Cllr. Jill Whitehead reports:-

Bluebells are particularly distinctive with their vibrant blue-purple flowers. There are two types of bluebell found in the UK, native and Spanish bluebells. Cross-breeding between the two species means you may spot flowers which combine traits from both.

Native (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)

Native Bluebells

Deep violet-blue. A genetic mutation occasionally causes white flowers

Flower stem droops or nods distinctly to one side

Almost all flowers are on one side of the stem, hanging down to one side

Flowers are a narrow, straight-sided bell with parallel sides

Petal tips curl back

Flowers have a strong, sweet scent

Spanish (Hyacinthoides hispanica)

Spanish Bluebell

Pale to mid-blue, often also white or pink

Flower stem is stiff and upright

Flowers are usually all the way round the stem, with the flowers sticking out

Flowers are a wide open, almost cone shaped bell

Petal tips flare slightly outwards

Flowers have little or no scent at all

Bluebells can link us to our woodland past

Native bluebells can be found in ancient woodland – a rich habitat that supports a huge array of species. Ancient woods are those in existence since before 1600, and may link back to the wildwood that grew across Britain after the last Ice Age.

A picture taken over the weekend of the waterlogged Canal in Carshalton Park.  As viewed from the top of the Grotto.

Cllr. Hamish Pollock reports: “The construction works in Carshalton Park are getting underway for the new cycle path from the Ashcombe Road gate (quite near the junction with Park Avenue) to the main gate in Ruskin Road.”

Carshalton Park’s new cycle path looking south

Looking north towards Ruskin Road with the children’s playground on the right

Cllr. Hamish Pollock says: “We have received enquiries from concerned residents recently about what is happening. The building work for the WW2 memorial has started for the erection of Carshalton’s Second World War Memorial which I designed. The new brick and stone plinth in the War Memorial Gardens, Honeywood Walk, Carshalton Ponds, will appropriately house the names of nearly 400 Carshalton citizens who were killed in action in WW2 (1939-1945). This work is due to be completed by Friday 18th April 2014 if the building programme goes to plan.”

Cllr. Alan Salter reports:-

Many residents of Carshalton Central work or shop in Sutton town centre or travel from Sutton Station and may have noticed some changes happening.

Three developments that are set to transform the town centre are now underway; work on the Sutton station gateway project; Sutton Point; and Brighton Road car park.

Sutton Station Gateway

A joint project between Sutton Council, Southern Railway, Network Rail and Transport for London will make significant changes to the station and the area around it. After a public consultation, work on the project has now begun with the path that runs from Brighton Road to the steps and ramp outside Quadrant House due to close on Monday while work to open the side entrance begins. This element of the project is set to be complete in the summer with commuters heading to Quadrant House having to walk along Brighton Road and then into the Quadrant.

Other alterations to the area at the front of the station will be completed later in the year.

Sutton Point

Hoarding has gone up around the Sutton Point site in Sutton Court Road as developer CNM Estates prepares to start work on a project to build Sutton’s tallest tower alongside two smaller towers in a development comprising flats, shops a hotel and a tram stop.

Brighton Road Car Park

Hoarding has also gone up around the Brighton Road car park as engineering company Subsea 7 start work to demolish it to make space for a new state-of-the-art office block.

Read the full story here.

A grass verge in the Poets’ Estate complete with newly-planted street tree..

Sutton Council has begun a programme to cut away over 30,000 linear metres of grass verges from footpaths around the borough.

The initiative was formulated as a direct response to the council’s 2013 Ipsos MORI survey revealing that 36% of Sutton residents felt clean and tidy streets were the most important issue in ensuring that Sutton was a good place to live.

Cllr Jill Whitehead, Chair of Sutton Council’s Environment and Neighbourhoods Committee, said:

“We are committed to making our borough the most beautiful place it can be. We hope measures such as this foster a sense of civic pride and a sense of belonging. It is important that we listen to our resident’s feedback and act accordingly”

A picture taken today, 2nd April 2014 by Cllr. Hamish Pollock of the new mews-type houses in Cedar Close, off Salisbury Road.  Some of the properties now appear to be occupied.

Cedar Close, 2nd April 2104

Two photos of Westmead House being reduced to rubble at the southern end as viewed from the Westmead Road/Kingsley Avenue junction, taken on Saturday 29th March 2014.

As previously mentioned on this web site and in special editions of FOCUS, the bulk of the site will become a multi-storey 74- bed care home scheme that was rightly rejected by Sutton Council after campaigns by local residents and local councillors against it, but overturned on appeal to the government’s planning inspector based in Bristol.

The rear of the site, by the two Kingsley Avenue/Byron Avenue East/Cowper Avenue junctions will become modest two-storey houses much more in keeping with the area!

Westmead House from Westmead Road on Saturday 29th March 2014

And another view looking down Kingsley Avenue from Westmead Road