Minutes:
HS2 funded Alternative Ecological Mitigation (AEM) Masterplan and Procurement Strategy
Victoria Abel (Advisor to the Trust) gave an update on the planning application of the Alternative Ecological Mitigation (AEM) Masterplan. The application was submitted to OPDC in April 2024. It received a number of objections from local people and Sport England. OPDC had concerns about the footpath connectivity across the site and did not recommend approval of the planning application. The Trust considered this with HS2 and decided to remove parts of the plan that required planning permission, which were the borehole, pond and footpaths. Improving access remains an important part of the plan and the Trust would continue to work with stakeholders to co-produce footpath proposals next year, while engaging with OPDC. This AEM Masterplan proposal included the Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDs) made up on a large scrape, tree and shrubs planting, meadows and grasslands creation and Hibernacula’s bird and bat boxes, which will be managed by a 10 Year Management and Maintenance Plan.
Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted Member) welcomed these changes on behalf of the Friends of the Wormwood Scrubs but would like to have more discussion with the Trust on the precise location of the SUDs due to concerns of them blocking footpaths. Victoria Abel assured that the SUDs were quite small and shallow and could be relocated if the direction of travel around the stadium changed.
Councillor Dominic Stanton expressed that it was a shame that a large part of the masterplan which had been under discussion for a long time was being discarded and wondered if this decision was being near-sighted. Victoria Abel said that it took a while for OPDC to decide if planning permission was needed and with the objections lodged the planning process would have taken at least 9 to 12 months.
Councillor Dominic Stanton followed up by asking what would happen if the masterplan was not approved. Mark Raisbeck (Advisor to the Trust) believed that it would be a shame if the Trust did not press ahead with what could be pressed ahead with quickly. Work could progress quickly if the masterplan was being approved by the Committee, and the elements which required planning permission could be explored and pursued separately.
Councillor Dominic Stanton requested that if it could be noted that the Committee was only approving part of the new masterplan.
The Chair said that it was possible, adding that she was incredibly disappointed in the new masterplan particularly as residents had come to her saying that they would want a path network but had not been able to voice that publicly. She proposed approving the masterplan in two tranches—first with the work that did not require planning permission and then exploring how to deliver the access improvements.
Victoria Abel assured that the footpath and signage would be looked at early next year and the Trust would co-produce a proposal for a network of footpaths with stakeholders including the Friends of Wormwood Scrubs and the hospital.
Simon Ingyon noted that this was not the whole masterplan for the whole Scrubs but was only in relation to the HS2 works. Alternative ecological mitigation had been led predominantly by the HS2 works on the Scrubs and it was crucial that some of the work could be done soon to ameliorate the effects of HS2 and increase ecological baseline. It was also noted that due to legislative changes on biodiversity net gain, some parts of the original plan, such as the pond, could not be counted as part of the ecological mitigation of HS2 since those features would have come from planning but not HS2. This was the other reason why those elements were removed from the current plan, but those features and infrastructure would come back into plans in the future.
Councillor Dominic Stanton asked about the effective date of the legislative change. Simon Ingyon replied that the requirement to demonstrate an increase in biodiversity net gain came into effect in February 2024, which was during the discussion with HS2. Councillor Dominic Stanton expressed his dissatisfaction with the time and effort wasted on the initial masterplan.
Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) noted that the Alternative Ecological Mitigation Fund predated HS2 having lodged any interest in the Scrubs. The Fund was granted for the damage HS2 had done to the Scrubs elsewhere on the line.
Mark Raisbeck believed that the work which was done was not wasted but frustrating and it would be pragmatic to move forward with what could be proceeded with. The value of other elements was being recognised and the Trust should do their best to explore them.
Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted Member) agreed that they should press on with the work to get the benefits of the fund and expressed that the Friends of the Wormwood Scrubs would still be objecting to the pond and the footpaths.
The Committee approved the AEM masterplan and procurement strategy of the AEM masterplan.
HS2 – Future of the UTX Site
Osama El-Amin reported on the negotiations with HS2 to gain clarity over their intentions around the UTX site. HS2 had been unable to demonstrate whether the land was ‘surplus to requirement’ and would need to be retained, or not. In the absence of that clarity, the Trust had come into an agreement with HS2 which stipulated that the Trust would be told when it became clear whether the land was ‘surplus to requirement’ and the negotiation would be restarted. The agreement would protect the Trust’s ability to claim compensation for the land up until 2036, given that the Old Oak Common station construction was due to be completed by 2033. It was also agreed that the material value of the land would not change, which would protect the Trust from having to pay an inflated price if it was required to buy it back. The preference of the Trust was to repatriate the land for its charitable use, without paying a fee to the Secretary of State.
Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) enquired if it was possible for the Council to issue a statement on this on the Council’s website. Osama El-Amin replied that the Council would issue a comprehensive message to all residents about the relationship between the Council and HS2, which would also include the Trust.
Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) also asked about the legal agreement for the value of the land. Osama El-Amin responded that compensation could be claimed up until 2036 and the material valuation would not change. The UTX site was valued at about £160,000 in 2021, which would be the figure to be considered in the future. Should HS2 need the land, the Trust would have the right to claim compensation from the Secretary of State. The Trust had made it clear that they would be happy to manage the wayleaves and easements for utility companies to access the land. HS2 had to clarify which of the utility diversions had to be permanent, which of them could be rediverted underneath the roadway, and if it was possible for the Trust and the Council to manage agreements with those that needed access to the site. This consideration is key to resolving the issue of land ownership.
Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) followed up by asking if HS2 would be paying the same price if the site was needed for other purposes. The Chair replied that it would be very complicated as it would require a different planning permission from OPDC.
The Committee noted the update.
HS2 – Temporary diversion of Old Oak Common Lane via Wormwood Scrubs UTX site
Osama El-Amin updated the Committee on the HS2 proposal about a temporary road diversion of Old Oak Common Lane into their UTX site for a period of three years, to be commenced in October 2025. The Trust was working with HS2 to obtain more details, which could be expected in February 2025. The diversion would enable traffic to continue flowing while contractors excavated and diverted utilities under the roadway. All of them would be diverted into the UTX site but some of them would be diverted back underneath the roadway once the station was more complete.
Officers were working closely with HS2 to ensure that the mitigation was thought through. The Trust would ensure that any spillage of any light construction installed was maintained and done according to the Highways Act and drainage considered carefully. HS2 was considering another environmental impact assessment, and the Trust would review any updated impact statement and mitigation.
Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) asked if any tree was being fell as part of the work. Osama El-Amin replied that no tree was to be affected. All work would take place on the UTX site, which had no vegetation.
The Chair noted that while the situation was not ideal, it was difficult for the Committee to have much influence over the decision.
Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) also asked if the redirection would affect public traffic. The Chair said that this was a rerouting separate from the longer-term road closures, which Osama El-Amin agreed. Mark Raisbeck added that the Old Oak Common Lane Road closure would begin in 2026. The temporary diversion was to allow the traffic to flow while excavation work was being done on Old Oak Common Lane. The duration of the full road closure was still to be discussed with HS2, and announcement could be expected next spring.
The Committee noted the update.
KAA2 Secondary school site – License extension
The Committee was asked to approve an extension to the license with the central government, covering the KAA2 temporary school site on Wormwood Scrubs, for a further 12 months. Osama El-Amin explained that the terms of the agreement would remain the same with a 3.26% uplift (RPI for the previous 12 months) on the license fee. This uplift would bring the revised license fee to £30,648 per month. Officers were working with the Ministry of Defence to understand its intention around exercising their access rights to the Scrubs, particularly to the military parade area where the school is located, and whether an extension to the planning application could be expected.
Councillor Dominic Stanton asked how far in advance would an extension be made typically. Osama El-Amin replied that central government was considering applying for an extension. They could apply for one up to three months before the end of the licensing period. It depended on the capacity level of OPDC, and the Trust was working with central government to ensure that any extension was coordinated, which they would bring to the Committee as soon as possible.
The Committee approved an extension to the KAA2 license to occupy the parade ground.
Grounds maintenance contactor performance: April – August (Q1, Q2, Q3) and priority tasks to complete from January 2025 – March 2025
Osama El-Amin provided an update on the ground’s maintenance contractor performance. They had demonstrated a commitment to improving standards across the Scrubs. There had been a steady improvement in performance on the Scrubs since the meeting in March. Out of the 45 performance failure items which needed to be rectified, 36 of them had been completed with the remaining 9 scheduled to be completed by the end of the calendar year, except for the Scrub and bramble management work, which would likely finish by the end of February 2025. In Q1, contractors were penalised £2,500 for the performance failures which had escalated due to inaction for a considerable period of time.
Gully cleansing had been taken off the contract, which offered £540 saving. The Trust was working with Highways colleagues to come up with a regime of gully cleansing with one of the contractors of the Council. A round of cleansing was due in January and officers had contacted the KAA2 site contractors to make sure that their gullies were cleansed soon.
The Committee noted the update.
Ecological baseline reporting and accessibility audit recommendations
Ecological Baseline Survey
Victoria Abel (Advisor to the Trust) provided an update on the Ecological Baseline Survey. The study found that the Scrubs was already a haven for wildlife and species found in the Scrubs included slow worms, common lizards, noctule bats and nightingales. The habitat types identified at the Scrubs were scarce in central London. The monitoring needed to continue in order to assess the future improvements of the Alternative Ecological Mitigation Masterplan. The Committee was asked to approve £9,000 for the survey to be conducted annually.
The Chair enquired if the surveys had to be annual. Victoria Abel replied that annual surveys were needed in the first three to five years to measure the impact of the masterplan and could progress to being biennial afterwards.
The Committee approved the funding for the Ecological Baseline Survey.
Accessibility Audit
Victoria Abel gave an update on the accessibility audit that was carried out on the Scrubs in August 2024 by the Centre for Accessible Environments. The audit set out a list of short-, medium- and long-term recommendations based on guidance in accordance with the Equalities Act 2010 and best practise guidelines on the design of accessible environments.
Noting that the Friends of the Wormwood Scrubs had a discussion with officers the previous week, Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted Member) expressed caution about some of the recommendations and believed that the recommendations did not consider the ‘more wild than tamed’ nature of the Scrubs. The Friends would draft a response as soon as possible.
The Chair highlighted that the 1879 act stipulated that the Wormwood Scrubs was for residents of London, including about 15% of them with accessibility needs. Ensuring that everyone had access to open space was important. She was supportive of the recommendations and looked forward to seeing them being implemented.
Referring to the consultation which took place for the masterplan, Osama El-Amin pointed out that the footpath and the general accessibility features were co-produced under the auspices of the specialist firm. Consultation on these features had already begun and the Trust would make sure they listen to a wide range of voices.
Councillor Dominic Stanton praised the recommendations of the accessibility audit, citing that he noticed some areas to be quite challenging when he was using a wheelchair to access the Scrubs last year.
The Committee noted the update.
Wormwood Scrubs meadow LNR, next steps
Victoria Abel (Advisor to the Trust) updated the Committee on the next steps towards establishing the Wormwood Scrubs Meadow Local Nature Reserve (LNR), located in the northwest of the site and was currently being maintained by Idverde with the help of volunteers. Areas of bramble and cherry plum trees had encroached into the meadow areas and needed to be managed to allow diversification of more varied plant species. Work was currently on site and would continue over the winter months.
Public consultation on declaring the meadow area an LNR was live on the ‘Have Your Say’ webpage until 18 December. More than 100 responses had been received already and the overwhelming majority were positive and in favour of the LNR. The Trust was monitoring postcodes of respondents to assess the reach of the consultation. The data collected would also be shared with Natural England ahead of more formal consultation happening next year. The declaration of an LNR would not affect future access improvements or things like benches and signage being installed.
Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted Member) highlighted that the Friends had long suggested that the area should be an LNR and were in support of this proposal.
The Committee noted the update.
Linford Christie Capital programme
Simon Ingyon (Advisor to the Trust) provided an update on the work of the Linford Christie Capital programme. The northern changing block had been demolished, the slab had been retained and temporary portacabins had been brought in to enable participants of both the grass pitches and the Scrubs to use toilet facilities, shower and change. These would likely be operational at the start of next year. 18 cabins had been brought in to provide for the sports users which would be open soon.
Phase two of the programme would include a new community room, a kitchenette and a café, which would be brought forward at a future date. Reprovision and redesign of the artificial grass pitches would also be considered in phase two. Officers had worked on a revised scheme with Kensington Dragons Football Club (KDFC) after the initial one was deemed unaffordable. The revised pitch provision will include one 11-a-side 3G artificial grass pitch leased to KDFC, two 7-a-side artificial grass pitches and three tennis/netball courts. The work on resurfacing and relaying of the athletics track would begin in spring 2025.
The Committee noted the update.
Cafe development at Linford Christie Stadium
Osama El-Amin provided an update on the café at Linford Christie car park. Planning colleagues advised that in order to issue a permit for a coffee van operator, the terms of the car park would have to be changed, which would affect the Trust’s ability to generate income. The Trust had identified that the current community room area could potentially fit a café and officers were assessing how to refurbish the space and the costs at the moment. A proposal would be developed in consultation with local users, license holders and internal teams before reporting back to the Committee.
Councillor Domonic Stanton enquired about what happened with the agreement with Thames Valley Harriers Athletics Club. Osama El-Amin replied that initially the Trust offered a £40,000 grant donation to help with the capital cost of reconstructing their clubhouse, including a café space. The current priority was the resurfacing of the athletic tracks and discussion about the clubhouse would happen afterwards.
Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted Member) expressed that the current café proposal would benefit the public even more than the plan with the Harriers Athletics Club.
The Committee noted the update.
Outdoor learning on Wormwood Scrubs
Osama El-Amin provided an update on the pilot programme of outdoor learning on Wormwood Scrubs. The initial community partner was unable to progress under some unexpected circumstances, so the current partner delivering the programme was Urbanwise Ltd.
The programme was currently being delivered as an after-school club with Old Oak Primary School children. There was some support from the school with two Forest School-trained teachers. The community centre served as a space for children to debrief after their sessions. Amazing feedback had been received from the children and parents. Data would be collected after the final session and the Trust would consider how to raise funds externally to make it a year-round programme, complemented with some guided nature walks and other volunteering events on the Scrubs. Outdoor learning would be a part of the offers that would be available on the Trust’s website to be developed in 2025.
The Chair asked about the date of the final session, to which Osama El-Amin replied was to be the week after.
The Committee noted the update.
Braybrook play area re-design
Osama El-Amin updated the Committee on re-designing the Braybrook play area, noting that the accessibility audit recommended improving some of the accessibility features in the play areas. Two proposals had been received from contractors. One of them was not very appropriate while the other was very expensive. With the permission by the Chair, the Trust had engaged a design company to produce a new design. The concept design was now being considered by the Parks team, working with local stakeholders to decide the best equipment to be put in place. The Trust was still exploring how to fence off the area. The Trust maintained access to £66,000 Section 106 funding and additional budget could be considered next year. Officers were working towards giving the Committee an update next March.
Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) was interested to be involved in the discussion on equipment alongside some other local parents. The Chair agreed that it would be a good idea.
The Committee noted the update.
Green flag mystery shop results
Osama El-Amin provided an update on the Green Flag mystery shop results. The Green Flag accreditation was run by Keep Britain Tidy, an environmental charity, based on 8 different criteria. Two mystery shops would happen every year and the last one for the Wormwood Scrubs came back with positive results, except for one point about better accessibility into the play area.
The Committee noted the update.
Artillery lane remedial works and future resurfacing
Osama El-Amin updated on the Artillery Lane remedial works. Due to the cold weather and the time needed for the tarmac to secure itself properly, the resurfacing of the entire roadway could be done when the temperature was hotter. The potholes had all been made safe for now. It was important that the Trust worked closely with the prison, the hospital and anyone who used that road to make sure their access needs were not hindered. The resurfacing would take place at a time which was going to be the least inconvenient for everyone, hence the high costs. The Chair approved the £55,000 funding outside of Committee in line with the Committee’s Terms of Reference given the urgency of the works.
The Chair added that the road surface had improved and the drive along the road was relatively smooth now. She asked if lighting improvements had been considered. Osama El-Amin replied that it could be included in the work package.
ACTION: Osama El-Amin
Councillor Dominic Stanton asked if anything was being done with the narrow entrance to the car park. Osama El-Amin noted that there were many potholes and cracks in the car park, and they had been included in the work package. The entire entrance to the Wormwood Scrubs car park to the Artillery Lane would be resurfaced. Regarding the C27 cycle path, the Trust was working with Transport for London to understand how they intended to improve it moving forward.
The Committee noted the update.
WSCT Q3 Financial Performance and comparison to year end
Kellie Gooch (Advisor to the Trust) provided an overview of the WSCT Q3 Financial Performance, covering the following points:
· The net budget for the Trust this year was a deficit of about £69,000, assuming spend of around £1.3 million and income of around £1.2 million.
· A deficit was forecasted because a number of major spend items had been deferred.
· The forecast at Q3 was a surplus of around £36,000 overall, a slight improvement from Q2 due to continued upturn from parking income.
· The Trust was overachieving against budget on income from interest, with the year-end forecast to be around £68,000 better than what was budgeted.
· Spend was forecasted to be broadly in line with the budget.
· An update on the spend of a few items would be given once their plans were confirmed.
· Incorporating the cash balances from 2023/24 and the forecast surplus for the current financial year, the Trust could expect £7.2 million funds at the end of the financial year, of which £2.2 million was available in cash balances.
The Committee noted the update.
RESOLVED
The Committee:
1. Approved the final version of the HS2 (High Speed 2) funded Alternative Ecological Mitigation (AEM) Masterplan scheme.
2. Approved a procurement strategy for the AEM Masterplan project.
3. Noted the future freehold interest of the HS2 UTX site, acquired via compulsory purchase by HS2 ltd.
4. Received an update on the planned diversion of Old Oak Common Lane through the HS2 UTX site.
5. Approved an extension to the KAA2 license to occupy the parade ground.
6. Received an update on the Q1, Q2 and Q3 performance of our Grounds Maintenance contractor and note upcoming maintenance activities.
7. Noted the highlights of an Ecological baseline survey and approved the cost of continuing this work, along with approving the recommendations of an accessibility audit.
8. Noted the next steps towards establishing the Wormwood Scrubs Meadow Local Nature Reserve (LNR).
9. Received an update on the Linford Christie athletics stadium capital programme.
10.Noted on developing a cafe space on the LCS site.
11.Noted an update on Outdoor Learning on Wormwood Scrubs.
12.Noted the re-design of Braybrook play area.
13.Received results of the annual Green Flag mystery shop.
14.Noted emergency rectification works on Artillery Lane and future roadway re-surfacing.
15.Noted WSCT Financial performance and comparison to year end.
Supporting documents: