Fitness group accused of destroying parkland (From Streatham Guardian)

Fitness group accused of destroying Clapham Common parkland

3:00pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News By Alexandra Rucki

Lambeth Council asked British Military Fitness to avoid using the event site of Clapham Common

A fitness group have been slammed for destroying public parkland.

British Military Fitness (BMF) has been running boot training camps in Clapham Common since January.

But amenity group the Clapham Society are concerned their activities are causing damage to the event site of the common, which has not yet recovered from last summer.

Members of the society have said the area is waterlogged, particularly after Sky used the area for filming Got to Dance.

Lambeth Council asked the BMF to avoid using the event site of the common, but members have apprently ignored the plea, with up to 200 people attending some events

Anna Jefferson Smith, of the Clapham Society, said: "During January this year concerns rose about the apparent inability of British Military to respect a necessary restriction imposed by Lambeth on their use of the event site.

"It seemed unreasonable to use the damaged area. Several times now we have had to say look the ground is getting very badly damaged now."

A spokesperson for Lambeth Council said they have re-iterated the out of bounds area to BMF after receiving the complaints.

He said: "The council is also reviewing existing commercial activities taking place on our parks and open spaces.

"We want to ensure that local people can still enjoy the chance to keep fit and healthy but in a way that doesn’t damage the park for everyone else.

"We will be working with our communities and BMF in the coming months to agree the right balance so that both BMF participants and our parks stay in good shape." 

BMF was unable to comment, despite repeated requests.