PRESS Statement
Friday, 25th of February 2011
Save Wanstead Flats Campaign: Metropolitan Police Briefing and Muster Centre, Wanstead Flats

Last night the Redbridge Council Regulatory Committee agreed unanimously to support the Metropolitan Police's planning application to built a temporary police base on Wanstead Flats to cater for their Olympic needs.  Despite strong objections from Newham Council who were  consulted

Residents' fears and objections were blatantly brushed aside, and only two residents were given the opportunity to state their objections in 2 minute slots each. The proposed development caused a lot of concern to residents in surrounding areas, but this is of no interest to Redbridge councillors as these residents are not in their wards.

Newham Council resolved in their Strategic Development Committee meeting on  23rd February, that they were unhappy with the planning proposal and objected due to significant security concerns for local  Newham residents, and requested that these concerns were given full consideration by the Redbridge Regulatory Committee. But they were not.

Indeed,  they were laughed aside, and it was stated that security is not an issue for Redbridge Council or for its residents, and should be left to the police and intelligence services who could be to be trusted to deal with them. Instead insignificant questions, such as marquee heights were asked.

We question if councillors had read through any of the submitted planning objections, and if they have fulfilled their legal obligations to properly scrutinize this particular planning application, as they seemed to feel it would be against the "spirit of the Olympics", to object. After all, the Met Police left it so late, that now any objections could be seen as obstructing Olympic security.

Some may feel that the Save Wanstead Flats Campaign has come to its natural end, but Metropolitan Police, Councillors of Redbridge and The Corporation of London beware:

IT IS NOT OVER YET.

We will be objecting all the way; we will be scrutinizing what you are doing; we will be scrutinizing how you are doing it; we will make the public aware of your failings.

To your great surprise, you cannot laugh us aside like small children. You will find that residents do know what they are talking about, and do know what is best for them. We will not be ignored.

The campaign will be publishing a contact list for local MPs, so that residents can request them directly that they object to the Legislative Reform Order, that amends the Epping Forest Act, which is required to finalize the planning application and for the project to go ahead.