News Roundup

It’s been a fairly quiet couple of weeks on the peninsula, but here’s the news regardless:

• The new Jubilee Line timetable comes into play tomorrow (31st July). Frequency of the trains will increase to 27 an hour, and there’ll also be slightly quicker journey times. Was it worth it for the two years of weekend line closures though…?
• It appears that a “scooter gang” (I kid you not) is playing havoc with the usually quiet streets of the GMV. Concerned residents on the GMVA forum are reporting that the kids are whizzing around at 30 mph down 5mph zones, with one resident even suggesting that an old lady had been killed. However, when the local PCSO went to discuss the situation with the concierge he was told that the CCTV did not capture any images of the rogue scooters. Nothing. Nada. Seriously. Words fail me.

Be afraid...

Local news from our local councillors

First of all, apologies for the lack of posts over the last week. My excuses consist of a) nothing of interest happening in the GMV and b) work eating up all of my time.

Anywhoos, Cllr. Mary Mills was kind enough to send over the latest newsletter detailing events, planning applications and general news. Without further ado…

 

 

 

EVENTS

July

16th Barn Dance (in a real barn) Woodlands Farm Shooters Hill (past the golf course, north side by the Bexley border. http://www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org/news.htm               

19th Rich Sylvester speaking on the making of the East Greenwich History Map. Greenwich Industrial History Society, 7.30 The Old Bakehouse, Bennet Park, SE3

20th Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 12- 1pm
26th The Divine Comedy and Jose Gonzalez. Greenwich Summer Sessions Old Royal Naval Colleg.e 0844 209 7325 greenwichsummersessions.co.uk
27th Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. Greenwich Summer Sessions Old Royal Naval Colleg.e 0844 209 7325 greenwichsummersessions.co.uk
28th Status Quo and Nine Below Zero. Greenwich Summer Sessions Old Royal Naval Colleg.e 0844 209 7325 greenwichsummersessions.co.uk
29th Squeeze Greenwich Summer Sessions Old Royal Naval College 0844 209 7325 greenwichsummersessions.co.uk 

30th The Pogues Greenwich Summer Sessions Old Royal Naval Colleg.e 0844 209 7325 greenwichsummersessions.co.uk 

31st Songs in the Key of London with Chris Difford. Greenwich Summer Sessions Old Royal Naval Colleg.e 0844 209 7325 greenwichsummersessions.co.uk 

August

12th August Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 7 – 8
21st August Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 12- 1pm
September

15th September Introduction to Health and Safety training course run by Greenwich Action for Voluntary Service. www.greenwich-cvs.org.uk 9.45-4 The Forum, Trafalgar Road

20th September Ron Bristow speaking on Elliott Automation Greenwich Industrial History Society, 7.30 The Old Bakehouse, Bennet Park, SE3
23rd September Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 7 – 8
27th September Understanding Management Accounts training course run by Greenwich Action for Voluntary Service. www.greenwich-cvs.org.uk 9.45-4 The Forum, Trafalgar Road

11th October Chris Foord speaking on the Industries of Barking and Dagenham. Greenwich Industrial History Society, 7.30 The Old Bakehouse, Bennet Park, SE3
12th October Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 12- 1pm
23rd October Apple Day. Woodlands Farm Shooters Hill (past the golf course, north side by the Bexley border. http://www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org/news.htm               

15th November John Grieg speaking on Grieg’s Wharf, East Greenwich. Greenwich Industrial History Society, 7.30 The Old Bakehouse, Bennet Park, SE3
23rd November Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 12- 1pm
27th November.Christmas Fair Woodlands Farm Shooters Hill (past the golf course, north side by the Bexley border. http://www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org/news.htm               

16th December Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 7 – 8
4th January Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 12- 1pm
27th January Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 7 – 8
15th February Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 12- 1pm
9th March Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 7 – 8
28th March Police Surgery at the Forum, Trafalgar Road 12- 1pm
Mostly the events below are of immediate local interest. Info about events in other parts of the Borough from www.greenwich.gov.uk Please keep us informed of events you would like publicised here.
REGULAR EVENTS

Mondays
Learn Yoga – Mondays 7:30pm – 9:00pm, The Yogi Tree, 193 Woolwich Road, Entrance through car park on Denham street, Yoga Classes for a healthy mind and body, beginners welcome, call Iris 07971562831, £10 drop-in, £50 for 6 classes
Baby Interactive Play Sessions 10-11.30 Sue 07935434734 Forum Trafalgar Road
Greenwich Association of Disabled People Drop in Advice 10-3 Social Club 2-4 Forum Trafalgar Road
TaeKwondo Forum Trafalgar Road
Midday Christian prayer 12-12.30 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula
Tuesdays
Youth drop-in the area previously used by CYPSEG at The Forum 6.30-9.30 .
Youth activity van on West Parkside. 6.30-9.30
Dad’s Advisory Group for Dads of under fives – evenings at 398a Shooters Hill Road, telephone info from Marc James 020 8921 3768
Post Natal Mother & Baby Pilates class 10-11 At Invicta Children’s Centre The Blue Bungalow Invicta Road SE3 7HE Cost – £3 per session Limited spaces To book a place or for more information Contact Philippa Golden on Tel 07967 634 302 Email:pippa@pbfitness.co.uk or Tel – Sue on 020 8293 5037
FOOTBALL – Free. Millennium Village South Park West. 6-.30-8 pm info Matt 07870 600101 13 to 19 year olds.
Learn Yoga – Tuesday 10:00am – 11:30am, The Yogi Tree, 193 Woolwich Road,
Entrance through car park on Denham street, Yoga Classes for a healthy mind and body, beginners welcome, call Iris 07971562831, £10 drop-in, £50 for 6 classes
Monkey Music dance for children 6 mths – 4 Rebecca 0208 764 5185 9.30-12.30 Forum Trafalgar Road
Over 50s club 2 -4 Forum Trafalgar Road
Tai Chi Lance 07722024398 lancebalzaretti@aol.com 7.30-8.30 Forum Trafalgar Road
Kung Fu 07830136501 7 -9 Forum Trafalgar Road
Midday Christian prayer 12-12.30 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula
Wednesdays                    
Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Centre – practical workday for adults. 0208 293 1904 Every week
Monkey Music – dance for children 6 mths – 4 Rebecca 0208 764 5185 9.30-12.30 Forum Trafalgar Road
Blind Independence Coffee Morning 2nd & 4th weeks of the month 10.30-12.30 Forum Trafalgar Road
Creative Dance – dance for 3-5 year olds – 4 -5 Forum Trafalgar Road
Weight Watchers 0208 694 8017 7 – 8 Forum Trafalgar Road
Midday Christian prayer 12-12.30 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula
Bible Study. Kingdom Family Church The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula 7-9

Thursdays
East Greenwich Library Reading Group – 7-8 1st Thursday each month
Youth Activity van on the Flamstead Estate 6.30-9.30
Mencap Social Club in the cafe 12-2 Forum Trafalgar Road
Sunshine Playgroup. Drop in 10-12Forum Trafalgar Road
Yoga Anna 07931286067 7 – 8.30 Forum Trafalgar Road
Zumba Dance 6 – 6.45 Frankie 07958123818 Forum Trafalgar Road
Taekwondo Marc 07765898660 7.30-9 Forum Trafalgar Road
Midday Christian prayer 12-12.30 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula
Sacred held by Greenwich United Church – United Reform & Methodist 11-12 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula

Fridays
Greenwich Communication Centre hosts the GCC JELLY. This is a casual working event – a co-working gathering where freelancers and digital nomads or entrepreneurs come together to work for the day,
Midday Christian prayer 12-12.30 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula
Juma prayers held by Greenwich Islamic Centre 1.15 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula

Saturdays
Tiptoes and Tappers. dance class Rachel 07900242161 9.30-1 Forum Trafalgar Road
Midday Christian prayer 12-12.30 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula
Sundays
Church of England service The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula 11-12
Kingdom Family Church service 2-4 The Prayer Space, Greenwich Peninsula

Fresh FM – Radio Project. Training in radio presentation for young people – Blackwall Lane. 020 8858 2825

PLANNING AND LICENSING ISSUES

Please keep us informed if you make submissions to licensing and planning – we need to know what you are thinking.

Planning application for Plot M0117 John Harrison Way – 169 homes, etc etc info Louise.thayre@greenwich.gov.uk

Planning application land north of Woolwich Road, opposite Victoria Way – Hotel, cafe etc. info David.Gittens@greenwich.gov.uk
Planning application for an illuminated advertising banner around the great Greenwich gasholder. info samantha.moreira@greenwich.gov .uk. this has now been refused

Planning application Marsala Mart, 1 Ramac Way. for a new shopfront. info kemi.erifevieme@greenwich.gov.uk

Planning application for land at the back of 125-131 Woolwich Road. 5 houses. info victoria.wood@greenwich.gov.uk

Planning application for Andrew Sykes, 5 Peninsular Park Road – for test well, wash bay and storage tanks., info jacob.jaarsma@greenwich.gov.uk

Planning application for Alcatel Lucent Submarine Networks, Christchurch Way. single storey car parking deck for 54 cars. info louise.thayre@greenwich.gov.uk

Licensing application – Betfred 197-199 Trafalgar Road info licensing@greenwich.gov.uk    

Licensing application – Comedy Festival, KIng Charles Lawns, Old Royal Naval College. 5th September – 11th September info licensing@greenwich.gov.uk    

Licensing application National Maritime Museum. for activities in new Sammy Ofer Wing. info licensing@greenwich.gov.uk    

Planning application – Land in Edmund Halley Way. construction of a temporary building. info louise.thayre@greenwich.gov.uk
Planning application – Junction of Bugsby’s Way/Peartree Way planning application for a horticultural nursery. info Louise.thayre@greenwich.gov.uk

Planning application – The Dome. to erect a walkway across the arch of the top. fred.brown@greenwich.gov.uk   

Planning application – Sainsburys Depot (this is the riverside depot NOT the shop), Lombard Wall. redevelpment of the site for a distribution warehouse, and ancilliary buildings. info kemi.erifevieme@greenwich.gov.uk

Planning application – Star Express Restaurant Trafalgar Road, for rooftop telecommunications equipment for Telefonica. info kemi.erifevieme@greenwich.gov.uk

Planning application – 1-7 Blackwall Lane, 3-27, 33,35 Commerell Street, for demolition of existing buildings by Kitewood Estates. info Jacob.Jaarsma@greenwich.gov.uk

Application for a Licence relating to the provision of staged live and recorded music at various locations along the route of the “Run to the Beat” half marathon on Sunday 25th September 2011. The applicant wishes to provide the following licensable activities for the event as a whole:- Live Music Recorded Music. These Licensable Activities will take place between 08.30 hours and 15:00 hours, on the date above. The race follows a circular route with the start and finish at the main stage located at West Parkside, on the site of the O2. Please see below for all the entertainment stations on route. 1) Run to the Beat, The O2 Site, West Parkside & Edmund Hally Way, Greenwich, London, SE10
(And roads throughout Greenwich) – between 8.30 – 14.00 it begins and ends off a main stage in West Parkside. It includes
– raised stage and marquee in Peartree Way, facing south east of the roundabout. recorded music, with and without a DJ will be played from here.
– music point south east of the crossing of Romney Road and Park Row. recorded music from a transit van 10.0-11.30                    
– music point at Blackwall Tunnel Approah flyover as it crosses Peartree Way. recorded music from a transit van 10.00 -14.00 (this is a new location so noise nuisance not yet predicted)                    
info licensing@greenwich.gov.uk or downloads from council website www.greenwich.gov.uk          

ALL SORTS OF OTHER NEWS AND BITS AND PIECES

Greenwich Cyclists offer training, campaigning, advocacy and events. Meetings on the first Wednesday of every month. www.greenwichcyclists.org.uk  

Greenchain walk. Healthy Walks Pack now available www.greenchain.com
Greenwich Healthy Living – need to hear about all your walking/walking needs. contact http:/www.surveymonkey.com/greenwichwalking
Greenwich Park – Grass Roots – the current edition of Grass Roots to subscribe pa@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk citing Grass Roots subscribe. The current issue covers – Preparing for the Olympics, the Royal Parks and the Royal Wedding, Planting Greenwich Partk’s new Orchard, parks plant sales website, landscape design assistant, Park Catering, the Oak Processionary Moth, Saving Water,

Charlton Parks Reminiscence Project. this covers six open spaces in Charlton – Horn Fair Park, Barrier Park, Charlton Park, Maryon Park, and Maryon-Wilson Park.. they are looking for stories and contributions. Carol Kenna Greenwich Mural Workshop

YOUR LOCAL COUNCILLORS                   
There are three Councillors for Peninsula ward: all Labour: Mary Mills, Dick Quibell, Miranda Williams.

We hold surgeries at the Forum@Greenwich on Friday evenings 7.00.Just turn up You can find details about how to contact us on the Council web site www.greenwich.gov.uk

O2 Skywalk Proposed

I’m a little slow off the blocks for this story, but bear in mind this is a fledgling blog and I’ve got a lot of ground to make up!

For those in the dark, there’s been a new planning application submitted for a ‘Skywalk’ across the roof of the O2. Ignoring the rather impressive renders for just a moment, the concept goes as follows…

Visitors will gather around the southern end of the dome (near to where the current box office booths are) and will be required to don  safety equipment. Groups of around 30 people will then be taken up a lift onto the main walkway and lead across the full diameter of the dome, in what is promised to a “challenging and physical walk” . There’ll be a viewing platform in the middle of the dome promising 360 degree views across London before the groups are lead back down to terra firma at the northern pavillion.

The whole idea is billed as “providing enhanced daytime attractions to compliment the existing evening attractions” which is understandable; during weekdays the o2 is like an eerie, post-apocalyptic Disneyland.

However, with the Thames Cable Car currently under construction and promising to offer similar views across London, is the Skywalk setting itself up to be the Peninsula’s next white elephant?

I sincerely hope not. The northern end of the peninsula still requires a lot of development, and anything that helps to bring in more visitors is undoubtedly a good thing. Besides, I don’t think the Skywalk will sell itself just on the views; the opportunity to climb over the largest domed structure in the world is, quite frankly, rather cool. Besides, it’s not like it might cost the tax payer £57 million…

The hardest part is going to be persuading people to travel to North Greenwich during the day. Other than Cineworld, the Brit Music Experience and a hoard of chain restaurants, the area doesn’t have the same pull as the entertainment districts in Central London. Over time this may well change of course, especially with the building of a new 450 bed hotel, the upcoming Peninsula Festival and the new cruise liner terminal.

However, not all attempts at brightening up the Peninsula have been well received. Back in March plans were submitted to adorn the East Greenwich Gas Holder with a huge externally illuminated advertisement banner (24 x 252 metres), but the plans were quickly squashed on safety grounds.

Pitty. However garish and overbearing the banner might have been, surely anything to brighten up the post-industrial landscape would have been a welcome relief. I’m also not entirely convinced with the safety arguement, but that’s a discussion for another time…

More concept renders for the o2 Skywalk can be found here.

Greenwich Millennium Village News: up to 4th July 2011

Hopefully the first of many, here’s what’s been happening in the GMV and North Greenwich over the past few weeks:

ASB Behaviour

First there were reports that the Edison Court mailboxes have been broken into. Shortly afterwards it was reported that one of the Metcalfe Court cores has had their front door vandalised, and now it appears that a Holly Court window has been smashed. The window smashing occurred sometime on Friday night / Saturday morning, and if you have any information please sign up to the GMVA forums and find the relevant thread.

Construction starts on the Thames Cable Car

For anyone that’s walked up to the o2 / North Greenwich of late, you may have noticed a rather large crane has taken residence next to the London Soccerdome (née David Beckham Academy). If you’re interested in what’s being built, you may want to click here.

Cafe Pura gets a guest speaker

Apparently Cafe Pura – everyone’s favourite vegetarian cafe – had a guest speaker on Sunday afternoon, namely Ed Mayo, the General Secretary of Co-operatives UK. Did anyone go? If so leave a comment and tell us how it went.

Jubilee Upgrade – it’s almost over!

After what seems like an eternity of weekend closures, breakdowns and go-slow trains, TFL have promised us that the Jubilee Line upgrade will be finished by the end of the July. The new signalling system, which has taken a total of 5 years to install, will apparently provide a 33% increase in trains (i.e. from 3 minutes per train at peak time to 2 minutes), as well as reducing journey time by 22%. In laymens terms this means your peak hour trains should be less busy, and the trains will be a bit quicker. More on this later in the week.

Nisa’s petition for an Oyster top-up station

You should notice the tatty piece of paper at the till.