Teddington MP Munira Wilson has requested an urgent meeting with Conservative peer Lord Fink over the future of Udney Park playing fields.
She is taking action after a resident-led bid for the site was rejected by the field's owners, Affordable Housing and Healthcare group (AHH), in favour of an alternative sporting bid.
Local councillors and campaigners fighting to save the fields from development slammed the decision and expressed their fears about the fields' future.
Now Wilson is calling on Lord Fink, also known as Baron Fink, to meet with her to discuss the fields' future.
Hedge-fund manager Lord Fink is the Chairman of AHH and one of the Conservative party's top donors.
He has been a life peer with the party since 2011 and was a significant backer of Boris Johnson's campaign for Mayor.
In 2015 Johnson said at Mayor's Question Time: “I note Udney Park was donated to St Mary’s Medical School by Lord Beaverbrook in 1937 specifically for use as rugby union pitches.
"It would be an absolute scandal and an outrage if that land was lost for that purpose. My general view is that you should keep green space in London and rugby pitches should be regarded as sacrosanct."
In her letter to Lord Fink, Wilson pointed out that AHH had not met or engaged with the bid's leader Jonathan Dunn despite the company's ethical goals.
"You state on AHH’s website that: “Investors benefit from good returns, wealth preservation and peace of mind that their capital delivers positive social and economic impact,"" she wrote.
"AHH’s stated aspirations display a progressive approach to communities and investing.
Continue Reading the Article on Teddington Nub News:Teddington Udney Park update: MP requests urgent meeting with Tory peer and AHH chairman over fields' future | teddington.nub.news
Political momentum for a CPO growing
The Udney Park Trust have released a ‘press release’ updating everyone on the momentum gathering for a CPO of the fields at Udney Park. Local hustings were held as a prelude to this week’s general election and the Trust raised a question regarding the future of the site. It was confirmed at the hustings that there was universal support for a CPO from all parties.
The tragedy of the War Memorial Pavilion has been revealed by arial photos taken by residents. These reveal that under the ownership of Mr Wu the building has fallen into such disrepair as to render future renovation work hugely expensive. The project had been to bring the changing rooms back into early use for the community clubs playing on these fields. There were relatively new boilers and heating systems installed just before Imperial College sold the site. The building interior had been dry – even if the changing rooms needed to be brought up to modern standards.
It is hugely disappointing to report that Udney park is now under offer from another group of investors headed up by local resident, Keith Williams.
Udney Park is an Asset of Community Value, defined in the Localism Act (2011) as "Land is an asset of community value if its main use is to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community." The Localism Act states that ‘social interests’ include cultural, recreational and sporting interests
