Thank goodness there has been such clear opposition to that idea, though as you say its origins seem a little dubious. Councils are so cash-strapped it’s incentivising all kinds of sub-optimal decisions. I hadn’t heard of Addington but next time we visit friends in Croydon I’d love to go. Your job sounds very interesting!
Yes, the financial pressure on local authorities at the moment certainly means there's huge potential for other similar proposals like this to emerge. Addington Hills really is worth visiting. The London Loop path goes right through it so that's a good way of exploring it but it's worth wandering off down some of the smaller paths too to get a real feel for the place.
An interesting post., glad there was a positive outcome. We had a situation locally where an area of farmland and a small nature reserve had been earmarked for a golf hotel resort. It didn’t go ahead, it was unclear why - access issues, funding, opposition by locals? But more recently the council has announced the same area, including the nature reserve, will become wetlands, changing the usage of farmland which was constantly flooded. Small glimmers of good news 💚
Thank goodness there has been such clear opposition to that idea, though as you say its origins seem a little dubious. Councils are so cash-strapped it’s incentivising all kinds of sub-optimal decisions. I hadn’t heard of Addington but next time we visit friends in Croydon I’d love to go. Your job sounds very interesting!
Yes, the financial pressure on local authorities at the moment certainly means there's huge potential for other similar proposals like this to emerge. Addington Hills really is worth visiting. The London Loop path goes right through it so that's a good way of exploring it but it's worth wandering off down some of the smaller paths too to get a real feel for the place.
Oh yes, combining it with a section of the London loop would be good.
Thanks, Ruth, for a very clear explanation of what was going on - I'd heard rumours! Addington Hills is a place to be treasured for what it is.
Yes, definitely a place to be treasured. We need to protect the few places we have left like this in London.
An interesting post., glad there was a positive outcome. We had a situation locally where an area of farmland and a small nature reserve had been earmarked for a golf hotel resort. It didn’t go ahead, it was unclear why - access issues, funding, opposition by locals? But more recently the council has announced the same area, including the nature reserve, will become wetlands, changing the usage of farmland which was constantly flooded. Small glimmers of good news 💚
That's really good news about your local nature reserve.