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To: Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government Greg Clark

Greg Clark: Call proposals for Camberwell Old and New Cemeteries in for Public Inquiry

Southwark Council plans to destroy over 10 acres of rare inner city woodland and 150 years of social heritage in Camberwell Old and New Cemeteries for burial plots, not accessible to all faiths. They are doing so without public mandate.

Southwark council has refused to explore healthier, fairer and better-value alternatives proposed by their own community.

We the undersigned ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Greg Clark to call these proposals in for Public Inquiry.

[email protected]

Why is this important?

The Camberwell Cemeteries are rich in biodiversity. Over 10 acres of rare designated Grade 1 SINC woodland are immediately under threat in Camberwell Old Cemetery. These woods are full of flora, fauna and protected species, as well as Ancient and Veteran Oaks and Hawthorns.

Southwark council also want to fell a virgin native broadleaf wooded hilltop in Camberwell New Cemetery, another rare landscape for London.

Over 9,000 people have signed a petition online and on paper to declare the Camberwell Cemeteries Nature Reserves. These biodiverse areas of Metropolitan Open Land on the Green Chain Walk are hugely valuable social and environmental assets - for mental and physical health and wellbeing, access to wild nature, cleaning the air, absorbing storm water, cooling the city, and providing beautiful, historical places to be in nature.

Southwark's proposals will cause enormous negative impacts to nature and people. They have done no Environmental Impact Assessment, no Public Consultation, no CAVAT or I-Tree assessment, no Cost Benefit Analysis or financial, social or environmental comparison with alternatives put forward by the community. Many other vital pieces of information are either being withheld or are unavailable.

These woodlands and graveyards should be valued and protected as Memorial Park Nature Reserves, and treated with the sensitivity and respect they deserve for future generations - not destroyed for a few years of inner city burial not accessible to all faiths.

Help us save these woods and create natures reserves for all of London.

For more information and means to object: www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk

How it will be delivered

The petition will be presented to Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government as part of public objection to Southwark's proposals. The public consultation period for their planning applications is 28th August - 5th October.

Camberwell Old and New Cemeteries, south London

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Updates

2015-09-26 08:30:05 +0100

Dear Friends of Southwark Woods,

URGENT: PLEASE OBJECT TO SOUTHWARK COUNCIL'S OWN APPLICATIONS TO TEAR DOWN ACRES OF WOODS

We urgently need objections. Three applications = three objections.
We've made it really easy. All the info is here: www.savesouthwarkwoods.orguk/object

We only have until 5th October.

Thank you to everyone who has objected so far. We can do it!

Save Southwark Woods!

Blanche

Blanche Cameron
for Save Southwark Woods
07731 304 966
[email protected]
www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk
@southwarkwoods
Facebook Page Save Southwark Woods

Watch the aerial video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b76wj7BO8yI
Sign the petition to save Southwark Woods https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-southwark-woods
Sign the petition for a Public Inquiry https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/call-in-southwark-council-s-proposals-for-camberwell-old-and-new-cemeteries-for-public-inquiry

2015-09-05 12:47:34 +0100

500 signatures reached

2015-09-04 14:36:37 +0100

100 signatures reached

2015-09-04 14:24:19 +0100

50 signatures reached

2015-09-04 13:41:04 +0100

25 signatures reached

2015-09-03 18:25:09 +0100

10 signatures reached