Agenda item

Superintendent of Hampstead Heath to be heard on Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park matters.

 

The Superintendent of Hampstead Heath updated the Committee on the following matters relating to Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park.

 

Hampstead Heath Ponds Project

The remaining Ground Investigations (GIs) at Hampstead No.1, Catch Pit and Stock Pond, which had been delayed due to nesting birds, were carried out successfully on 1^st and 2^nd September, completing all GIs.

Divers carried out a survey of the platform and columns at the Ladies’ Pond during early September, which took three days instead of the anticipated four. Ladies’ Pond users were invited to use the Mixed Pond facility during the three days the facility was closed during the day. Members were advised that a report would be presented to Atkins, the project designers, as the results of the survey were critical to inform the detailed design of the new facilities at the Ladies’ Pond.

The Superintendent advised that emphasis had moved towards detailed design following the submission of the planning application on 4 July 2014. This had so far involved working with the design team on path surfacing details, the specification of fences, designs for cladding and planting proposals to reduce the impact of the sheet piling. A booklet of information would be sent to members of the Ponds Project Stakeholder Group for information and comment.

 

Property

 

Hampstead Garden Suburb Great Wall

Restoration work to the Great Wall had commenced after initial vegetation clearance and would last for 47 weeks.

 

Parking Consultation

The London Borough of Barnet was reviewing parking restrictions around the Heath Extension.  The City had been consulted and supported the proposals for a parking break in the daytime.

 

Lido

Members were advised that replacement of the gates and posts at the entrance from Gordon House Road would commence in late September 2014. The rebuild of the boundary wall and café repairs would be undertaken between March and May 2015.

 

Parliament Hill

Six of the tennis courts were due to be resurfaced from the end of September for a period of about eight weeks. In response to a Member’s question, the Operational Services Manager advised that they would remain as hard courts and no consideration was given to any other type of surface.

 

Golders Hill Park

The toilets near the children’s playground reopened in July and had operated successfully through the school holidays. The Park Team would arrange more regular tank cleaning and the City Surveyor’s Department was continuing to investigate a longer-term solution.

Members were advised that the render at the Hill Garden Shelter would be removed and replaced with ply-wood to allow for drying out, and tanking of the steps over the shelter. This would be undertaken between March and May 2015.  Associated works would also be carried out at the Belvedere.

 

Planning Updates

 

The Water House

The Superintendent advised that the planning application was still current. Quotations would be obtained from Consultants for undertaking of a critical review of the applicant’s documentation regarding the impact of construction traffic on Millfield Lane.

 

Athlone House

The applicant submitted an appeal for non-determination of this planning application on 20 June 2014. Three reasons for refusal were given, which related to the impact on Metropolitan Open Land, the lack of a Basement Impact Assessment and the lack of a legal agreement requiring sustainable construction. A planning enquiry would be scheduled to be held in February 2015.

 

Highgate Police Station

Members were advised that a planning application for the demolition of Highgate Police Station had been submitted to the London Borough of Haringey. It would need to be considered whether this application would have any negative impact on Highgate Wood.

 

Weddings & Civil Ceremonies at Hill Garden & Pergola

The Superintendent advised Members that five ceremonies had taken place during the summer, with a total income of £5,250. The feedback received from attendees had been very positive. There were six confirmed bookings scheduled for 2015 and a further two bookings for which deposits were expected shortly.

 

In response to a Members’ questions, the Superintendent advised that a Friday and Saturday ceremony had occurred on the same weekend once and that a report regarding income generated from weddings and civil ceremonies would be presented at the next appropriate Committee meeting.

 

Sports

The Superintendent advised that a consultation with the Sports Forum was due to take place on 22 September 2014 about an additional rugby pitch at the Heath Extension. This proposal would then be presented to the next Committee meeting as well as the next Consultative Committee meeting.

 

Staff

The new Senior Zoo Keeper and Engagement Officer had been in post for four weeks at the time of the Committee meeting. Members were also advised that a City Business Trainee had been based at Heathfield House for seven weeks where she worked on the Weddings & Civil Ceremonies brochure as part of her internship, as well as undertaking 60-second surveys at Highgate Wood, Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill.

 

Constabulary

There had been three recent successful prosecutions at Hampstead Heath: two related to dog control and the other related to cycling.

 

Service Based Review

The Superintendent advised that the Open Spaces Department was projected to save £2.189 million, with savings across North London Open Spaces of about 17% by 2017/18. He advised that a full report would be considered at the next Committee meeting, including proposals for delivering the savings.

 

Around the Sites

 

Highgate Wood

Members were advised that the City Surveyor’s Project Team had arranged for a number of fencing repairs around the site, including an improvement to the existing layout of the Onslow Gate entrance, and that the Heritage Day in August had been a successful and well-attended event. The new tiger mulch surface installed in the play area has also been very successful and was saving a significant amount of staff time.

 

Queen’s Park

The Open Gardens event in June and the Outdoor Cinema throughout August and September had received much positive feedback from attendees.

 

The Superintendent also advised that this year’s annual Queen’s Park Day on 14 September attracted 14,860 people to the Park. The Chairman added his thanks to all those involved in the organisation of such a successful Queen’s Park Day.

 

Members were also advised that the Queen’s Park team were working with the local community to raise funds for the third and final phase of the playground redevelopment. 

 

Hampstead Heath & Kenwood

Members were advised that the Superintendent was working with the Head of Historic Properties from English Heritage to develop a new scheme of joint signage which would be installed at all major entry points to both the Heath and Kenwood Estate.  These signs would comprise a large-scale map and information about facilities and activities across the sites.

 

In response to a Member’s question, Philip Wright (English Heritage) advised that the new structure that had replaced the gazebo, which was deemed to be unsafe, would include more information for visitors. Mr Wright advised that concerns about the new structure would be raised with the Head of Historic Properties at Kenwood House.

 

Visits

The Superintendent advised that the Town Clerk’s visit to Parliament Hill and Golders Hill Park on 1 September was a great way for him to see the site and meet with staff members.

 

Conservation Team Update

The Conservation Team had its usual busy summer, with the added pressure of dealing with the aftermath of the wet winter. Managing the meadows across the Heath had produced 160 large bales and strategic poppy seeding was undertaken at several locations as part of the First World War centenary. The Operational Services Manager advised that the poppies bloomed in June and July but the area might have benefited from some additional irrigation.

 

Oak Processionary Moth (OPM)

Members were advised that it was best to assume that OPM would arrive at one of the three North London Open Spaces in the near future as they had significant populations of mature oak trees, especially at Highgate Wood. 17 male OPMs had been caught in pheromone traps across Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park but the Director of Open Spaces noted that this was not an immediate cause for concern as no females had yet been found. Good working links had been established with the Forestry Commission, who were responsible for co-ordinating the control of OPM in London.

 

The Tree Team

Members were advised of ongoing work for the Veteran Wild Service management programme, which involved reduction and bracing of some trees and reduction works to a veteran Oak on the Tumulus field.

 

Awards

Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park all received Green Flag and Green Heritage awards in 2014. In addition, Golders Hill Park was recently awarded a London in Bloom Gold Award for Large Parks over 25 acres and was also the category winner. The Committee noted that this was an excellent achievement.