Closed
Unnecessary Shrub Clearance Croydon Road Rec Ground
Sent to Bromley Council less than a minute later. FixMyStreet ref: 6795968.
The shrubs and undergrowth in the border between Croydon Rd and the recreation ground has been decimated. Some pruning/trimming was needed but what has happened seems excessive. The natural barrier that provided a haven for wildlife and blocked noise, pollution and litter from the road has been removed. It’s impossible to get the council to prune a tree blocking light into someone’s home but they are quick to hack away at park shrubs which harm no one and provide a useful environmental service. Sad to see this park being so mismanaged. The toilets remain a disgrace and the verges are continually churned up by park vehicles unable to stick to the path.
Updates
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Thank you for your report, this is now being investigated. Information on our services and the timeframes we aim to respond in can be found: http://www.bromley.gov.uk/ fixservices
Posted by Bromley Council
at 12:10, Thu 28 November 2024
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We are continuing to investigate and working to resolve this report
Posted by Bromley Council
at 13:20, Thu 28 November 2024
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3rd part commenter NG: I agree. At a guess I would say this is corporate egitism to expose the Beck Rec £250k recently repaired bandstand so it is visible from Croydon Rd. However, as the original complainant reports, where one once felt 'in a park' screened visually and audibly from the busy A road, now that is all visible and intrusive. This is wholly unnecessary park boundary greenery and habitat destruction.
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Meant 'egotism'.
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I agree, this is diabolical and over-zealous with no consideration for the natural habitat or the children who play in the park
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Adding another voice of concern about this. Why was this cut back?
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Shocking and upsetting. The pollution and noise barrier in the park has been lost and it's destructive to wildlife. Appaling
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Bromley council please tell us the reason for such brutality. How can that justify the increase in noise and air pollution which will enter the park, along with the loss of habitat for wildlife??
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NG: Here are FYI 3 of a dozen photos I took. One shows the still green park boundary near Beckenham Beacon, north of the destruction area, one of a pointlessly pruned down to 0.5m, a former boundary tree or shrub and the last, the view through the now absent boundary greenery of the bandstand. As with one minority funder organisation obliging its own self-aggrandising eyesore stainless steel sponsorship plinth-board, I suspect that making the bandstand visible from the busy Croydon Road has been either a condition or an element of appeasing sponsor(s). As above, this it at the expense of decimating the lovely green, mature park boundary and natural traffic screen.
I have a dozen other photos but FMS only allows 3 for each report or update.
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The vegetation has continued to be destroyed today. Why is this still happening??
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Shocked to read the latest update - when are Idverde going to stop this environmental vandalism and what is the point of this website if we are not provided with any timely feedback? I’ve reported this to our local councillors.
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“Environmental vandalism” - hit the nail on the head. That’s EXACTLY what is it. Shame on you Bromley Council!
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If any of the other commenters are free tomorrow morning you could try calling idverde on 01689 862815 to ask them to stop.
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Commenter NG - I have sent this email to the three Ward Councillors, Bromley CSC and an IdVerde contact address.
I attach a further three photos of the original destruction.
Dear Beckenham Town and Copers Cope Ward Councillors, Chloe-Jane Ross, Will Connolly and Michael Tickner,
I hope you are well.
May I please draw your attention to this thread of complaints about previous and apparently continuing today destruction of the established mature green boundary of Beckenham Recreation Ground (aka Croydon Rd Rec) near the renovated bandstand?
I can only guess that this is a misguided venture to make the bandstand visible from the road (as the park edge near Beckenham Beacon has not been similarly vandalised).
Of course, this then makes the road, traffic and buildings visible and more intrusive from the once sheltered park, as well as destroying the established trees, shrubs and habitat.
Please would you kindly make representations to stop this destruction and allow or replant the park tall green boundary?
Other comments and photos can be viewed via the FMS link below.
Regards,
Nick Goy
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I have been corrected that Beckenham Rec is in Kelsey and Eden Park Ward (not Beckenham Town and Copers Cope Ward) represented by Cllrs Peter Dean, Christine Harris and Diane Smith.
I am also informed that the AGM of the Friends of Beckenham Recreation Ground is at 8pm tonight Tues 3/12/24 at the Azalea Hall, Croydon Rd, which I hope to attend. Nick Goy.
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Any news on this please?
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NG: Seen from passing bus today - I object to the new extended destruction today of the mature, attractive remaining green edge fronting Croydon Rd between the Beckenham Beacon gate and the former Park Keeper's Lodge. This further vandalism has removed the green screen and sense of enclosure for the children's playground and paddling pool.
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NG: Seen from passing bus today - I object to the new extended destruction today of the mature, attractive remaining green edge fronting Croydon Rd between the Beckenham Beacon gate and the former Park Keeper's Lodge. This further vandalism has removed the green screen and sense of enclosure for the children's playground and paddling pool.
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Are new shrubs/small trees going to be planted in the cleared areas in the near future? The park border looks terrible at present.
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We have investigated the report issue and have made contact with the report originator and/or a subsequent commenter to outline further details. This report is now closed on FixMyStreet.
Posted by Bromley Council
at 08:13, Tuesday 7 January 2025
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Please can you outline the "further details" to the other commenters?
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Yes, please update this report with a public reply to all the posters and not just close it down. Thanks.
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Further works are necessary to resolve the issue and have been scheduled for action.
Posted by Bromley Council
at 08:00, Monday 13 January 2025
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Works carried out at this site were for Health and Safety purposes, these have been inspected and passed by LBB.
Posted by Bromley Council
at 09:14, Wednesday 15 January 2025
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Please provide more meaningful information and explanation than “health and safety” as a courtesy to those who have taken the time to enquire about these works. There are many people who are just seeing this as a negative action, so if there are valid reasons for the work please provide them. We are the taxpayers remember, it’s our money and our community!
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NG: What health and safety purposes, please?
The email reply I had about 4 months ago, which I would have to find, I recall referred to making it easier to pick litter.
Is an H&S issue finding drug syringes perhaps? This has to be balanced, surely, and without prior public notice or consultation, that I am aware of of the visual and other impacts.
I speculated that the side by the £0.25m bandstand renovation was to show off the bandstand to passers by. This was not mentioned in the email to me. To re-state my and others concerns
1) the lopping and felling of trees and shrub and flower clearance has been shocking,
2) the lovely tall, dense, mature, long-stablished green screen along the Croydon Rd frontage has been decimated,
3) the busy, noisy Croydon Road A road now intrudes into views within, and enjoyment of the Recreation Ground.
4) where 'green screens' around school playgrounds in other boroughs have been planted, to reduce air pollution, the works here have done the exact opposite
5) there are now easy views into the children's playground and paddling pool from the road, where once this was hidden.
Please elaborate on 'health and safety' and kindly say whether this is the only reason, and whether the demerits listed above, and any others, were taken into consideration as to whether this drastic clearance work is necessary and proportionate.
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I would add that in past years the grass in the Recreation Ground has been untended in length, and when finally cut the arisings have been untidily left, not collected, and that features such as flower and rosebeds have been left to become covered in tall dense weeds. [edited second half as my submission was refused as exceeding a character limit that was not given in advance, or indicated while typing] ... I have previously reported these issues on FMS.
This absence and paucity of maintenance elsewhere is now overshadowed by overzealous clearance of the Croydon Rd park frontage.
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1. As previous posters have said Bromley Council please provide a meaningful explanation for the recent destructive works along the shrub border beyond “Health & Safety”? The cutting was not “normal for this time of year” either - I have been using the park for years and never seen this level of cutting.
2. What mitigation is being planned? (Any new shrub or small tree planting to provide new green screening?)
3. What is the cleaning schedule for the new exposed park boundary? More frequent litter picking is now needed as the litter blows right across into the park.
Please address these questions- the lack of communication and engagement with local residents is disappointing.
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Thank you for your additional comments.
The works to the shrub beds were part of a planned programme and normal for the time of year. Idverde have undertaken a cutback of shrub areas, removing the dead and dying shrubs as well as bramble which can negatively impact on the living, viable plants. The grounds maintenance teams have focussed on cutting back and lifting low hanging branches. This work also helps to better manage litter which can be difficult to effectively remove from dense vegetation; by clearing out dead growth operatives can access the areas properly for litter picking. The team have also cleared the fence line. Council Officers were aware of the work being carried out.
Similar work was undertaken in a different part of the park last year which at the time was well received and seen as enhancing the safety and accessibility the park.
Posted by Bromley Council
at 17:47, Thursday 16 January 2025
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Thank you for using FixMyStreet to report your concerns to Bromley.
Posted by Bromley Council
at 17:55, Thursday 16 January 2025
This report is now closed to updates from the public. You can make a new report in the same location.