This campaign has ended.
It has come to the attention of Wedmore street residents that the temporary portacabin offices for the new Wedmore estate build will be located- not as planned alongside the eastern wall of the park, but instead directly ON the wildflower meadow in Whittington Park.
This change has not been discussed or communicated to residents and we wholly OPPOSE the destruction of the meadow and the underhanded way in which this decision has been made.
We are not against the build. We are against the reckless loss of a natural habitat which could be avoided if the cabins were located in another part of the park. This is unacceptable.
There are several alternative options for the location of these portacabins which need to considered urgently. Residents must be involved in these discussions. The loss of our bio-diversity and green space is unacceptable.
We urgently want:
Transparency: A meeting/conversation with the relevant council officials explaining why this decision has been made without public consultation and to discuss alternative locations for the portacabins.
Accountability: A commitment that residents wellbeing will be taken into account especially during COVID 19 when most of us do not have private outdoor space.
Minimal damage to the environment: Portacabins to be relocated to another area of the park where damage to the existing flora and fauna is minimal.
RELOCATION OF PORTACABINS TO SAVE THE WILDFLOWER MEADOW.
The park is Designated as a Site of Local Importance to Nature Conservation- so the locating of heavy structures on the soil and over the meadow will destroy the local insect and plants living there. The wild flowers provide a rich environment for insects and plants. The meadow provides free environmental pleasure for residents and locals who are able to stop and enjoy the natural beauty.
This is a time in which our parks - free access to nature and its beauty - have never been more important. Thousands of people have lost jobs and this meadow is therefore an essential garden for residents of this area. Many do not have any green space other than this.
People in lockdown need to be able to see and relate to the natural world and instead of a wildflower meadow residents will now see office cabins.
At a time of Covid-19 we are unclear as to why the Council has agreed to destroy a habitat so precious to mental health and wellbeing of residents. Further, action like this goes against the stated aims of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan.
Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL
Thank you for your time and support at a time when many of us are tired- as we manage living through this crisis.This petition is testament to our awareness of the interconnectedness between human and non-human habitats and our vital need to build cities that respect and care for the natural world.
Take care.
Despite the incredible hard work of local residents in proposing alternative locations, the portacabins will be located on the wildflower meadow. This is very disappointing, but ultimately we lost due to the technical requirements of the build. We have been assured that after the build the original meadow will be re-seeded, with improvements made to the shrub bed along the park boundary; that they will dig out the existing soil to remove invasive weed which will improve the health of future wildflower planting on the current meadow site. The council have also agreed to pay for an alternative meadow to be seeded. They insist these developments will provide a net improvement to the bio-diversity of the park.
Thanks to everyone's continued pressure Islington Council have agreed to meet with a representauve of Wedmore Street residents on Monday to review options.
Despite nearly 600 signatures the Council seems determined to go ahead and destroy the meadow. On Tuesday 26th we had to ‘Occupy’ the meadow to prevent it from being fenced off and to prevent concrete boulders to be put in. The Council responded by agreeing to temporarily stop work on the meadow but the portacabins are still scheduled to be put in on 4th June (next Thursday). On Friday 29th May the council have sent us an email which essentially states why the meadow is the 'best' option but does not engage in any substantive way with why other options cannot be explored. We have prepared a written response which challenges claims the council have made.
Please continue to email your local councillors as well as Islington Council.
If you would like to join our whatsapp group to discuss ways forward, please go to:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gnn4AqGVtQg9xroxQHbfQ1
500 signatures reached
100 signatures reached
50 signatures reached
25 signatures reached
10 signatures reached
TM 38 Degrees | 2014
Registered Company No. 6642193
TM 38 Degrees | 2014
Registered Company No. 6642193
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