Here are four ways to stop the Garden Bridge

1. WRITE TO THE LEADER OF LAMBETH COUNCIL - LIB PECK: lpeck@lambeth.gov.uk

Dear Cllr Peck

Re: Premises and Open Space Land on the South Bank of the River Thames in the London Boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark

I am writing to register my strong opposition to the proposed surrender of the existing lease and regrant of a new lease for an extended term to Coin Street Community Builders Ltd.

The Notice published by Lambeth in the South London Press in June and on the Council’s website fails to mention that the new lease would include a fundamental variation of the terms, to allow construction of a commercial building on this public open space. The proposed development would involve the loss of green open space and around 30 mature trees.

This land is currently enjoyed by many thousands of Lambeth residents and visitors to the Borough each year. It represents a very scarce resource for local residential communities in an area which Lambeth themselves recognise suffers from a deficit of public, green, open space.

The open space was also created at public expense. It was passed to Lambeth as a custodian – to ensure it remained open space for future generations. There were very good reasons why the terms of the lease prevent the lessee, Coin Street Community Builders, from developing commercial space on the riverwalk.

It is unacceptable for Lambeth to propose such a fundamental change in the terms on which the land was passed to Lambeth, and by which it should be protecting it as open space for the benefit of those who live, work of visit the Borough.

I therefore register my objection to the sale of the land in the strongest possible terms.

Yours faithfully

{YOUR NAME]

Date:

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2. MONEY - without funding, the bridge cannot be built. Help persuade corporations and donors found on this page https://www.gardenbridge.london/donate/support-us NOT to fund this vanity project. It is deeply unpopular, controversial and will ruin the best views of London. Do they really want to be associated with this stigma? Wouldn’t they rather help those truly in need in these times of austerity? Why would they invest money in this bridge which already has financial backing and a guarantee to pay for it from the mayor and the Chancellor? PLEASE TELL THEM TO THINK AGAIN BEFORE WASTING ANY MORE OF THEIR MONEY ON THIS WHITE ELEPHANT.

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3. PLANNING - without approval of the details of construction and operation, the bridge cannot be built. There are 46 planning conditions that must be satisfied before work on the bridge can begin; the details are here: http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/documents/s69925/04b_Garden%20Bridge%20appendix%20B%20Conditions.pdf.

Raise your concerns to the council by telling them why you think these conditions will not work; write to the leader of Lambeth Council’s planning committee Cllr Diana Morris: dmmorris@lambeth.gov.uk. Remember, don’t take what the GBT says at face value - for example they say the event closures on the bridge will be “primarily” for raising funds for the bridge’s maintenance costs - however, there is no obligation for whoever hires out the bridge to plough the proceeds back into the community or indeed the bridge.

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4. LAW - As a result of the previous High Court challenge (judicial review) in the spring, the private bridge company (GBT) must provide a watertight guarantee of how the bridge’s maintenance costs would be funded. The mayor Boris Johnson is now proposing to provide this guarantee with another massive public subsidy worth up to £150m. But this is illogical as his ‘strategic’ reason for agreeing to support the bridge (which he publicly declared in March 2015), is that it will not be a burden on the public purse! Therefore we will support a challenge in the High Court again when he finally reveals the method by which he expects to underwrite the project.

We have raised around £15,000 to fund the legal challenges but it’s not enough. Please help us to raise more funding here www.everyclick.com/tcos or simply text the code TCOS44 together with your donation amount to 70070 - please gift aid if you can. Thanks.