About the site
The landowner is currently listed as AIM LAND LIMITED (11182462), a recent name change.
Since 2008, the land has belonged to the Bux family, registered in Preston, but with links to offshore islands. (See also Ocean Wave Estates Ltd [1] and Austringer Capital / Estates Ltd [2]).
[1] https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/10110718
[2] https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11182462
No. The allotments are still owned by Lewisham Council.
A Tree Preservation Order is an order made by a local planning authority in England to protect specific trees, groups of trees or woodlands in the interests of amenity. An Order prohibits the: cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting, wilful damage, wilful destruction, of trees without the local planning authority’s written consent. If consent is given, it can be subject to conditions which have to be followed. In the Secretary of State’s view, cutting roots is also a prohibited activity and requires the authority’s consent.
Government guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-preservation-orders-and-trees-in-conservation-areas#tree-preservation-orders--general
History
1950s Willow Tree Riding school is owned by Mr & Mrs Massey
2012, a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is put in place on several trees on the land. Planning ref DC/17/103266.
By 2015 owner Jan Massey has left and the school is now called the Pink Willow Equestrian Centre Ltd, owned by C. Williams, a former instructor.
2008 Austringer Estates Limited incorporated in British Virgin Islands, purchased the site for £475,000.
2011 Mrs Massey celebrates her 100th birthday!
2016 Austringer Estates forcefully closes the Pink Willow Equestrian Centre.
2016, 4th Dec Austringer applies to Lewisham Planning dept. to work on trees (ref DC/16/099487)
- This document, dated December 2010, shows the intention to work on new stable block and a new paddock.
- 2017, 21st Jun Decision Made (Closed internally)
2017, 12th December, Pink Willow Equestrian Centre is officially dissolved.
2019, 2nd Apr Austringer applies for "Demolition of the existing stables and the construction of new equestrian facilities to include stalls, a barn shelter, tack building, reception/office, and a perimeter track for riding, at Willow Tree Riding Establishment Ronver Road SE12, together with use of the existing access onto Ronver Road and associated works." (ref DC/16/099487)
2020, 27th February Lewisham Council Planning Committee agreed to REFUSE planning permission for the for the demolition of the existing stables and the construction of new equestrian facilities.
2020, 6th March Austringer Estates Limited sells the site of nature conservation to Austringer Capital Limited (ACL) for an inflated sum.
2021, 29th Jan Austringer submits an appeal against Lewisham's decision.
2021, August the community of Grove Park votes overwhelmingly ‘YES’ in the referendum to adopt The Grove Park Neighbourhood Plan.
2021, 14th Sept The Appeal Hearing takes place.
2021, 14th Sept LB Lewisham and Baring Trust make applications for partial award of costs against Austringer under the Town and Country Planning Act in relation to Appeal Ref: APP/C5690/W/20/3254911.
2024
In early February, Beams Construction Ltd arrived onsite with diggers, ostensibly to clear brambles.
6th February, a meeting (we were not invited to) was held between council officers and representatives of the developer. We requested a follow up communication.
On 12th February they were caught digging up trees and setting light to them and other wet wood on an open fire, causing distress to neighbours and inciting visits from London Fire Brigade teams (at least twice) and Lewisham's Antisocial team.
The EA had given them permission to burn in the open, see here. Note, this permission had been granted on 4 February 2024.
Over the following days, neighbours gathered, and shared with various local representatives, video and photographic evidence of deliberate damage to the nature of the site: ripping up trees and brambles from the roots. The years of built up rubbish, rickety wooden buildings and other detritus they promised to clear up remain onsite.
16 February, a project officer from the Mayor's office responded to our many complaints by email.
20 February, AIM issued a press release to the Northbrook Park Facebook group.
16 Feb 2024, an application, ref DC/24/134893, was submitted by a company based in Southampton on behalf of AIM/Austinger/Bux family, seeking consent for works to tree(s) subject to a Tree Preservation Order, namely “A linear group of trees growing at the boundary of Pink Willows Riding Establishment and Grove Park”.
The trees in question were neither themselves damaged nor about to damage anyone’s property.
The case was “Closed internally” by Lewisham on 28 Feb 2024. You can read the full application form here: https://planning.lewisham.gov.uk/online-applications/files/F2C3C580186B3AB67083164DBCFD9145/pdf/DC_24_134893-APPLICATION_FORM-1268437.pdf