East Dulwich Garden Centre - closing down

[Mattsoper]

That's not a primary school - it's the new Bredinghurst School (soon to be known as the Newlands School). Its purpose remains the same as it was in the original building so it won't make any difference to overcrowding in regular state schools in the area.

[LondonMix]

Are you sure? Someone who lives nearby said they received an announcement or something on another thread.

peckhamboy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> LondonMix Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Aren't they developing a new primary school

> where

> > Dulwich hospital is? How many new primary

> schools

> > do you think are necessary?

>

>

> No. Probably at least two given overcrowding and

> current birth rates in the area.

[James Barber]

Hi LondonMix,

The developer I believe is moving onto the site in the New Year once the current owners have fully retired. They then open the building late Spring/Summer 2014.

New schools.

Its agreed we have a shortage of places in our area Dulwich of 60-75 per year going foreward. Increasing by 2016 to 75-90 place per year. That the Nunhead area has a similar shortage.

So my ward colleagues have proposed that a new school in built on the Dulwich Hospital site which would cater for 60-90 places. I know a German English group are talking to the DfES but I'm concerned they would have enough clout to ensure the Dept of Health doesnt just look for the maximum land sale when we need a proportion of this public land. I've spoken to the Harris Federation and they're interested.

Tonight the Dulwich Community Council meeting 7pm onwards will include school places (8.30pm on the agenda) and tonight is meeting at James Allenys Girls School.

Hi eastdulwichhenry,

London is predicted to grow by 2m people over the next 10-15 years. National, London and local planning policies reflect this to some degree. When my children are adults I hope they have somewhere to live without the whole SE of england let alone East Dulwich being over developed.

[SeanHitz]

Does anyone know who the current landlord of the grove vale library that will be replaced is? I'd like to get in touch with them.

Best,

Sean

[James Barber]

Hi SeanHitz,

Quickest way is to look up the freehold on HM Land Registry. It costs ?4 for a copy of the title deed online so really quick to find out.

[SeanHitz]

Thanks James.

[keane]

Yes James, but presumably you would also like your children to have somewhere to go to school. The area needs new schools - it is so short sighted that nothing has been done about this - constant bulge classes are not the answer - that just has a knock on effect when all Teheran siblings from the bulge classes need reception places. It has been known for years in this area that new schools are needed.

[keane]

When all the siblings I mean

[James Barber]

Hi keane,

The garden centre is a postage stamp compared to the size a new school would require.

But expect some news later this week about new local schools - and I hope you'll support it.

[LondonMix]

What a tease! James, don't dangle the hope of a new school in front of us like that- is there anything you can share now?

[the-e-dealer]

Hospital site

[LondonMix]

I hope so but that's an open discussion unless there has been a significacnt new development.

[DulwichFox]

Do Libraries still have books. ???

Do Kids still read Books. With all the internet access.

You seee kids with Smart Phones. Do not see many kids with a book.

I thought Libraries wer closing due to Council Budgets and no one was using them.

I have not been to a Library for over 30 years..

I thought libraries were for elderly people to keep warm.

A place where you could do colour Photocopying and Re-cycle your spent printer cartridges and batteries.

Fox.

[tfwsoll]

>>Do Kids still read Books. With all the internet access.

You seee kids with Smart Phones. Do not see many kids with a book.I thought Libraries wer closing due to Council Budgets and no one was using them.

They may be closing due to council cuts but if you are thinking that they aren't used you should go to Rotherhithe library. With a lot of thought, imagination and local consultation they've come up with a space that is well-used and still has racks of books.

[Jessie]

Of course kids still read books. And not all families have Internet access.

[DulwichFox]

From BBC Morning show..

Interesting that the Last issue of The Dandy comes out today..

Reason:- Kids do not read printed media anymore.. and prefer computer based media.

Kids used to learn to read with comics. Then move on to magazines and Newspapers.

I realise that comics were filled with onomatopoeic words ie. Zap , Boom, Whooooosh.

but of us have grown up being able to speak reasonably well.

But kids today write and speak Text Speak..

?u av d ryt 2 feel safe ll d tym, includN wen UzN ICT or yr mob ph.?

That translates as: ?You have the right to feel safe all the time,

including when using information communications technology or your mobile phone.?

You do not get that from Books.. init

Fox.

[James Barber]

Hi DulwichFox,

The reason the Dandy is closing it phyiscal comic but keeping an online version is because the Beano is much more popular. The Beano has moved with the times and grown its audience at the Dandy's expense.

Children's literature is big. We have a whole local bookstore devoted to it locally. Chener Books has just revamped its children's section. Teenage literature is often turned into Hoolwood films - Eragon, Vampire whatever.

The new Canada Water library in its first year has had over 1/2 million visitors. John Harvard Library when revamped doubled the number of visitors. Huge suppressed demand for excellent libraries.

[Jessie]

the fact you use Dandy closing down - a comic that has lost touch with its readership - as supporting an argument that kids don't read books says everything to me

[Alec John Moore]

A few national level stats help put things into perspective I often find. This from the National Literacy Trust's Literacy: State of the Nation report last updated in January this year:

Literacy: State of the Nation

Literacy is the combination of reading, writing, speaking and listening skills we all need to fulfil our potential. These life skills are essential to the happiness, health and wealth of individuals and society.

Literacy: State of the Nation provides a coherent picture of literacy in the UK today. It reveals that:

?One in six people in the UK struggle with literacy. This means their literacy is below the level expected of an eleven year old

?A quarter of young people do not recognise a link between reading and success

?Men and women with poor literacy are least likely to be in full-time employment at the age of thirty

?73% of parents and carers say their child often reads

?The number of children achieving the expected levels for reading at age eleven is 84% in 2011

?The number of children achieving the expected levels for writing at age eleven is 75% in 2011

The Reading Agency works a lot with libraries to eupport and encourage young people and adults to read more. One of the things that stuck out for me was this statement from their website:

"Parents are the most important reading role models for children and young people."

[the-e-dealer]

So Dulwich Fox is a text expert and J Barber a Comic expert.

[poppet27]

Yeah, I would hate to think there might be another estate agent. We used to live in Balham where several nice independents closed down, only to be replaced by estate agents ( who then found there was less to sell as the area was chock full of nothing but estate agents -duh,)

[sue k]

the thread is about the closure and imminent new development of the garden centre site,and I noticed in an earlier post that James Barber mentioned that there part of the new development will include a 'shop unit'. I have heard a rumour, and I really hope it's not true, that it will be a Tesco Express?? Are they getting in again, through a back door yet again?? !! Why can't it be a small independant shop...we have enough of these bullish faceless heavyweights already in our neighbourhood. Can James Barber confirm this is what is happening? Can we object to it still, or is it a fait accompli?

[LondonMix]

You can't object to a shop signing a lease. The development of a shop has already been approved for an A-1 retailer presumably as James has already discussed the possibility of Waitrose taking the unit.

[Vilmos]

We need a selection of shops that cater for people who are not affluent middle class professionals, but who work for more modest wages. Iceland in Lordship Lane is lost, where else are people on modest incomes to go for their shopping?

I am not against having professional classes living in the area, but the surest way to run it down is to have an East Dulwich where only professional classes live.

[the-e-dealer]

Not aure the poor benefit from a garden centre