Editor

Since 2013, a seller is required to state whether Japanese knotweed is present on their property. Derek Inkpin from local solicitors Axiom DWFM looks at the legal implications of this invasive weed

Imagine you are in the process of buying a house, and on receiving a form from your solicitor entitled ‘Property Information Form’, which features in all residential conveyancing transactions, you read that Japanese knotweed has previously been found at the property but has been treated by a specialist firm with a guarantee. Do you cancel your purchase or still proceed, not least because you really like the house?

Everybody has heard about this pernicious weed, but it seems as if it is a distant menace. It may be the stuff of legal and financial nightmares, but if it has been treated, is that enough? Well, it has the potential to damage man-made and natural structures and has been estimated to be present in every 10 square kilometres of the British Isles.

Court cases involving knotweed are likely to increase as a result of a recent Court of Appeal decision in Davies vs Bridgend Council, which is regarded as a landmark ruling. These cases, however, have had a difficult recent history when in 2018 the Court of Appeal decided in Williams vs Network Rail Infrastructure (NRI) that Mr Williams could succeed in his appeal but not on the grounds of NRl’s land causing a private nuisance through encroaching knotweed to Mr Williams’ land. He succeeded because of the loss of what is called the amenity value and use of his property.

It is clear that once warned of the presence of knotweed, a landowner is under a duty to treat it and will be liable if there is a history of failure to do so. That will give rise to a court claim which in the Williams and Davies cases included a right to claim for the loss in value of their respective properties. In the Davies case, the significance of what was decided was that a landowner can recover compensation for the stigma attached to his house, even after successful treatment by a specialist contractor with a guarantee in place.

Thus, there is still the possibility of a value reduction of the property after treatment and buyers walking away from the purchase or offering less for the property. It might prevent mortgage lenders from lending on a property or prevent homeowners from carrying out improvements to landscaping or building works which would otherwise increase the value of their property.

As a seller, never be tempted in the form you complete to answer ‘no’ to the questions about knotweed which is sent to the buyer. Failure to report or deliberately conceal knotweed could lead to the seller being sued for misrepresentation and liable for compensation due to the stigma attached to their property, as well as treatment costs.

Axiom DWFM is located at 9–13 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, E11 2PU. For more information, call 020 8215 1000

A former builders’ yard, The Galleria site in South Woodford has been in Madeleine McCarthy’s family since 1963

Records show that in the 1920s, 180–182 George Lane was listed as ‘Land and Stables’. It later became a builders’ yard and was purchased by my father, Stanley Kimmings, in 1963 for his building business, WJ Kimmings & Son. He had worked in the business and inherited it upon my grandfather’s death.

The builder’s yard was accessed by a central walkway with an office and workshops on one side and a covered storage yard on the other. There were two shops fronting the pavement, one on either side of the entrance to the yard. The shop to the left was Dennis & Whitehead, an electrical repair shop, Ben Whitehead being my father’s brother-in-law. On the right was a card shop. To one side of the site was the Congregational Church, built in 1886 and demolished in 1982, and which is now M&S. On the other side was Abridge Engineering, then a VW garage, and which is now The Slug and Lettuce.

Dennis & Whitehead had a shop which would be very much in vogue today. In an era now where we are much more conscious of recycling and ‘make do and mend’, it offered a great service for the repair of small appliances such as toasters and kettles. One wall was covered with pigeon holes for dozens of different types of valves, which people often purchased in those days. Sadly, shops such as this went out of fashion with the advent of the throwaway society, and it closed for good in 2004.

I inherited the site from my father, who died in 1981, and later the property was redeveloped into The Galleria, a mall with a central walkway, comprising of 13 units, predominantly retail. It opened in 1992 while the country was going through a deep recession. Two of the shops have frontages onto George Lane, as before.

In 2004, I looked into the possibility of opening up the back of The Galleria to connect with the Sainsbury’s car park, but British Land own a thin strip of land between the two sites and nothing was progressed, but I plan to look into this again. 

After having gone through a challenging period during the pandemic, The Galleria is now undergoing a resurgence, with improvements to the building, a new management team and exciting new businesses moving in, as well as retaining some tenants who have been there for many years. Among the range of shops are a barbers, hair and beauty, flower shop, café (currently being refurbished under new ownership with an upgraded outside decking area), a cake shop, takeaway food outlet and an eco-friendly re-use and refill shop. So, take a wander through The Galleria and discover what is on offer in this hidden gem.

The Galleria is located at 180–182 George Lane, South Woodford, E18 1AY.

Four open-air evening performances will take place in Wanstead Park this summer.

Award-winning theatre company Illyria will begin the season on 30 May with Robin Hood, followed by performances of Twelfth Night (29 June) and Pride and Prejudice (28 July).

All-male theatre group The Lord Chamberlain’s Men will conclude the programme with a production of Romeo and Juliet on 27 August.

All shows take place in the Temple enclosure from 7pm, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating and a picnic.

Visit swvg.co.uk/wp23

Volunteering brings communities together, says Nurun Begum, Volunteer Centre Manager at Redbridge CVS, which provides information, training and support to organisations and residents

The Volunteer Centre Redbridge is based at Redbridge CVS (Redbridge Council for Voluntary Services) in Ilford and aims to make Redbridge a place which values volunteering and recognises the contribution volunteers make to the community. We support organisations in recruiting volunteers and, importantly, help guide volunteers towards the right organisation and roles for them.

Volunteering not only contributes towards social cohesion, bringing local communities together to achieve a common goal, but improves mental well-being, builds confidence and tackles isolation and loneliness. It can also provide a helpful pathway to employment, particularly for younger people or those returning to work. This is evident from the positive feedback from volunteers and organisations we work with, such as Age UK, who are currently recruiting for a kitchen aide in Wanstead. One of their amazing volunteers, a 66-year-old who regularly helps in this role, said: “I am sure some people may feel nervous about making the decision to volunteer. Perhaps it takes them out of their comfort zone. But I can wholeheartedly recommend it.”

I am always awestruck when I meet the many incredible people who show such dedication and compassion in their volunteering roles and give up their free time for worthy causes. And it is great to see the launch of the national campaign for volunteering, The Big Help Out, to promote volunteering to a wider audience. The initiative kick-starts with a national day of volunteering on the Coronation bank holiday, encouraging people to pledge their time, whether a single day or regularly.

I am passionate about breaking down barriers which deter and hinder people’s volunteering experience, and keen to continually source volunteering opportunities which are as diverse as the communities we live in. My team and I will be hosting our annual Volunteer’s Fair at the Town Hall in Ilford on 6 June (11am to 2pm) and hope to meet lots of prospective volunteers. Plus, we hold monthly workshops open to anyone who’d like to find out more about volunteering in the borough. We also offer a one-to-one, confidential, drop-in service for anyone who’d like to discuss opportunities individually. We strive to ensure people have a positive volunteering experience that is both meaningful and mutually beneficial to individuals, organisations and the community.

If this has inspired you to volunteer, take a look at our website to view the current opportunities and register your interest for the roles. We can often get people started on their volunteering journey almost immediately.

For more information on Redbridge CVS, email volunteering@redbridgecvs.net. To view current local volunteering opportunities, visit swvg.co.uk/volunteer

Shakespeare’s Macbeth will be performed at the open-air Greek Theatre in the grounds of Woodford County High School this summer.

“With 10 actors in period costume, this promises to be a summer’s evening full of magic and drama. And for those studying the play for GCSE, it will reinforce understanding and a love for Shakespeare,” said a spokesperson for the Drama Impact Theatre Company. The performance will take place on 30 June.

Readers can use code ‘SWVG’ for a 10% discount.

Visit swvg.co.uk/macbeth

Over the last 10 years, Redbridge Council has increasingly excluded residents from the planning process, argues Paul Canal, who laments the decision to approve the Snaresbrook Station car park development

We used to have up to 50 meetings a year attended by local people. The abolition of the Area Planning Committees, which met up to 33 times a year, was followed by the removal of residents’ – or indeed councillors’ – rights to call in applications for public discussion. For an astounding 10 months, we didn’t have a single public planning meeting – and that was not as a result of covid!

In their place, behind closed doors, a planning chair sits with an officer and they alone decide what should and should not be discussed in public. There is no right of appeal. Every other decision is made by an officer, unchallenged and unchallengeable. It appears as though the views of the public are neither sought nor considered important. Yet, even where we have the rare meeting, the odds are stacked against residents. Developers have (and pay handsomely for) access to officers for several years to discuss and refine their plans. Residents get barely five weeks’ notice and only two minutes to advance their views, and that is if a meeting is held at all! Petitions signed by hundreds are counted as only one objection – a democratic outrage. The committee then invariably waves the application through, albeit with the occasional crocodile tears and expression of “regret”.

Which is how we now have the Snaresbrook monstrosity, an overbearing building plonked in a car park. Whilst the borough is crying out for family homes, Redbridge Council have not only approved the 70-plus one-bedroom flats, but flats up to 30% smaller than planning standards normally allow. Simply astonishing, but ideal if you are a slim Hobbit.

The local plan, a statutory document, determines land use. If a former car park is quietly reallocated as development land, the die is cast. There are no legal grounds to object. All you can do is mitigate the impact by working to have a development acceptable to the community. Except, in reality, the community have no say. We get to the party when all the food has been eaten and the music has stopped. In our two minutes, we can appeal and implore and they can ignore. Which they invariably do.

I recognise we need more homes and I am not against the building of homes on car parks by stations per se, (though I note that no thought or provision has been given to those who drive to the station, car drivers being as popular as Ebola in Redbridge). I am, though, viscerally opposed to this lumpen carbuncle with the grace of a tub of lard and the profile of a battleship. It is simply too tall, flies in the face of planning guidelines regarding scale and mass, and should never have got to planning, let alone be passed. And it is the neighbouring residents who will suffer the most. I am genuinely sorry for them. They have not just been failed, they have been royally shafted.

Paul Canal is a Wanstead resident and Conservative councillor for Bridge ward. 

Memento mori workshops will take place at Creative Biscuit Ceramics Café this June.

“Memento mori is Latin for ‘remember you will die’. It is a reminder of our own mortality. On 23 June, we will explore what this means to you and help you create a memento mori cup, bowl or plate. On 30 June, this object will help you explore your feelings about death,” said Debbie Young from North East London Death Cafe, who will be running the workshops with local artist Hannah Crosson (tickets: £60 or £45 if booked by 15 May).

Visit swvg.co.uk/mm

A former police dog who helped put criminals behind bars is receiving treatment for a rare skin condition at Goddard Veterinary Group’s South Woodford practice.

“Rusty, a Labrador cross cocker spaniel, served as a search dog with the Metropolitan Police, sniffing out drugs, firearms and money, and many of his finds helped lead to convictions. Rusty suffers from an ongoing condition that affects the skin around his eye,” said vet Adam Thoms.

The treatment is part of the practice’s support of the London Retired Police Dogs Trust.

The South Woodford Society is planning a return of the expanded summer market on George Lane.

“As last year, we’re aiming to expand our monthly Sunday market – organised by Ace Events Ltd – into a much bigger community event on 18 June (11am to 4pm), and we’re applying to close the northbound carriageway. It will be a great opportunity for local businesses to get involved,” said a spokesperson.

Visit swvg.co.uk/market 

The Coronation weekend will be a time for community, family and friends to come together, help each other out… and think big, say Viveca Dutt and Elaine Atkins

As well as the pomp and circumstance of His Majesty the King’s Coronation, it’s also a weekend for thinking big. From a cup of tea on the doorstep to a full-scale street party, it’s a time for really getting to know your neighbours and to be part of the big celebrations. 

The bank holiday on Monday 8 May is also a special day for communities to come together as part of The Big Help Out initiative to ‘lend a hand and make a change’. Thousands of organisations across the country will be getting together to help out in their local communities and to volunteer as much or as little as they can to make the day amazing.

The Big Help Out is a voluntary initiative supported by some of the UK’s biggest volunteer organisations, including the Scouts and the Royal Voluntary Service. The Big Help Out is open to all and any organisation or individual can join in. The objective is to raise awareness of volunteering and provide opportunities for people to make a difference in their communities. 

In the spirit of this, the South Woodford community will be joining in, and St Mary’s Church – in partnership with the South Woodford Society, South Woodford Gardeners, Woodford Greeners, East London Waste Authority, ‘Restarters’, London Borough of Redbridge and Co-op – is holding a completely free Restart Party and Repair Café at the Woodford Memorial Hall. This follows the resounding success of our previous Repair Café held in October last year. 

If you have broken electrical appliances or unravelling clothes, bring them along for a free repair and a fresh start. Alongside the repairs, sewing and darning, we will have a seed swap, a toy swap and a bicycle MOT station. Bring and collect seeds for your garden or pots and swap toys on the day. There will also be an opportunity to drop off your ‘grown out of’ toys, suitable for children up to 11, at St Mary’s on 3, 4 and 5 May (10am to 12 noon; no DVDs, videos or toys that need mains power, please). If you don’t have seeds or toys to swap, don’t worry. There is no obligation to bring before you take! There will also be lots of information about recycling, reducing waste and volunteering opportunities in the local area. And thanks to the Co-op, there will be free refreshments throughout the event. So much to come along for! 

Our friends at Tin in a Bin, a charity which operates food bank collection points across Wanstead and Woodford, are appealing to anyone holding their own Coronation party to have a ‘tin’ collection to generate much-needed donations – a small gesture that will be a big help. “During the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, we put out a call to streets that were holding parties to collect donations of non-perishable food staples. The response was great; we received a huge boost from that appeal,” said a Tin in a Bin spokesperson. “King Charles III’s Coronation will see more street celebrations in our community and we are repeating the appeal. The sad fact is the economic environment is causing more need for food banks, but also reducing donors’ ability to give. We’re hoping the appeal this year will help replenish our depleted supplies.” 

However big or small your plans are, the Coronation is a wonderful opportunity for the community to celebrate as one.

The Restart Party and Repair Café will take place at Woodford Memorial Hall (207 High Road, E18 2PA) on 8 May from 10.30am to 1.30pm. For more information, visit stmaryswoodford.org.uk

Community champions from South Woodford were recognised at the 2023 Redbridge Mayor’s Awards. Elaine Atkins – herself part of the award-winning South Woodford Society – reports on the achievements

Local community champions were honoured at the 2023 Redbridge Mayor’s Community Awards, held at Redbridge Town Hall at the end of March.  

Lydia Fraser-Ward was awarded for her voluntary work, campaigning for better air quality in the borough via Mums for Lungs Redbridge. Lydia initially became concerned about air pollution in outdoor children’s play areas back in 2020, particularly in Elmhurst Gardens, South Woodford, which borders the North Circular. She set up the new Redbridge branch in 2022, and the group actively campaigns throughout the borough for more air quality monitoring in outdoor areas. With the support of local residents, environmental groups and schools, Lydia successfully applied to the Breathe London community programme for an air quality node for Elmhurst Gardens. The data recorded by the node will be used to inform whether further measures are needed to protect park users from the busy North Circular’s toxic air. A second node has since been awarded for the playground at Ray Lodge Primary School, situated alongside the M11. Lydia also initiated a campaign for the local authority to apply to DEFRA’s Air Quality Fund, which has led to Redbridge Council being awarded more than £300,000 for clean air projects at schools across the borough.

Congratulations also to six-year-old Alfie Thorn-Brown from South Woodford, who was the winner of the Recorder and Redbridge Rotary Young Citizen Award. Only two weeks after learning how to cycle, he raised more than £1,000 by doing a sponsored bike ride. The money raised was put towards buying a new sensory board for dementia patients at Chadwell House care home in Romford, where his great-grandmother was a resident.

And last but not least, the South Woodford Society was thanked for its wholehearted efforts towards making our local community better. The Society was formed in 2015 to make South Woodford an even nicer place to live, work and visit. Working closely with the South Woodford Gardeners, the Society is setting out to re-green our environment, initially with the creation of our community orchard and more recently Eastwood Green (alongside the George Lane roundabout), to improve biodiversity and to help to lower pollution. But one of the main aims of the Society is to create a Neighbourhood Plan. This is a document that will clearly state what we, as a community, want to see happen in South Woodford. The plan can include things such as more affordable housing, protecting our green spaces and improving the variety of businesses in our shopping areas. Anyone who lives, works or visits South Woodford can be a member of the Society.

For more information on Mums for Lungs, visit swvg.co.uk/lungs

For more information on the South Woodford Society, visit swvg.co.uk/sws

A number of workshops will take place at the new community garden in Ray Park this summer.

Willow sculptor and artist Stephen Stockbridge will lead a willow weaving workshop on 20 May, showing participants how to weave hurdles for garden fencing by hand. On 3 June, medical herbalists from Community Apothecary will explain the basics of growing, harvesting, preparing and using plant medicine for botanical remedies.

Both events run from 10am to 3pm and are free to attend (funded by Groundwork London).

“Alongside these workshops, we’ll hold volunteer gardening days on 21 May and 4 June to continue to improve this new community space. And there’ll be more events to come in July and August,” said Lydia Fraser-Ward of the Woodford Greeners, which has led the project to create the community garden.

Visit woodfordgreeners.uk