Putney Lower Common

Putney Lower Common is a part of Wimbledon and Putney Commons, lying about 1.5 miles north of the rest, between the Lower Richmond Road and the River Thames.

Putney was probably settled during the Roman occupation. Lower Richmond Road was probably a Roman Road, and the Lower Common was probably an open pasture and farmland.

Land was apparently lost in the 19th century when Elm Lodge was built.

Funded by legacies from Sir Henry Chester and Sir William Lancaster, Elm Lodge was rebuilt in 1912 as Putney Hospital.

Putney Hospital, was closed to services to patients in 1998. It has remained vacant ever since. Wandsworth council has now purchased the Hospital and its Children's Services department is proposing to build a new primary school on the site since July 2010. 24 flats will be built at the northern end of the site (the nurse's quarters will be demolished) to help fund the project.

Planning permission for the development of the proposed school and flats was quashed by the High Court in early 2013, over a technicality. Planning permission was subsequently re-granted.

The access to the Hospital site is proving to be problematic, and an application by a local resident for a Judicial Review of the sale of the access by the Commons Conservators took place in the High Court in early October, 2013. The Conservators of the Common agreed to sell the access to Wandsworth Council for some £350,0000, by way of an easement, which, under the 1871 Act that created the common's legal framework, the resident felt was not legal. The resident lost his case but has appealed (see update below). Following the grant of the easement, a strip of common land (6m x 110m) is to be tarmacked with a new private road to provide access to the school and the luxury flats. In addition, new footpaths, bollards, a remotely controlled barrier and street lighting will be installed, effectively suburbanising the common. As part of the same development, a more substantial portion of common land, currently tarmacked to provide parking for the old hospital, will be returned to grass.

The dates for the Judicial Review are now set by the High Court and the case was held on 9 & 10 October in the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Wandsworth Council have confirmed to the Commons Conservators that they intend to Compulsorily Purchase the Common in the event that the Conservators lose the case. The community group, Friends of Putney Common http://www.friendsofputneycommon.org/ continue to oppose the actions of Wandsworth Council, which are opposed by some local residents.

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Wikipedia