Welcome…

to the third issue of the Peckham Rye Park Restoration Project newsletter.  The newsletter will keep residents and visitors informed on the progress of this exciting project. 

Update on Progress

A Stage 2 application for funding was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in July 2002.  In 2003 we heard that our application had been successful and a £2.3m grant has been made by the HLF to match the £1.2m from LBS.

From January 2004 Chris Blandford Associates (CBA) and their team worked with LBS and the Friends of Peckham Rye Park (FOPRP) to produce the detailed design and specifications for the park restoration during 2004.

The project went out to tender in July and the successful contractors, ISS Waterers, have now been appointed and have started work on site.

Open day in the park - Exhibition

Park Closure and Contract Period

In October the central core of the Park was closed off with secure fencing and work started on site.  The open grasslands are to remain open.  The Contractors will be carrying out some work in this area and will erect temporary fencing when necessary.

A new temporary entrance to the park has been made in the north-west corner.

The contract period will be 10 months and the Park will reopen in July 2005.

Park Fun Day

On 18 September the FOPRP organised a fun day in the park.  This was a very well attended event with stalls and a fancy dress competition, refreshments and a dog show.  CBA had a tent with an exhibition of the proposals for the park.  There were two ‘question and answer’ sessions when the public could meet the consultants and contractors.  CBA also led two guided walks around the park to describe the detail proposals for the central section. 

For more information on FOPRP or to join please contact:  Jeanie Taylor, Membership secretary, info@foprp.org.uk

The first guided walk around the park

Guided Walks around the Site

Waterers have very kindly offered to give interested park users a guided tour of the Site from time to time during the construction period.

This will allow people to see the work as it progresses.  The first of these walks was held early on Saturday 20 November.  Despite a bitterly cold wind, there was a very good turn out and we had a lively group to show round. 

ISS Waterers – Contractors

The name Waterers has been associated with horticulture for over 200 years. 

In the 1960’s the company built the Rose Garden at Windsor Castle and was awarded the Royal Warrant for Nurserymen and Landscapers.  The company has maintained its links with the Royal Palaces with the reconstruction of the 17th Century Privy Garden at Hampton Court which was completed in 1995.

In 1984 various parts of the company were split off and an independent private company was created from the landscaping division.  Waterers Landscape Plc was then acquired by ISS UK Ltd in 2003, and now trades under the name ISS Waterers Landscaping.  The business has continued to flourish and has stuck to its tradition of serving commercial, private and government clients as well as landscaping some of the largest and most prestigious projects in the UK and Europe.  These projects have included working on projects in Leeds (Roundhay Park), Tunbridge Wells (Dunorlan Park), Windsor (Jubilee Gardens, Windsor Castle), Kensington (Princess Diana Memorial Garden) and many other prestigious locations.

ISS Waterers Landscape is proud to be associated with the restoration of Peckham Rye Park.

New Trees

We will be planting many new trees in the Park.  Some of these will be large semi-mature specimens.  In early December, Toby Goodman of CBA and Peter Steyn of Waterers visited Holland to pick out some good specimens for Peckham Rye Park.  These trees were tagged and will be delivered to site for planting in January.

Depot Site

The former depot site was not included in the plans for the park and is rather an eyesore.  LBS want to build a new garden in this space and they want your views on three options;

Option 1

A ‘Community’ Garden – including a ‘Green Gym’ where people can get fit by gardening.  This will contain raised beds, an education / teaching area, workshop and space for fruit and herb growing.

Option 2

A ‘Party’ Garden – somewhere to celebrate a special occasion with space for dancing, barbeques, picnics, entertainment and sitting.

Option 3

A nature conservation garden.  This will include a pond, bog garden and mini-wetland, a small meadow and planting to encourage wildlife.  There would also be a ‘Green’ recycling area where waste products from the Park can be composted and recycled.

LBS have a dedicated line to record your preference. Call 020 8693 3791

Conservation and Wildlife in the Park

We are lucky at Peckham to have such a wonderful mix of formal historic gardens and wilder more natural areas including the woodland.  This is part of the charm of the Park and we are keen that the wildlife in the park should survive and ultimately benefit from the works.

Before work started a number of ecological surveys were done to identify any protected species in the park.

During construction we will be taking special care to protect and where necessary translocate wildlife.  For example the fish and terrapins will be removed from the lake before it is drained.  Some silt will be stored over winter to be reintroduced once the water works are complete.  This will help to establish the invertebrate population.  Logs from felled trees will be used to make special habitats suitable for stag beetles.

Stop Press – Public Meeting – Stop Press

On January 12 2005 at 7pm, LBS will be holding a public meeting to show:

·          Proposals for the Depot site

·          Proposals for a new café

Please come and give us your views at Salvation Army, 217a Gordon Road, Nunhead, London SE15 3RT

Further information

The following websites have further information on Peckham Rye Park:

www.southwark.gov.uk

www.cba.uk.net

www.foprp.org.uk

www.waterers.co.uk

Calendar of Events

Public Meeting     12 January

Guided Walk         January 2005

For more information contact:

Eleonora Oliva (LBS) – 020 7525 0864