Joining Noddy for tea required braving a precarious 60-foot rope ladder, swaying precariously against the tree trunk before scrambling onto his penthouse porch. The reward? Breathtaking views and delightful tea, though the descent proved harrowing.

For a year, Eco Warriors established camp on public parkland atop the former Crystal Palace, South London's highest point. In 1986, Bromley Council took over the site, overseeing what locals saw as managed decline. Over a decade later, plans for a £56 million leisure complex, including a 20-screen cinema, eateries, and retail spaces with rooftop parking, threatened 12 acres of parkland and 200 trees. Local resistance mounted, culminating in a £35,000 Judicial Review attempt in 1998, though the High Court dismissed it. Undeterred, the community welcomed the Eco Warriors, who fortified the site with creatively crafted treehouses and lookout points. Skilled in scaffolding and climbing, they constructed elaborate rope walkways and subterranean tunnels, preparing for an eventual eviction. Despite a dramatic March 1999 expulsion, the broader campaign succeeded, leading to the shelving of construction plans in 2001.

Details

• Author: Janine Weidel
• Editor: Craig Atkinson
• Format: Staple Bound Softcover, 36 pages
• Dimensions: 200mm x 140mm
• Publisher: Café Royal Books