Council plans for Camberwell New + Old Cemeteries

[panda boy]

Having just read the pamphlet the council have so kindly produced and sent out, I am mildly apoplectic about their plans for Camberwell Old Cemetery.

- Firstly there was supposed to be a public consultation before any plans were released. This consultation was scheduled for June 2014, on the completion of several studies of the area, soil, topographical, tree's, wildlife. This consultation has been put back to 'some time later in the year, and the council have refused to release the details of these studies to the public.

Unless I have missed something this is utterly disingenuous and disgusting behaviour by the council to release these plans before a public consultation. The people behind this are well aware of objections against these plans, they appear to be simply trying to ignore them.

- The map details the areas designated for new burial plots. The largest area would require the removal of trees and the flattening of the ground, with no mention of the burial plots that already exist there or the effect this would have on the flora and fauna in the area affected.

Personally I will be fighting against this proposal. I understand the council are trying to make money out of creating more burial plots in the area, but to effectively destroy an ancient wild woodland area in London to do it is shortsighted and bizarre. The manner they are going about this, and their inability / refusal to communicate is nothing short of woeful and cynical.

[dbboy]

Don't you mean Camberwell Old Cemetery?

[panda boy]

Yes indeed dbboy, thanks

(Although the councils plans cover both Camberwell Old and New Cemeteries.)

[nxjen]

panda boy Wrote:

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

I understand the council are trying to

> make money out of creating more burial plots in

> the area, but to effectively destroy an ancient

> wild woodland area in London to do it is

> shortsighted and bizarre. The manner they are

> going about this, and their inability / refusal to

> communicate is nothing short of woeful and

> cynical.

Surely though this is not just a money making exercise but a means to create more much needed burial plots?

[Laur]

I'd be interested in seeing this proposal / pamphlet.

I have lived in East Dulwich for many years & have both historic family ties to the area and also have generations of family buried at Camberwell Old Cemetery, so I would be both devastated & very annoyed if their graves were disturbed.

[panda boy]

> Surely though this is not just a money making

> exercise but a means to create more much needed

> burial plots?

Well that's up for debate. Personally I think sacrificing an area of natural woodland to create 1000 plots is pretty shortsighted.

There will always be a need for burial spaces, why destroy a unique and important pocket of nature to achieve it?

And the way the council are going about this, not releasing information that has been gathered (using public money) suggests to me they are more interested in the money making aspect of this.

But either way, they are officially proposing this now, without the promised public consultation and without releasing the relevant information. I for one am not particularly impressed by their behaviour.

[panda boy]

Here you go Laur;

www.southwark.gov.uk/cemeteriesplans

Please share your thoughts.

[Laur]

Great thank you panda boy. I agree with your thoughts!

[panda boy]

Thanks Laur

Just to add, the leaflet with the proposals was received this morning (3rd dec) which details 3 public 'exhibitions', on the 6th, 8th and 10th December. No mention of a public consultation or of the studies that have been made of the area.

Personally I think the council are being particularly underhand by offering such short notice and such a limited timeframe for the public to express an opinion on these plans. Especially considering the promises made earlier in the year.

[marianik]

Yes, the announcement was made at very short notice. My neighbour has been active in following developments at the cemetery and sent he following email around to others concerns by the proposed changes:

"URGENT ACTION REQUIRED!

A letter was delivered to my house today concerning the Plans for Camberwell Old and Camberwell New Cemeteries.

The letter is dated 1st December and is signed by Councillor Darren Merrill;Cabinet Member for Environment and recycling: [email protected]

It says that a series of public exhibitions are to be held concerning Southwark Council plans for the cemteries.

They have given me and the other recipients of this letter virtually no proper notice of these " exhibitions" which are to take place very soon indeed i.e.

Saturday 6th December 10 am-12pmHonor Oak Baptist Church, Forest Hill Road

Monday 8th December 6-8 pm Brenchley Gardens Community Centre

Wednesday 10th December 2-4pm Honor Oak Baptist Church

At these "exhibitions " we will have a chance to view detailed plans and discuss our thoughts with "officers and facilitators"

Then they want us to send our comments to them by 9th January 2015 at the latest.

A leaflet accompanies the letter which can be seen at www.southwark.gov/uk/cemeteriesplans

The leaftlet shows that the woodland area opposite the lower end of Underhill Road is rescheduled to be in use for burial in 2018.

1000 burial plots are to be created, work is due to start early 2016, existing paths refurbished,Additional path built, 53 mature trees retained, 18 removed, More trees and shrubs to be planted and 4 years of burial space created.

As time is so short I am emailing this councillor ( with cc to all the other officials on my list ) today to ask.

1. Why have they given us such short notice of this event?

2. Why have they chosen this time of year particularly at which to hold this event ?

3. How much will the fees to the " independant researchers Westco " be?

4. Who else besides myself has received this letter?

Please do email any of them yourselves as well and please do come to the exhibitions"

[panda boy]

Here is the response I received from Councillor Darren Merrill concerning these plans and how the council are going about them;

Thank you for you response to the meeting on the proposed plans for Southwark?s Cemeteries. I?m sorry for the short notice for the meeting date but its important to get the opinions of local resident as soon as possible . The time of year has not been chosen specifically, rather it was the first opportunity to begin the process of conversation on these proposal?s and the implementation of the next phase of the agreed cemetery strategy.

It is important that we begin this next phase as we currently only have approximately 3 years worth of burial space left and the process of implementation will take some time. With the three dates available at different times of day on three different day including Saturday I am hoping we?ll get a high level of attendance. In addition all materials are available on our website ( www.sothwark.gov.uk/cemteriesplans ) with the engagement exercise closing on the 9th January 2015 so anyone who is not able to attend our exhibitions will be able to view the plans and make comment in their own time before the date.

This is only the start of the conversation and with 1400 letters and leaflets having been sent out to households in the roads adjacent to the two cemeteries I hope to get a wide range of views to these plans from the residents which will help shape the application to planning. This will also give additional opportunity for stakeholder around the area to give there view.

Please be reassured that I am taking on every ones views on these plan and I am looking forward to working with everyone on the implementation of the cemetery strategy and at the end of it we will have a cemetery that will be respectful and a great place to use.

Cllr Darren J Merrill

Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling

Community safety and volunteering

0207 525 3617