Save Greenwich Park from Olympic Equestrian events in 2012

Trees Equestrian perspective

NOGOE (No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events) is a community action group whose members believe Greenwich Park is not a suitable venue for the 2012 Olympic equestrian events. We are extremely worried about the impact the Olympics will have on the Park and the local community. We also believe the Park will not provide a satisfactory experience for the competitors and spectators, so we are campaigning for the equestrian events to be moved to a more suitable venue.

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

18 July 2010 - LOCOG SEEKING TO AVOID COMPLIANCE WITH PLANNING CONDITIONS

Although NOGOE is not part of the Advisory Group to ensure that all 42 conditions in the planning application are discharged by LOCOG, we continue to draw attention to the risks of damage to the heritage features of Greenwich Park. At the invitation of Greenwich Council, we recently attended a meeting with its Chief Planning Officer and representatives from LOCOG, at which we outlined our main concerns, which are:

That LOCOG, if not stopped by the Council, intends to start work in the Park without first seeking approval to a full Reinstatement Plan including financial guarantees, as required by Condition 1 of the Planning Permission;
Although LOCOG's plans for the cross country have apparently been reviewed by English Heritage and other statutory consultees, they seem not to have not taken full account of the prospect of irremediable damage to the Park's Roman archaeology, if proper precautions are not taken.

Click here to read the letter that we wrote after the meeting to the Chief Planning Officer and here to read our presentation on the dangers to the archaeology. Our concerns about permanent damage to the archaeology are shared by RESCUE, the British Archaeological Society. Click here to read their latest Newsletter.

The more time that passes, the clearer it becomes that, despite its "iconic" status and closeness to the Stratford site, Greenwich Park is simply not an appropriate venue and that LOCOG will be unable fully to observe the conditions that have been imposed to preserve the Park. Not only that, but it now seems that it is attempting to get out of its obligation to provide financial guarantees to ensure that it will at least do its best to restore the Park after it has been ruined for the sake of a few days sport.

"We appreciate your wish to facilitate the developer as far as it may be possible, having regard to the Planning Board's decision. However, if there were to be partial approval only of some conditions (and in particular Condition 1), it seems to us that there is a real risk of the process going out of control. Condition 1 is the key to work starting. ... our position at this stage is that the Council has insufficient information to approve LOCOG's application and it is asked not to do so until satisfactory information has been provided." (From NOGOE's letter to Greenwich Council Planning Department, 5 July 2010.)

If you feel strongly about these issues, please make your views known to the Council by emailing fred.brown@greenwich.gov.uk, quoting reference 10/1437/SD. If the Council is persuaded that its Conditions cannot be fulfilled, it will have an obligation to refuse to allow LOCOG to proceed with its plans.

We have also appealed to ministers in the new government to consider cheaper venues; and have written to relevant agencies about public safety and security issues. Read our letters to

and, if you haven't already done so, read our June Newsletter here. Sadly, it appears that the Coalition is as dazzled by the Olympics as the last administration, and despite all the fine words about saving costs, not one of our letters has been answered.

Why Greenwich Park is not a suitable venue for Olympic equestrian events

It is a small urban park and the events will cause damage to the park.
People from across southeast London frequently use the park and many think of it as a lifeline. Holding the Olympic equestrian events in Greenwich will mean park closure.
There will be no physical legacy for the equestrian community in the UK.
Local businesses will suffer because of security sweeps, the clean venue policy and traffic problems.