April 2025
CORNWALL GARDENS BULLETIN
Dear Cornwall Gardens Key Holder and/or Resident
TREE SURVEY REPORT AND CONSULTATION
We have pleasure in attaching the Tree Survey Report prepared by Arb Consultancy Limited for your information and to give you an opportunity to share your views with the management committee before we instruct Tim George, our tree works specialist, to make the necessary application to RBKC for permission to carry out tree works.
The Tree Survey Report can be found here.
The large heritage trees are protected by preservation orders which means any proposed works may only proceed with RBKC’s express prior written permission, emergencies excepted.
The smaller trees and large shrubs below the size threshold identified in the Report are all in the Cornwall Conservation Area: major works may proceed unless RBKC advises otherwise in writing within six weeks of notification. Not all requests from residents are covered in the Report if the trees and plants fall outside the stated criteria. Specifically, some residents have requested the shrub next to the north gate of the East Garden is pruned back and re-shaped, and other residents have requested the removal of New Zealand Pines. Some residents adjacent to and overlooking the East Garden have asked for less dense planting, more lawn space and more light.
The body of the Report explains how the tree consultants go about their work. The operative parts of the Report are contained in the Appendices. The actions or options have been colour coded so that you can immediately see how these have been prioritised, as explained in Section 10 – “Works Priority”. Although our hands are somewhat tied by the works stipulated in the red and amber categories to discharge our legal responsibilities generally and to avoid compromising our insurance cover, your comments on the green categories (residents’ requests and/or for aesthetic reasons) and non-colour coded categories will be important in shaping policy generally and the specific instructions to be given to Tim George. You will see from the relevant Appendix that two trees (only) are recommended for removal on grounds of safety (T19 and T31).
If you wish to comment, please ensure these are received by the Chairman and Secretary as indicated below in good time and no later than Wednesday, 7 May 2025 to help ensure they are factored into the process and maintain efficiency.
EVENTS IN CORNWALL GARDENS
Please find table attached with information about events in Cornwall Gardens.
If you wish to host a private event involving more than 10 attendees, please use the booking form provided on our website cornwallgardens.org or get in touch direct with the Secretary below.
POETRY IN MUSIC, CHOIR OF THE 21STCENTURY AT ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH, GLOUCESTER ROAD/SOUTHWELL GARDENS, SW7 4RL – SATURDAY, 31 MAY 2025 AT 7.30 PM
The Choir of the 21st Century and their Secretary, Philippa Dodds John philippa.john@rllj.com mbl 07966 512555, will be delighted to welcome you to their next concert at St Stephen’s on Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 7.30 pm.
The concert features choral settings of poems by four of our greatest poets: George Herbert, Shakespeare, Milton and W H Auden. These poems inspired no fewer than eight composers in this varied and marvellous programme including Britten, Vaughan Williams, Walton, Sullivan and Stravinsky.
Full programme details are attached here together with the flyer here.
Booking on Eventbrite is now open by clicking on the link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cc21-poetry-in-music-choral-settings-of-words-by-four-great-english-poets-tickets-1331707435789?aff=oddtdtcreator or using the QR code in the flyer.
“WILD ABOUT KENSINGTON”
A couple of years ago, Andrew Wilson, a photographer/publisher, turned up at Cornwall Gardens to take some photographs. We thought nothing more about it until he told us recently that Cornwall Gardens appears on pp 74 and 75 in his latest book “Wild About Kensington”. This forms a series of over 24 volumes published in the past 10 years or so featuring prominent districts of London. As you can see from http://www.wildlondon.co.uk/ the photographs are stunning, along with Andrew’s other work, including postcards of London flora and fauna. Details of how you can acquire these and your copy of “Wild About Kensington” are also on Andrew’s website.
BUILDING REPRESENTATIVES FORUM MEETING, WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE 2025 AT 7 PM IN F1, 74 CG
The Cornwall Gardens Building Representatives Forum Meeting, originally fixed for 30 April 2025, has had to be postponed to Wednesday, 4 June 2025 at 7 pm in Flat 1, 74 Cornwall Gardens due to the Chairman’s unavoidable absence. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you. The draft Agenda has been prepared and this is attached here. If you have any items to add, please let the Secretary below know.
If your building has yet to appoint a representative to be part of the Forum or you don’t know who your representative is or you would like to nominate yourself or a neighbour to be your representative, please contact the Secretary below.
With best wishes,
John Varley
Chairman, Cornwall Gardens Committee & Residents Association
07775 552050
Alan Lester
Secretary, Cornwall Gardens Committee & Residents Association
07816 324335
