Need to jump in here, local residents will be effected by more unsociable traffic causing many problems.
Just sayin from what I’ve been told!
I think that was clearly the object of the post already.
Would like to know the research done and numbers for the increase in through traffic.
I totally understand the dread of more traffic, but don’t think that is going to be an overwhelming factor, certainly not big enough to put a stop to it.
This is a genuine question - I’d be keen to know where that stat comes from and which area of local businesses suffered - Sydenham, FH or elsewhere. I can’t understand why a pet shop, a toy shop, an electrical shop and a DIY place would have made much difference to either of those.
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Here is a link to the previous thread if anyone is interested.
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Hey folks, there was a meeting last night by the Sydenham society, local councillors, fh society and residents. I have some traffic figures! So the new Aldi are expecting to have at LEAST five 20 - 30 tonne articulated vehicles each day accessing the site. There will be a car park for 100 cars. There will also be 130 employees based a the new gas works site, with vans. There will also be a restaurant and storage site. On top of this there will be 200 more staff, who if even 40% of them drive that’s another 80 cars a day. Assuming the 100 space car park is for customers, the staff will presumably being parking on surrounding residential streets. There are also 7 bus routes which service the area, although this may increase too, and this is on top of the existing 8 retail units and 15 trade units already there. That’s delivery lorries, customers and staff all using this site and there is no proposal to change the existing access roads. This is a MASSIVE amount of additional traffic!
I can understand that if you don’t live near the site then you feel that it won’t have an impact on you. You’ll probably just have to queue a bit longer to get to B&Q at the weekend. However, for those of us who have lived in the streets around Bell Green and experienced the changes since the development first started, it really has been life changing. We have traffic, and yes hgv lorries, going down Houston Road day and night making deliveries to this area. We are regular woken in the night by them and our houses shake when they go by. The 7.5 tn limit is rarely enforced. At weekends and on bank holidays there is a persistent queue of traffic down our street by people trying to reach the retail park. The noise, pollution, litter from McDonnell’s, and quite allot of the time angst from the drivers is quite frankly disgusting and i really don’t want it to get worse.
That aside, the Aldi have also stated that they hope to draw customers away from Sydenham and Forest Hill high streets, so its not just those who live beside it who will be effected but our lovely high street, where the traders association has worked so hard to save and improve, will also be effected. I love forest hill and the people who live here, its a wonderful community and i’d really like to stay here. So please, if you feel like you could support us then do. Sign the petition or even better object to the planning application here mailto:planning@lewisham.org.uk before 17th April.
Thank you
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That makes a very strong case, thanks for taking the time to share these stats with us @Nicki_Reddington.
I use Bell Green a lot and always drive. However, your comments made me pause for thought. There are times when I drive to Bell Green for a big shopping spree, but could have got everything I needed in Forest Hill Sainsbury. Now I know about the free parking on offer in Forest Hill I think I’ll stay local - and may spend more time in other high st shops as a result.
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Thanks Chris, we do really have a lovely high street in FH, i intend to use it more too!
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Good points from both @Nicki_Reddington and @ChrisBeach
With so much at stake for Forest Hill businesses has the @FHTA got a plan to retain and increase their business? The council doesn’t have sole responsibility surely?
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I’ll speak to the rest of the FHTA exec about this 
@Michael or @Nicki_Reddington do any of you have minutes from last nights meeting?
Hmm, not sure. It was a sort of open forum discussion. Lots of people there who stood up and spoke (sydenham society, FH society, councillors, residents etc) I’ll see if there’s any minutes from the Sydenham Soc. i’ll let you know !
Cheers Nicki x
Pauline - hi I chaired the discussion on it. Suffice to say there was a strong turn out and NO ONE was in favour from Bellingham, Sydenham and Perry Vale wards. The developers will fight dirty.
What I do know is that the area ISNT zoned for retail so can be turned down. councillors who aren’t on planning committee were there and spoke - they are against any more retail developments. Simply put the roads/infrastructure around can’t support any more traffic. AND more importantly the pull of people away from high streets and local community when so much has been invested in trying to regenerate it is not wanted.
We’re trying to pull together some key objections - Nicki’s figures are critical. Air pollution levels up there are already at illegal levels I think.
We’re doing posters for shops locally as we’re so concerned this will impact local businesses. I really think this is something we should all be pulling together on. The developers will fight dirty I’m sure - the public consultation already showed overwhelming opposition but they still put it in AND timed it to be over easter.
Individual objections need to go in - planning@lewisham.gov.uk
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Thanks for this @Didievans will look into it more & make all FH Traders aware on our Google group.
@Simon just checking you’ve saw this!
Please email me all info you have on this sugarmountain.info@gmail.com
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@Didievans & @Nicki_Reddington Just to let you know I’ll add this to our next FHTA meeting agenda.
ETA
Amazing thank you. Objections have to be in by 18th April. They’re planning a massive Aldi, “restaurant” and cafe.
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I think that site if anything it should e use for a nice park with sensory garden for children with disabilitys
Almost to scared to post that but am I the only one who would love to have more retail in bell green, I don’t think there is anything to preserve and welcome more shops, however I absolutely support the traffic issue and it should not impact on people living there. I don’t think there is any chance to stop more retail moving in and the focus should be how the traffic can be sorted out to lessen the impact on the neighbourhood , any shops down there offer complete different range to dartmouth road so I can’t see how it would impact the shops there unless you can tell me where I can get clear decking varnish on dartmouth road and I am happy to buy it there
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Couldn’t disagree more
Your post means nothing speak up
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I think the issue is that there is a fear that people tend to go to Bell Green to get decking varnish or whatever but while they are there they pop into a big retail unit and get maybe some nice ham from the deli counter instead of going to Il Mirto and pick up some sweets instead of going to Sugar Mountain or getting a quick veg shop in rather than going to Waters…
Centers such as Bell Green do act as magnets that attract footfall which to some extent takes it away from surrounding areas. I don’t think that there is any doubt that they do damage to local shops. That is not to say that they should be banned or discouraged but local protest should be taken into account…
My personal take on this development is that it totally lacks any imagination and is just about the easiest, laziest and cheapest thing that could be done with the place. It adds nothing of any real value to the local area while at the same time it will impose more traffic and more large vehicles on our surrounding streets. Having said that I haven’t really seen any alternative plans put forward and no doubt commercialism will win the day.
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