Bushy Park Development Worries Surface Again

12.00.00am GMT Wed 6th Nov 2002

A few years after the protests over the housing development at Upper Lodge in Bushy Park - during which environmental activists occupied the site - disquiet is surfacing again amongst residents that the developer is not honouring the terms of the agreement.

Vincent Cable has written to both the Royal Parks and the Crown Estate (the owner of the site) expressing concerns over a variety of issues:

• areas to be returned to public use (from the old factory building) are still fenced off.

*no progress has been made in restoring the famous Water Garden and proposals for access to it are unsatisfactory.

• new residents are using the park as a short cut in their cars despite specific instructions not to and written assurances to Vincent Cable that this would not be allowed.

Vincent Cable said: "there were very strong feelings in Hampton Hill about this development. I sought and was given assurances that the developers would respect the wishes of the local community in respect of some key issues and this they are failing to do."

"Part of the problem here is that the Crown Agents who own the site and has oversight of the developer, is a public sector quango and not accountable to anyone (except in a very tenacious and theoretical way to the Chancellor of the Exchequer)."

"It is also holding out for more money for monitoring the Water Garden despite being flush with cash from its property developments. If the developers and the new residents of the luxury homes don't show more respect for the park, the local community will, rightly, feel very let down."

Contact: Owen Jones, Chair Friends of Bushy and Home Parks - 8977 3863