From Wimbledon to Whitewebbs: what happens when a multimillion-pound sporting organisation takes ownership of your local park? Spoiler alert: nothing good
Thank you for sharing, these are important stories!
There's something about how when organisations accumulate capital they need to put it somewhere and often that means putting into ecologically devastating projects like these. It's built into the nature of capital that it has to expand like this.
Apart from the courts, and petitions, what other kinds of resistance are available to us? And what would it mean to transform the logic of the economic system that insists on organisations like this expanding to survive?
You’re absolutely right, of course: growth is a fundamental tenet of the way our economy is set up. And in purely physical terms, you need somewhere to grow into, and where easier/cheaper than a nice green space? It’s really encouraging how the idea of a circular economy - repair, reuse, recycle - is catching on among laypeople, but you can’t help feel that it’s all for naught when those with the most resources - and the most potential to make a positive impact - are the most wasteful and destructive members of our society/societies.
In terms of what can be done, frustratingly little. Local councils seem obsessed with the idea of encouraging those with deep pockets to “invest in the local area”, even when those investments are of benefit to only the investors themselves.
Simply because it's the same here - money and development ahead of the environment. My blood pressure rises in consequence. I wish all those who are battling to save green space the best of luck. Governments never listen.
Thanks for your comment, and your sympathy! Sorry to hear it’s the same in Australia, but then again, of course it is. Where on Earth is it not the case that natural spaces exist only to be exploited? Such a shame that even the councils/governments who talk a good game around environmental and ecological issues still find it impossible to turn down cold hard cash.
Dan, thank you for highlighting this extremely important and disturbing issue. As you rightly say these community green spaces must be kept for the very people they were designed for not to mention all the good they do, as you so eloquently describe in your article, for the planet and wildlife. Sadly, it all comes down to money and whoever has the biggest wallet will win. I just hope and pray that the residents of both of these communities can fight to save these parcels of land from being developed and destroyed forever. Has anyone started one of those petitions that after attaining so many signatures it is presented to 10 Downing Street? Or is that tantamount to asking a drug dealer to clean our streets of drugs? I hope not. Let the people be heard and let’s save these precious spaces to be used for the communities they were intended for and not just a chosen (elite) few.
Thanks so much for this thoughtful comment, Rosy. Sadly, I think you’re right: the deepest wallet always wins. It’s probably for this reason that in wealthy Wimbledon, some battles are being won against the All England Club. But in Enfield, where the council is one of the most in-debt in Britain, it’s almost impossible to imagine that they won’t just take any scrap of cash thrown their way. I have so much respect for those grassroots campaigners fighting to protect their precious green space, but I am not full of optimism for their success. One possible ray of sunshine exists in the form of the Spurs supporters themselves: would they back their club’s plans if they were aware of the disastrous damage it would inflict? I think - or at least hope - not.
Thank you for sharing, these are important stories!
There's something about how when organisations accumulate capital they need to put it somewhere and often that means putting into ecologically devastating projects like these. It's built into the nature of capital that it has to expand like this.
Apart from the courts, and petitions, what other kinds of resistance are available to us? And what would it mean to transform the logic of the economic system that insists on organisations like this expanding to survive?
You’re absolutely right, of course: growth is a fundamental tenet of the way our economy is set up. And in purely physical terms, you need somewhere to grow into, and where easier/cheaper than a nice green space? It’s really encouraging how the idea of a circular economy - repair, reuse, recycle - is catching on among laypeople, but you can’t help feel that it’s all for naught when those with the most resources - and the most potential to make a positive impact - are the most wasteful and destructive members of our society/societies.
In terms of what can be done, frustratingly little. Local councils seem obsessed with the idea of encouraging those with deep pockets to “invest in the local area”, even when those investments are of benefit to only the investors themselves.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment!
I am so riled! And i live in Australia!
Simply because it's the same here - money and development ahead of the environment. My blood pressure rises in consequence. I wish all those who are battling to save green space the best of luck. Governments never listen.
Thanks for your comment, and your sympathy! Sorry to hear it’s the same in Australia, but then again, of course it is. Where on Earth is it not the case that natural spaces exist only to be exploited? Such a shame that even the councils/governments who talk a good game around environmental and ecological issues still find it impossible to turn down cold hard cash.
Dan, thank you for highlighting this extremely important and disturbing issue. As you rightly say these community green spaces must be kept for the very people they were designed for not to mention all the good they do, as you so eloquently describe in your article, for the planet and wildlife. Sadly, it all comes down to money and whoever has the biggest wallet will win. I just hope and pray that the residents of both of these communities can fight to save these parcels of land from being developed and destroyed forever. Has anyone started one of those petitions that after attaining so many signatures it is presented to 10 Downing Street? Or is that tantamount to asking a drug dealer to clean our streets of drugs? I hope not. Let the people be heard and let’s save these precious spaces to be used for the communities they were intended for and not just a chosen (elite) few.
Thanks so much for this thoughtful comment, Rosy. Sadly, I think you’re right: the deepest wallet always wins. It’s probably for this reason that in wealthy Wimbledon, some battles are being won against the All England Club. But in Enfield, where the council is one of the most in-debt in Britain, it’s almost impossible to imagine that they won’t just take any scrap of cash thrown their way. I have so much respect for those grassroots campaigners fighting to protect their precious green space, but I am not full of optimism for their success. One possible ray of sunshine exists in the form of the Spurs supporters themselves: would they back their club’s plans if they were aware of the disastrous damage it would inflict? I think - or at least hope - not.
I will keep my fingers crossed that these beautiful spaces can be preserved and not lost to capitalism.