SE23.com - The Official Forum for Forest Hill & Honor Oak, London SE23
Online since 2002   11,000+ members   72,000+ posts

Home | SE23 Topics | Businesses & Services | Wider Topics | Offered/Wanted/Lost/Found | About SE23.com | Advertising | Contact | |
 Armstrong & Co Solicitors



Post Reply  Post Topic 
King's College London is seeking bidders for a new ?7 million sports ground in HOP
Author Message
Ghis


Posts: 321
Joined: Jan 2007
Post: #1
22-02-2008 01:45 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Ghis


Posts: 321
Joined: Jan 2007
Post: #2
22-02-2008 01:52 PM

Ghis wrote:
http://www.cnplus.co.uk/regions/london/news/2008/02/kings_seeks_contractors_for_sports_facilities.html




Kings seeks contractors for sports facilities
Published: 05 February 2008 09:05 Author: Andrea Klettner More by this Author Last Updated: 05 February 2008 10:09

Increase image
View all images
King's College London is seeking bidders for a new ?7 million sports ground development at Honor Oak Park in London.

Works will involve the construction of a two-storey pavilion with a viewing area on the first floor as well as two artificial turf sport pitches with flood lighting.

The netball courts will need to be relocated and parking facilities for cars, coaches, motorbikes and bicycles needs to be built.

Bidders have until 17 March to submit their tenders.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
psyche9


Posts: 73
Joined: May 2008
Post: #3
13-05-2008 06:52 AM

I think King's won't know til the Autumn if they have the money to go ahead and complete the whole project this year. I hope they don't.

For those who don't know, the council gave planning permission for this scheme about 18 months ago after a earlier planning application was turned down.

To me, the replacement of grassy surface with artificial surface (not one pitch, but two) and the installation of an urban-looking clutter of lighting poles and meters high chicken wire fence in what is a lovely green space is an outrage. It is a sports ground - so I would have supported an artificial pitch sensitively sited, but not this.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Barney


Posts: 2
Joined: Jan 2008
Post: #4
13-05-2008 04:33 PM

Personally, I think it is rather a miracle this sports ground has survived at all, when hundreds have been built over. The alternative is not between a lovely green space and a modern sports ground, but between a modern sports ground and development.

I also think that King's College consultation with local residents has been exemplary, their willingness to abandon the houses they planned in Stillness Road admirable (when there's a gap there waiting to be filled) and their plans for the ground well thought-out. I accept that the floodlights may occasionally be tiresome but life's imperfect.

Ever since I've lived in HOP (since 2004) I've been puzzled by the opposition to this project. Truth is we're lucky to have this sports ground and luckier still that it's not being allowed to decay untill building over it would be the only option.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
psyche9


Posts: 73
Joined: May 2008
Post: #5
13-05-2008 05:58 PM

I agree that the sportsground has to develop. I was in favour of many aspects of the scheme, most in fact - but not cramming 3 pitches including 2 hard surface ones, into an unusual and attractive space. There were other ways it could have been done. They did consult on the scheme - they did it well and thoroughly, of course - and it would not of gone ahead with the inclusion of the houses, so they dropped those.

Personally I think the houses were actually the least destructive and obtrusive elements of the plan. It is possible to modernise something in a sympathetic and attractive way and given that this this is an unusual ground - a rare survival, indeed - I would have hoped they would use more care and imagination in the plan. There was never the 'either or' that you suggest.

Sport seems to be used as an excuse to tear up and rebuild in the most unattractive ways. Presumably because sport is 'healthy' this is seen to be OK - I find this strange and depressing. As far as I am aware there was no threat to the sportsground's survival: it wasn't a case of 'modernise or die' - King's simply needed more all weather pitiches having flogged on of their grounds to Chelsea.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply

Friends of Blythe Hill Fields


Possibly Related Topics ...
Topic: Author Replies: Views: Last Post
  Arson in Honor Oak Sports Ground hillview 0 2,865 16-08-2017 04:45 PM
Last Post: hillview
  what is being build behind the station next sports ground? Southlonder 1 4,198 19-07-2010 05:15 PM
Last Post: Theotherbrian