Rosendale Playing Fields

The Rosendale Playing Fields between Dulwich and Herne Hill offer a range of sports facilities and open space for local schools and the community.

Planning application for new fencing

Between September and December 2016 we consulted with local residents on proposals to upgrade the perimeter fencing around Rosendale Playing Fields. This included a newsletter to local residents and drop-in session held with local councillors. Residents were also able to fill in a questionnaire and leave their comments on the proposals.

The results of this questionnaire are available further down this page and the residents who left their contact details were informed directly.

As a result of the questionnaire, it was decided to postpone the submission of the planning application until some of the issues raised by local residents could be reviewed and an approach to move forward could be established.

The planning application was submitted in January 2018 and is considered to be a major application due to the size of the facility and therefore has an extended decision period of 13 weeks.

The statutory public consultation began on 18 January and will run until 2 March 2018. Press notices were placed on 9 February.

During this time you can leave comments on the planning portal and a formal decision is expected in April.

Why are we making these changes?

Following a review of the condition of the fencing around the perimeter of Rosendale Playing fields we feel it’s necessary to upgrade the existing fencing with new, robust materials.

Three local schools make use of the facilities at Rosendale Playing Fields for physical education activities and outdoor learning. It is also home to the Lambeth & Southwark Primary Schools Football League and its 35 schools that play competitive football every Saturday morning of term time and occasional spring afternoons. Safeguarding these children while they’re making use of the facilities is a priority, as well as making sure that the area remains free from damage that might be caused through anti-social behaviour by people accessing the fields and vandalising the area.

The fence that is currently in place is wooden picket style fencing and we feel that at present, it doesn’t meet our standards and requirements for keeping the area secure, and as part of the Lambeth Parks Capital Investment Plan, we’ve made funds available to install a new perimeter fence around the full boundary of the facility, as seen in this map

This will certainly ensure that all children are safeguarded more effectively, and will also mean that more sport and outdoor learning resources such as new football goals and cricket nets can be installed, free in the knowledge that they won’t be affected by vandalism.

What will the new fencing look like?

The type of fencing that has been proposed is Protek 2000, which is welded mesh panels, with horizontal triangular folds as shown in this picture. These folds help to form a strong, rigid fence line and for this reason, this type of fencing is often used around schools and public buildings.

The Protek 2000 mesh fence provides a ‘medium level’ of security fencing that is easy on the eye and has a high through visibility which means that it blends in easily with the surroundings.

The new fence will also improve the appearance of the current boundaries of the fields and will prevent episodes of vandalism and disturbance for local residents living on Rosendale Road and Whytefield Estate.

Rosendale Road Playing Fields - Residents feedback 2016

We recently issued a newsletter informing the local residents who may be directly affected by the proposals for new fencing at Rosendale Playing Fields. Residents were given the option to leave comments. We managed to capture this information through an online survey, we collected 37 responses.

The following information provides the overall results from all survey responses and any parallels found between the queries received from residents who took part in the survey. Totals per question differ due to respondents opting to skip some questions.

Out of the 37 members of the public who took part, 86% of those responded by providing contact numbers with 96% of participants also supplying an email address. The following is a review of the questions and a summary of the responses received:

Q1). Please let us know any feedback you have on the changes we're making to the fencing around the boundary line of Rosendale Playing Fields

Out of the 31 residents that responded to this question, 64% of those were in favour of the proposal for new fencing, with most requesting controlled access gates. Only a small number requested lock-free access. There were 24% of residents that objected sighting reasons bullet-pointed below:

• lack of consultation
• The new fence might disrupt the natural environment of park.
• felt it was a waste of public money
• Potential devaluation of their property by the fence

A further 28% of residents appeared to be satisfied with the plans but wanted more clarity on details such as the actual height of the fence. Wildlife concerns were brought up by 12% of residents worried about how the possible developments would impact animal’s habitat.

Q2).As a local resident, would you be interested in using the facilities at Rosendale Playing Fields outside school hours?

86% of residents responded to this question with only 3% of residents stating that they were not interested in using the facilities outside school hours. 90% of residents were in favour of using the grounds and gave their views (below) on why they would use look to the facilities:

• Safe green spaces for children to play in.
• Access to Tennis Courts, Football Posts & Cricket pitch
• General keep fit walking / running
• A safe place for kids to play as no need to cross any roads
• Would help residents with very small gardens in some of the surrounding estates

Q3) thinking about the fields in general, do you have any other comments you would like to make about any aspect of Rosendale Playing Fields?

The participation of residents dropped off somewhat with only 64% answering this question. The general responses are as follows:

• Residents interested in taking part in the general upkeep of grounds
• The new proposals should not come at the cost to the local residents
• The fields should be opened up for wider use of local residents not reduced.
• Ask football teams who use the ground to carry out a litter pick before they leave the grounds.
• Pymers Mead residents considering paying a minimal sum to use grounds
• Can we introduce a running track & long jump pit?

Results from findings

The results from this survey indicate that over half the residents responding are in favour of the new developments taking place. Residents who objected on the basis that they felt there was an insufficient engagement on the proposal at this stage, may change their opinion as an opportunity for formal Statutory Consultation will take place as the project proceeds. This exercise was intended to inform residents of proposals for the Fields and our intention to seek formal planning permission, there is room for dialogue and mediation on any issues that are of concern. The majority of residents gave contact details, making the necessary contact possible when required.