to be easy”.
She added that while people had been “sceptical” of its success, she had not spoken with anyone who “hated the idea”.
Members from the charity will attend the full council meeting on Thursday and have encouraged supporters to join them.
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or annually
More Information about donations
