Dear LPG, 

I think that most of us have heard the news, or at least rumours about the fact that what I know as Catford Shopping Island is being demolished in favour of yet more housing.    I also remember when it was the area of Catford market, that includes Pound stretchers, Tesco and Iceland which was in peril but it appears that the cat which was under threat as a result of that idea remains safe for now.

Whenever these things are proposed there are consultations and when shopping one Saturday in early February, I was approached by one of a set of young people offering a little information on the subject.    

How many times have you taken a leaflet from someone while walking down the street, put it in your shopping bag and, be honest, even if it gets home it ends up in the bin with the packaging that is not needed when you put the groceries you bought away. 

I don’t know why but this time, I stopped short of the bin, took a look and found my way to the website where they ask for the public’s views and it tells of a previous consultation where 498 people responded. The website then goes on to tell us about the percentages of people who agree with aspects of the proposed scheme.  

The problem is that, according to Google, when I asked how many people live in the area of Catford, the 2011 census reports that there were 44,905 which means that just over 1% of the Catford population have really taken a good look at what is proposed.  Even by my really rough calculations, that statistic changes my perception of the 80% that the website says ‘welcomed the regeneration of the site’.  This percentage is even smaller when you factor in all the people who shop, work and use the island.

There must have been one or two of these consultations before what in my humble opinion can only be called the relative devastation at Lewisham gateway got underway.

So before it all happens again, can I please ask that a few more Lewisham residents take a serious look at what is proposed and voice their opinions.

JA, Lewisham. 

JA shares the website that she feels all Lewisham residents should take a look at…

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