August 2022

Volunteers joined Vision RCL’s nature conservation rangers last month to remove Himalayan balsam growing along the Wanstead stretch of the River Roding.

“Our volunteers weren’t afraid to get stuck in and wade in the river, setting up a great production line. The stems pulled out of the water were eventually placed along the side of the footpath to allow wildlife to crawl out and find cover,” said Tajinder Lachhar.

Introduced to the British Isles in 1839, the invasive weed prevents native species from growing.

Iain Ambler updates on the recently restored Redbridge Lane West allotment pond, which has become a biodiversity hotspot. Photo by Stephen Lines

In the December 2021 edition of the Wanstead Village Directory, I wrote about how a group of 15 plot holders had restored the main pond on our Redbridge Lane West allotment site so it is wet year-round and a great habitat (again) for wildlife. We were sparked into life by the proposal of our neighbour Cadent, the global gas company, to use part of the site as a compound to support their works and to permanently acquire a strip of allotment land along the current boundary.

Having a year-round wet environment is critical for native amphibia (frogs, toads, newts) and insects. There was already a very overgrown and dried-out pond on the site. So, in 2021, we cleared the pond surrounds (including felling two large willow trees that were overgrown), relandscaped the pond and relined it with a butyl liner. Then, we added pond plants so they could establish.

Over the winter, the pond lay dormant, save for the odd visit by passing waterfowl. But then, when spring arrived, slowly wildlife returned to the pond and it’s now a real biodiversity hotspot.

It was not long before we spotted many baby newts, now at an age where they will shortly leave the pond as ‘efts’ to seek out other damp areas in the allotment (several plot holders installed mini ponds on their plots during 2021 which we hope they will find).

Frogspawn and then baby frogs also appeared and some large dragonflies – male and female broad-bodied chasers with stunning, bright blue and yellow abdomens – have become regular visitors, as are common blue, large red and emerald damselflies. Bees of various kinds and hoverflies are regularly seen drinking at the water’s edge, and water boatmen row over the surface.

We also found evidence that larger mammals, possibly foxes, are using the pond as a water source, and Nathusius pipistrelle, a nationally scarce bat species often found near water, has been recently surveyed overflying the site.

The plants we added have all survived and blossomed, including yellow flag irises, water lilies, marsh marigold and purple loosestrife (common yellow loosestrife has also magically reappeared, a result of the scrub clearance by the side of the pond), and these are all attracting pollinators.

What’s next?
New ponds need maintenance to ensure they stay free from blanket weed – this has meant regular weeding by our volunteer group. Eventually, we hope that a combination of oxygenators and shade from plants and trees will self-regulate.

The pond surrounds will continue to require some work – this includes strimming and the clearing of brambles around the pond to ensure they don’t grow back.

We have also created two mini-wild flower meadows alongside the pond, with plants grown from seed over the winter (to varying degrees of success), and plug plants funded by Vision RCL, and we will continue to add to and maintain these. 

We are considering what we might do in partnership with Vision and Cadent to further enhance the site for wildlife, as Cadent will be required to demonstrate a biodiversity net gain from their works. 

For me personally, I’ve enjoyed seeing how such a small area – the size of a small back garden – can do so much for wildlife, even when only metres from the busy A12. It has also been great to see the interest in and enjoyment of wildlife from many plot holders.

We have continued to receive expert advice and support from Vision’s allotments officer Simon Litt and his team, as well as from Tim Harris of the Wren Group, to whom we are very grateful.

For more information on allotments in Redbridge, visit wnstd.com/allotments

Property sales should be plain sailing, but can sometimes go wrong. Not telling the truth about some aspect of the sale can cause great upset, says Derek Inkpin from local solicitors Wiseman Lee

The word ‘misrepresentation’ simply means not telling the truth, and if a property seller fails to inform a buyer of a given situation, this can give rise to a substantial claim to compensate the buyer.

Part of the conveyancing process involves the seller completing a Property Information Form. If the seller has been truthful in response to the questions raised, this would not normally give rise to a claim, but if a misleading impression or wrongful information is given, the buyer can claim the expenses (sometimes substantial) in correcting the position.

Examples could include stating that: 

• There have been no disputes with neighbours if untrue.
• The property does not suffer from a flooding issue, when it does.
• The property does not suffer from Japanese knotweed, when it does.
• The position of the boundaries have not been changed, when they have.
• The property does not suffer from damp, when it does.

These are some examples of how a buyer could be misled, and if the buyer relies on these inaccuracies to their detriment, financial consequences could result. The picture becomes blurred when it transpires that an incorrect ‘statement of fact’ is actually the seller’s opinion, and therefore no claim for misrepresentation will arise. However, if the seller’s opinion turns out to be untrue and was given recklessly, a claim could be made.

Take the well-known 1993 case of Sindall vs Cambridgeshire CC, where land was being sold for development. In answer to the question: “Is the seller aware of any rights affecting the property other than those which can be seen on inspection?” the seller’s answer was: “Not so far as the vendor is aware,” which the court found to mean the seller had effectively said: “I have checked but cannot find anything.” This was held to be a false statement of fact because a sewer ran underneath the land, which was not discovered until after completion of the purchase. If the buyer decided to keep the land, he could claim compensation for the cost of rerouting the sewer (assuming this to be possible) or could claim rescission of the contract whereby the seller must take back the property. Damages to compensate the buyer may also be awarded.

All this is at the court’s discretion. Sometimes, damages will only be awarded subject to exploring all circumstances of the case.

Wiseman Lee is located at 9–13 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, E11 2PU. For more information, call 020 8215 1000

Local resident and mental health campaigner Elsa Arnold was highly commended at the Million Minutes Celebrating Young People Awards last month for her work in ‘ensuring human dignity’.

“When we think of well-being, we may often think of positive and enjoyable activities. Living in Wanstead, we may also think of Elsa Arnold. Elsa works tirelessly to support others and uses her lived experience of mental health positively. Congratulations, Elsa! Thank you for all you have done and continue to do,” said Katharine McKnight.

A new series of police pop-up hubs have launched across Redbridge, including regular sessions at Wanstead Library.

“This is a borough-wide initiative, and the contact points will be conducted by Safer Neighbourhoods Team officers from wards across Redbridge. The public can meet and talk to us face-to-face about any local policing concerns or safety issues they may have,” said a police spokesperson.

This month’s sessions in Wanstead will take place on 3, 10 and 24 August from 4pm to 7pm. 

The monthly litter pick in Wanstead Park will take place a week later than usual this month and will be held on 21 August from 11am (meet at the Temple).

“Trigger-action litter pickers and bags will be provided (£5 cash deposit), but please bring your own gloves for hygiene reasons,” said a Friends of Wanstead Parklands spokesperson.

Additionally, there will be no litter pick in September to avoid a clash with the Wanstead Festival.

An entire family of swans from Wanstead Park were relocated to The Swan Sanctuary in Middlesex last month.

“The Ornamental Water swan family were living in horrendous conditions due to low water levels. The swan rescue volunteers monitored the family of six daily, and as temperatures started to soar, the decision was made to remove them from their territory and temporarily relocate them to a woodland pond in the sanctuary,” said Helen O’Rourke.

Donations to the swan rescue fund are welcome.

Visit wnstd.com/swanfund

Marian Temple explains how the Wanstead Community Gardeners responded to last month’s heatwave and urges us all to spare a drop of water for our communal gardens and young street trees

Well, we seem to be getting heatwaves every year, but the two days of extreme weather last month were more of a challenge than usual. First of all, our style of gardening is not the norm. It’s the old-fashioned, cottage garden style, with a procession of plants doing their stuff at their right time, flowering, making seeds and fading. This should not need a lot of water. 

We plant in autumn to give them time to develop a good root system. We try to use the right plants for the right place. At some times of the year, our patches are amazingly beautiful, but in a dry spell, they will look sorry for themselves. ‘Tis the nature of the thing and most people seem to accept that our patches are not all singing, all dancing all year. In times of drought, we choose carefully what we water. At the Corner House garden, late evening, we were using the hose; unusual for us. We are only watering phlox and hydrangeas. Water is a valuable commodity, so we think carefully about how we use it. Some patches we simply have to leave to their own devices. They might look miserable, but withered leaves are often a survival tactic to prevent the plant losing too much moisture and protect the roots. When the rain comes, many will bounce back. The ones that don’t? Well, c’est la vie. Gardens which are looking good in July and August (our sad period) have often been planted with annuals from the nurseries and will flower until the end of the year. They are water hungry. Not our style. 

People will often offer to water, but doing it is quite another matter. We have a small group of dedicated waterers who focus on one patch or on one group of vulnerable plants. Late in the evening, you will see them trolling around with their watering cans. Wanstead thanks them. We’re also thankful to Purbani, Little Bears Nursery and Kindred Nursery, who allow us to use their taps. Aware of their water bills, we try not to overuse.

Warned of this extreme weather, we protected some plants, building up a jacket of cut leaves and greenery around them to stop the water evaporating from the bare earth. The tree surround outside Barnardo’s, which we are trying so hard to get established this year, has a protective cover of green netting. 

When it comes to other street trees, the problem is the council plant new ones every year to replace those that have died. Often, they’re lost because they are vulnerable in their first couple of years. If no one keeps an eye on them in dry spells, they die, have to be replaced, and so the cycle continues. Good for the nurseries, not good for birds, insects and taxpayers. But the council do not make it obvious that help is needed from residents. Many would not think of watering a tree. There is a need to get the message out there, and hopefully this article will prompt a few more of us to fill up a watering can or two.

To contact the Wanstead Community Gardeners, visit wnstd.com/gardeners

Two family-friendly theatre performances will take place outside the Temple in Wanstead Park this month.

Quantum Theatre will be performing The Tale Of Peter Rabbit And Benjamin Bunny on 10 August, followed by The Reluctant Dragon on 19 August. “Quantum Theatre tours nationally with adaptations of classic texts, presenting them in a fast-paced, tightly choreographed and entertaining style,” said a spokesperson.

Visit wnstd.com/qt