Treegate -- the aftermath

You'll no doubt recall the unpleasantness earlier this year when our tree agency cut down three plane trees in the Garden without the requisite permission (trees which in any case were not due to be felled at this stage, according to our Masterplan). An investigation by Westminster Council found that there had been a planning breach & since this episode the Board have been debating whether to continue with the agency’s services. However a comparison with the prices & services offered by other tree companies in London revealed that we do in fact enjoy very favourable rates with our current suppliers, so the Board has come to the view that despite the earlier problems switching away from them would only be punishing ourselves. By way of apology the agency has already given the Garden a discount as well as a gift of two small ornamental trees which will be planted out later in the Autumn.

The whole affair led to some animated discussion at this year’s AGM where concern was expressed that the trees had been cut down out of sequence, as a result of which the Board agreed it would be timely to hold a review of the Masterplan 10 years from its inception. The original architect Mark Lutyens has therefore been invited to return to the Garden to give his expert view on how plans are progressing, to be joined by our tree surgeons & Jan from Gravitas. The meeting will take place before the end of the year & the findings subsequently shared with residents.

Meanwhile the tree surgeons will return to the Garden on October 16th &17th to finally remove the three tree stumps. The pollarding process will then be booked in for a time at the end of this year when all the remaining trees have lost their leaves, potentially December.

Remember, remember -- this year it's the 2nd November!

This year's Bonfire Night will be kicking off at 6.15 pm -- slightly earlier than in previous years to give residents more time to enjoy the bonfire at full blaze before the fireworks start at 7 pm.

For the second year running the display will be provided by the multi-award-winning company Firework Crazy, who did the after-party fireworks for 2022’s Brit Awards along with many other high-profile events. The show they put on last year was widely acclaimed as the biggest & best in the long history of this celebrated Formosa tradition.

A bonus this year is that the area of the Garden where spectators can enjoy the display has been extended – it’s no longer just the perimeter but also the triangular pieces of land at the Formosa Street & Sutherland Ave/Warrington Crescent ends. The display in neighbouring Crescent Garden will take place immediately after ours as has been the pattern of recent years.

The usual caveats please about keeping windows closed & nervous pets indoors. Keep an eye on the website for further details of the time-table nearer to the time.

Scaffolders banned from Garden

This propping open of the automatic gate at Castellain Road is just one example of irreponsible behaviour by scaffolders that has become all too common of recent months, & the Board has now decided it will no longer grant access to the Formosa Garden to a firm called LJP Scaffolding who've been guilty of a series of breaches & infractions. The company has been made aware of this decision & residents should be sure not to book them for any future building works.