LVRPA announce closure of golf course, which will be turned into private campsite!

The Lea Valley Regional Park Authority have made the decision to close the golf-course they had claimed previously would only be ‘temporarily’ shut for use as a campsite during the Olympics and would open again in spring 2013. This claim was repeated by the Chief Executive of the LVRPA, Shaun Dawson, to councillors Ian Rathbone and Barry Buitekant when he met with them in 2012 to discuss community concerns about the use of LVRPA land for commercial use and development during the Olympics. It was reiterated by the Park Authority’s Green Space Manager to members of the public.

The Authority claim that a private campsite, which will be closed to the public and by virtue of use will involve the driving of many vehicles on to the land, will be a “more appropriate use of Metropolitan Open Land.” This claim can be found in the minutes of the Executive Meeting that was held on 21/03/13.

Save Lea Marshes believe the campsite proposal is closely linked to the plans by Hackney Council to make the adjacent Hackney Marshes a commercial events space for 3 private mega events every summer.

We are asking everyone to sign the petition that we have against the Hackney Marshes plans, attend the ‘drop in session’ about the plans at Hackney Marshes User Centre on Wednesday 17th April at 6pm and write to Shaun Dawson (sdawson@leevalleypark.org.uk) with their views about the closing of the golf course.