WHY THE FRIENDS WAS ESTABLISHED 

Uniting concerned local residents 

In 2019 Friends of Colehill Gardens (a non-profit community group) was created as a means of unifying the many local residents who had made great efforts in recent years to protect this green space from harmful development and neglect.

Although privately owned and currently not publicly accessible, we believe that the green space provides such an impressive visible contribution to the street scene and essential habitat for wildlife that it is imperative to act as its guardians.

A unique green space to be enjoyed by all

Colehill Gardens is an unusual and attractive green open space with impressive mature trees that forms the central core of the small but important Colehill Gardens Conservation Area.

It is the sole remnant green space of the grounds of Colehill Cottage, a private residence established circa 1750. Local residents and passers-by have enjoyed the greenery, sense of space and sights and sounds of birdlife provided by these gardens for more than a century.

We aim to ensure that local residents and all those who pass by continue to enjoy the many benefits provided by this unique open space.
Under threat from development in recent years

Since 2007 there have been several planning applications to develop parts of the green space and also several applications to fell a prominent and beautiful mature False Acacia tree which is located on the Waldemar Avenue boundary.

Each of these applications has received strong objection from local residents and all have been refused by the council which considered such developments to be an unacceptable loss of open space and detrimental to the special character and appearance of the Colehill Gardens Conservation Area.

We aim to continue to protect the Colehill Gardens green space and campaign against inappropriate development with one “big voice”. 

Lack of proper maintenance by successive landowners

The gardens have always been in private ownership but the shrubbery, trees and boundary fencing have not been properly maintained for many years by successive owners.

The “ornamental garden” section that fronts Fulham Palace Road was maintained for a number of decades – not by the landowner of that time – but by several residents of Colehill Gardens Mansions and 51-70 Waldemar Avenue Mansions (which border the green space) who have a right of access to the gardens for recreational use.

Unfortunately, those who gladly kept the gardens in attractive order eventually moved on and it is now in a cycle of being allowed to overgrow and then drastically cut down with what appears to be very little thought for its appearance or the wellbeing of the wildlife that inhabits the space.

Where possible we aim to ensure that the gardens are maintained and trees not damaged or felled. 

In summary, the Friends of Colehill Gardens aim to:

• Where possible, ensure the gardens are maintained and that mature trees and vegetation are not destroyed as they
  are vital to the garden’s role as a wildlife haven;

• Protect the green space from harmful building development;

• Have a “big voice” as a large group of concerned local residents in the event of future planning applications.
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