PROPOSALS AT CROWBERRY LANE PARISH COUNCIL HEAR THE VIEWS
OF LOCAL PEOPLE
At its meeting on Thursday night
Barton under Needwood Parish Council received a full report giving details of
the public consultation they carried out at the end of January. The 72 page
report had only been submitted the day before the meeting so members agreed that
it needed more time to fully appreciate the detail of the comments. However,
they recognised that there had been a great deal of concern expressed by the
people who had commented on the proposals.
Vic Trigwell the recently elected
Chairman of the Parish Council said ‘There is a lot of other things going on in
the Village at the moment, with the Royal visit, new supermarket starting, and
the new play area to finish. We want to take time to consider this proposal and
the one at Efflinch Lane to make sure we do our best to protect our beautiful
village’.
The report had been prepared by a
small group including experienced former planner, Roger Bell, of the Council’s
Transport and Environment Committee, and a leading member of the ‘Stop the Plot’
action group, Linda Percival. During the week long exhibition, organised
jointly by the Parish and developer, there had been a great deal of interest
expressed and a lively public meeting organised by ‘Stop the Plot’ The report
has 57 pages containing 948 comments received from the 431 people who replied.
This represented just under 12% of adults in the village, and three quarters of
them were against the proposals, with the main themes of comment being Traffic
and Access 27%, Affects on Countryside 13%, Need for Cemetery 11%, Affect on
Village facilities 9%, Planning Policy 7%, and Precedent 7%.
The Council expressed their great appreciation to
Roger Bell for all the work he had carried out to produce this report quickly
and thanked Linda Percival for her helpful contributions. They agreed to make
the document available at the Library and via the village web site. They want
to consider this proposed development in conjunction with the Efflinch Lane
proposals and like that project they want the Crowberry Lane developers to
reconsider their ideas. Vic’s final comment was ‘By arranging the two recent
exhibitions the Parish Council has, at least, given Village people a chance to
air their views and we hope that their comments will be clearly heard when
eventually the planning decisions are taken by East Staffs Borough Council’.
11th March 2011
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CROWBERRY LANE DEVELOPMENT – PUBLIC CONSULTATION
As
reported to the February meeting, a very large number of comments were received
during the consultation period, and these have now been analysed and included in
the attached ‘Report of Consultation’. This factual report has been prepared by
a small working group consisting of the Council’s Chairman and Clerk, Linda
Percival of the ‘Stop the Plot’ action group and Roger Bell, a co-opted member
of the Council’s Transport and Environment Committee. Within that group, Roger
has carried out the hard work of bringing all the comments together and
producing the summarising report, and the Council greatly appreciates this very
helpful contribution to the consultation process.
There are a
large number of detailed comments made (a 57 page appendix from about 12% of the
population) and it is important that a period of detailed consideration and
discussion is allowed to benefit fully from the many contributions submitted by
local people. The report has only become available just before the Council
Meeting. There are also the wider aspects of hearing again from both the
Crowberry and Efflinch lane proposed developers to enable the Parish Council to
reconsider the whole situation, as agreed at the last
meeting.
Members are
asked to consider the following proposed resolution as a way of setting out the
way forward. The Parish Council resolve:
1.
To express their great appreciation to Roger Bell for all the work he has
carried out to produce this report quickly. Also to thank Linda Percival for
her helpful contributions. The report is substantially a factual record of the
Consultation.
2.
To make the full document available for local people to read within the
Village and on the web site.
3.
That it recognises that there have been many expressions of concern from a
large number of Village residents. It wishes to spend time to fully appreciate
the detail of the comments and respond appropriately.
4.
To consider this development in conjunction with the Efflinch Lane
proposals as agreed at the last meeting.
5.
That consistent with the Efflinch Lane proposal it would like to hear the
developers’ responses to the many comments made.
Crowberry Lane Development –
Public Consultation Report
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
11 March 2011
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Collinson Park Play Improvements
RECOVERING FROM ‘THE CRUNCH’
As reported in our last update
on 5th November, the effects the Credit Crunch on this project have
been immense. The contract was in full swing with all play equipment ready to
be erected during a dry July and August (at least the ground was dry!). Now,
after a three month delay enforced by the Government, we are faced with the task
of completing the work in very difficult conditions.
Playdale the main equipment
supplier, were forced to release the original equipment to others, but are now
promising delivery of new equipment during week commencing 6th
December. UPM Tilhill the main contractor plan to return next week to work on
the bases for the equipment, subject to weather conditions. There is a need to
carry out work to activate the new drainage system, and although the erection of
equipment may be substantially completed by Christmas, it is likely that only
the new equipment at the top of the site, will be made available for use at that
time.
Our local contractor Mark
Airey will be doing the work to reinforce the Collinson Road hedgeline in the
near future, but most of the planting on the landscaped areas will be carried
out in the New Year.
So, hopefully, in the next few
days we will begin to see some real progress. The works will not immediately
become a pretty sight, but by the Spring the new landscaping of the park will be
more established and attractive, rewarding the efforts of all the volunteers on
the Parish Council and in the Community, who have worked hard on these proposals
to improve the park for the Village.
Yours sincerelyVic Trigwell
27 November 2010
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GREAT NEWS COLLINSON PLAY PARK PROJECT CAN NOW BE
COMPLETED
In his letter of 20th
October written to County Councils, the Secretary of State, Michael Gove says
his 28% cut in play project spending ensures that ‘no contractual commitments
have to be broken’.
We have a contractual commitment
with contractor UPM Tilhill, so we can be confident the County Council will now
let us get on with the job.
The delay caused by the
Government’s order to stop Playbuilder work, issued in July, has caused three
months of uncertainty and mess on the site. We greatly regret the difficulties
this created.
The delay has been beyond the
Parish Council’s control, but we will now try to get the job done as soon as
possible. Unfortunately as winter approaches this gets more difficult.
Thanks for all your help
Vic Trigwell
22nd October 2010
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Collinson Park Recreation Ground. 12th
August 2010
I write to update you regarding the progress of the work to
provide new play equipment and landscape the park.
The new drainage system was substantially completed a month
ago and it was anticipated that creation of the new landscaping would follow in
early August. However, there has been some delay because of a longer than
expected delivery time for play equipment and more seriously there has been an
instruction to suspend work by the Department of Education who fund the
Playbuilder scheme.
Although this is a frustrating setback, there are good
grounds to think this is only a temporary delay. The Parish Council are making
strong representations to the County Council and Department of Education based
on the facts that there is a formal contract in place with the Contractor and
works have started on site. Indeed we have already received £16,000 of
Playbuilder monies to place an order for play equipment and have made better
progress than most other projects in the County. There is certain to be some
substantial scheme carried out because Playbuilder was only about half the total
funding package.
We have been told that the Playbuilder review of
expenditure will be completed during August and it is hoped to restart work on
site during September, before the ground softens and in time for grass to grow.
We apologise that the field will be in an unfinished state
for longer than expected and would greatly appreciate your patience in awaiting
the completion of this well supported proposal to provide exciting play
facilities and enhance the appearance of an already attractive area.
Vic Trigwell,
Vice Chairman.
13 August 2010
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VILLAGE HALL
report August 2009
The Village Hall has been undergoing refurbishment of the
kitchen and new flooring in Hall 2 during the quiet month of August.
I am pleased to report that both the kitchen works and the
new floor in Hall 2 will be completed by the 5th. September in time
for the new term to begin .
Both projects have been made possible by Grants and our
local County Councillor Timothy Corbett along with representatives of
Staffordshire County Council will attend an evening in October (date to be
confirmed) so that plaques recording the grants made to the Hall will be
installed .
Parish Councillors and users /hirers of the Hall will also
be invited and invitations will be issued when the date is known.
Pauline Fisher
28th. August 2009
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HOLLAND
SPORTS CLUB & PROJECT REPORT NOVEMBER 2009
Changing Rooms Project
The Club Project Team are now submitting a new bid for
grant aid to Sport England under their ‘Sustainability’ funding round in which
£10 million is available. Applications must be in by 21 December.
Applications are also being advanced to the four major
National Governing Bodies of Sport. Ahead of this the Club is seeking to host a
presentation on the project to Regional representatives of all those and other
smaller sporting bodies. This is targeted for 27th November.
As a fall-back position the Club is interviewing
professional fund raisers to see if there is merit & it is economically possible
to use them to promote bids to the Sporting bodies as well as to non-sporting
organisations with funds whose objectives might fit our project.
Future meetings of the Project team are arranged for 7.30
p.m. on 19th. & 30th. November.
Members are asked to note the content of this Report.
Adrian Wedgwood
4th. November 2009
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PLAY EQUIPMENT AT
COLLINSON ROAD – 5th November 2009
The
report to the October meeting detailed the information gathering and
consultation being carried out to finalise a scheme to provide improved play
equipment on the park. This process continued in to early October with:
(a) A
consultation morning held for the village on Saturday 3rd October.
Over 100 people attended and of those commenting: 92% thought better use should
be made of the site, 100% said the previous scheme for the kiddies had been a
big improvement, and 89% said it would be right to introduce facilities for
older children. Many individual comments were received and there was greatest
support for updating the old wooden item (27), draining wet areas(26) and
providing seats and picnic tables(25). There was less support for
landscaping(21), shrubs(15) and more paths(11).
(b) A consultation
evening on 13th October with children and young people in the 8-13
age group. There was an excellent attendance of over 30 and we gained a lot from
the youngsters, particularly in the workshop sessions. It was an opportunity to
show them what can be achieved and getting them thinking about the issues;
neighbours, noise, litter, suitable things for the site, etc.
(c) 337 survey
questionnaires were collected and analysed. The results will be available at
the meeting
Many thanks to all the Councillors who supported the
events.
The Parish Council’s decision to make a ‘Playbuilder’
application was taken at the August meeting; this meant we had only three months
to consult and produce a scheme (and all the youth organisations could not be
involved because they were on holiday). Consultation is a vital part of
Playbuilder and needs to be done before a scheme can be finalised.
Manufacturers require 2-4 weeks to produce plans of final proposals, and they
are not able to produce landscaping proposals within that time.
Various discussions have been held with the Staffordshire
coordinator of the Playbuilder fund and our application is now substantially
complete, as far as possible in the limited time. She has indicated that our
current submission for grant can be amended and developed over the coming months
ready for work to be carried out in 2010/11. Members will be asked to consider
the following key elements at the meeting:
(i)
Drawing 23305rev1/STA from Playdale showing a proposed scheme with two options
for either a 6m or a 4m high pyramid climbing net. It Includes the Youth of
Barton bid and the Playbuilder element is initially quoted at £47,556.
(ii)
A sketch drawing kindly produced by Councillor Ed. Sharkey to reshape and
landscape the park with earth mounding, tree planting, rocks and more formal
seating. Landscaping and using local people are important issues for
Playbuilder and it is hoped that having Ed, Vernon Wright and other local
contractors involved with our bid will give strength to our efforts. Vernon and
Ed estimate the landscaping and seating element will cost no more than £15,000.
The Council’s views are sought on the nature and extent of these initial
landscaping proposals which have been produced primarily to indicate to the
Playbuilder grants panel that we take their landscaping objectives seriously, we
have local expertise on board, and a local contractor to deliver an exciting and
attractive final scheme.
(iii)
The total cost of the bid we have prepared is therefore £62,556. It is proposed
to seek the maximum grant of £50,000. Although, we have some good indications
that other grants will be available, nothing can be certain at this time.
However, to assure Playbuilder that providing they support us with £50k the
scheme can go ahead, we will need to consider saying the Council undertakes to
provide the £12,556 shortfall. Past experience indicates our ability to raise
this sort of figure, and therefore the target will be to avoid any cash payment
by the Parish Council.
(iv) As
reported elsewhere, the increase in our responsibility to maintain play
equipment would increase dramatically and a figure of £1,500 p.a. is suggested
to set aside in future year budgets. As the equipment gets older, or if
vandalism took place, this figure could increase
The Parish Council’s Approval is sought to:
A. Indicate
in the application that the Parish Council will provide (or raise) up to
£12,600.
B. Setting
aside an additional £1500 p.a. for play equipment maintenance.
C. Making a
planning application for a pyramid climbing net six metres high, at an
anticipated cost of £85
Vic Trigwell 4 th November 2009
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Page last update on
25 March 2011