First, I probably need to clarify something. The Forest Hill Society response actually counts as an objection to this application, I probably wasn't particularly clear on that point (or in my response to localbigwig) and I would like to apologise if I've confused the issue.

This is not an objection to the principle of hostels being in Forest Hill, but with a number of concerns about the details for the individuals living in the two hostels in the future. I would urge everybody with an interest in this site to read the full text of the submission at http://www.foresthillsociety.com/2015/05...lodge.html

67park,
The Forest Hill Society has approximately 400 members. You are welcome to make the case that we are not representative of the area as a whole, and I'm happy to accept that local councillors (and the MP) are the people who have been properly democratically elected to represent local people.
But the members of the Forest Hill Society care about the area, particularly those of the members who sit on our various committees and volunteer to do so much to improve the area. We care about plants and businesses in the high street, we care about vulnerable living in our community, we care about trains, swimming pools, playgrounds, planning, and lots more besides.

You are welcome to join or not, you are welcome to join our committees or not, and you are welcome to question whether we speak for the entire community (which we don't claim to do). One thing that I do want to be clear about is that when we do write a formal response on behalf of the FH Society, we post it on our website for everybody to see (even when we know that some will have a different opinion). Those who wish to disagree are entitles to disagree and express their own views to the council. At the end of the day, the decision will be reached by Lewisham planning committee based on the merits of the case (not by the Forest Hill Society).

Roz,
I completely respect your perspective and experience. I'm hoping that the experiences you recount are in hostels that are mixing single adults who are homeless with homeless families, something that I don't think should be encouraged (particularly with shared facilities) but I believe exists in other hostels. If this is the case then I hope that problems in this hostel will be minimised as there won't be single adults whose needs and problems are rather different to families. I would be interested to know if I have assumed too much.

Glasshalffull,
Do you have any source for that information. It certainly wasn't mentioned in the ward assembly in March when this was discussed. Presentation from Lewisham Housing can be viewed at http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/d...ebsite.pdf