Three green willows standing on the lawn,
Three green willows standing on the lawn,
And if one green willow should accidentally fall,
There’ll be two green willows standing on the lawn.

Two green willows standing on the lawn,
Two green willows standing on the lawn,
And if one green willow should accidentally fall,
There’ll be one green willows standing on the lawn.

As Willow Lawn gets cleared of willows by the wind this will give Hillingdon Council the option of using the area as a potential overflow overflow car park.  So much easier to tarmac the lawn rather than trying to keep the green bits green.

We also give our thanks on your behalf to the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the Lido and the surrounding woods.

Submiited to Hillingdon Council along with the signatures we collected:

The following document is in opposition to the proposed additional car park at Ruislip lido, Reservoir Road planning application 1117/app/2010/1997. It is compiled on behalf of the Friends of Ruislip Lido, of their members and after extensive consultation with users of the facility. It is accompanied by a petition and as such I formally request that should this go to a planning hearing and we are given an opportunity to lobby our objections.

Our objections are split into five categories.

The errors in the application itself

• in the transport report it states the existing car park is 200 spaces-in fact it is 260 spaces
• It states that a temporary car park is proposed to become permanent-This site is not a temporary car park and never has been. In another report it suggests the reinstatement of the car park. This area has never been a car park.
• The report states that the car park will not impact on peek local transport networks. The peak times in Reservoir Road are exactly when this will impact.
• On the actual application for planning, it is obvious that this has been altered the first line states to construct an  (blank space) car park. The words overflow have been used and the additional in other parts. This makes a huge difference as it is then not clear how often this will be used? The Leader of the Council has informed us this will be used daily by the railway and disabled access, this would make it additional rather than overflow and that should be clear in the proposals.
• Again on the original application the following questions were incorrectly answered NO by the applicant 

1. Is there altered access proposed to or from the public highway?
2. Are there any new public roads?
3. Are you proposing to connect to existing drainage systems?
4. Is this a site an important habitat/species?

Well unless the cars are to be beamed into the car park, this has to be wrong, also they are going to put toilets on the car park, we have told the council this is not on the plans but it is their intention, this will be difficult without drainage. The answer to habitat should have been yes nearby, as you will see by our third objection.

Destruction of Willow lawn
This area is currently used by families and dog walkers. Children play ball games and families have relaxed QUIET picnics. Access to this car park will alter this area for ever. The proposed road will be adjacent to this area, and to introduce motor bikes is even worse, how are they going to stop these bikes going onto Willow Lawn or even all of the way round the Lido? Heavy duty fencing is again not an attractive option. 

You cannot have ball games and cars in the same area, the existing car park is used by youths in the evenings, and this will bring the associated Anti Social Behaviour on to Willow lawn. The existing car park gets covered in litter including one Saturday five used nappies, this will be brought on to this lovely peaceful area. How can children run freely as they do now right next to a road? 

Environmental Damage
The application stated this is not a significant area, within the Lido there is a nature reserve the woods are protected as they are of significant scientific interest. There are adders, (one of which was found dead in the area the car park is proposed) frogs, toads, newts, nesting birds all in and around this area. This is last piece of folio cover between the woods and the Lido. Deer are seen daily early in the morning in this area, but that is not when they did there survey. This area needs protecting.

Have the nature reserve and natural England been consulted, if so can we please have their response to these proposals.

Safety
The access and egress proposed is ill-conceived, they are suggesting that as you come to the end of Reservoir Road you will have buses turning to the left, a car park to the left and a car park to the right all within 10 meters and all mixed up with lots of pedestrians. Their own report states the layout creates chaos this just adds to it.

There is also no report that I can find from the bus company has anyone obtained their views.

The footpath proposed to run alongside the road going into the car park is going to be on the left. Currently you can walk, cycle, push a push chair or wheel chair all of the way round the Lido without crossing a road of coming into contact with a vehicle. The design will mean you will have to cross this road twice once by reservoir road and once by the car park. In between you will be walking alongside the cars……nice!

The current path which they are going to make a two way road and a foot path is surely too narrow to carry this and fencing?

Sustainability
Hillingdon council had three members of staff based at the Lido now there are none, they are based elsewhere and visit the Lido, how are they going to monitor this? The staff are only now contracted to work 8-4 and therefore could not do what is proposed, if they are suggesting that another company closes the gates, which is not what they suggest by staff supervising the usage? The lack of staff has impacted on the general condition of the Lido and this additional strain will not improve matters, litter closer to the lido will have a devastating impact on the environment in this area.

Alternatives
There are in fact 260 existing spaces not 200, there are already over ten disabled bays and a few brown badge bays. The sign for the overflow car park is very very poor, if improved this may take away the excess. This has a secondary advantage of not bringing more traffic into an already congested Reservoir Road. There is also no mention in the reports as to what surveys have been conducted into the usage of this overflow; if this is not being utilised surely this should be our first port of call.

There has been mention of additional disabled bays especially for coaches, the new car park will not assist with this as there will have to be a height limit, however there is currently an exceptionally long bus stop which even with space for two buses could still accommodate tow bays and there is a dropped kerb there already ideal for school groups. Behind this there is another blank space next to the pub and then a taxi bay, I have never seen a taxi sit there in 7 years of using the Lido, so again two very convenient disabled bays with excellent access to the Lido and the water’s edge.

The existing car park is badly laid out and the lines are worn, has anyone looked into redesigning this to increased parking?

Summary
There is an underlying issue with this proposal and that is need, do we need it? How many days a year would it be needed, I am sure before entering into such an expensive project the council have conducted extensive footfall surveys, how many days does this evidence show it will be used? 

The application its self is fundamentally flawed and I ask that it is rejected prior to an application hearing on the grounds I have listed above. I spent two hours at the Lido talking to users and showing them the actual proposal, I spoke to 101 people, 97 signed my petition, and three people were in favour.

Would you please acknowledge receipt of both these objections and the petition by post?

Vicky Brownlee
Chair Friends of Ruislip Lido

The more individuals who register against the proposed plans for the car park at the lido the better, please do not leave it till it’s too late!

The main points raised by the council were 

• That planning permission for the additional car park at the rear of Willow Lawn has been resubmitted.
• The plans for the Woodland Centre and new Cafe area on the beach are taking shape and will be subject to planning permission in the coming months.
• The water at the Lido is being tested monthly to establish if swimming is feasible in the future
• The money for these projects is secure
• The current catering on the beach has closed and the new contract awarded, they will be given temporary accommodation on the beach whilst the works are done.
• New toilets will be put in place adjacent to the new car park, this will be for the railway but there will be a separate public toilet as well. (Although they do not appear on the plans at all!). Also why do we need them with the pub 100 meters away, with the public toilets on the side? Don’t these already attract enough problems?
• The Council is also going to build a separate mess hall for the Railway next to the Woodland Centre (no plans or permissions have been written up yet

It was on the whole a positive meeting, with a commitment from Mr Puddifoot that lessons have been learnt from the new toilets on the beach. We pointed out that they do not look anything like the wooden clad plans we were shown, the finish is at best poor, and the gents did not have any water for over four months this year. Also that the splash pad has never been to the quality they (or should I say we) paid for. We asked for accommodation for the staff to be included in the Woodland Centre.

We have again outlined our objections to the car park as follows.

• The need for the car park in the first place is outweighed by the cost. The Council could not give an estimate as to how much the works will cost. When asked on more than one occasion in the meeting as to why we need it, no real answer was given.
• The safety, the entrance and egress have not been properly thought out, let alone the safety on Willow Lawn
• The environmental impact. This is the last piece of cover for animals and reptiles before the water and is not ‘scrub land’ at they describe it, nor as is suggested in the planning and some of the comments made ‘reinstating a car park’ this area has never been a car park it a totally new development, the car park used to be much closer to the road.
• Destroying the current use of Willow Lawn, will you let your children run free on the lawn, play cricket, have a picnic with cars just a few feet from you?
• The car park itself will create rubbish, one car sitting with its stereo blaring would ruin the whole day and do not get me started on Anti-social behaviour!
• Maintenance those of you who are regulars to the Lido will have realised our staffing has altered. They are now based elsewhere and we are told there is someone at the Lido daily. We disputed this, as on Sunday the toilets were not opened at all. The place is going downhill since our staff moved. We need more staff not more people!

Our plan is to fight the car park, encourage the Council to ensure the Woodland Centre and catering facilities really are top quality and well thought out. Continue to fight for staffing and ensure the area is protected.

To have your say about the planned car park and see the full details please follow the link. The more individuals who register against this proposal the better please do not leave it to the petition!

Please drop me an e mail with your views, if you would like to get more involved please give me your details. friendsofruisliplido@gmail.com

Thank you as always for your on-going support.
Vicky Brownlee
Chair FORL

Ruislip Lido has been described by the Leader of the Council as the ‘Jewel of  Hillingdon’ and as the chair of the Friends of Ruislip Lido (FORL) I could not agree more.

IMPROVEMENTS IN LAST 2 YEARS
The Lido has become a place which balances the needs of visitors with that of the environment. A couple of years ago staffing was increased and the Lido & environs became very well maintained. The Friends of Ruislip Lido received Lottery funding for a telescope and bird recognition board as well as providing nesting platforms on the water. The Council contributed £150,000 for the installation of a Splash pad – all fabulous additions to the facilities.

Hillingdon Improvement Project (HIP)
The Council, under the governance of Mr Puddifoot, have launched the HIP which is to provide further facilities with an investment of 1.5 million pounds. A number of the proposals are very beneficial and well thought out. However – the inclusion of a new car park within the Lido is not:-  there was no public consultation but a meeting setting out a number of proposals and an assumption that all would be welcomed by residents,
visitors and users of the Lido.

Proposed second car park within Ruislip Lido Environs
Without talking to residents or users of the Lido the Council are proposing another car
park for 160 cars. The selected area will mean the destruction of a considerable area of land with established trees, heathland and shrubs. Described by the Council as ‘scrub land’. The views of voluntary organisations and Resident Associations have been disregarded.  An undisclosed sum of money is to be spent on destroying an area of outstanding beauty and significance to wildlife to cope with the demand for approximately two weeks during high summer. That is IF it is a hot summer.

Our objection to the car park are as follows:

• The cost per car space vs the usage;
• The cost of the car park could be better diverted to other projects for the Lido;
• Destructionof an area established to be of significant importance to wildlife such as Roe Deer, Muntjac, birds, adders, frogs & reptiles;
• The area balances the flood plain – another area will need to be identified and will be ‘lost’ should a flood occur, or other methods used to negate the impact;
• The additional cost to ensure that no oil or other contaminants enter the Lido, again raising the financial impact.
• Increased traffic flow (entry & exit) will destroy the leisure use of Willow Lawn – children & families will no longer be safe playing ball games;
• As the Council have disbanded the Lido team of staff the increased numbers of visitors will no longer be ‘policed’;
• Anti- Social Behaviour will increase with significant impact on residents & visitors
• The new toilet blocks were supposed to be ‘wood lodge effect’ and in keepin with the area, instead the complex is ‘Lino effect’ – how can we trust that the car park will not be a carbuncle on the site?

Visit the Lido
Please visit the Lido – look at our maps and diagrams to get a real sense of what is going to be destroyed – FOREVER.

Council failure to engage with Community Groups
Despite repeated requests from the FORL the Council have failed to meet with us or engage in a productive forum to discuss and allay our fears.  There are numerous examples where we have been ignored or considered an ‘irritant’ for voicing the views of our members and that of the community. The Council appear entrenched in a mind set that the car park”will happen no matter what”. Residents and groups are being
alienated because of this stance.

What you can do

•  Visit the Lido – Look at our maps and diagrams on our website to get a real sense of what is going to be destroyed – FOREVER.
•  Join our campaign against the car park – reflect the views of residents and visitors to the area.
• Encourage the HIP forum to engage with us and make a real and valued contribution to the proposed improvements but also accept those plans which are flawed or ill judged.
• Please assist us in preventing the Council from building this destructive, expensive “White Elephant”

Thank you for your time and future participation.

The bird feed is supplied by the FORL who raises the money needed from raffles and subscriptions. Here are a couple of photos of Richard keeping the birds happy.

Many thanks Jen and Richard for lugging those heavy bags and braving the cold weather to help the waterfowl.

Photos by Jen

The Roe Deer is quite different to the Muntjac Deer seen quite often in the Lido environs.

Let us know if you see any interesting animals not usually seen at the Lido.

Muntjac Deer

Roe Deer

http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=20538