Bellenden Residents' Group (BRG)

In December, I saw a planning application notice attached to a post at the Nigel Rd bus stop. It was to install a 3m x 1m advertising panel on the paved area opposite. I was very surprised that it hadn't been dismissed at the start (October) and was dismayed to see that the deadline for comments was only days away. Luckily, I spoke to the planning officer, who extended the deadline, and after emailing my comments on the council website, contacted neighbours and the BRG which thankfully was enough to highlight the inappropriate nature of this kind of installation in that place. Imagine the advertising panel on these photos!

This view shows the pleasant curve in this part of Nigel Road, and shows off well the clean up that the houses had in the Bellenden Renewal Scheme. They were the first in 1999 together with adjacent roads Relf Road and Anstey Road. In this picture the awful street furniture clutter at the junction is well evident. They were the first streets to be chosen for renewal as they are one of the key gateways to the area. It is also unfortunately the key gateway and getaway for the flood of traffic through the neighbourhood rat runs in rush hours.

This small green is the northern edge of Peckham Rye Common, just where Nigel Road joins Peckham Rye and Rye Lane. As part of the Common, it has the same protection as the Common from development. Until a year or so ago, there was an ugly broken metal railing around it, and the same kind of railing around the next part of the Common just further south. Then the Council took the railings away and it transformed the look and feel of the whole place, literally over night! It was wonderful. In summer the trees in this part of the Common from here to East Dulwich Road are magnificent, and my most favourite tree place in the area.

This is another small terrace of attractive buldings opposite the Nigel Road junction. Just right for the 'facelift' treatment that some Bellenden streets got, but they wait in vain, and this and the other street frontages in this important gateway to the town centre remain so neglected.

every time I go along Nigel Road towards Peckham Rye, I feel sad at the derelict house on the end of this remaining terrace of three pleasant and attractive houses. A lovely view coming along Nigel Road if one wasn't derelict and they all had their fronts cleaned. Why, I keep wondering, has it been allowed to get into that state? I wish I knew; does anyone know?. If only we could do something to get it back into functioning and get that view as good as it could be.

Just where Rye Lane and Peckham Rye meet at the junction with Nigel Road, there are some attractive terraces of three storey buldings. This terrace has bricks with a rosy glow, and a pleasant curve on the terrace. If only it had been cleaned up on the front before the Renewal Scheme ended, its attractiveness would have had much more beneficial effect as part of the entrance to Peckham town centre. Of course the ubiquitous street furniture clutter is well in evidence in this view.