Take a trip through Burgess Park recently and you will have noticed something: dozens upon dozens of raggedy tents, rubbish strewn everywhere and tons of mud.
No, its not a crack by Southwark at Glastonbury, it is the aftermath of an alien invasion in London – well at least the filming of it anyway.
Burgess Park has been the film set for part of a new sci-fi series since February 22, yet it is now packing up and will be gone by the end of the week.
The park has been made “to look like an emergency aid facility, where survivors of [an] alien attack have gathered,” said Andrew Pavord, chairman of FilmFixer, the production company which facilitated the filming.
The proposed title of the series, which is being produced by Apple TV, is “Kanji”. In it, “earth is visited by an alien species that threatens humanity’s existence and events unfold in real time,” said Andrew.
However, the filming of Southwark’s alien invasion has caused some controversy in the local area.
“Park users were shocked to suddenly see a large encampment in the middle of Burgess Park springing up without warning”, said Friends of Burgess Park (FOBP) in a statement.
“The lack of information led to various suggestions as to what it could be for. Was it a music festival or a refugee campsite,” they added.
FOBP also raised several concerns about the impact of the filming on the park, as large swathes of ground were covered over with tents, marquees and other structures, as well as being driven and walked over by staff.
They claimed there had been a “loss of green space for park users, damage to the grass and an “impact on wildlife”, especially for wild geese who graze on the grass.
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Earlier in the month a swan was photographed trapped behind the metal fencing of the film set, although security at the site freed it later that day. It was unclear how long the swan had been in there for.
“There were some minor issues with litter and tyre marks to the grass, which are being easily rectified,” said Andrew Pavord.”The team is working to clear away any remaining items used in filming and we hope to see the park back to normal within the next few days.”
“We thank people for their patience and please do let us know if there’s anything else we need to pick up,” he added.
Southwark Council highlighted the economic benefits of the filming for the local area, as the production company paid them to rent the space.
“The income from filming is significant, and is a crucial source of funding for council services, following more than a decade of funding cuts,” they wrote in a statement.
However, they did not say how much money was earned from the project as this was “commercially sensitive” information or what the unknown amount would specifically be spent on.
Both the council and FilmFixer emphasised that the filming would create work experience for Southwark’s young people and raise donations for local organisations.
“The key issues are that park users were not consulted,” said FOBP. “The impact on the park and park users, the local benefit of the filming [and] the social value are not transparent.”
They continued: “Southwark Council is strapped for cash like all local authorities and park budgets are under pressure. We understand that but … Burgess Park is not a bit of space which is available for any alternative use; it has an intrinsic value as a green space.”
The council contested this, saying that local groups affected by the filming had been “kept updated about the filming” and that “signs and marshals are located around the site to answer questions”.
Burgess Park frequently features as a location for films and commercials.
Yet, the size and scale of the area of the park fenced off for the sci-fi series – several football pitches, as well as the sports centre and astro turf, plus the length of time on-site – three weeks – is unprecedented in recent years.
“A huge amount of filming takes place in our borough and rarely attracts much attention,” added the council.