Cllr. Alan Salter says: “Sutton Council has received a planning application no. C2014/69012 for the redevelopment of a historic building in Carshalton.

Development Control Committee member, Cllr. Hamish Pollock says: “The application is for the demolition of part ground floor, part first floor at rear and internal alterations and replacement with a part one storey with roof accommodation, part two storey with roof accommodation extension and conversion of existing office space at ground and first floor levels to provide self contained accommodation comprising three 2-bedroomed maisonettes and three 3-bedroomed terraced houses; a separate detached two storey building with roof accommodation at rear comprising three 2-bedroomed maisonettes together with nine car parking spaces, internal cycle storage within main building, refuse and recycling facilities, private and communal amenity spaces and hard and soft landscaping.”

Cllr. Jill Whitehead says: I have de-delegated this planning application for the following reasons. I believe that it is overdevelopment in a conservation area, seeks to put development on a back garden car park not previously developed, and will overlook and block the view and light to many local residents’ properties. In particular it will come right up the edge of and block the view and light of one of the most historic and important buildings in Carshalton, namely West Street Lodge (built c 1738).   

Jill adds: “I also understand that the boundary wall is authenticated 17th century by Andrew Skelton (and therefore needs to be conserved) and may belong to the Hope Public House and not to the owners of London House. Additionally there is an important tree in the car park area which may need to be protected. West Street Lodge features on page 119 of the “Book of Carshalton” by Wilkes and Rookledge, published in 2002, where its historical importance is highlighted. The book says that West Street Lodge was the very first Rectory in Carshalton, built in 1738. Sutton Council has recently applied for and will be applying to the Heritage Lottery fund for protection of several historical buildings in Carshalton, this planning application fits very uneasily with conservation status for this area.

Published in the Sutton Local Guardian on Thursday, 27th March 2014

ELIZABETH URSULA THORNTON (nee Coppock). Passed peacefully away on 28th February 2014 after a short illness in St Helier Hospital, aged 85. The funeral will take place at North East Surrey Crematorium on Wednesday 2nd April at 1.20pm. Enquiries to 020 8647 2574.

Cllr. Hamish Pollock, former committee member of the Carshalton Society for many years says: “Elizabeth will be sorely missed – she was a near neighbour of mine in Lavender Road, Carshalton and was always very friendly. She was a stalwart supporter of many local groups and in particular The Carshalton Society at whose open meetings she took part with interest and good humour, and served refreshments. Our sincere condolences to her family.”

Sutton has been attracting more than £350 million in new investment into the borough in less than two years. This is no mean feat and did not suddenly happen of its own accord.

Cllr. Alan Salter says: “It is the result of the hard work of our fellow Cllr. Jayne McCoy (pictured below) and Lib Dem controlled Sutton Council’s Economic Renewal and Regeneration officers together with our Council’s Planning teams that the borough has seen the North Sutton gas holder site get planning permission – an investment worth £85 million on its own, and the biggest development the borough has seen; whilst Sutton Point, Victoria House, Subsea 7, the Burger King site, Sutton Super Bowl and the Energy from Waste facility all now also have approval to start development. These developments on their own expect to bring with them over 1,700 jobs.”

In Hackbridge Felnex have put in development plans, and the Wandle Valley Trading Estate are having their application decided imminently, with the potential for yet more local jobs.

In terms of marketing Sutton and attracting new businesses we have seen Metro Bank, Uno Tapas and Patisserie Valerie open up branches in Sutton providing between them 65 new jobs.

Incidentally Carshalton Central Cllr. Hamish Pollock “opened” the Patisserie Valerie shop in Sutton High Street when he served as the borough’s Deputy Mayor two years ago.

The establishment of ‘Successful Sutton’, the town centre Business Improvement District means existing businesses investing an additional £2 million in Sutton.

Then we have the funding won through bids to the Mayor’s Outer London Fund and Transport For London amounting to over £4.5 million invested in improving Hackbridge, North Cheam & Worcester Park, and the Sutton Station Gateway Scheme.

Of the £1 million the council set aside to support the Opportunity Sutton programme of work, less than half has been spent, which means our £350 million is a fantastic return on our investment. Long may this good work continue…

Honeywood Museum is a Grade II listed building next to the picturesque Carshalton Ponds.  The family-friendly museum re-opened in May 2012 after a complete refurbishment following a grant from the HLF. It has beautifully restored period details including the Edwardian Billiards Room, Drawing Room and Bathroom. There are exhibitions which tell the fascinating history of the house and the people who lived there, and an on-going diary of events which illuminate the history of Carshalton and the Borough of Sutton. The friendly staff also oversee a delightful collection of Edwardian toys on display in the Childhood Room, a tea room and a shop with a wide range of publications and unusual gifts.

Where is Honeywood Museum?

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTER-FRIENDLY PAGE

Honeywood Museum is the white building facing directly onto Carshalton Ponds, opposite the Greyhound Hotel in Pound Street. On the map below, Honeywood is indicated as the blue building at the end of Honeywood Walk and is marked by the word ‘MUS’ in the red circle.

Click on map for Multimap link

Travelling by foot

Honeywood can be accessed from North Street by way of Honeywood Walk, West Street by way of Festival Walk, or directly from Pound Street.

Travelling by bus

Click HERE for the Carshalton bus map

127Purley – Woodcote Green – Wallington – Carshalton – Hackbridge – Mitcham – Tooting Broadway
157Morden – Rosehill – St. Helier Hospital – Carshalton – Wallington – Waddon – Croydon – Selhurst – Norwood Junction – Anerley – Crystal Palace
407Caterham – Whyteleafe – Purley – South Croydon – Croydon – Waddon – Wallington Green – Carshalton – Sutton
S3Belmont (Sutton Hospital) – Carshalton Beeches – Carshalton – Sutton – Sutton Common – Worcester Park (NOT SUNDAYS)
X26West Croydon – East Croydon – Wallington Green – Carshalton – Sutton – Cheam – North Cheam – Worcester Park – New Malden – Kingston – Teddington – Hatton Cross – Heathrow (STOPS ONLY WHERE SHOWN)

Buses 127 and 157 stop in North Street near the end of Honeywood Walk. Bus 407 stops in Pound Street. All these, together with the X26, stop in Carshalton High Street. The S3 stops in West Street, a short walk away.

Travelling by train

Timetable Victoria, Clapham Jct, Balham, Mitcham East., Mitcham Jct, Hackbridge, Carshalton, Sutton, Cheam, Ewell E,. and Epsom (Southern)
Timetable Victoria Dorking/Horsham (Southern)
Timetables Luton, London, Sutton and Wimbledon (First Capital Connect)

Honeywood is about five minutes walk from Carshalton railway station, which is not to be confused with Carshalton Beeches. There are frequent services from Epsom and London Victoria and the stations in between. Balham, with its connection with the Underground’s Northern Line, is just four stations away.

Travelling by car

Honeywood is adjacent to the A232 in Carshalton, between Sutton and Croydon

There is limited on-street parking in the immediate area around Honeywood. There are two public Car Parks adjacent to Carshalton High Street (see blue ‘P’ symbols in map above).

Hotels

The Greyhound Hotel in Pound Street is across the road from Honeywood. It is a small friendly hotel and public house steeped in the history of Carshalton, and is run by the well known London brewer Youngs. Youngs have another long-standing hotel and public house at the Junction of Manor Road and Acre Lane, The Duke’s Head Hotel on Wallington Green.

Cllr. Jill Whitehead says: “Residents who are not currently on the electoral register or who have moved recently have until 6th May to register to have their say in the upcoming elections. The local and European elections are both taking place on Thursday 22 May. That’s only 8 weeks away.”

Every day, councillors in Sutton take vital decisions about areas such as education, employment, health and wellbeing, social care, housing, the environment and leisure.  There are more than 147,000 voters in Sutton, but only those who have registered to vote will be able to cast their ballots. It will be four years before the next opportunity to vote in the local elections. The European Elections take place every five years.

Cllr. Hamish Pollock adds: “We want to ensure that no-one misses out on their right to vote simply because they aren’t registered. Some people think that you’re automatically registered once you pay council tax, but that isn’t the case. Others may think they’ve already missed the deadline. But it’s not too late.  People can still help choose the person they want to represent them locally for the next four years. If you don’t register, you can’t vote, and so you can’t have a say.”

Carshalton Central Cllr. Alan Salter says: “Residents can register to vote in person, by post or by proxy, by downloading, completing and returning the voting registration form at www.sutton.gov.uk/vote. Residents who have moved or changed their name should contact electoral services before 6 May using the following details: electoralservices@sutton.gov.uk or call 020 8770 4179.

A beautiful mature oak (?) tree photographed by Hamish last weekend in the grounds of Ashcombe Court, The Park. Carshalton.

A magnificent tree in Ashcombe Court grounds,  The Park, Carshalton

Cllr. Hamish Pollock reports: “It’s good to see that the council have planted some new street trees in Park Avenue, Carshalton which ironically and despite its name  hitherto had no street trees – here’s a photo I took over the weekend of one of them!”  As reported previously Sutton Council have installed numerous new street trees in Carshalton Central in reent weeks as part of the Environmental Improvement Programme as well as removing a number of diseased older street trees.

Park Avenue street tree photpgraphed on 22nd March 2014

Genealogists across the borough will be aided in their research as Sutton Council has announced that its burial records for Sutton Cemetery and Cuddington Cemetery, which date back to 1889, will now be accessible online.

The council has recently finished scanning and transcribing the records from Sutton Cemetery. This work forms part of a project involving the provision of a new computerised burials administration system for the Cemetery Service. The burial records for Bandon Hill Cemetery, which is jointly managed by the London boroughs of Sutton and Croydon, are also due to go online in April 2014.

Currently, residents have had to contact the cemetery office with their genealogical enquiries with the staff having to refer to the burial registers which are old, fragile books, some dating back over one hundred years. Local residents will now be able to search and download the records via the Deceased Online website http://www.deceasedonline.com/.

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

“This modernisation is much needed; the previous registers were old and could not have lasted a great deal longer. The records being placed online will allow a much greater access to our citizens and will facilitate quick efficient research. Given that this year marks the 100^th anniversary of the outbreak of WW1 we expect many people to use this service too further research their ancestors who fought in the Great War”

The three Lib Dem councillors Jill, Alan and Hamish visited the Grove Park yesterday to inspect the new finger post sign and the start of the works to form the new cycle path that is planned to cross the park from Papermill Close to the High Street and to Westcroft Leisure Centre.

Alan and Hamish by The Ponds, Carshalton

Jill and Alan by the New Finger Post sign

Jill and Hamish on the new cycle path in The Grove Park leading towards Westcroft Leisure Centre