16 January 2006

Backlash against Ken's homes wish

KEN Livingstone wants to increase the number of homes built in a borough by more than 1,000 each year. But Lewisham council is opposing the London Mayor's targets for its area. The borough's's current target is 17,350 extra homes by 2016, meaning 870 each year. The revised figure is for the period between 2007 to 2017. It proposes 10,700 new homes in that timescale, which works out at 1,070 extra a year.

Eviction threat for pigeon feeder

A council tenant who has infuriated her neighbours for 10 years by feeding hundreds of pigeons in her front garden has been warned she faces eviction. Lewisham Council said Norma Hughes had ignored repeated warnings about feeding the birds, which neighbours said posed a health risk and cause a nuisance.

School opens after intruder scare

A secondary school which shut because staff thought an intruder was hiding in the roof is to reopen this week. Despite police searches using infra-red heat detectors at the Crofton School in Lewisham, south-east London, the man has not been found. Associate head teacher Rob Cooper said staff were confident he had gone, but said extra security measures would stay in place "as long as necessary".

Extra bus for busy routes

The 225 route from Bermondsey station, which currently terminates at Lewisham, will now run to Hither Green station and Hither Green Lane. And the 181, which runs from Lewisham to Downham, is being extended to Grove Park station, Baring Road, Grove Park.

More dirt dished onto ‘tired’ town

Last month News Shopper, sister newspaper of This Is Local London, invited residents to share their views on the town, in response to a Canadian visitor who renamed it "Crapford". But instead of leaping to the defence of Catford, a host of residents have contacted us to stick the knife into their home town. Clevon Cottrell, of Thornsdeach Road, wants to see Catford given a major clean-up.

Mr Cottrell, 70, said: "There are a lot of dirty people in Catford."