Future of Herne Hill Update

[Tamar]

This was fwd to chicksdigbikes group with the instruction to pass to as many folks as poss....so here you go.

Dear Friend of Herne Hill Velodrome

The London Velodrome Trust's key partners, Southwark Council, have not been able to agree arrangements with the site's owners The Dulwich Estate (DE) within the timescales of the current temporary lease arrangements. DE want a long lease commitment from Southwark at a high rent, and could sell the site if they don't get the arrangements they want.

Southwark have over the past 3 years been supportive of The Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome's aim of securing Herne Hill's future, and we have both been disappointed that The Dulwich Estate will not take a more positive role in assisting our joint regeneration objectives, which we feel are not incompatible with their obligations to make a financial return on their assets. (see link below for DE details).

Because of this The London Velodrome Trust (LVT) has not been given from The Dulwich Estate the long-requested 'in-principle' confirmations regarding a future long lease which are a pre-condition of it securing grant funding. LVT is therefore prevented from progressing its plans in the way it wishes.

Nevertheless with Southwark's support the LVT is still working up plans for the velodrome's future with its consultants, on the assumption that arrangements satisfactory to all parties can, with Southwark's continued support, be shortly agreed.

Southwark's Executive has convened a special meeting at short notice on the evening of Monday 24th 7.00 pm at the Town Hall Peckham Road SE5 8UB to decide the best way forward. It's an open meeting so come along if you live locally. The Friends of HHV are asking to make a deputation. Some of Herne Hill's detractors from Burbage Road will be there too - never missing an opportunity to put a stick in our wheels.

If you visit our website http://www.londonvelodrome.org/ you'll find an e-mail link to both Southwark Council & The Dulwich Estate, so e-mail your views now.

We know Herne Hill supporters are passionate about saving Herne Hill and have strong feelings, but please don't write things that could put peoples backs up - thank Southwark for their brilliant support to-date, tell them who you represent, tell them what a brilliant place Herne Hill is, and how much more brilliant it could be in the future. Ask them to do all they can to find positive solutions to the present impasse - long-term solutions that will safeguard Herne Hill's future, and secure the pre-conditions needed to raise the investment Herne Hill so badly needs. Tell them why you love Herne Hill, and tell them why you think giving a new life to London's only remaining velodrome is so important. Copy your e-mail to us for future campaign use.

Thanks for your help & support.

Happy cycling
Graeme Geddes
Secterary, Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome

To see the letter that the London Velodrome Trust has written to Southwark's Executive go to http://www.londonvelodrome.org/assets/d ... tanton.pdf A letter to the Dulwich Estate will be posted soon.
BBC Video The BBC1 news programme "Inside-Out" broadcast a documentary on Herne Hill Velodrome in November 2004. In it Tony Doyle twice world champion who started his career at Herne Hill talks to Southwark's top junior cyclist Simon Lewis. An aspiring Olympic athlete Simon, like Tony before him, owes his cycling success to Herne Hill. If you didn't get to watch it a DVD video version of this is now available to Friends of HHV for £8.00.
Dulwich Estate The Velodrome, together with playing fields and much residential and commercial propery in Dulwich is owned by The Dulwich Estate. It manages these property assets to generate income for the Dulwich Charity Schools, and is required by law to meet the objectives under which they have been registered with the Charity commission. In other words they can't be charitable to cycling, if in conflict with their charitable purposes. We think that the velodrome's future regeneration can offer them a very reasonable commercial deal through which all parties can get what they want. To see these go to http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/re ... yno=312751