Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Please sign this petition to Southwark Council to re-designate the playing field at Judith Kerr Primary School to 'Playing Fields' and 'Local Green Space', to protect it from being developed.


https://www.change.org/p/southwark-council-save-judith-kerr-primary-school-s-only-playing-field-from-being-developed?utm_source=guides&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_created


The Judith Kerr Primary School (JKPS) Green Space Campaign petition has been set up by the local community to prevent the school?s only playing field being sold off for development by The Dulwich Estate.


The playing field is an integral part of the school, used intensively for sports, play, education, and social events. The school will eventually have 350 children aged 4-11 years. The removal of the only playing field will reduce the outside space available by more than half and remove all green space. The removal of the playing field will severely restrict the opportunities for education, play and sport for generations of school children. The development will add further congestion to a very busy intersection and its proximity to the school gates will constitute an ongoing safety risk.


The local community needs good schools and the playing field is a vital resource to JKPS to achieve this. The local community and JKPS will be best served now and in the long term by JKPS retaining its playing field.


Why is JKPS?s only playing field at risk of being sold?


JKPS is a state primary school and leases its building and grounds, which includes the only playing field, from The Dulwich Estate. The Dulwich Estate incorporated an option into the lease allowing it to develop residential housing on the playing field subject to planning permission. If the development is approved, the playing field will be permanently lost to the school.


Why is it wrong to remove the playing field from JKPS?


The advice from the Secretary of State for Education is emphatically in favour of protecting school playing fields: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice. The Dulwich Estate?s plan to deprive JKPS of its only playing field is contrary to government policy of safeguarding playing fields.


The Dulwich Estate is primarily an education charity. Its charitable objective is to raise money for its beneficiaries, which are predominantly private schools with extensive grounds and excellent sporting facilities.


JKPS is a state school which is run by an education charity, CfBT. It is inequitable for The Dulwich Estate, as an educational charity, to generate revenue for its affluent beneficiaries by disposing of another school?s playing field; all the more so where that school is run by an education charity. It will also severely hinder CfBT from achieving its stated mission to ?advance education for the public benefit?. The Dulwich Estate?s plan to develop the playing field for commercial gain therefore deviates from its duty to carry out its charitable purposes for the 'public benefit' (as defined in the Charities Act 2011).


Why is the JKPS Green Space Campaign and not the school campaigning to keep the playing field?


The lease from The Dulwich Estate stipulates that JKPS is not allowed to object to planning permission. Therefore the JKPS Green Space Campaign has been established to prevent the school from losing the playing field on behalf of the school, its children and the local community. The lease further restricts the school, CfBT and the school?s governing body from opposing the planning application(s). We consider that The Dulwich Estate, as an education charity, is actively preventing JKPS from promoting the best interests of its children and campaigning to keep the green space for the school. This again is contrary to the Charity Commission?s requirement for The Dulwich Estate to pursue its charitable purpose for the ?public benefit?.


Please support the JKPS Green Space Campaign by signing this petition: https://www.change.org/p/southwark-council-save-judith-kerr-primary-school-s-only-playing-field-from-being-developed?utm_source=guides&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_created


The playing field is currently registered for ?research? use. Please sign the petition to Southwark Council for re-designating the playing field for use as a ?Playing Field? and a ?Local Green Space?. This will help to prevent Dulwich Estate from obtaining planning permission and selling off the playing field, and safeguard the playing field for the school.

Tbh I struggle with this given that when the school chose the site it knew that the development was planned. It's not quite the same as selling off a long established playing field, is it? If the Estate had wanted to it could have excluded the field from the lease from the outset and perhaps have saved itself some grief. If JKPS intended to object from the outset, surely that's a bit disingenuous?
The Dulwich Estate and it's endowment was set up with the intention of educating the poor. Their only stated objectives today are to increase the annual income distribution to the Beneficiaries (several public schools educating mostly privileged children) and to maintain the value of the Charity?s assets. It seems to me that somewhere along the way they have lost sight of what Edward Alleyn was really about.

rahrahrah Wrote:

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

> It seems to me that somewhere along the way they have lost sight of

> what Edward Alleyn was really about.


... beyond ruffs and lion baiting I mean.

Legalalien- the site and lease were negotiated between the Dept of Education and Dulwich Estate - not JKPS.


However you look at it, the local community, school and children will surely be best served if the school keeps the playing field.


Please sign the petition!

Typical that people are having a pop (as usual) at the Council. Planning law is now so far skewed in respect of the applicants that Councils have little or no leeway to refuse without very, very good reasons, and if they do, they bear the cost of the appeal.

landsberger Wrote:

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

> Typical that people are having a pop (as usual) at

> the Council. Planning law is now so far skewed in

> respect of the applicants that Councils have

> little or no leeway to refuse without very, very

> good reasons, and if they do, they bear the cost

> of the appeal.


I would have thought that the following constitutes a very, very good reason:


"The Dulwich Estate?s plan to deprive JKPS of its only playing field is contrary to government policy of safeguarding playing fields"

Mugglesworth Wrote:

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

> landsberger Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Typical that people are having a pop (as usual)

> at

> > the Council. Planning law is now so far skewed

> in

> > respect of the applicants that Councils have

> > little or no leeway to refuse without very,

> very

> > good reasons, and if they do, they bear the

> cost

> > of the appeal.

>

> I would have thought that the following

> constitutes a very, very good reason:

>

> "The Dulwich Estate?s plan to deprive JKPS of its

> only playing field is contrary to government

> policy of safeguarding playing fields"


Er, but it's not a full time playing field constructed for that purpose.

Exactly landsberger. It's noted above that the department of education negotiated the lease so "against govt policy" is a pretty difficult argument to run. Also, even if the lease was negotiated by the DoE surely JKPS must be a party to it, or how is it bound by the restrictions?


I can't help feeling that people's time would be better spent looking for an alternative eg an arrangement like I understand Lyndhurst have with SCST. (For the record I completely agree with the importance of schools having outdoor play and volunteer with a children's sports club, just can't see how the legal argument stacks up in this case).

rahrahrah Wrote:

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

> What about the moral argument?


Morality doesn't come into planning consent, sadly. Just cold, hard cash. And Councils have so little leeway these days, it's as if there's no need for consent at all.

I'm also not sure how it is somehow morally pure to seek to persuade the council to effectively deny to the Dulwich Estate a legal right that they specifically reserved in a freely reached agreement with another party because, you disagree with the terms of that original agreement, or because you disagree with the terms of the trust by which the Estate is legally required to act.

I don't see how the land being correctly registered is denying Dulwich Estate?s legal rights in anyway. They can still apply for planning permission however it is registered.


Even so as the land is currently being used as a playing field and leased by the school I would have thought any planning application would have to involve Sports England and the Secretary of State.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • I’ve noticed a lot more of that green grass that looks a bit like corn or barley. Is it naturally-occurring or should I suspect the hand of a “guerrilla gardener”? 
    • Jack Abbott Diane Abbott Debbie Abrahams Zubir Ahmed Luke Akehurst Sadik Al-Hassan Bayo Alaba Dan Aldridge Heidi Alexander Douglas Alexander Rushanara Ali Tahir Ali Rosena Allin-Khan Callum Anderson Fleur Anderson Tonia Antoniazzi Scott Arthur Jess Asato James Asser Jas Athwal Catherine Atkinson Lewis Atkinson Paula Barker Lee Barron Alex Barros-Curtis Johanna Baxter Danny Beales Lorraine Beavers Torsten Bell Hilary Benn Clive Betts Polly Billington Matt Bishop Olivia Blake Rachel Blake Chris Bloore Elsie Blundell Kevin Bonavia Jade Botterill Sureena Brackenridge Jonathan Brash Chris Bryant Julia Buckley Phil Brickell Dawn Butler Ruth Cadbury Nesil Caliskan Markus Campbell-Savours Irene Campbell Juliet Campbell Alan Campbell Sarah Champion Bambos Charalambous Luke Charters Feryal Clark Ben Coleman Jacob Collier Lizzi Collinge Tom Collins Liam Conlon Sarah Coombes Andrew Cooper Beccy Cooper Yvette Cooper Deirdre Costigan Pam Cox Neil Coyle Jen Craft Mary Creagh Stella Creasy Torcuil Crichton Chris Curtis Janet Daby Nicholas Dakin Ashley Dalton Emily Darlington Alex Davies-Jones Jonathan Davies Paul Davies Marsha De Cordova Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Jim Dickson Anna Dixon Samantha Dixon Anneliese Dodds Helena Dollimore Stephen Doughty Peter Dowd Graeme Downie Angela Eagle Maria Eagle Lauren Edwards Sarah Edwards Clive Efford Damien Egan Maya Ellis Chris Elmore Kirith Entwistle Florence Eshalomi Bill Esterson Chris Evans Linsey Farnsworth Josh Fenton-Glynn Mark Ferguson Patricia Ferguson Natalie Fleet Emma Foody Catherine Fookes Vicky Foxcroft Daniel Francis James Frith Gill Furniss Barry Gardiner Allison Gardner Anna Gelderd Gill German Tracy Gilbert Mary Glindon Ben Goldsborough Jodie Gosling Georgia Gould John Grady Lilian Greenwood Nia Griffith Andrew Gwynne Amanda Hack Emma Hardy Carolyn Harris Helen Hayes Tom Hayes Claire Hazelgrove Mark Hendrick Meg Hillier Chris Hinchliff Sharon Hodgson Rachel Hopkins Claire Hughes Alison Hume Patrick Hurley Leigh Ingham Natasha Irons Sally Jameson Dan Jarvis Diana Johnson Darren Jones Gerald Jones Lillian Jones Louise Jones Ruth Jones Sarah Jones Gurinder Singh Josan Sojan Joseph Warinder Juss Chris Kane Mike Kane Satvir Kaur Liz Kendall Afzal Khan Naushabah Khan Stephen Kinnock Jayne Kirkham Gen Kitchen Sonia Kumar Uma Kumaran Peter Kyle Laura Kyrke-Smith Peter Lamb Ian Lavery Noah Law Kim Leadbeater Brian Leishman Emma Lewell-Buck Andrew Lewin Clive Lewis Simon Lightwood Josh MacAlister Alice Macdonald Andy MacNae Justin Madders Shabana Mahmood Seema Malhotra Amanda Martin Rachael Maskell Keir Mather Alex Mayer Douglas McAllister Kerry McCarthy Martin McCluskey Siobhain McDonagh Andy McDonald Chris McDonald Blair McDougall Lola McEvoy Pat McFadden Alison McGovern Alex McIntyre Gordon McKee Kevin McKenna Catherine McKinnell Jim McMahon Anna McMorrin Frank McNally Kirsty McNeill Anneliese Midgley Julie Minns Navendu Mishra Abtisam Mohamed Perran Moon Jessica Morden Stephen Morgan Grahame Morris Joe Morris Luke Murphy Chris Murray Ian Murray James Murray Katrina Murray Luke Myer James Naish Connor Naismith Lisa Nandy Kanishka Narayan Josh Newbury Samantha Niblett Charlotte Nichols Melanie Onn Chi Onwurah Simon Opher Abena Oppong-Asare Kate Osamor Kate Osborne Tristan Osborne Sarah Owen Darren Paffey Andrew Pakes Matthew Patrick Michael Payne Stephanie Peacock Jon Pearce Matthew Pennycook Toby Perkins Jess Phillips Bridget Phillipson David Pinto-Duschinsky Lee Pitcher Jo Platt Luke Pollard Joe Powell Lucy Powell Gregor Poynton Peter Prinsley Richard Quigley Steve Race Connor Rand Andrew Ranger Mike Reader Joani Reid Emma Reynolds Martin Rhodes Jake Richards Jenny Riddell-Carpenter Tim Roca Matt Rodda Sam Rushworth Sarah Russell Oliver Ryan Jeevun Sandher Michelle Scrogham Mark Sewards Naz Shah Tulip Siddiq Josh Simons Andy Slaughter John Slinger Cat Smith David Smith Jeff Smith Nick Smith Sarah Smith Karin Smyth Gareth Snell Alex Sobel Euan Stainbank Jo Stevens Kenneth Stevenson Elaine Stewart Will Stone Alistair Strathern Alan Strickland Graham Stringer Lauren Sullivan Kirsteen Sullivan Mark Tami Mike Tapp David Taylor Rachel Taylor Nick Thomas-Symonds Fred Thomas Gareth Thomas Adam Thompson Emily Thornberry Marie Tidball Stephen Timms Jessica Toale Jon Trickett Anna Turley Matt Turmaine Karl Turner Laurence Turner Derek Twigg Liz Twist Harpreet Uppal Valerie Vaz Chris Vince Christian Wakeford Imogen Walker Chris Ward Melanie Ward Paul Waugh Chris Webb Michelle Welsh Catherine West Andrew Western Matt Western Michael Wheeler John Whitby Jo White Katie White Nadia Whittome David Williams Steve Witherden Rosie Wrighting Yuan Yang Mohammad Yasin Steve Yemm     All reaction  
    • I think there's the usual number this year -15-20 - screeching around high & low, zooming between the houses and generally being awesome. The back gardens between Colyton, Dovedale, Mundania & Shelbury always seem to have a colony in the summer - no idea where their nests are though. There's also what appears to be a solitary bat that zooms back & forth along the front gardens of Colyton, unless it is several but you never see two at once!
    • Thanksxsll ive decided to return to original clinic with my questions.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...