Here we go again. Just as we have come to expect, from a highly paid Ken Quango
- LDA/TFL, it doesn't matter which set of letters you're looking
at (they are all the same when it comes to informing/consulting the public whom they are salaried/financed to serve, with OUR money. As a Dialogue Member/Stakeholder, for the full length of the "Process" so far, I am still waiting for a reply to my correspondence, which has been steadfsatly ignored by Roger Frith, the Senior Development Officer, to whom it was addressed, and who has now moved on to "pastures new". RF had time to write to the press, including the local "Guardian", but chose to treat me with disdain.
This "Consultation/
Dialogue/Process has been a sham, one-sided and very poorly conducted, from the outset. Personalities come and go, taking their fat cheques (taxpayers' money) with them. We, the public, deserve BETTER and DEMAND TO BE HEARD.

Dick, you've missed a trick: you forgot to close your inverted commas after Process
(5th line from the end). Pay attention!

More 'typos', Dick, have been "spotted"! A bracket missing after 'money' (line 7) and your 'fast' in 'steadfastly' seems to be a bit derailed. Never mind - we understand your drift.

I feel very sorry for Richard Francis who has no friends and has to send email to himself. Tough!

Thanks for your concern, Pete from Brum. You and I have met on this site before. Unfortunately for you, I have many friends locally, regionally, nationally and internationally - not fantasy ones on the internet, real ones who would testisfy to my friendship any time. I am alive and well, doing professional work as a teacher 7 days a week, as well as a full range of voluntary work. Strangely enough (to you), I also have a social life, including my wife and family.
The fact that I write to myself is just a little bit of self-deprecation or self-ridicule. Try laughing at yourself one day, Pete, and see if it cheers yoy up!
Incidentally, my concern about our local Park is shared with thousands of others - the issues discussed here are very serious; otherwise, I wouldn't bother.

Poor Pete from Brum;
naff accent, naff outlook and now no appreciation of the English language due to lack of imaginative reading!

Eccillud viri morio!

Honestly children, is this a local news website, or is this facebook?

Surely the issue here is not whether we have more time or not to comment on the Master Plan but why are we being asked to comment on it at all. It is not the result of any meaningful searching of ideas or any meaningful consideration of any schemes that were not LDA dictated schemes. As inadequate and exclusive as the consultation was, we are not even being asked to comment on a masterplan that is the result of the consultation.

For example where in the consultation did the majority of people ask for a Crystal Palace made of trees? Where did they ask for two huge glass houses on the top terrace? Where did they ask for a tree walk or a 64 foot high upwind chimney? Don't get me wrong, I am not necessarily against all of these things, but where did the consultees say they wanted them. This masterplan could have been drawn up before the consultation. After all what are they proposing that excused millions of pounds worth of consultation. Trees, plants a new sports centre, a farm/college and boats back on the lake. NOthing too contentious there. Nothing exciting either! Any local resident would have suggested these things and saved them the millions of pounds that they have spent on the consultation. In fact without the consultation, they may not have neede3d the 12 million that they will make from selling parkland for housing (the only contentious element in the masterplan)

Where was the new Crystal Palace in the consultation? Where was the Wilkinson Eyre Pod? Where was the butterfly house?Where was the excitement and inovation. What a lame tribute to Paxton's legacy this masterplan is.

How is the park going to be funded in the future? Without any commercial element, how can we ensure the park/s future? A development that respectfully reflected Paxton's brilliance would have provided funding, entertainment, jobs and culture to an area of South London that so desperately needs those things.

Four years of consultation to arrive at a scheme that a six year old could have put together. And that is the problem with the LDA's consultation. If you ask a six year old if he would like more trees planted in his park he will probably say OK. but If you asked that child if they would like a wonderful new buiding that would offer them a place to go on a family day out doing exciting things like skating climbing, virtual reality, cinema, museum of sport etc. they would say WOW yes please. Same with a lot of adults. They were never asked if they would like a place to go to a concert, a show or an exhibition, watch a film or sample the museums and other delights that a commercial venture could offer.

Because of the total disregard that the LDA has shown to the public's feelings and desires, the only way we can now have the new Palace or any other scheme considered would be if the LDA fail in their plans to take over the park. This is because once they have planted the proposed 350 trees on the site, no building will ever be possible there.I for one am very sad about this. For all their supposed consultation, they have in fact simply done what Bromley Coucil did before. They have listened to the people and then decided themselves what would be best for us. Of course Bromley Council did not succeed and It is unfortunate, but I feel that the LDA may go the same way. People really won't be bullied anymore.

Go to the consultation but please bare in mind that the scheme that yu are being consulted on is not the result of four years consultation, it is a sheme that suits the LDA.

For all we know the new Crystal Palace may not have been considered because it may have interfered with the proposed tram station. We should have known these things as it may have influenced our view on tramlink. For example many of those who supported tramlink may not have done if it had meant no development on the top site. The questions we have been asked have manipulated us toward a chosen goal and because of that I am encountering a feeling of dissappointment in the community now that the master plan has been unveiled. Am I alone in this or are others dissappointed also.

Eloquently put, Vincenzio, as with your remarks elsewhere on this topic. Many of my sentiments echoed here - not all, of course, since I am too long in the tooth to agree with everything about the ridge upon which stood the Palace from 1854 to 1936. RIP certainly, but not rebuild, in any shape or form. We can agree to differ here, I think, but your comments on the LDA are very welcome by someone who has been "bullied" throughout the "consultation/
Dialogue/process" which has already cost the entire projected profit from house-building, before the ink has dried on the Masterplan - now to be scrutinized by Bromley. We have, indeed, all been treated like children: "Shut up, sit down and listen!"