Planning objections workshop

Less than a week after its formation, Deptford is.. held its first meeting, intended to be a workshop for people who wanted to find out more about the Convoy's Wharf planning application and formulate an objection to it.

Between 40 and 50 people came along during the two-hour Saturday morning get-together in the Albany. They heard about why we believe the planning application will offer nothing for Deptford residents and businesses, they learned more about the heritage of the dockyard and Sayes Court, and they hopefully went away motivated to submit an objection to the planning application.

It was heartening to see so many people there at such short notice - some had received our email newsletter, some had read about the event on local Deptford blogs or received leaflets through their doors, but quite a few people had just seen the posters that we plastered up and down the High Street in the last couple of days. The turnout gave us hope that there are many, many more people in Deptford who care as much as we do about what happens to our waterfront and want to publicise and celebrate Deptford's maritime heritage, and reinstate its famous garden.

Those who came to the workshop also found out something about the plans we are proposing for the recreation of Sayes Court Garden, and a full-size reconstruction of the Lenox, one of Charles II's navy ships which was built in Deptford. More of that in a future post - there will be an official launch of the project some time in the next month or so.

Meanwhile those who came to the workshop were encouraged to take away a conker (gathered that morning from Sayes Court Park) as a reminder to them to write and send their objection, as well as encouraging them to believe that from small beginnings, big things can grow.