Residents force changes as Lib Dem Councillor fails to act

Residents have forced Viridor and the Lib Dem controlled Council to row back on their plans to quietly push through inadequate paths at the Beddington Farmlands.

In just two weeks, over 1200 signatures were posted to demand that Viridor, Sutton Council and Councillors buck up, and agree that both paths should be high quality cycle path standard - allowing easy access to a clearer, safer, accessible route, to give East/West access across the site for the community.

The petition was launched after Liberal Democrat Councillor Ben Andrew publicly shared on Facebook, that 'it could not be promised'. Residents wouldn't accept the risk of losing precious access in and around the Farmlands.

The Councillor's post continued 'the crucial thing, as far as I’m concerned, is securing West/East access across the site, linking Hackbridge to Beddington. I asked whether this could be promised in the revised plans, and was told that it could not'.

So the question is, what did the Councillor actually do to fight for residents? Well not much during the 12 months he'd known about the plans. Minutes state that 'cycleways and footpaths' were discussed at the Community Liaison Group, a meeting he was privy to. 

'There was a discussion around the cycleway and footpaths. Andrew* confirmed that the cycleway had been marked out with fence lines along with the footpaths on the meadowland. This is intended to enable to hedgerows to establish ahead of Viridor making the pathways available in the next year'. *not the Cllr

Photo of the land promised for the long desired Wandle Valley Regional Park

Despite early plans being known to Councillor Andrew since early 2019, the Councillor didn't see a route to resolving the issue, whereas residents did!

Coming late to the game, after the petition exposed the cosy agreement, realising the wool couldn't be pulled over residents’ eyes, he jumped on the bandwagon releasing his own message less than 24 hours before Viridor withdrew their proposal - a coincidence?

Weak arguments about costs in defence of the original plans seem hollow after Viridor were recently valued at £4.2 billion and their multi million pound contract with the Council makes the cost of paths peanuts to them.

Residents will wonder why the Lib Dem controlled Council can't see fit to fight for residents against multinational giants until their second rate deals are exposed.

This issue is just one of many unresolved at the Farmlands, which hard working volunteers have been fighting to make happen for years. Last year under the noses of the Council, hundreds of mature trees were cut down to make way for their overpriced heating system, SDEN, and lakes were left to dry up allowing rare birds to die.

Councillors need to up their game rather than accept second rate offers from their contractors then shamefully U-turn and try to take credit for resident's work.