Morning:
13°c
Hampstead celebrity residents fight plan for road across heath
Ellen Widdup and Daniel Carrier30.01.09
THOUSANDS of residents - including actor Michael Palin and film director Ken Loach - have joined forces to fight plans to build a road across Hampstead Heath.
The City of London Corporation wants to create the tarmac track from Gordon House Road, past the Hampstead Lido pool and across the cricket pitch at Parliament Hill, for park rangers and other vehicles.
But the scheme, which will be partly funded by a £47,500 National Lottery grant and has yet to obtain planning approval, has provoked outrage among locals, who claim the stretch would cut across a number of paths.
Former Python Palin said the scheme would destroy the green space. "The heath was created for people rather than vehicles. Any proposal to increase vehicle access on the heath compromises that original purpose," he said.
Loach, director of 2006 Palme d'Or-winning The Wind That Shakes The Barley, added: "The use of such a road would gradually impede pedestrians. We need to be vigilant to protect this extraordinary public asset."
In 2003 a delivery driver using one of the other vehicle pathways knocked down and killed an elderly man. Mother-of-two Elena Greene said she was concerned that introducing another road would increase the risk of more accidents.
"I would be concerned about vehicles using this road because it will pass right by the children's playground. It only takes a second for a child to run out into the path of a vehicle," she said.
Mavis Haut, who is helping to organise the campaign group, said they have already gathered "thousands of signatures" on a petition against the plans. She added that they hoped to appeal against the decision to press ahead with the road's construction later this year.
"There has been a shocking lack of consultation with residents and we are being trampled all over by the Corporation, which is steadfastly ignoring our pleas," she said.
Simon Lee, Hampstead Heath superintendent, said the plans were first outlined three years ago and the authorities had met residents to explain the necessity of a new service route intended to reduce the risk of collisions. Mr Lee said: "This is not a completely new road. Around 50 per cent of it is already there. The aim is to reduce the number of vehicle movements and minimise the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles.
"With a dedicated route, we will be able to reduce the number of vehicles travelling from 40 to 20 per day.
"The journeys will not be at peak hours and access will only be to park vehicles travelling at 5mph."
The Corporation has spent 18 months drawing up the plans for the project which include a new café and upgrading the lido and the running track pavilion. There are also plans to open up the cricket pitch behind William Ellis School's playground and landscape a path running from Highgate Road towards the bandstand.
There are no laws restricting development. The Hampstead Heath Act (1871) reserved the right to lay down new roads, and as far back as 1829 there have been disputed attempts by various parties to build roads and homes there.
Reader views (18)
It’s got nothing to do with your vorsprung durch technic, you know.
And it’s not about you joggers who go round and round and round...
Parklife - parklife!
It seems to have more to do with building “conveinient” premises for your workers!
About parking-life for you and your staff,
Don’t Blur the argument with your fiction,you only consulted yourselves.
Building and Parking Nigel, yes I think that is convienient for us Jeremy!
It wasn’t broken – leave the park alone.
No to the road and no to building on the park.
All the people – so many people…….
- Garry Williams, London England.
I think that this is an appalling idea and that the Heath is such a beautiful place and that it should NOT be ruined. Here are some reasons why:
Environment and Nature
As you might know that the Heath of course is a big green area for animals and people and if you do build a road, it will ruin the the Environment and will harm most animals leaving there, as also creating more pollution.
Noise and distraction
The heath is where a lot of people come to have a peaceful time, and if there are cars making noise and distracting a lot of Heath users, then it’s really not worth going? Is there?
Also, as you will be building near 2 Secondary Schools (PHS AND WES), the noise that the cars make everyday will cause the children to get distracted from there work , which could cause them to get bad marks.
I think that you are no thinking about anyone but yourselves and that you are going to ruin something really important.
For God's Sake leave our Heath alone!!!!!
- Farida, London
Please leave our Heath as it is. It is the most wonderful piece of nature for us to enjoy. Please keep it peaceful, quiet, and clean! No road please!
- Hannelore Braunsberg, London, U.K.
I run every morning in hampstead heath , i can't even conceive life in London without the heath. This park is incredibly beautiful, unique and a permanent source of inspiration, these are green space like this that make life in a capital city bearable. for the sake of our children don't touch it!
- Lolo, west hampstead london
WHY DO WE HAVE TO WRECK EVERYTHING? The Heath is one of the last beautiful natural spots left in London. Its free and its for everyone so for Gods sake leave it alone!
- Sophie Gorton, London
Well you need somewhere for all the 4x4's the locals drive just to do a trip which is just a 5 minute walk.
Perhaps we should just close some public roads which could then be used by the park rangers instead?
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
The comments posted above are not mine
- Peter Jenkins, Eagle River Alaska USA
Leave the Heath alone we are constantly being told that we are ruining our naturla habitat by concrete, leave our open spaces as they are, places of pleasure and peace, who would want the noise and polution of vehicles on the Heath!
- Greg, Bisley, Surrey, England
I grew up and lived in this area, in a house in Gordon House Road, I believe there are little enough open spaces with such delightful views of London, it is just another exmaple of stupid and ill informed people in "authority" making decisions that will ruin a long cherished London landmark, the Lido would loose it charm and character! I would have hoped that many more children would be able to learn to love the Heath as I did as a child.
- Gillian Hurst, Bisley, Surrey, England
There does not appear to be enough money to maintain the roads already in existence. Pot holes and patches everywhere.
Donate some of the horses that are currently being shot and shipped abroad for food to the rangers if they are so averse to walking.
- jo, Surrey
Law and order needs supervision by officials on foot or bicycle. Police and park-rangers should be discouraged from using vehicles - from which they see and hear little. Anything facilitating park-rangers to sit in their cars should be discouraged.
- richard, london England
Hampstead Heath was my playground as I grew up in North London. I am horrified at any attempt to invade its natural beauty. This is place for hide and seek, running early in the morning and one the last pieces of nature for many miles. I agree with every thing that Mr. London states. It is clear some sort of legislation is needed to protect this place. Living in Alaska for the last 46 years I can only visit the Heath on rare occasions. My days on it are stil some of precious childhood memories.
- Peter Jenkins, Eagle River Alaska USA
"just leave the heath alone", why do some people feel the need to spoil something natural, are some people so blind, selfish or stupid that they cant see the reasons for leaving it well alone.
why the need for more tarmac?.more cars= more pollution+more chance of accidents.
are these so called park rangers so lazy that they cant use their legs, im sorry if it is an inconvenience for them. maybe the city of london coorp' should employ people who like the outdoors. and at the same time save thousands of pounds which could be put to some good use(eg. educating these f...ing idiots that make these plans and decisions ).
there are a lot of people out here who see the beauty and importance of nature, and understand the importance of maintaining this balance. not for it to be constantly destroyed, eroded, polluted, and commercalised.
if this road, track or however it will be called is built, it is just another example of the folly of man, to be added to all the other countless follies of man over the years.
it does make me angry how some people in positions of power misuse it and cause so much upset in the world.
i love the heath and have spent many many enjoyable hours over the years getting away from concrete and cars. which makes living in london a pleasure again.
it should be protected and not be allowed to be developed.
- mike england, london, england
"just leave the heath alone", why do some people feel the need to spoil something natural, are some people so blind, selfish or stupid that they cant see the reasons for leaving it well alone.
why the need for more tarmac?.more cars= more pollution+more chance of accidents.
are these so called park rangers so lazy that they cant use their legs, im sorry if it is an inconvenience for them. maybe the city of london coorp' should employ people who like the outdoors. and at the same time save thousands of pounds which could be put to some good use(eg. educating these f...ing idiots that make these plans and decisions ).
there are a lot of people out here who see the beauty and importance of nature, and understand the importance of maintaining this balance. not for it to be constantly destroyed, eroded, polluted, and commercalised.
if this road, track or however it will be called is built, it is just another example of the folly of man, to be added to all the other countless follies of man over the years.
it does make me angry how some people in positions of power misuse it and cause so much upset in the world.
i love the heath and have spent many many enjoyable hours over the years getting away from concrete and cars. which makes living in london a pleasure again.
it should be protected and not be allowed to be developed.
- mike england, london, england
Where can we add our names t oppose the proposed road? I am a local resident and frequent visitor of the Heath, plus I know many people who would like to join
- Stella Maris, London, UK
A road might well help toclean up some of the practices that Hampstead Heath ahs acquired such a bad name for
- keith price, Luton, England
What a stupid idea. This should remain the biggest wood park of central London not concreted over.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
The very best of luck to Michael Palin and Ken Loach with their opposition to the proposed road. Anyone who values the area will surely be up in arms at what amounts to the denigration of Hampstead Heath. And perhaps the authorities might care to take stronger measures to clamp down on selfish, speeding cyclists there too. Hampstead should remain as it is: a timeless,charming,peaceful environment far from the madding crowd.
- John, London
