Bush Green to open with bang!

There may be ice cream

People who live, work and visit Shepherds Bush are all invited to the official opening of Shepherds Bush Green.I'm told that "a local celebrity" will officially open the Green on Monday, May 20, at 3pm. There will also be a jazz band and Victorian-style funfair attractions.

Hundreds of local children have already been enjoying the two new state-of the-art playgrounds and local people have been visiting the site in their droves. Paths have been resurfaced, with several being widened and new CCTV and lighting installed. The Grade II listed war memorial has also been reset onto a new granite stepped plinth.

And now Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council is inviting the community to come and see the revamped Green for themselves.

The improved Green will be officially opened by the Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham, Cllr Belinda Donovan and a local celebrity on Monday at 3pm.

The vast majority of the Green has been open to the public since last October and the council has received plenty of positive feedback from users.However, a small section of the Green has been closed following a catalogue of delays outside of the council’s control.

First of all soil was found to contain ash, ceramic, bricks and other impurities, which would have been used to level the site after the Second World War. Then workers had to down tools as there was a London-wide embargo on this kind of construction during the Olympic and Paralympic period.

Next, the Green fell victim to the weather. 2012 was the second wettest year on record and a section of the Green became flooded. The council’s contractor, FM Conway has now aerated the section in question and turf has been laid.

In fact the delays were made worse by our Council's refusal to listen to the views of local residents on the new look of the Green, which resulted in a prolonged and drawn out public inquiry by the Planning Inspectorate, which eventually found a compromise between the two parties back in 2011. 

H&F Council deputy leader, Cllr Greg Smith, said:

“After several infuriating delays, we are delighted that the improved Shepherds Bush Green officially open on Monday. We have already received rave reviews about the Green and it has been incredibly disappointing that we have not been able to open a small section of the area.

“Nevertheless, we are confident that those who live, work and visit Shepherds Bush will agree that the wait has been worthwhile and we now have a Green to be proud of.”

Despite delays the £2.6m project is expected to come in on budget. At last.