Only FOUR days left to register to make representation about Thames Tunnel application

The Government Planning Inspectorate will shortly be examining the application from Thames Water for development consent for the Thames Tideway Tunnel. The proposal for Deptford involves taking over the green area between Crossfield Street and St Paul's Church as a worksite to build an access tunnel to join the main storm tunnel that runs under Deptford Church Street. This site replaced the previously preferred site near Borthwick Wharf where the spoil from digging up the green could have left by river, but will now instead clog up Deptford Church Street with construction lorries.

There will also be a tunnel bored under Farrer House lawn that will run to the main storm tunnel from Greenwich Pumping Station.

Anyone who wants to make representation against the proposal must register with the Planning Inspectorate by Tuesday 28th May. Register online here: http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/london/thames-tideway-tunnel/

Update 24th May: Readers may wish to know where Lewisham Council stands. On the registration page, there is a tab marked "Adequacy of Consultation" which lists ten (so far) borough council's comments, including one from Lewisham in which the Head of Planning states that Lewisham has serious concerns regarding the adequacy of consultation and does not consider the applicant (Thames Tunnel) has met its duties, concluding that the application should not be accepted. See Lewisham's report here.


Meanwhile, campaigners in Shadwell are organising an event in their local park over this coming Bank Holiday weekend (backed by Tower Hamlets Council) to help get public backing before the registration deadline. They have built replica ventilation shafts to illustrate to locals what Thames Water intend to do at King Edward Memorial Park. East London Advertiser has the story.

Facebook: Don't Dump on Deptford's Heart

Poetry afternoon at McMillan Educational Herb Garden

If you're about this bank holiday and like a bit of poetry, there's an event happening on Sunday at McMillan Herb Garden (just off Creek Road, opposite Deptford Church Street) called Poems for Roderick. The FREE event is dedicated to Roderick Johnny who died last October, and features lots of local performing wordsmiths. All donations kindly received by MIND.
More details in a post by Deptford Misc.

After school club and half term at Creekside Centre

A FREE After School Club for kids aged 8-12 years has just started at Creekside Centre. It will run from 3.45-5.15pm every Thursday till July 18th.

Activities include photography, fishing, mudlarking, bug hunting, games, arts & crafts and offers the opportunity for Crossfields kids to stay outside and play in a safe CRB-checked environment. Equipment and snacks are provided too!

Contact Natalie to book a place on 020 8692 9922 or email her at education@creeksidecentre.org.uk.

Plus! HALF TERM FISHING TRIPS!

Next Friday May 31st kids are invited to don their wellies and go fishing in the Creek.
From 10.30am-midday is for 5-7 year olds, preferably accompanied by an adult – there are plenty of crabs to be caught at this time of year.
From 1.30-3pm is for those aged 8 and over who will get kitted out in waders so that they can fish further upstream.
Cost is £5 per person (or £15 for a family of 4). Book on 020 8692 9922.

More info on holiday workshops at Creekside Centre on their website and also find a list of free events here.

Joan Ruddock's successor announced today...

Thanks to East London Lines for their research on this. We had done quite a bit ourselves, but were stumped by being unable to come up with hardly any information on two of the candidates, Florence Noesesbe and Mendora Ogbogbo, whilst the other contenders hit the ground running with websites specifically devoted to their candidature. So we held back and hoped some other proper (albeit equally unpaid) journalists would do their job.

Twitter followers will know the results later today of whom among this all-women shortlist will be chosen to stand for Deptford when Dame Joan Ruddock stands down at the next general election in May 2015 (if the present government doesn't collapse before that).

Meanwhile, you can check out the East London Lines' round up to read the biographies, and if you're signed up to SoundCloud you can listen to them speak as well.

We hear that Vicky Foxcroft (top right) is favourite, but have very little evidence to go by except that she's made a good stand for Lewisham Hospital. Janet Darby's experience is in families and children, and she (top left) seems equally worth a vote if we had one, which we don't. These two are already Lewisham Councillors.

Catherine McDonald (bottom right) is a Southwark councillor with experience covering many issues. Florence Nosegbe (bottom middle) is a Lambeth councillor with experience in tackling youth crime. Mendora Ogbogbo's business is training people in how to do politics and influence policy at Westminster (top, middle).

We've recently been impressed by Paula Hirst (bottom left) whose experience is in regeneration and is the only candidate to respond to the news about Convoys Wharf, the largest ever private development to impact on Deptford. Not that an MP-in-waiting can influence how Lewisham Council allows 'regeneration' in Deptford to develop when decisions must be made this year, but at least she shows some recognition of the damage that can be done.

Update 4.45pm
Vicky Foxcroft selected next Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Lewisham/Deptford.

Douglas Square street grub

As part of the Love Your Local Markets Fortnight (and the Deptford 'regeneration' programme) Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency have been training up new street food traders, and they will all be trading on Douglas Square every Saturday (9am-3pm) starting on 18th May. The idea is to get a regular food court in the square, with somewhere to sit and eat, and make Deptford a food destination. (Click on the image to see the range of food stalls).

There will also be a live cooking demonstration by Nioamh Convery every Saturday at around midday (usually by or near Codfathers).

Update: a video from Alistair in Holden House of the food court opening...