Agenda item

Superintendent's Update

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

Minutes:

Members considered an update report of the Superintendent and the following points were made.

 

Management framework

 

·         The Superintendent advised Members that the first five paragraphs of the report outlined the approach of the Divisional Plan (appendix 1-3) currently in draft form. The Divisional Plan marks a significant achievement.

 

·         The Superintendent drew Member’s attention to the Project Record Schedule (appendix 3) which tracks project progress. This schedule would be updated in order for Members to track progress and provide feedback, which would inform the next three-year programme.

 

·         The Superintendent invited Members to provide written feedback by Friday 9 February 2018. 

 

Shared-Use path surfacing

 

·         Members were advised that the Superintendent and the Highgate Wood, Conservation & Trees Manager met with Heath for Feet, Camden Cycle Campaign, SUSTRANS and representatives from the Consultative Committee in October 2017 to discuss a draft report outlining surfacing options for shared-use paths on the Heath. A final report was in progress and the Superintendent noted he would report back to the Committee once it was finalised. Members agreed the choice of materials were vital.

 

Petition to extend cycle lanes

 

·         The Superintendent noted he had received a petition with 160 signatures for a cycle path leading from Kenwood to the Ladies’ Pond. The Superintendent advised that there were currently no plans to extend the number of cycle paths in the Heath and the emphasis remains to maintain the paths already in existence. He would however review the position when formulating the 2018 Management Plan.

 

·         Members noted the importance of stating in the Management Plan when exactly this will be reviewed to provide clarity and openness.

 

·         In response to a question the Superintendent confirmed that the lead petitioner was a regular user of the Ladies’ Pond. He noted also that the Heath faced a range of pressures as a result of cycling.

 

Outdoor Gym

 

  • The Superintendent was pleased to advise Members that a grant of £10,000 has been provided by Camden to update the outdoor gym equipment at the Parliament Hill trim-trail.

 

Planning

 

·         The Superintendent advised Members that there were a number of planning applications still with Camden Council with most projects still to be determined. These included proposals for an Eruv, a development at Jack Straw’s Car Park, and the Garden House.

 

·         The Water House, Millfield Lane, 2017/3692/P. The Superintendent noted that a revised Construction Management Plan had been submitted to Camden. A Single Joint Arboricultural Expert has been appointed by the Developer and the City to review the proposals to protect the veteran and mature trees along Millfield Lane in advance of making a representation to Camden. One significant mitigation proposal currently under consideration was the use of smaller vehicles for construction traffic along Millfield Lane which would, however, result in increased number of vehicle movements. 

 

·         North Fairground Site, Vale of Health, 2017/4346/P. The Superintendent noted that there had been no response as yet from Camden.

 

·         The Wallace House. The Superintendent noted that the application involved a basement excavation, and that the City had made a representation to Camden.

 

·         Parliament Hill Lido Gospel Oak, 2017/5886/P.The Superintendent noted that the application for solar panels on the roof had been granted. 

 

·         South Fairground Site. The Superintendent noted that the City was objecting to the development of the site and seeking enforcement action from Camden.

 

·         Parliament Hill William Ellis School, 2017/5395/P. The Superintendent noted that the Operational Service Manager was a member of the Community Working Group representing the Heath.

 

Trees

 

·         The Superintendent advised that storms and extreme weather in January, most notably Storm Eleanor, had caused damage throughout the Heath and led to closure of Golders Hill Park and the Hill Garden on 3-4 January in compliance with the Division’s Extreme Weather Event Protocol.

 

City Surveyor’s Cyclical Work Programme

 

·         The Superintendent advised Members that projects were now underway, including installation of fencing at South End Green; desilting of the Mixed Bathing Pond; refurbishment of the showers and redecoration of the changing rooms at the Athletic Track; and safety work on the timbers on main walkways at the Pergola. Due to budget constraints, the timbers were simply being made safe but there were plans to pursue a larger bid to fully replace them.

 

Hampstead Heath Cafés 

 

·         The Superintendent thanked Members of the Committee who attended the Café Working Party meeting on 23 January 2018

 

·         The Chairman advised Members that a request had been made for the Café Campaign Group to have its own representative on the Committee. The Chairman asked the Committee Members that sit on the Café Working Party what their feelings were regarding this request. Members felt that as this was a single-issue group sole interested in just one café, it would not be appropriate for them to have a representative on the Committee as this would encourage requests for representatives from similar single-issue groups. It was also felt that the café was adequately represented by the four Members that sit on the Cafe Working Party.

 

·         The Chairman stated that as the Committee was a public forum, any member of the Café Campaign Group was welcome to observe meetings.

 

Swimming

 

·         The Superintendent advised Members that a main sewer pipe had burst resulting in the Model Boating Pond and the Men’s Pond being closed. The water was currently being tested and results were expected by 31 January 2018. The Mixed Pond had been opened to meet demand from pond users.

 

·         The Superintendent noted that he and the Chairman had spent a day recently visiting all ponds and meeting with pond stakeholder groups. Issues such as signage and payment methods had been discussed, which he would be reviewing and reporting back to the Swimming Forum accordingly. 

 

·         The Superintendent updated Members on recent press interest regarding the City Corporation’s practice to allow transgender women to use the Ladies’ Pond. He reiterated City of London’s position of inclusivity, which he noted was supported by the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association. He noted that the Heath’s Business Manager would be attending a forthcoming meeting of the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association to discuss the matter further.

 

  • In response to a query from a Member, the Highgate Wood, Conservation and Trees Manager confirmed that the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa, a pathogen deadly to olive trees, had not yet reached the UK.

 

Supporting documents: