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 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 »- Join 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 »
- The 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 »
- All the stresses and strains – and sometimes laughter – of everyday life in Barnet during the Second World War are captured in an imaginative and often poignant production at The Bull Theatre. The post New production at The Bull Theatre portrays how townspeople of Barnet lived through air raids and survived wartime restrictions appeared first on The Barnet Society. Read more »
- Southwark Council invites local arts and culture organisations to apply for funding for cultural activities April 2027 – March 2028. Up to £144,000 is available in total for grants up to £25,000. The Culture Together fund: supports Southwark’s arts and culture organisations helps them to deliver projects that help to build a sustainable and inclusive cultural sector seeks to address inequality within Southwark’s culture sector, with a particular focus on addressing racial inequality More here.… Read more »
- A man dressed as Batman caused traffic chaos at the junction of Eltham Road and Sidcup Road, when he started giving away £70 vouchers for petrol. A Micheldever Road resident said he gave away at least £3,500 worth of vouchers at the Texaco filling station. As word spread motorists started queuing to cash in, causing jams to build up. “He just wanted to give something back,” she said. It’s though the man was doing it… Read more »
- London Square has confirmed that is has finally secured permission from the Building Safety Regulator to start building work on its new Lee Green development on the old Leegate site. Under government regulations developers can’t start “Gateway 2” work on a “High risk building” until it has been approved by the regulator. High risk buildings are those above 18 metres high, or with more than seven storeys. London Square has now got the greenlight to… Read more »
- 1. 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 »
- King’s College London has a research project, HAVA, funded by Wellcome. It is investigating whether long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with changes in brain chemistry. The research is focused on Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham and Croydon and needs healthy volunteers aged 16 and over who have lived in these areas for at least 10 years. Eligible participants will be invited to King’s College London for an MRI brain scan and some additional assessments, and… Read more »
- Taylor Wimpey’s withdrawal from future London projects raises questions about housing delivery, the limits of planning reform and what changing development economics could mean for Kingston. Read more »
- Ark Pioneer Academy, which was established in 2019, has achieved the all-important milestone of seeing a high proportion of its first intake of sixth formers going on to further study at some of the country’s top universities. The post Landmark moment for recently opened Barnet secondary school which is celebrating pupils’ success in gaining places at leading universities appeared first on The Barnet Society. Read more »
- Cuts to Thameslink services during school holidays were first reported by Greenwich Wire in late May 2026 https://greenwichwire.co.uk/2026/05/27/thameslink-summer-rail-train-cuts-greenwich/ (Photo credit to Greenwich Wire). Despite objections from the Westcombe Society and the Greenwich Line Users Group Thameslink are again reducing services on the Greenwich Line during October half-term. We advise passengers to check before they travle by train between 24 and 30 October. Thameslink say: For the six days on Saturday 24 October and between Monday… Read more »
- The Kingston Society welcomes the Draft London Plan’s ambitions but raises concerns about tall buildings, Green Belt protection, housing quality, affordability and infrastructure needed to support growth. Read more »
- All members are welcome to Ham and Petersham Association and Amenities Group’s Christmas Party at the Hand and Flower Pub, Ham Common. Celebrate Christmas and celebrate the work done to help preserve Ham and Petersham as a great place to live. Enjoy wine and finger food along with great company. Members only. The post Christmas Party appeared first on Ham and Petersham Association and Amenities Group. Read more »
- Last Updated on 14 October 2026 The Greater London Authority (GLA) has been consulting on the draft of a new “London Plan”. This is the Mayor of London’s strategy for spatial development in Greater London, including the general policies that deal with development and use of land. It is the spatial expression of the Mayor’s other strategies and other relevant policies. It deals with matters of strategic importance for Greater London and sets out an integrated framework… Read more »
- OCPS 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 »
- This is to let you know that St Helen’s School will once again be hosting their annual Fireworks Night on Friday 6th November in the school grounds, starting at 7.15pm, and lasting for approximately 12 minutes, As it is also open to the public, there will obviously be disruption to traffic in the local area starting around 6pm and noise that can be unsettling for some members of our community and for pets Mindful of being… Read more »
- The reports including crime figures for the Northwood Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel dated 30th September 2026 are now available for you to view. Please click/tap on these links: Northwood ward panel graphs 30-09-2026 Northwood Ward Panel Police Report 30-09-2026 Read more »
- 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 »
- Last Updated on 14 October 2026 Starting a new series on engagements, the National Emergency Briefing Team hosted a presentation on 13 October to discuss El Niño’s impact on weather and food supplies. Professors Paul Behrens, Hayley Fowler, and Mike Berners-Lee painted a worrying picture, highlighting both the unpredictability and the lack of the UK’s preparedness to deal with extreme weather events and food supply shocks. While the El Niño is a natural cycle, which… Read more »
- The Teddington Society gives an occasional Design Award for buildings that have particularly enhanced Teddington’s street scene. Most recent awards were for Park Lane Stables and Christ Church. Elleray Centre On 2 October 2026 we gave a Design Award for the new Elleray Centre in North Lane. We consider that the building fits very well with the generally domestic architecture of its neighbours and is appropriately modest in scale. The materials used in the building… Read more »
- Recording of the talk made 23rd.September 2026. To view, just click on the link: Link Read more »
- Hub run by Cash Access UK is to open in the central core of Sydenham Road. Read more »
- For 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 »
- We’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 »
- 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 »
- A Vibrant New Artwork for St Johns The St Johns Society is delighted to announce Ellen Rose as the artist selected to create the Brookmill Rain Garden Mural. We’ve selected some details of the design to allow a sneak peek into this delightful new addition to the local landscape. The competition was organised to celebrate a new rain garden about to be installed in front of the Brookmill pub to replace the existing roundabout. You… Read more »
- We 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 »
- Twenty 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 »
- CPRE London is asking the public to respond to the Draft London Plan before the consultation period closes on 15 October. This will shape how London grows, where new homes are built and how our green spaces and wildlife are protected over the next 20–25 years. CPRE London has already... Continue reading Read more »
- Our 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 »
- The Great North Road through BarnetHugh Petrie Thursday 29 October at 7.30 pm Around 1199, the Bishop of London allowed a road to cut through his Hornsey Estate. But where exactly the road ran has puzzled local historians for generations. Hugh Petrie will describe what is left of the original evidence and explain how the Great North Road came to move gradually east from its original route to its present location. Hugh Petrie was brought… Read more »
- Our 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 »
- Oliver 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 »
- We 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 »
- Saturday 24th October 2026 Depart from 10A South Grove N6 6BS at 12 noon. Return around 6.00 pm. £25 to iclude coach, tour, tea and access to gardens, For details and booking click More Read more »
- Come 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 »
- Built 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 »
- The Mayor of London is now consulting on revised plans for Archway Campus after calling in Islington Council's decision to refuse the development on 14 separate planning grounds.The revised scheme still includes the 27-storey, 82-metre student tower and all 242 market student rooms. At the same time, the number of homes has fallen from 178 […] Read more »
- By 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 »
- Sunday 11 October, 11am-12.30pm Join us for a relaxed 1.5 hour leisurely walk exploring the diverse species and magnificent specimens of Dulwich Park. Led by Greg Packman, Treescape Curator for the Royal Parks and a professional arboriculturist with an extensive knowledge of London trees. Limited to 25 people so please book in advance. Meet at the Clock House Cafe. Wear sensible shoes and bring waterproofs if rain forecast. Click here for tickets, £9 for members/£12 for… Read more »
- Review 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 »
- The 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 »
- The Westcombe Society Environment Committee try to look at all planning applications in Westcombe Park. We also look at applications that might be relevant to our residents (e.g. those that affect local transport, those that affect Greenwich Park and the World Heritage Site and those that affect views from Westcombe Park). We comment when we have concerns. We hope in future to keep a list of local applications here. Clicking on the links within the… Read more »
- 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 »
- The GLA and Mayor of London is now consulting on a new London Plan. This will be the final consultation before the Plan is examined by an Inspector. Note: this is a separate process to the one recently undertaken here in the London Borough of Enfield. Enfield RoadWatch have very... Continue reading Read more »
- Proposed Troubadour Theatre In case any of our members are yet to hear about this, last week the Council’s Cabinet approved in principle a proposal to lease a large part of Walpole Park to the commercial Troubadour Theatre to build and operate a 1,200 seat theatre complex. Described as ‘temporary’, the structure would be permitted for three years and is being promoted as ‘a major new cultural venture’. This proposal, which has apparently been considered… Read more »
- Bell House is launching a live music Sunday afternoon concert series. It will showcase talented young professional musicians, with programmes spanning classical repertoire, contemporary music, folk traditions, unusual instruments and festive arrangements. The series offers local residents the chance to enjoy high-quality live music close to home, in a relaxed and welcoming setting. No specialist knowledge is required: you can simply come along, listen and discover something new.The main room at Bell House seats approximately… Read more »
- Conversations with distinguished local residents 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. Our last conversation will be with Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham KCB MA, a former Royal Navy Vice Admiral and defence strategist who served for over four decades in the Royal Navy. During his distinguished career, he commanded… Read more »
- Whilst 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 »
- The 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 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 »
- In the Great Depression, the council had a ‘make-work’ scheme, Bromley Unemployed Works Scheme, that created the Amphitheatre and a yachting pool for children to sail model yachts on. This remained a popular pass-time until the 1980s. In 1967 there … Continue reading → Read more »
- Nomination 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 »
- 6 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 »
- by 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 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 »
- How 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 »
- 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 »
- Bedford Park Society Annual Lecture Thursday 24 September, 7.30pm, ArtsEd Schools While photographs of Victorian and Edwardian house interiors are rare, a few surviving contemporary descriptions, prints and photographs, some of them only recently discovered, record real Bedford Park interiors. At The Bedford Park Society’s annual lecture on 24 September, curator and historian Val Bott will use these resources to discuss what might have influenced the choice of furnishings that would make the new houses… Read more »
- The Chelsea Society has been in discussion with Cadogan since June 2026 concerning their proposal to redevelop Queripel House, on Duke of York Square, which has a rear elevation on Cheltenham Terrace. The Society was represented by James Thompson, Chairman; Michael Stephen, Vice-chairman; Sir Paul Lever, Planning Committee Chairman; and Jules Turner and Marina Murray, Planning Committee Members. A Planning Application has been made, and on 1st October 2026 the… Read more »
- Licence Application for St Stephen House, 62 Little Ealing Lane, W5 Comments of Ealing Fields Residents’ Association August 2026. The full text can be viewed here Read more »
- Lambeth Council are again asking for feedback on how well they are managing their local parks. We would encourage local Clapham residents to take part to help create a more accurate picture of how we both use and value Clapham Common. It takes about 3 minutes to complete and it’s an opportunity to let our council know what we think is going well and also let them know where they could do better. CLICK HERE… Read more »
- 189 260726 Summer 26 The post 189 Summer 2026 appeared first on Strawberry Hill Residents' Association. Read more »
- 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 »
- The Battersea Society objects to this application to extend for a further period of two years the temporary permission granted in August 2024 (2024/1994). Our objection is on three main grounds, which were set out in the officers’ report that recommended refusal of the 2017 application, in our objection to the application for a new kiosk submitted in 2023, and in our objection to the application for a temporary extension in2024. Those grounds still stand.First,… Read more »
- Guest 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 »
- 3 August 2026 If you’ve just come across the Thorney Island Society you might well be curious as to what Thorney Island actually is! We recently collaborated with the City of Westminster Council on a short video, in which Society committee member and local historian Vic Keegan chats to Westminster’s Charlie-Ann Cairns about the history behind this fascinating area. It’s a nice bite-sized intro for anyone finding out about Thorney Island for the first time. The… Read more »
- By Elaine Michel, Open Spaces committee member and Society trustee The London base of horticultural therapy charity Thrive is right here in Battersea Park; in July I went there to interview Regional Centre Manager Cathy Graham about its work. Thrive’s plant kiosk outside its main office in Battersea Park. All photos © Elaine Michel. Q: Please introduce Thrive to our readers.A: Thrive was set up over 40 years ago. We use horticultural therapy, or Social… Read more »
- Organised jointly by Lambeth Archives and the Lambeth Local History Forum, and now in its fourteenth year, the Lambeth Heritage Festival takes place at different venues across Lambeth throughout September and this year it offers over 80 events and activities, each with the shared aim of celebrating thehistory and heritage of our borough. The brochure containing the programme for the 2026 Lambeth Heritage Festival has now been published and printed copies will be available shortly… Read more »
- 1. Haringey Parks Department – GeneralThe Association has emailed Chris Cavalier, as it has not heard anything back from him since the walk around with Cllr Cathy Brennan on Monday 9 February 2026. He had promised to send an “improvement plan” for Muswell Hill. If no reply is received during the summer, this will be... Read more »
- Santander Bank 105 -111 Muswell Hill Broadway. (HGY/2026/0838) The proposed upgrade of the premises includes the installation of a 46-inch digital merchandising tv display screen in the window. This would be switched on permanently and would show marketing slides to passers by with the slides changing every 30 seconds. We sent a comment to state... Read more »
- Jenny 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 »
- Following 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 »
- 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 »
- 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 »
- 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 »
- Kew 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 »
- The GLA has produced a map of free places to cool down in London. The nearest cool space for Kew residents is the public cafe at the National Archives. The GLA website explains that: ‘Cool Spaces have been put forward by boroughs, community groups, faith-based and other organisations following an invitation to register by the GLA. Cool Spaces are classified according to two tiers: Tier 1 Cool Spaces have all the key amenities to cope… Read more »
- The Forest Hill Society are now the proud guardians of the traditional red phone box / kiosk outside The Capitol on London Road. Read more »
- Georgian & 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 »
- In 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 »
- We 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 »
- Emerging 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 »
- The post AGM 1st May 2025 appeared first on Strawberry Hill Residents' Association. Read more »
- The 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 »
- The Kensington Society 2025-2026 annual was recently sent to all members. As always, it is full of interesting articles about art, history and planning. Those who haven't received it, can download it or read it online here. The post The Kensington Society 2025-2026 annual has arrived appeared first on The Kensington Society. Read more »
- Members 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 »
- 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 »
- 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 »
- The 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 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 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 »
- Please see latest MapRA report on activities… Source Read more »
- Summary 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 »
- The 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 »
- Brockley Society welcomes new volunteers at any time, but as a priority we currently need to begin reducing the workload for Clare, our current Chair. We have identified two specific roles that would make a great contribution to beginning this process. Secretary for Brockley Society We need a new to volunteer to take on this role and become a trustee of Brockley Society!For several years we have had no secretary to do deal with Brockley… Read more »
Planning in London, Issue 139, Oct-Dec 2026
Issue 139 of Planning in London, the journal of the London Planning and Development Forum, has been published, covering Oct-Dec ...
Community engagement in growth
London Forum's President, Ben Derbyshire, has written an article on his conclusions from the work of the Historic Places Panel.
...![EV charger [photo: unsplash]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/EV-charger-unsplash.jpg?fit=150%2C100&ssl=1)
Home electric vehicle charging
On 21 October 2026 the GPDO (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2026 will extend Part 2, Classes D and E, to ...
Key policies in the NPPF
The following is a blog recently written by the lawyer Simon Ricketts which is intended to help developers to get a planning application approved. It is helpful for London Forum's members to understand parts of the new NPPF and for considering its ...
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Annual General Meeting 2026
📆 Wed 28th October | 18:30 - 20:30
🚩 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL (map)
Wednesday 28 October 6.30pm at The Gallery, 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL Notice is hereby given to member societies of the 2026 AGM of the London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies. Doors open for networking, drinks and nibbles from 6.00pm. Please book your place(s) using the booking facility ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/events/agm-2026#booking ). Agenda Welcome and Introduction Approval of the Minutes of the AGM of 16 October 2025, available here ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/agm-papers/ ) Chair’s Report – Chair Michael Jubb Financial Report – Treasurer Ali Dezyanian Approval of the Annual Report and Accounts for 2025-2026, available here ( https://…
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