It’s 10 years since Ladywell got a makeover. But it’s now looking the worse for wear and needs attention, says community activist and long-time local resident Robert Sheppard.
Newer ‘locals’ may take for granted Ladywell’s streetscape – with mature trees, wide pavements and short-stay parking bays. But its only been in place for 10 years and followed a highly effective local campaign run by the Ladywell Village Improvement Group (LVIG).
Before this, Ladywell looked decidedly ‘down at heel’ and unloved!
LVIG secured Ladywell Assembly funding in 2010 to commission a streetscape study, and that study (by Space consultancy) helped push the council into making a bid to TfL for project funding of c.£750k. This was approved by Boris Johnson, then Mayor of London in December 2011 as part of Lewisham’s £5.4m funding allocation for 2012/13.
A council consultation on the plans was held in Spring 2012, and demonstrated overwhelming local support. Construction began in Spring 2013.
Sadly, however, many of you will have noticed a recent deterioration in Ladywell’s streetscape.
The bill-posted phone box in front of Dexters remains a persistent eyesore. Black cycle hoops have been replaced by silver ones and several are bent out of shape.
Paving and the street ‘crossovers’ have sunk in many places and the pavement is splattered with black chewing-gum marks and badly needs a steam clean.
Ladywell Ward councillors Laura Cunningham, Bill Brown and Liz Franklin-Johnson and Labour Mayoral candidate Councillor Brenda Dacres have been alerted to these issues. Their response is eagerly awaited.