News from our member societies across London
News updates from our members’ websites, where available. This list shows the latest two stories from each of over eighty societies represented, automatically updated hourly. To read an entire story, click on its headline, image or read-more link, taking you to the member website. We select topical items from this page to add to our own news in a weekly email – read previous editions and subscribe here.
Please note that these are unmoderated news stories from our members identified by source name, who are solely responsible for the publishing of their content.
- Annual Greenwich Society Lecture
Annual Greenwich Society Lecture Guest Speaker: Professor Jane Harrington Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the London and South East University Group Professor Jane Harrington is the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the London and South East University Group, the inaugural leader of the UK’s first multi-university group, and former Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Greenwich, where she served from December 2019. With a career in higher education spanning 35 years, she is widely… Read more » - Remembrance SundayThe Chairman will lay a wreath on behalf of the Society at the War Memorial in Sloane Square at 11 am Members of the Society are invited to attend the ceremony, and the service at Holy Trinity church afterwards. The post Remembrance Sunday appeared first on The Chelsea Society. Read more »
- Free lantern-making workshops in Bermondsey SquareIlluminate Bermondsey returns for 2026! This local community celebration helps to bring light and fun to the dark evenings, with a lantern parade from the Blue in Bermondsey to Southwark Park on Friday 20 November. You can join free lantern-making workshops in the lead up to the procession, and take home your own unique lantern. All materials and lights are provided. Thursday 12 and Tuesday 17 November 4-7pm, Bermondsey Square, SE1 3UN Book now. Other dates… Read more »
- Closure of Melior Street Monday 9 NovemberSouthwark Council has agreed the closure of Melior Street at the Weston Street end on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 November or until the works are complete. A signed diversion will be in place. For more information, contact ttmo@southwark.gov.uk. The post Closure of Melior Street Monday 9 November appeared first on BermondseyStreet.London. Read more »
- A Spooky Ghost Walk on All Saints DayThe Society held one of it’s sell-out Ghosts, Murder and Highwaymen of Bromley walks on Sunday 1st November 2026. The walk took 2 hours and stopped at eleven different locations in the town centre to tell engaging stories with lots … Continue reading → Read more »
- Notice: guided walk cancelledUnfortunately, the Heath Walk for 6 December 2026 around the Hampstead Ponds has had to be cancelled owing to the indisposition of the walk leader. Read more »
- Coffee & ChatCoffee & Chat Wednesday, 4th November @ 11.15am Parkside Café (1st floor), National Maritime Museum, London SE10 9NF Meryl DaviesChief Executive of Morden College in Blackheath The Greenwich Society is following last year’s Conversations with Distinguished Judges with a similar series of monthly Conversations with Local Residents. They will be hosted as last year by Tim Barnes KC. Meryl Davies, Chief Executive of Morden College in Blackheath. Both and almshouse and a charity since its inception… Read more »
- Mayor of London’s target for 7,000 homes on Barnet green belt highlights significance of land bank at Arkley valued at £150 millionA large expanse of green belt woodland and fields at Arkley – which is being held as a multi-million-pound landbank for possible future housing – is attracting heightened interest from developers. Contractors have painted blue marks on a long line of trees in one 25-acre plot. The post Mayor of London’s target for 7,000 homes on Barnet green belt highlights significance of land bank at Arkley valued at £150 million appeared first on The Barnet… Read more »
- EFRA Comments - Planning Application for 217 Northfield Avenue – 263111FULPlanning Application for 217 Northfield Avenue – 263111FUL Comments of Ealing Fields Residents’ Association The full text can be viewed here. Read more »
- Difficulties finding an NHS dental appointment should be eased with software developed by a High Barnet dentistHunting for an NHS dental appointment is a task which should become easier thanks to software developed by a High Barnet dentist with the aim of matching patients with practices which have spare capacity. The post Difficulties finding an NHS dental appointment should be eased with software developed by a High Barnet dentist appeared first on The Barnet Society. Read more »
- Remembrance Service Live StreamIf you are unable to be at the Remembrance Sunday Service at the War memorial on Sunday 8th November, you will be able to watch the service online. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpNS6gKkBGA Read more »
- Society volunteers pick up three Enfield in Bloom awardsNow in its 47th year, Enfield in Bloom (wholly run by volunteers) celebrates gardening, biodiversity and greener spaces across the Borough through its annual competition, which is growing year on year, excuse the pun. The organisers are especially pleased to have more entries from schools, encouraging the next generation of... Continue reading Read more »
- National Emergency BriefingIn November 2025, the National Emergency Briefing brought together leading experts to present the latest evidence on the climate and nature crisis to politicians and other influential people in Westminster. That evidence is now on the public record as a 50 minute film that sets out what the climate emergency means for our health, food, security and economy. It will deliver the frank facts about the threats, but also the enormous benefits if our Government leads… Read more »
- More tree newsPhoto: Frances Migniuolo Another Lee tree has been claimed by the weather. This red maple which bordered the lake in Manor House Gardens has come down into the water. It may have been brought down by the high winds, but was almost certainly weakened internally by the drought. Meanwhile we have been trying to date the tree in Micheldever Road which came down in the recent gales. This photo, believed to have been taken in… Read more »
- Westcombe Society QuizNovember 14th – 7pm at Mycenae House Westcombe Soc members £8 Non-members £9 Fish and chips £14 per person Tables of 6 – Prizes To book email; events@westcombesociety.org Read more »
- Blackheath Fireworks Information for ResidentsThe following is a letter to residents from the organisers of the Blackheath Fireworks Event on 7 November 2026 Dear Resident, This letter is to provide information about the spectacular fireworks taking place on Blackheath Nov 7th. It will be distributed to addresses in the vicinity of the event, however please feel free to digitise this letter and forward to anyone that you feel it may be relevant for. General Event Information The event… Read more »
- New Planning Regulations come into forceFrom 31st October 2026 the way planning applications are decided in England has changed. A national scheme of delegation means that most planning applications will be considered by officers and limits Planning Committees to 13 members (not an issue in London Boroughs). In parallel, the Budget promised more money for... Continue reading Read more »
- Archway Campus Joint Action Group submits its objection to the MayorThe Archway Campus Joint Action Group (JAG), a coalition of Highgate and Archway community organisations and residents, including the Highgate Society, submitted its detailed response to the GLA ahead of the 5th October consultation deadline. The full JAG consultation response can be read here and here. Despite the developer's revised proposals, the fundamental concerns remain unresolved. […] Read more »
- Hillingdon Garden Waste: Stop the Wheelie Bin Changes Until Residents Are ConsultedIf you agree with this petition please sign it. You can read more and sign the petition here: https://c.org/rgXsryZgtZ “We, the undersigned residents of the London Borough of Hillingdon, formally petition Hillingdon Council to reconsider its Cabinet decision of 22 October 2026 to replace the existing garden waste sack collection arrangements with a predominantly wheelie-bin-based service and reduce collections to 25 per year. “We call upon the Council to pause implementation pending meaningful borough-wide public consultation… Read more »
- What If? 2 – Tall Buildings, Shared FuturesTall Buildings, Shared Futures explores how Kingston’s changing skyline affects our homes, streets and communities, inviting everyone to question, debate and help shape a better future for the borough. Read more »
- Life Above and Below Monck Street After the Gasworks27 October 2026 On 22 September we were delighted to collaborate again with author and local resident Linda Hantrais on the third and final talk in her series about “The Rises and Falls of Monck Street”, held at Westminster City Archives. The talk examined what happened above and below Monck Street following the closure of the gasworks in 1937, the subject of her previous talk. During Linda’s research in both the Thorney Island Society’s archives… Read more »
- Burnt Ash Road closed after crashBurnt Ash Road has been closed after a crash involving a motorcycle and a car just outside Lee station. It’s not known if anyone was badly hurt. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 2:40pm today (27 October) to reports of a road traffic collision on the junction of Glenmere Road and Burnt Ash Hill, Lewisham, SE12. “We sent an ambulance crew, a paramedic in a fast response car and an incident… Read more »
- November – DecemberOurNovember – December Newsletter David Smith, founder and President of The Finchley Society, died in October, at 86 years of age. This issue of the Newsletter is dedicated to David and tells the story of his involvement with the Society from early 1971. If you are a member of the Finchley Society you should soon receive your newsletter by email or in the post. If you are not a member of the Society, you can… Read more »
- RBKC rejects all Jolt advertisement panelsRBKC put its foot down when an advertising company tried to erect large advertisement panels, claiming that their main purpose was to offer charging for electric cars. The post RBKC rejects all Jolt advertisement panels appeared first on The Kensington Society. Read more »
- LGC plans (Queens Road)There is a planning application on Richmond Council's planning site for the demolition of the 'Laboratory of the Government Chemist' buildings (LGC) off Queens Road. The application has an extension to 7 November 2026 and at the moment comments are still open. https://planning.richmond.gov.uk/richmond/application-details/241027 The demolition will take place over a 12 week period. Planned working hours are Monday to Friday 08.00-16.30 and Saturday 08.00-13.00 when required. There are approximately 150 estimated vehicle movements over the… Read more »
- Licensing PolicyWe have written to our MP, Marsha de Cordova, to seek her support in resisting some changes to the arrangements relating to the Licensing Act.Earlier this year the Government gave the Mayor of London the right to call in decisions made by Councils regarding the grant of Licenses under the Licensing Act 2003. This right would be restricted to applications that were “potentially strategic” with the definition of what is classed as potentially strategic to… Read more »
- Planting up Christchurch Gardens, in picturesby Clare Graham, Chair, Open Spaces Committee Here are some photos of the community planting morning we held on 20 October 2026 together with Enable Parks, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Battersea's unique little World War II memorial shelter. Christchurch Gardens sits at the corner of Cabul Road and Battersea Park Road, and contains something very special: the former borough of Battersea's memorial to its civilian war dead of 1939-45. Designed as an elegantly… Read more »
- Unveiling of the Eliza Fenning memorialJoin the Friends of St George’s Gardens as we unveil a memorial to Eliza Fenning. 12:30pm, Sunday 25 October Eliza Fenning, a local cook, was hanged in 1815 after a travesty of a trial. She was 22. It was alleged that she had tried to poison her employers with arsenic, but no-one died and the claim that arsenic was involved was never proved. It was widely believed that there had been a terrible miscarriage of… Read more »
- Book Launch: Remembering the St John’s Rail Disaster (Weds 2nd Dec 2026)Calling everyone who remembers, or is interested in, the St John’s, Lewisham, rail disaster during the foggy evening of Wednesday December 4 1957 – especially survivors, rescuers and their family members. Ninety people died in this catastrophe and over 200 were injured. St John’s remains the southern railway network’s worst accident. Thousands of people were on the trains involved and, even today, the crash remains deeply rooted in South East London’s communal memory. Several events… Read more »
- Some 20th anniversary observationsLast Saturday, we had almost 100 people gather at Stanstead Lodge to talk about what has changed, and what we can maybe hope for, in 20 years. Read more »
- Eliza’s DumplingsThe Friends of St George’s Gardens and the Church of St George the Martyr present…. Injustice in Georgian Bloomsbury: Remembering Eliza Fenning and the lessons from her story 3:00pm – 4:00pm, Saturday 24 October Eliza Fenning, a local cook, was hanged in 1815 after a travesty of a trial. Her shocking story will be dramatised in the church in Queen Square. Eliza Fenning, a local cook, was hanged in 1815 after a travesty of a… Read more »
- Sathnam Sanghera: The meaning of George MichaelWednesday 11th November 2026 7.00 for 7.30 pm 10A South Grove N6 6BS Entry £7.50 including a glass of wine. Sathnam Sanghera introduces his recently published book 'Tonight the Music Seems So Loud'. For details and booking click More Read more »
- The ScrubberyThe Putney Charity helping the people of Ukraine A presentation by the founder Rosie Taylor-Davies, recorded with stills and voice. Made October 21.2026. The Scrubbery began in January 2020 at … Continue reading "The Scrubbery" Read more »
- 2026 AwardsEaling StudiosAward We had a great night on Tuesday when over 65 people came along to our Award Ceremony at the Polygon at St Mary’s Church. A presentation by Harbinder Birdi gave us an outline of the 9 shortlisted projects. Our speaker Nicholas Boys Smith then presented the main Award, plus 1 highly commended and 2 commended certificates. The award went to the Ealing Studios for their stunning new buildings which opened in August 2025. … Read more »
- Surbiton honours Thomas Pooley – who?? Read onA new plaque at Surbiton station honours Thomas Pooley’s role in shaping the town, following years of determined work by June Sampson and Bob Phillips. Read more »
- Report from our Annual General MeetingThe Clapham Society’s Annual General Meeting on Monday 19th October highlighted its ongoing work to improve the local environment, engage residents and preserve Clapham’s distinctive character. Three major initiatives featured this year. The Society continued its environmental work by planting bulbs in the grassy area beside Clapham Underground station, regular litter-picking and keeping the shady garden watered and thriving over the hot dry summer. It also organised an environmental awareness competition for children from three… Read more »
- The Kew Society AGM 2026Kew Society Members attended the 2026 AGM of the Kew Society on 15th October at the National Archives. Shiona Williams presented the Chair and Trustees Annual Report and Steve Williams the Annual Statement of Accounts. Rachel Kent was appointed Chair of the Society and Steve Williams was returned as Honorary Treasurer. Shiona Williams stood down as Deputy Chair and was returned as a Trustee. Shiona Williams was thanked for her time as both Chair… Read more »
- Merton’s Air Quality Action Plan – Feedback from Consultation WebinarLast Updated on 23 October 2026 As part of the ongoing Consultation on Air Quality, the Merton Council Air Quality Team hosted a call on 14 October to discuss its activities, progress made to date and plans for the future. The Council has a statutory duty to monitor air pollution and report annually to the GLA and obligations to take action to achieve the UK Objectives. In fact, Merton is already doing largely better than… Read more »
- Sewage – “Victorian Stink Pipes”Last Updated on 24 October 2026 Wimbledon has a number of curious poles. They look like very tall Victorian lamp-posts, but without a lamp at the top. They are ventilation stacks, more commonly known as “stink pipes”, and were an important part of the Victorian drainage system. In 1887, the “emission of foul smells” from some of the sewers was such that “nurses were not allowed to take children within a hundred yards of them. … Read more »
- Planning Report October 2026Since the previous committee report, there have been 78 applications in the wards covered by the Association, with two objections lodged. This represents an increase of approximately 25% on the number reported previously. Most applications continue to concern small, uncontested domestic projects. Updates on previously reported applications 1. 13 Bedford Road. There has been no... Read more »
- Alexandra Palace and Park October 2026 ReportThe September Consultative Committee focused on the Palace’s major building projects, several of which are entering the planning phase, as well as reviewing the summer concerts and looking ahead to this year’s fireworks and the World Darts Championship. The largest item was the replacement of the Panorama Room, the tented event space behind the colonnade... Read more »
- Draft London Plan: Battersea Society Response1. This response relates to specific issues in the draft plan which are of direct relevance to development in Battersea. The Battersea Society as a member of the London Forum supports its separate detailed submission; and we do not reiterate their concerns below. However, we wish to draw attention to the following failings in the draft which are specific to Battersea and should be addressed.2.MBUL1 Spatial Strategy : We question the unexplained omission of Clapham… Read more »
- Christmas PartyAll members and their guests are welcome to Ham and Petersham Association and Amenities Group’s Christmas Party at the Hand and Flower Pub, Ham Common on Wednesday, 2nd December 6.30 to 9pm. Celebrate Christmas and celebrate the work done to help preserve Ham and Petersham as a great place to live. Enjoy wine and canapes along with great company. Members only. The post Christmas Party appeared first on Ham and Petersham Association and Amenities Group. Read more »
- Chiswick Community Vows To Fight Tower Block Developer’s ‘Last-Minute’ High Court AppealOCPS Press Release:The Old Chiswick Protection Society (OCPS) has vowed to vehemently challenge a last-minute legal bid by developers to revive a controversial 10-storey tower block next to the Hogarth Roundabout.The move comes after the High Court quashed the planning permission for the 132-flat scheme at 1 Burlington Lane, ruling that Hounslow Council’s initial approval was unlawful. While the Council chose not to contest the High Court's judgment, the developer has launched a late application… Read more »
- Celebrate the River on 18th October!SOLAR and others will be aboard the education boat Thames Venturer on Sunday October 18th to celebrate "A Song For The River"From 12.00 to 15.00, moored in the lock cut by the footbridge, Thames Venturer hosts - songs, poetry, arts, and local history in the general theme of creative celebrations of the River - step on board and amble around. 14 October 2026 Read more »
- Ed Hall is now based at the new R.N.L.I. Wandsworth Lifeboat Station that opened September 22nd. 2026Recording of the talk made 23rd.September 2026. To view, just click on the link: Link Read more »
- Community Banking Hub for SydenhamHub run by Cash Access UK is to open in the central core of Sydenham Road. Read more »
- The Richmond Society – Looking AheadFor nearly seventy years, the Richmond Society has played an important role in protecting and enhancing the character of our town. As Richmond continues to evolve, it is right that […] Read more »
- TLERA Community Survey – have your sayWe’d like to hear from you! TLERA is here for everyone who lives on the estate, and we want to be sure we’re putting our effort into the things that matter most to residents. Our short community survey asks which of our activities you already know about, what you’d like to see more of, and how the association could be more useful to you. It only takes a few minutes, and we’d value your views… Read more »
- In Memory of Ray Pennell (1958 – 2026)Ray Pennell (Chair of St John’s Society 1998-2003) sadly passed away in Horrabridge, Devon on Sunday 2nd August 2026. He was a founder member, the first Chair of SJS and with the support of his wife Sarah, an important voice for campaigning on a number of issues, improving the area for all residents. Ray initially worked as a teacher in Zimbabwe and it was where he met his wife, Sarah. He and Sarah moved to… Read more »
- Build-up of Forest e-bikesWe were concerned about the build-up of Forest e-bikes in lower Church Road around the passage to the station on the morning of Monday October 5th. It’s a growing problem […] Read more »
- Forest Hill: the next 20 yearsTwenty years ago a group of neighbours set up the Forest Hill Society to give our area a stronger voice. To mark our anniversary, we're inviting members new and old to help us create a vision of what the next twenty years should look like. Join us at Stanstead Lodge on Saturday 17 October, from 2pm to 5pm. It's an afternoon for members, neighbours and families, and for anyone who cares about SE23. Do bring… Read more »
- Our Response to the Draft London PlanOur Response to the Draft London Plan At the beginning of October the Finchley Society’s Planning Committee submitted its response to the consultation on the draft London Plan 2027-39. While the Committee found much to agree with in the draft Plan, it also made a number of comments. The key points are: ensure that London has a thriving economy with sufficient and varied job opportunities; ensure that the infrastructure can support the resident population, those… Read more »
- Public Meeting – Monday 26th October 2026 at 7.30pmOur next Public Meeting that will take place at 7.30pm on Monday 26th October in the smaller meeting room at the Age Concern Hall on Oxford Road North. The Agenda for the meeting will be sent out nearer the time. We look forward to seeing you there. Read more »
- The truth about property developers: how they are exploiting planning authorities and ruining our citiesOliver Wainwright Extracts from article in Guardian 17 Sep 2014 …Across the country – and especially in superheated London, where stratospheric land values beget accordingly bloated developments – authorities are allowing planning policies to be continually flouted, affordable housing quotas to be waived, height limits breached, the interests of residents endlessly trampled. Places are becoming ever meaner and more divided, as public assets are relentlessly sold off, entire council estates flattened to make room for… Read more »
- New venueWe were so sorry to learn of the closure of Open Ealing in September. This lively and welcoming arts centre in Dickens Yard had been our regular venue since October 2021. It had everything we needed and we were dismayed to have to find a new location for our talks and events. We were particularly sad to have to say goodbye to the ever friendly and helpful Mandie. Our next event, our Annual Award Ceremony… Read more »
- Belsize Library 90th anniversary opening eventCome and celebrate the start of the 90th Anniversary celebrations of our beloved local library.Sign up to the free ticket here.We’ll join together to look forward to a 6m programme of fantastic talks and there will be food, drink, music and a few short speeches and a film.Check out their programme here.The Winch, who run the library, are launching a Champions scheme to raise financial support to support this valuable local amenity – always in… Read more »
- Help refurbish Mayow Road fountainBuilt to commemorate the opening of the park as the Sydenham and Forest Hill Public Recreation Ground in June 1878, Friends of Mayow Park are raising money for the refurbishment of the fountain. Please make a donation below or by scanning the QR code in the picture below. Read more »
- Pub MeetupPub MeetupWednesday 21 October 7pm onwards at The Union Tavern, 52 Lloyd Baker StreetJoin the committee and other members for an informal catch up. Read more »
- What’s in a street name: Part 2 South BatterseaBy Sally Sellers Email Heritage Some time ago we looked at the derivation of street names around Nine Elms, this time the focus is on the area around Clapham Junction. Once again the names provide fascinating insights into the area’s past.Standing outside the old Arding and Hobbs building near Clapham Junction Station it’s hard to miss the name St. John - with St. John’s Hill leading up towards Wandsworth and St. John’s Road along through… Read more »
- ‘Exploring Belsize’ – book launchReview by Alan SelwynCongratulations to two local heroes and a very unusual estate agent cum publisher.On Wednesday, at the wonderful Burgh House, lubricated by wine and canapés, we had the long-anticipated launch of ‘Exploring Belsize’, the compendium of six of Averil Nottage’s popular historic walks through the Belsize area. And what a glorious publication it is, richly illustrated by David S Percy’s beautiful photographs and archive material from the Camden Local Studies Centre and Archive… Read more »
- Police Resources In West HampsteadThe local police are operating under significant finance, staffing and social pressures. Community support remains an important part of effective neighbourhood policing. We are. a trusted source to pass on concerns and information. Through us police can hear about recurring issues on the ground such as antisocial behaviour, drug dealing, vulnerable people or persistent nuisance locations. website : http://www.metengage.co.uk Signing up to Met Engage for: local crime and safety alerts. updates from your local Safer… Read more »
- Holland Park Roundabout – Safer Cycling?In March 2026 Hammersmith & Fulham Council approved TfL’s proposal for a new cycleway on Holland Park Roundabout, despite significant concerns about its impact on safety, congestion, journey times, and pollution. We last looked at this proposal in June 2025 – it remains unchanged. The TfL proposal for a convoluted two-way cycle lane goes round the inner east and southern edge of the central island of the roundabout requiring cyclists to cross vehicle traffic in… Read more »
- Christmas PartyChristmas Party Monday 14 December 7pm Join us for our last event of 2026 at new location – detail and booking information to follow Read more »
- The (former) Boathouse – Bromley Palace parkWhilst the boat house does not feature on the Town Centre Biodiversity Heritage Trail, it can be seen when walking between the Icehouse and the Lawns, from this stop here. The boathouse first appears in postcards around the 1900s, and … Continue reading → Read more »
- Christmas PartyThe Society’s 2026 Christmas Party will be held at Auriens, 2 Dovehouse Street, at 6-8pm, by kind permission of the Directors and residents. Tickets @ £40 are available from the Box Office of the Cadogan Hall, 3 Sloane Terrace, London, SW1X 9DQ in person, or by phone 0207-730-4500. NB. The meeting is at Auriens, not at the Cadogan Hall, and will start promptly at 6pm. Tickets are also available online via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-chelsea-society-christmas-party-tickets-2000415878743?aff=oddtdtcreator Chelsea… Read more »
- Battersea Society at the Community FestivalBattersea Society chair Jenny Sheridan, Battersea MP Marsha de Cordova and Community & Comms committee chair Annabel Clarkson Battersea Society at the Battersea Community FestivalThe Battersea Society was delighted to take part again in this year's Battersea Community Festival on Saturday 5 September. The sun shone and fun was the order of the day, all impressively well organised by Enable on behalf of Wandsworth Council. The event began with a parade of the many groups… Read more »
- Landscaping outside Greenside schoolNomination for a Nancye Goulden Award, 2026. The area outside Goldfinger’s Grade II* Greenside school has been transformed with a landscaping scheme funded by the Council’s Green Investment scheme. The pupils at the school helped design the scheme which has a slightly raised curving path which they enjoy running along. The planting scheme was by the Hammersmith Community Gardens Association (who won a Hammersmith Society award for the King Street rain gardens in 2025) in… Read more »
- Next Step for Victoria Tower Gardens: Our Call for an Open Public Inquiry6 September 2026 We are pleased to share the latest update regarding our ongoing focus on Victoria Tower Gardens. Recently the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published updated planning documents, including a revised Environmental Statement for the proposed Memorial and Learning Centre. We are delighted to announce that the Thorney Island Society has officially submitted a robust response to this document, actively championing the preservation of our local heritage and the protection of… Read more »
- A tough summer for treesby Clare Graham, Chair, Open Spaces Committee Four heatwaves and a prolonged period of drought have made the summer of 2026 a difficult time for Battersea's trees, both old and young. Changing Landscapes Stressed trees on Clapham Common. All photos © the author. After a prolonged period of drought and no fewer than four heatwaves, our local open spaces are looking brown and sad. The grass is in some places beginning to grow back again,… Read more »
- EFRA response to consultation on Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement: August 2026EFRA is a large residents' association in the southern part of the London Borough of Ealing. Our response to the consultation is attached. We are implacably opposed to the expansion of Heathrow centred on the construction of a third runway. Read more »
- 1-3 Kensington Palace Gardens, aka the Coach ParkHow did some of the grandest houses in Bayswater turn into a coach park? What tragedy allowed 1-3 Kensington Palace Gardens (KPG) … Drawing room, 1 KPG, c1893 … to be bulldozed into this? The answer is surprising: 1-3 KPG were casualties of a Cold War property exchange between British and Soviet governments that stalled for 30 years. What’s now a coach park was intended to be the Soviet Embassy in London. The pedigree of… Read more »
- Putney Society response to the government consultation on Heathrow Expansion (HENPS)The Putney Society has responded to the government consultation which closes on September 1st 2026The Putney Society is the civic society for Putney and Roehampton. Putney suffers substantial impacts from aircraft noise, as the approach to Heathrow`s southern runway (nine miles to our west) passes over the northern part of Putney, and the approach to the northern runway is also close. At present, Roehampton suffers less severely. The response focuses on noise impacts.HENPS is in… Read more »
- 189 Summer 2026189 260726 Summer 26 The post 189 Summer 2026 appeared first on Strawberry Hill Residents' Association. Read more »
- Proposed draft revision to the Airports National Policy Statement.To be known as the Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement.Many London civic societies will have concerns about various aspects of the Heathrow expansion proposals on which the government is currently consulting, including aircraft noise, local air pollution, impacts on road congestion and many more. In the Putney Society our greatest concerns relate to aircraft noise impacts, which could well affect a wide area of London, either through more intensive use of existing flightpaths, with shorter… Read more »
- Pamela Colman Smith and the Rider Waite TarotGuest blog post by Emma Anthony, Archivist, Wandsworth Libraries and Heritage Service Email Heritage When I was sixteen, an intriguing witchy-cum-new-age shop opened in my hometown of Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland. This was in 2002 - a couple of years after the release of the teen witchcraft movie, ‘the Craft’, so you can imagine on opening this shop had a huge clientele of disaffected teenage girls, and I was certainly among their number. It was… Read more »
- Good times at the annual Summer PartyJenny Sheridan ©Mark Hodgkinson 2026 On the evening of Thursday 16 July the Battersea Society held its annual summer party. With a backdrop of the beautiful Georgian St Mary’s Church, and a high tide on the river, the evening was set fair.The weather was delightfully warm after a stifling week of heatwave. As the evening drew on, the beginnings of a rosy sunset lit the crowd of 120 happy Society members and their friends as… Read more »
- Blackheath Station Car Park Planning Application – July UpdateFollowing the local elections in May 2026, Lewisham Council's Planning Committees were reconstituted and a new meeting timetable was published.Earlier this week, we were advised that the Blackheath Station Car Park planning application will not be considered at the Planning Committee B meeting on 12 August.We are now awaiting confirmation of which Planning Committee will next consider the application. Although it was originally heard by Planning Committee B in January, the application must now pass through the Council's committee scheduling… Read more »
- Latest News: Revised Planning Application for Gunnersbury Park.The Society has submitted comments to replace those submitted in January 2026; they have been prepared following consideration of the documents added to the planning application in June and July 2026. Please click here to see our comments and scroll down the page. Read more »
- Jubilee Gardens awarded the coveted Green Flag Award as it is officially recognised as one of the country’s best parks for 2026GREEN FLAG AWARD 2026 Jubilee Gardens on London’s South Bank raises prestigious Green Flag Award after achieving international quality mark for parks and green spaces. Jubilee Gardens Trust is celebrating today after receiving a Green Flag Award for the sixth year for Jubilee Gardens. It comes as the internationally recognised standard for parks and green spaces celebrates its 30th year. Jubilee Gardens at the heart of London’s bustling South Bank is one of a record… Read more »
- GREEN FLAG AWARD 2026 Jubilee Gardens on London’s South Bank raises prestigious Green Flag Award after achieving international quality mark for parks and green spaces. Jubilee Gardens Trust is celebrating today after receiving a Green Flag Award for the sixth year for Jubilee Gardens. It comes as the internationally recognised standard for parks and green spaces celebrates its 30th year. Jubilee Gardens at the heart of London’s bustling South Bank is one of a record… Read more »
- The 125th Anniversary Vintage Bus TourKew Society Members had a wonderful day celebrating 125 years of the Kew Society on a vintage bus tour of west London. It was such a joy to see so many familiar faces, everyone making the effort to dress up and bring a little piece of Kew’s history to life. The bus tour was full of laughter, stories and a real sense of community, one of those days that reminds you how special Kew is.… Read more »
- Georgian & Victorian houses in & around Islington: a structural engineer’s view – Thursday 9th July 2026Georgian & Victorian houses in & around Islington: a structural engineer’s view This talk by Kevin Clark, a conservation accredited structural engineer specialising in the inspection, assessment and repair of historic buildings will explain the typical construction of Georgian & Victorian housing in and around Islington and the structural function of their various components. The talk will explore their inherent vulnerabilities from a structural engineer’s perspective, and through the use of several case studies will… Read more »
- Refusal of the application to erect a 20 metre monopole telecoms mast on BlackheathIn May 2025 an application was submitted to Lewisham Council for prior approval of the installation of a 20 metre mast at a sensitive site in Blackheath Conservation Area. The proposal (DC/25/140283) involved siting the mast on the edge of the Heath itself. It was claimed that this involved an innovative design in which the antennas and associated equipment were housed within the mast itself obviating the need for the usual adjoining pavement boxes. Under… Read more »
- Our AGM and Social 8 JulyWe will again be at Hartswood Tennis Club in Hartswood Gardens for our AGM and Social on Wednesday 8 July at 7pm. At the AGM we will be reporting on our work for the year, presenting the accounts and dealing with the election of Committee members and officers. We will be joined by our Neighbourhood Police, our Councillors and our MP, Andy Slaughter. Afterwards , there will be drinks and a finger buffet, which will… Read more »
- Restoration of 1-3 Orme CourtEmerging from a long period under scaffolding, 1-3 Orme Court, which faces Bayswater Road, has been beautifully restored as a very handsome building. According to the planning application, the purpose of the renovation is “amalgamation of 2-3 Orme Court with 1 and 4-8 Orme Court … to facilitate change of use to residential, religious and educational establishment for [an] international community of professionals, students and priests …”. The Netherhall Educational Association (NEA), an educational charity… Read more »
- AGM 1st May 2025The post AGM 1st May 2025 appeared first on Strawberry Hill Residents' Association. Read more »
- Quentin Blake Centre opens on Friday 5 JuneThe Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration will open its doors on Friday 5 June. The Amwell Street and Myddelton Passage gates will open between 9.30am and 5.30pm from Wednesdays to Sundays (buildings open 10am to 5pm). The cafe will serve light meals, snacks and drinks until 4.30pm. Tickets are available for three special exhibitions: Quentin Blake Performance; MURUGIAH: Ever Feel Like..and Queer as Comics. The first festival will take place on 27 June. Visitors will… Read more »
- Planning Watch May 2026Members of the committee attended a consultation on plans for Regents House (former RBS building) next to Angel station; public consultations were also held for residents to see outline plans to change it to a 600-room Motel 1 hotel. The street-side colonnade would be enclosed, overall building height would remain broadly unchanged, a full renovation would retain the two courtyards and the bricks, replace the windows and create upper level terraces, and the right of… Read more »
- Lots Road Auctions and Car Pound granted approval for a major development.On 16th.December 2025 the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea granted planning consent for a development of 274 homes together with 2015 m2 of flexible workspace.The development site is approximately one third in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham who also granted planning consent on 10th March 2026.The residential element contains 118 social homes for rent and also includes 65 ‘extra care’ homes for the vulnerable. The development is largely car free and comprises… Read more »
- Co-Living Possibly Coming to Fulham.The former Hitchcock and King premises in Carnwarth Road has recently been bought by Espalier Ventures.As an aside this is the last builder’s merchants to close in this area are Jewsons closed a couple of years ago.Espalier are proposing around three hundred high quality co-living rooms, twenty-one communal kitchen and dining stations together with coommunal space.The building will be a maximum of seven storeys.A public exhibition of the scheme took place in July last year… Read more »
- “Celebrating Heritage” SPDThe Society was recently invited to represent members in the City’s consultation on their new Supplementary Planning Document, entitled “Celebrating Heritage”. We attended an in-person consultation session at St. Ethelburga’s and spoke with officers there about the SPD and some of our concerns. The draft SPD is available here. Our letter responding to the consultation is below. 260414 CHS Letter re Celebrating Heritage SPD_for websiteDownload The post “Celebrating Heritage” SPD appeared first on City Heritage… Read more »
- “The Villainous Landlord”The twelfth Annual General Meeting of the Hampstead Neighbourhood Forum took place at 7.00pm on 18 March 2026. It was held at the Hampstead Community Centre with more than 40 people attending. Approval of Minutes of the last AGM The minutes of the previous AGM, held on 11 March 2025, had been posted on the Forum’s website. As proposed by Linda Chung and seconded by Francesca Agostini, the minutes were approved nem. con. Approval of… Read more »
- Members Summer Garden Party 2026Members’ Summer Garden Party at Richmond Golf Club, on Saturday 27th June We are exceptionally grateful to the club for hosting us at their beautiful home between Petersham and Ham. The live music, food and drink will be of the highest standard and is included in the cost of just £25. This is a rare chance for members to enjoy an evening at an exclusive venue. The post Members Summer Garden Party 2026 appeared first… Read more »
- Annual report 2025Please see latest MapRA report on activities… Source Read more »
- Proposed new constitutionSummary of Key Changes to the Constitution; adopted at AGM 2026 This note summarises the main changes between the previous MapRA constitution (April 2025) and the updated constitution approved by MapRA committee in January 2026. The aim of the changes is to modernise governance, clarify decision‑making, and make MapRA easier to run while remaining accountable to members. What has not changed… Source Read more »
- Barnsbury book festivalThe first ever Barnsbury Book festival is planned for 17-19 April. https://www.barnsburybookfestival.org/ It’s all in aid of restoring the 130-foot church spire in Thornhill Square – which is on the Heritage at Risk Register and badly needs work. The line-up: art and architecture Grayson Perry, Rowan Moore, Dan Cruickshank history and literature Marina Warner, Frances Wilson, Clair Wills music Stephen Hough comedy … Read more »
Grey to Green depaving
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London River Health Map
The map here is presented by the GLA City Intelligence Unit on the state of London's rivers.
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Heritage Lottery consultation
The Heritage Alliance submitted its response to the DCMS’ Lottery Good Causes consultation, which you can view on their website.
...
Draft London Plan response – linked policy by policy
The GLA’s consultation on the draft London Plan 2026 closed on 15 October 2026, London Forum submitted a 39-page response. This is the short version: the main points, then in 'Our Comments policy by policy', a one or two-line summary of key ...
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Member Services Committee meeting
📅 Thu 3rd December | 14:00 - 16:00
🚩 Room F3 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)
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Planning, Environment and Transport committee meeting
📅 Thu 10th December | 14:00 - 16:00
🚩 Room B1 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)
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