Stephen Hammond MP

Stephen Hammond MP gave an update on major issues.

Stephen said what has happened in Ukraine was an aggressive and barbaric invasion by the Russian state. The UK Government and international response has been relatively quick and robust. He was concerned this could be a long period of attrition and siege, so we need to consider delivering food and essential supplies. The Refugee schemes took longer than expected to get up and running and forms should be easier to fill in. Stephen said he has been told the forms will be improved. Stephen has a list of people who want to volunteer and sponsor refugees and hope others will come forward

A planning application for the St George’s East building has been passed by the Planning Applications Committee. The application is for a higher building than was expected, so would not have been permissible under new local plan. Stephen has written to Mayor of London asking him to review the application and there are a number of petitions against it. He has not had a response from the Mayor of London as yet.

The AELTC application on Wimbledon Park Golf club is controversial in Merton and Wandsworth with major concerns from a lot of residents. Stephen has met with All England and residents to try and find solutions. Concerns include the prolonged closure of Church Road in the summer, an application on Metropolitan Open land, the number of courts being more than at Roehampton, the scale and size of the new show court, the siting of maintenance buildings and whilst the new park is welcomed there are issues about how open it will be and who will be responsible for it. Stephen expects the application to be heard in Wandsworth after May elections and in Merton at either the June or July meeting. There is also a covenant held by Merton Council that prevents building on golf course land, but this is subject to some legal interpretation, so the Council is taking legal advice on this. The planning application is separate to the covenant but could be used stop the project from going ahead. Stephen has written to both the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State has written to both councils but will wait for the decisions to be made.

The Boundary Commission for England is consulting on revised boundaries for Wimbledon constituency. Stephen has made a representation to keep the existing ten wards in the constituency rather than some leave and new ones join.

Cllr McGrath said that the Conservative group had voted against the local plan. Stephen said that clearly the group had objections to elements of the plan but the length of time for the new plan to be finalised means that it is a hinderance on the St George’s East case. Cllr Kohler asked about the status of the covenant on Wimbledon Park, Stephen said that the resident association has had advice that the covenant is enforceable but he has not seen any advice received by Merton Council 

Stephen said he is contactable via email.