Quaggy Waterways Action Group

Annual Report for 2007

1. Introduction

Since its foundation in 1990 as Friends of the Quaggy, our objective has been “to promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the River Quaggy and its tributaries, including its flora and fauna, for the public benefit.”

It has been a very disappointing year for the conservation, protection and improvement of the River Quaggy. The development of Lewisham Gateway will have a major negative impact on both the rivers in the town centre, and its approval signifies the loss of a once in a lifetime opportunity to make the most of the town’s rivers and green spaces.

Elsewhere along the river corridor our disappointment at the go-ahead for the development of 36-56 Lee High Road was matched by our displeasure with the way the planning process had been carried out. On the positive side, the official opening of the River Quaggy Flood Alleviation Scheme after 17 years of effort was a cause for celebration, as was the winning of two prestigious awards by the Environment Agency for QWAG-inspired restorations.

Promoting an understanding of urban rivers and their potential as community assets has always been an important activity for us. This year our display stand proved popular at both events we attended, with the public debut of our educational displays for schools on People’s Day being one of the highlights of the year.

We led successful walks at all three local walking festivals this year, and those who took part in the annual river walk will remember another highlight of the year, our close encounter with a kingfisher, for a long time.

We continued to spread information more widely via the website and newsletter. The website, which attracted over 40% more visitors this year, is now firmly established as the place to find all the latest QWAG-related information. This year’s edition of the newsletter, which rightly received much acclaim for both its content and layout, was more widely distributed than in previous years.

2. Conservation, Protection and Improvement

Promoting the conservation, protection and improvement of the Quaggy is our core activity. In 2007 the massive Lewisham Gateway Development in Lewisham town centre presented both the greatest opportunity and the worst threat to the Quaggy. Naturally our efforts were focused on this scheme because of is its huge impact and high profile location, but we also opposed other unwelcome developments taking place elsewhere along the river corridor.

2.1 Lewisham Gateway Development

In March, we made a formal submission to Lewisham Council, opposing the Lewisham Gateway outline planning application on three grounds. These were (1) the failure to realise the potential of the rivers, (2) the destruction of the existing potential to restore rivers in the future and (3) the degradation of the river environment.

In July, the developers submitted a revised application, but this did not include any changes to the treatment of the rivers. None of our objections to the scheme had been addressed. Specifically, our campaign to provide a four metre wide strip along the east side of the High Street, which would have allowed full restoration of the Quaggy and its integration into the town centre, continued to be dismissed by the developers as being unachievable.

A sub-committee for Lewisham Gateway issues was formed. It was clear that our aspirations for the site could not be met unless the current application was rejected. The sub-committee forged links with other concerned local groups in order to co-ordinate opposition to the scheme. Together, this combined group challenged the overly optimistic assumptions made by the developers and the Council’s planning department and highlighted the environmental damage it would cause. An alternative vision for the site was also developed – one that could still offer the desired regeneration benefits but also make features of the rivers and green spaces, rather than burying them under concrete.

Despite spirited opposition by the combined group, the application was approved by Lewisham’s Strategic Planning Committee in October by a narrow 3-2 vote. The scheme was subsequently approved by the Greater London Authority and the Government Office for London.

Another blow was dealt in September, with the publication of the detailed planning application for the Quaggy along the east side of Lewisham High Street. Given the constraints imposed by the acceptance of the main application, the proposed restoration is probably the best achievable. However, the previously planned de-culverting of the river in front of the police station has not been included. In its response we have urged the Council to insist that the applicant either submits a revised proposal which includes this de-culverting or a robust argument proving to its satisfaction why it is impossible to do so.

2.2 River Quaggy Flood Alleviation Scheme

The completion of the works associated with the scheme early this year marked the end of the project that has dominated our activities since its inception. It is sad therefore that one of our last actions was to investigate why the whole length of the river bank in Manor Park had not been fully restored, as was originally planned as part of the scheme. It transpired that the retention of substantial lengths of concrete wall was a modification incorporated in the Manor Park regeneration plan. Regrettably this significant change was not referred to anywhere in the planning application, neither were any local residents, even those most affected, informed.

We have mixed feelings about the results of the Manor Park regeneration because of the retention of the walls and the limited views of, and access to, the river. We are also concerned that no user group has yet been formed to keep the regeneration momentum going.

The Environment Agency organised a ceremony in Manor Park to mark the official opening of the scheme, which took place on June 5th to coincide with World Environment Day. Three QWAG representatives attended this landmark event.

We have been carefully monitoring how the pioneering in-channel improvements to the rear of Nando’s have fared over their first year. The results have been mixed. By early summer, a couple of the planted geotextile mats had been disturbed and one washed away completely. Nevertheless some aquatic pants have become established and with appropriate remedial work we believe further colonisation will take place.

2.3 Other Developments

In January, planning permission was granted for a five storey high building at 36-56 Lee High Road. In our opinion this extremely narrow site is totally unsuitable for such a development and it will have significant detrimental effects on the river corridor. Regrettably, despite agreeing with us about the effects, the Environment Agency did not register an objection. After the planning meeting we instigated an official complaint with Lewisham Council over the selective contents of the planning officer’s report and the partial way it was presented.

Also in January, we objected to the plans for a mixed development, including a Lidl’s supermarket and residential apartments, at 104-120 Lee High Road. The plans envisaged replacement of the existing wall along the river and a wholly inappropriate planting scheme. The scheme was totally insensitive to the potential enhancement of the river corridor. In an alternative proposal, we demonstrated how the wall could be recessed instead to create a large reservoir for the river corridor’s wildlife. In May, the developer accepted our scheme.

2.4 Restoration Awards

The Environment Agency won two prestigious awards in 2007 for QWAG-inspired restorations.

In February, the Agency was awarded the 2007 Living Wetlands Award for bringing about the restoration of Sutcliffe Park. The award, sponsored by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environment Management (CIWEM), was created in 2003 to recognise the work of those ‘who seek to repair damage to wetlands, to promote community involvement, boost the numbers of breeding wading birds and restore functioning wetlands that bring benefits for people and wildlife' .

In March, the combined Sutcliffe Park and Chinbrook Meadows projects won the Natural Environment category for the Agency in the 2007 Waterways Renaissance Awards. The judges hailed the Quaggy-based schemes for demonstrating excellence in restoring and making best use of the natural environment of inland waterways. They created "a vibrant and sustainable environment in an urban setting while achieving vital flood alleviation for the surrounding area." Matthew Blumler represented QWAG at the ceremony.

3. Information and Education

Promoting an understanding of urban rivers and their potential as community assets is our other important activity. This is achieved through direct interaction with the community, such as the attendance at local events, leading river-based walks, and by spreading information more widely via the website and newsletter.

3.1 Local Events

Our display stand proved a popular draw at the Manor Park re-opening event in June, which followed the ceremony to mark the official opening of the flood alleviation scheme. Many residents from the area were eager to find out more about their local river.

At Lewisham Peoples Day in July, our display stand, ideally located on the main path through Mountsfield Park, was an extremely busy place, with a number of volunteers explaining our position on the Lewisham Gateway Development, as well as other aspects of our work.

However, it was the public debut of our educational displays for schools that stole the show. The first six of the set of nine were on view - and were an instant hit with adults and children alike. The displays tell the story, using the Quaggy as an example, of how rivers have suffered due to urbanisation, and how the misguided flood alleviation measures of the past are being replaced by more sustainable and environmentally friendly schemes.

3.2 River Walks

A heavy, day-long downpour was forecast for “Good in Parks?”, our May Lewisham Walking Festival walk by the Quaggy from Lee Green to Lewisham. The irony that a walk organised to showcase the recently completed Flood Alleviation Scheme could be ruined by excessive rainfall was not lost on us. But on the day the rain was light and patchy - more of an irritant than an impediment – and 20 or so hardy souls completed the course.

In August, a dozen walkers completed our first Bromley Walking Festival walk. The theme, “Upstream, Downstream”, was the character of the Quaggy – how it changed along its course from the gentle Kyd Brook in Bromley, to an unruly river that has threatened the residents of Greenwich and Lewisham for over 130 years. And how, thanks to an innovative solution proposed and championed by QWAG, that threat has now been alleviated.

For our annual river walk in September we decided to celebrate the completion of the River Quaggy Flood Alleviation Scheme by retracing the steps of our very first river walk in 1994. “The Rovers Return” walkers set off downstream from Matthew Blumler’s back garden as far as Nando’s, then turned back, wading upstream as far as Manor Park. The highlight of the walk for the group of more than 30 was a close encounter with a kingfisher, less than a kilometre from Lewisham town centre and so soon after years of disturbance.

Later in September, 11 people took part in “Natural Born Winners”, our first walk for the Green Chain Walking Festival. The steady stream of accolades won by Chinbrook Meadows and Sutcliffe Park since their superb transformations was the underlying theme of the walk linking the two parks. Other topics embraced along the way included cricket, horse-breeding, medieval history, job creation in the 1920s and the ecology of a locally rare ancient flower meadow.

3.3 Website

The QWAG website drew over 40% more visitors in 2007 than the previous year. It is now firmly established as the place to find all the latest QWAG-related news, plus advance notice of upcoming activities and reports on those carried out. Accordingly, the importance of keeping the website well maintained and frequently updated, to retain regular visitors and attract new ones, has never been greater.

The website home page was modified in August so that the ‘recent additions and updates’ list can be browsed without scrolling. A ‘photo of the month’ was also introduced to add interest, although to date this has not generated the responses we had hoped.

The number of news items posted on the website averaged two a month, a slight rise over 2006. Launched late last year, news flashes (brief articles of short-term interest that are not kept in the news archive) became an established feature, averaging one a month.

Some of the content of the website is now out of date and needs revision. However, plans to roll out a re-designed website with updated content in autumn had to be postponed due to a lack of resources, and it has not been possible to re-commence work on this project yet.

3.4 Newsletter

This year’s edition, published as usual at the end of June, kept the 12 page format pioneered last year. The editorial committee felt that the increased size was again justified by the number and length of articles detailing news of QWAG’s main activities over the previous 12 months.

After 2006’s successful bid to reach and recruit lapsed members and supporters, the print run was greatly reduced this year. The distribution policy was revised, with significant numbers of newsletters placed in selected local libraries, a move that proved to be very successful. For the first time, the newsletter was also available to be downloaded as a PDF file from the website, a step towards more extensive electronic distribution in future.

4. QWAG Matters

4.1 Management Committee

Compared with the wholesale changes to the composition of management committee in early 2006, there was a period of stability this year, with no changes to the personnel or the positions they held.

4.2 Membership

Following the unprecedented growth in 2006, the number of members fell back somewhat this year. Although this was partially expected, the numbers were exacerbated by a communication problem which will be addressed before the 2008 renewals are due.

4.3 Social Activities

Undaunted by the disappointing number of walkers on the inaugural members’ stroll and social in October last year, two more events were scheduled for 2007.

Our spring stroll and social in April was entitled “Willett Work?” Its circular route began on Chislehurst Common, followed the Kyd Brook through the National Trust (NT) property of Hawkwood and retuned via Petts Wood (also NT) and St Paul's Cray Common to the Bull’s Head pub. In glorious sunshine a dozen walkers were able to check the time en route using the sundial built as a memorial to William Willett, a local campaigner for daylight saving.

Making the most of a bright October day, about 20 members and their guests followed “The Millers’ Trail”, our autumn stroll and social from Lewisham town centre to Deptford High Street. Along the way they leaned how the role of the River Ravensbourne and the way it has been perceived have changed over time. Well deserved refreshments were taken at the Dog & Bell pub afterwards.