St Francis Park ownership

[Bony Fido]

Is St Francis Park owned by Sainsbury's? The notices outside seem to indicate that it may be.

[Guest]

Yes. They are responsible for the maintenance of it. They've been pretty slack at it though

[Flyingspur09]

The park isn't owned by Sainsburys, its council property however they have an agreement with Sainsburys to police / patrol it and open/close the gates in the morning and evening.

[Guest]

Yes, you are absolutely right. Slight mistake on my post.

Flyingspur09 Wrote:

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> The park isn't owned by Sainsburys, its council

> property however they have an agreement with

> Sainsburys to police / patrol it and open/close

> the gates in the morning and evening.

[nxjen]

Flyingspur09 Wrote:

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> The park isn't owned by Sainsburys, its council

> property however they have an agreement with

> Sainsburys to police / patrol it and open/close

> the gates in the morning and evening.

I?m surprised to learn it?s owned by Southwark Council. Whilst it?s categorised as a public open space, it is not included in the list of Southwark open spaces on Southwark Council website, neither is there a Southwark sign at the entrance. Prior to Sainsburys being built, the land belonged to Kings and I had always thought the whole site had been sold to Sainsbury?s or partially swapped with the Sainsburys sporting club facilities in Dulwich Village which was transferred to Kings.

Sainsburys do have an agreement with the council to maintain the park but that was a condition of planning permission being granted.

[ianr]

There's a link to the legal deed of 16/10/1990 made in connection with the planning application at https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1925977.

King's College is said then (introductory para.3) to be the freeholder. There is also the covenant concerning management of the park's opening.

ed: 1980->1990

[mikeb]

Though I would add that the same 106 agreement required that the land for the football club could only ever be used for sporting and social use. And that has now been set aside so that Meadow Properties can reap a windfall from redeveloping.

[James Barber]

The Sainsbury's planning application 1992 Section 106 - legal agreement between Southwark Council and Sainsbury's.

Sainsbury's are on the hook for opening St.Francis Park at sunrise, closing it at sunset. Maintaining it. Litter picking, etc.

Southwark council is on the hook for enforcing this but doesn't. I had a number of meetings over the years with council officers to try and get any traction. I wrote to Sainsbury's head office, etc.

It's actually in ChampionHill ward (previously South Camberwell warD) but the Councillors hadn't shown any interest in fixing this. It should be a council priority ot raise it to a Green Flag standard.

Checking with Green flag people even privately maintain parks can be awarded this - current administration pretended it couldn't.

[mikeb]

The lack of enforcement of development gain agreements does not bode well for the next redevelopment of DHFC and the next ?new sustainable? ground