New council vandalism in PR Park? (change of lighting)

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all,

As part of the councils investment and infrastructure program all park lighting was surveyed for electrical and structural integrity and a program to replace columns in bad poor condition was drawn up. The most recent survey of the columns on Peckham Rye Common in Summer 2017 showed a significant degradation from five years ago with the recommendation to replace them within 6 to 12 months.

The style of lamp columns that are being used as replacements provide significant benefits to the park and follow the council's lighting team's procedure for replacements in parks. They are hinged so can be repaired easily from the ground, it can be a problem on some park paths to bring in larger vehicles with elevated work platforms especially when grass verges or trees can be damaged. The lanterns used are much more energy efficient and can provide better directional lighting. That reduces the amount of light pollution and the impact that has on wildlife, it also improves the light levels where it is needed making the path feel safer. These columns have a longer design life of 50 to 70 years which will reduce the need to replace them as often in the future.

The use of heritage style columns is usually limited to conservation areas and the upward glare they provide causes a real problem for animals such as bats, especially in the vicinity of mature trees.

I hope this clarifies the necessity to replace the lamps.

Renata

[Sporthuntor]

But what do they look like Renata? From your description (100% technical, 0% aesthetic) I don't hold out much hope of something that fits the environment...

Would be delighted (no pun intended) to be wrong on this

[jocher]

Is Peckham Rye Park not a Heritage Park?

[jocher]

http://www.peckhamryepark.org/news/2018/1/24/massive-music-festival-on-park-proposed-27-28-may-2018

[dbboy]

Shame to see the beautiful Victorian style multi directional lights replaced by those ugly out of character single directional lights. Why?

[HelBel65]

dbboy Wrote:

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> Shame to see the beautiful Victorian style multi

> directional lights replaced by those ugly out of

> character single directional lights. Why?

Read Renata's post! Not saying I like it, but there is at least some consideration behind the decision.

[Renata Hamvas]

Thanks HelBel65

[dbboy]

Yep, I read her comments but do not agree with them. I'm sure the majority of people would have much preferred the columns replaced like for like. Could they have not replaced the posts but kept the Victorian lanterns. By the way what has happened to them?

Cllr, you can make all the excuses for why they were replaced, they are totally out of character and quite simply ugly. Thanks for spoiling the area with these monstrosities as an example of "modernisation".

[Penguin68]

1. The councillor was not directly responsible for the choice, simply explaining why it was made.

2. The lamps being replaced were themselves repro, not original Victorian, as I understand it. Their operational life was shorter, and the costs of keeping them in operation more expensive, than the replacements. In times of straightened budgets that seems a good choice to be made.

3. The light thrown by the new lights is less disruptive to wild-life, and I assume reduces local light 'pollution' - these will be seen by many as benefits.

This is not about 'modernisation' as a policy, but is about replacing lights which are now decrepit and not fit-for-purpose with lights which meet criteria of operational, environmental and future replacement costs. I doubt whether, in reality, that many sensibilities will in fact, and over time, be that offended. Indeed, only a few years ago Victorian tastes would have been replaced as a matter of policy, and that replacement welcomed, by modernity. In this case the reasons for replacement appear far more simply practical.

[Sue]

I think the new posts are OK and quite unobtrusive.

They are far better than some of the hideous bendy things around here.

And as someone who uses that path quite a lot after dark, I am glad of the better lighting of it.

[TreacleRabbit]

Those curved bendy lights are awful. They don't fit with the surroundings e.g. In Peckham

[dbboy]

No, she was not personally but was collectively responsible.

I'd rather repro's than those hideous replacements.

What can you mean it is less disruptive to wild life, any light can be disruptive to wild life, this is a spurious argument used by the council to impose their will on us. Who pays for it, we do.

Likewise ligjt pollution, - again a spurious argument that has been used, when was light deemed as being polluting. It is their for a purpose to light up the area in teh vicinity of the posts.

In the opinion of the council they deemed them to be decrepit, of course they would because they wanted to remove what was there currently. Why not reinstate another repro?? For the area they have been palaced in these new modern lights are just plain like a fish out of water. If the rye was surrounded by concrete buildings, then I suppose it would make little difference, but they are not. Most of the housing is Victorian, so why not replace like with like, if as the council state it was decrepit. And who took the repro's? Where have they gone? Did someone get to take them home to sell on an auction site? You bet they did? I don't trust this current local administration as far as I can chuck them.

[fishbiscuits]

It's the 21st century, not the 19th century.

Let's have something modern, efficient, fit for purpose... rather than a perpetual cycle of naff mock Victoriana.

[Sue]

fishbiscuits Wrote:

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> It's the 21st century, not the 19th century.

>

> Let's have something modern, efficient, fit for

> purpose... rather than a perpetual cycle of naff

> mock Victoriana.

Agreed.

The new lights are perfectly inoffensive and quite in keeping with their surroundings, in my opinion.

Unlike the hideous bendy ones elsewhere. Why is nobody complaining about them?

[alice]

Certain streets in nunhead were recently given fake Victorian lampposts part of upgrading the area. They do look good. But cost lots of money. Ridiculous. If you?ve got principles that underpin council decisions. Stick to them.

[cazzyr]

I walk every Monday and Thursday respectively for beavers/scouts and find lack of lighting a real issue. I feel unsafe and would prefer to walk in an area where I can see where I'm going.