Council terminates lease prematurely
Devastating news about termination of our lease - letter dated 17 September to our Friends
Dear Friends,
Further to our email of the 9 September, we are writing to you regarding the Council's decision to terminate our lease prematurely and to award a new lease to Dose of Nature from September 2025. We have received so many emails of support that we are greatly touched and it was wonderful seeing so many Friends at our tea party on Sunday.
Here is a link to our letter to the Council dated 12 September asking them to reverse the decision. Also we recently found on the Council website an Equality Impact and Needs Analysis submitted to the Directors’ Board of the Council on 4 July containing erroneous information about us restricting access of Dose of Nature to the site in the past 2 years. This is categorically not true.
Our key point is that the Field has been managed by us for the benefit of wildlife and conservation whereas management by a charity dedicated to the mental health of people will by necessity have different priorities. The question of erecting permanent shelters in the Field clearly illustrates the point. We have rejected several applications from Dose of Nature to build shelters in the Field. Follow these links to find copies of proposals submitted by Dose of Nature in 2020 (link) and 2021 (link) - the structure proposed in 2021 was enormous (11 metres long and 2.8m wide). If one structure is built in the Field, this paves the way for other structures - we have been advised that erecting any structures could give any future developers a toehold.
Pensford Field Environmental Trust (PFET) was established at the time the lease from the Council was granted and our constitution is inextricably linked to the management of the Field. The Trust will be wound up when the Lease is terminated and all the activities such as the Wassail and Summer Party led by PFETwill cease. Of course individuals may seek permission from Dose of Nature for use of the Studio/Field to run similar activities.
If the early termination is given effect, we understand from Dose of Nature that they intend to permit the continued use by local schools, nurseries, the local community and bee keepers. However, we consider these rights need to be enshrined in the new arrangements because its current management may change and Dose of Nature may decide that there are other mental health priorities. We also know how much importance is attached by them to having exclusive use of the Field and Studio which may leave other users with limited practical opportunities to access the Field unless, as at present, times are designated for other users.
Many of you asked what you could do to support us. If you feel the decision is wrong or that proper process has not been followed, we should be grateful if you would write to your local councillor, the leader of the Council, the Chairs of the relevant Council Committees and/or Sarah Olney, the local MP. The email addresses are below (but if you live outside the Kew Ward, you will need to check who are your councillors on the Council website.
If you decide to do write, here are some points you may wish to raise. It would be wonderful if you would also mention what Pensford Field has meant to you or your family over the years.
the decision to terminate the lease prematurely should be withdrawn
there needs to be proper consultation with the other users of the Field including schools and nurseries, local residents and the Pensford Field Environmental Trust
Pensford Field should continue to remain a conservation site without shelters or structures
Access to the Field should be managed by an independent body which is not dedicated to one sector of the community
If a decision is made following consultation to proceed with the lease to Dose of Nature;
i. the rights of access of schools, nurseries and local residents should be protected; and
ii. the extent of structures proposed should be transparent and subject to planning consent.
Thanks once again for your support. At present it feels a bit like a David and Goliath situation. We are not a campaigning body with paid staff - we feel strongly that we and our lovely volunteers and supporters deserve better treatment after thirty-two years of dedicated stewardship of the Field.
Kind Regards,
Sarah Atkins
on behalf of the Trustees of Pensford Field
Email addresses of the Leader of the Council, local councillors in Kew ward and Sarah Olney, MP
Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park - office@saraholney.com
Cllr Gareth Roberts, Leader of LBRuT Cllr.G.Roberts@richmond.gov.uk
Cllr Piers Allen, Chair of Adult Social Services, Health and Housing Committee Cllr.P.Allen@richmond.gov.uk
Cllr Julia Neden-Watts, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports Committee - cllr.j.neden-watts@richmond.gov.uk
Cllr Clare Vollum - cllr.c.vollum@richmond.gov.uk
Cllr Ian Craigie - cllr.i.craigie@richmond.gov.uk
Cllr Alice Bridges-Westcott - cllr.a.bridges-westcott@richmond.gov.uk
