Last week, your Lib Dem councillors Jake, Jill and Chris paid a visit to The Lodge at Carshalton Ponds to see the work in progress by local charity Ecolocal to convert this historic building into an ecological and community resource. We were shown round by the site team and discussed with them the wide range of uses the community could potentially see come to fruition thanks to this exciting new development. We were very pleased with the attention to detail and respect for the history of the building being shown in the plans and the work being carried out. We are really looking forward to the completion of the building works later this year. The Lodge has the potential to enhance and draw attention to the importance of our local heritage buildings, and enhance Carshalton’s green credentials in ways that involve the community who live locally.

We were also excited by the ambition and passion of the team working on the site, who have a genuine passion for the preservation and promotion of Carshalton’s heritage and green spaces. The team have ambitious plans to bring the historic characters of the Lodge to life while making renewed use of the site for the benefit of the community. The Walled Garden project was particularly interesting and exciting to see – potentially representing a first for the area, the recreation of a Victorian Walled Garden – and is an important step forward in preserving the gardening and horticultural traditions that once were commonplace in Carshalton.

Ecolocal are already well known for their other Carshalton projects – such as the Environmental and Frost Fairs, and for their community gardening sessions at Westmead allotments – The Lodge promises even more!

We would like to thank the team for arranging the site visit, and are looking forward to seeing this very exciting community project take shape in the coming months!