There was a record turnout at the meeting of the Friends of Palewell Common at All Saints Church Hall on Tuesday 24 June 202. Under discussion was the potential threat from a company called Go Ape to build a zipwire adventure playground in the Common’s woods.

Friends chair Andy Sutch predicted that if the proposal looked like going ahead, there would be “fighting on the beaches” to stop it. The Friends’ two main objections would be around the extra traffic the scheme would create and, principally, against the idea of building on Common land.

Councillor Julia Cambridge addressed the meeting, assuring worried residents that she had “grave concerns” at the prospect of the scheme. The proposal had first appeared nine months ago and not much had happened since, but Councillor Cambridge said she had been given an update on the day of the meeting. She was told there wasn’t anything new to report from the Council. She also contacted Go Ape itself, who said they’d get back to her.

Her feeling was that it is “likely” that Go Ape are having “second thoughts”, even though the meeting heard that the company had looked at three potential sites locally and had decided that Palewell Common was the most promising.  But Councillor Cambridge warned that “this is a big company” and that it would be best to “head it off” rather than let its proposal get in front of the Council’s Planning Committee.

Councillor Julia Cambridge addressing the meeting

Will Dartnell, Conservation Manager of Barnes Common, said that while Planning Permission on common land was not impossible, there would be additional requirements and, if granted, there would be concerns that it could set a precedent for other commons.

In terms of the wildlife, Dartnell said that the woods in Palewell Common are an important site for saproxylic insects (which feed on rotten wood), so their protection would be part of the argument against any construction in the woods.

Julia Cambridge said that although there was no immediate threat she “doesn’t trust this situation” but told the meeting that “as political representatives, we are absolutely on this”.

There were offers of help from the meeting and Andy Sutch promised to keep members fully informed of developments.

Contributed by Charles Miller