Pesticide Reduction Strategy

There is a large amount of countryside, especially in the north of the borough, with a good Public Rights of Way network and 4 country parks. There are also a wide variety of urban spaces from ornamental gardens to large municipal parks.

1.2 The Strategic Framework

Information how this Management Plan for sits within the national, regional and local context for parks and open spaces can be found in Appendix 1.

1.3 Site Description

Lodge Farm Park is a medium sized park that covers 5.18 hectares. It is very well used by the local community. Its main functions are to provide a sports activities and as an area of passive recreation. The facilities include two tennis courts, a bowling green and a large children’s play area. The site is the most southern of four parks that form a walkway from Romford to the green fields to the north of Havering. The park has a range of fine trees including 2 beautiful Koelreuteria paniculata . The park has four access points, the main gates being on Main Road, this entrance also has a small pay and display car park. The entrance to the southern end of the park is from Carlton Road, this also has a small pay and display car park. There are two pedestrian entrances at Kingston Road and Lodge Avenue.

1.4 History

Date Action

1776 Blacks Bridge constructed on Main Road, the historic bridge is Grade II Listed of Special Architectural and Historic Interest 1786 Location of the park can be seen on John Cary’s map of Romford 1871 Ordnance Survey plan is drawn showing the approximate boundary of Lodge Farm Park 1918 The owners of the Estate of Lodge Farm Roger Reede’s Charity agreed to lease the farm and premises of Lodge Farm for fourteen years to the Agent of the High Grade Dairy Company.

10th March 1927

The owners of the Lodge Farm Estate, Roger Reede’s Charity agreed to sell several parcels of land containing twelve acres and twenty perches to Romford Urban District Council. The land to be sold stretched from a point at the North known as Blacks Bridge to Carlton Road in the South. The land was sold to the Council for £1,350. 1927 A plan is drafted of the land sold to the Council to form Lodge Farm Park 1930 The Council use the site as a rubbish tip

22nd November 1937 A petition was received from the residents of Kingston Road complaining that the Council had formed a second tier of refuse contrary to a previous understanding and the level of the tip was 10 feet or more above the level of the ground.