Aldersbrook Wood

Aldersbrook Wood : never heard of it? I am not surprised – to my knowledge the name isn’t mentioned on any map. In fact, I’ve given it that name myself; otherwise it might be just “that patch of land adjacent to the south edge of Perch Pond…” etc.

aldsbk wood 110203 40607artAldersbrook Wood seen from Wanstead ParkJust outside of Wanstead Park’s boundary fence, and forming an effective barrier to the development of Aldersbrook’s newer housing, this area of land belongs to London Borough of Redbridge. This was the site of an isolation hospital and is now mainly woodland, with some small area of rough grassland.

The area requires to be investigated more thoroughly for its wildlife, but apart from a Corsican pine Pinus nigra ssp. laricio and a Lombardy poplar Populus nigra "Italica", it is not expected that it will show any surprises. Its main value is that it is there, and forms a pleasant buffer between the Park and the housing estate.

aldersbrook wood  290305 1906artThe narrow and uninviting access to Aldersbrook Wood from Westmorland CloseHowever, Redbridge does not appear to maintain the land in any way and a considerable amount of rubbish has accumulated. It is probable that it is used as a temporary refuge for those that might be illegally night-fishing if (if?) a patrol came along. Certainly a lot of the rubbish dumped there is from people fishing nearby - particularly alcohol cans. There is a frequently used unofficial route across the wood into Wanstead Park from the end of Westmorland Close through a narrow opening between fences, leading to an untidy footpath, laid with concrete slabs in an attempt to avoid the mud – not an attractive entrance to the Park, but a useful one, and one which could be a lot better.

aldersbrook redbridge nuclear shelterThe 'nuclear bunker' by Aldersbrook Wood, just prior to demolition in 2000It must be asked what the London Borough of Redbridge has in mind for this land? Already the “Nuclear Bunker” - a local Nuclear Command Centre - that stood on part of it has gone, and houses (“Bunker Villas”?) erected. Probably its greatest value would be for house building – but this would bring if not windows, at least the tiny back gardens which are usually the case these days almost up to the Perch Pond. Or perhaps Northumberland Avenue could be extended – a road to serve these houses?

With some tidying and some maintenance, Aldersbrook Wood could be a very valuable addition to the Forest, and give people living in the Empress Avenue area of Aldersbrook a nice access to Wanstead Park. Epping Forest's "Buffer Land" is all in the north - is it not about time that an area such as this could not be given permanent status before it becomes just another housing area to the detriment of Wanstead Park?

27 October 2009