Reinstatement update for Clapham Common Event Site Friday 9 September 2016

We want to provide an update to local park users and residents following the event site handover from the SW4 and House of Common events which were held on 27, 28 and 29 August 2016. The incredibly dry and warm weather for this bank Holiday weekend meant that damage onsite was limited to the heaviest footfall areas only. These were assessed with the Lambeth Parks team, Chair of the Clapham Common Management Advisory Committee, the event organiser and our reinstatement company on Friday 2 September and agreement on the levels of reinstatement had been reached.

The planned reinstatement works will be as follows; the area in front of the main stage will be fertilised and reseeded. The fertiliser is being placed on the event site on Monday 12 September to prepare the ground for seeding. The timing for reseeding will be confirmed but should also take place during the week commencing the 12 September. While on site the reinstatement company will also assess the ground as the entire event site will be verti-drained using a tractor with special ground spiking equipment. The purpose of verti draining and spiking is considerable benefit in the opening up and de-compacting of the soil structure to allow oxygen in to feed the grass roots. This process is used pre and post event season to also provide a conduit for surface water to drain away faster.

For more information on verti-draining please visit http://www.bourneamenitysport.com/verti-draining-spiking.html

At the time of the assessment the warm weather meant the ground was too hard for verti-draining but this will be assessed and as soon as the ground is soft enough verti-draining will commence. The areas of grass under the event trackway which have turned yellow due to lack of sunshine have and will continue to recover over a short period of time as it gets sunlight and verti-draining. Events and Parks officers visit the common regularly to see how the event site is doing and further public updates will be provided.

The main event site on Clapham Common is the area located between La Baita café, the Bandstand and Fields Cafe and the Long Pond. The events only use up to 10% of the common leaving the remaining 90% for park users and local residents to use.

If you have any questions regarding this post or events in Lambeth, please contact us on 020 7926 6207 or email Events@lambeth.gov.uk.