WI Autumn Fair (2-10-14)
Come and join us on:
SATURDAY 18th OCTOBER 2014
10am to 12 o'clock.
at the METHODIST SCHOOL ROOM
Cake Stall, Raffle, ‘Chocolate’ Tombola, Craft and Gift Stalls, Book Stall, Plant Stall, etc.
Entry £1.00 to include tea or coffee and biscuits
October's Cinema (19-9-14)
Comedy drama about a chef who quits his job in a top restaurant after a flame war with an on-line critic. When he opens a food truck instead, the chef rekindles his passion for food and family.
Horse Fun at Old School (29-8-14)
Footpath on Nottm Road (29-8-14)
I have been onto Nottinghamshire County Council re the footpath on Nottingham Road not being finished.
The work is now scheduled to be completed week commencing the 8th September 2014.
Thank you – Janice Towndrow Parish Clerk
It's this Saturday (20-9-14)
Creamery (12-9-14)
There is a lot of work going on at our Creamery.
A big hole in the wall: I wonder what is going to fit in it?
(Thanks to Mel Stanley for the photo)
Young Farmers (12-9-14)
The Cropwell Bishop 'Young Farmers' group is to be re-launched next week.
It will be at the Memorial Hall at 7.30pm on Monday 13th Sept and then on every subsequent Monday throughout the autumn and winter.
For more details, contact Helen Ramsey on: 01949-861880.
Our own Robin Hood Marathon Winner (31-8-14)
Congratulations to Sophie Cordon.
Sophie (age 10) is a pupil at Cropwell Bishop Primary School and has won the competition to design the T-shirt for the 2014 Ikano Robin Hood Mini Marathon & Schools Challenge. Well done Sophie.
Here is the T-Shirt that she designed. Looks really smart. Paul Smith, look over your shoulder!
Tony Jarrow
Next Film at the Old School (9-8-14)
Family Event at School (18-9-14)
About the Folk Coming .... (2-9-14)
The Last Shot Trio
Jim Madlin (guitar & vocals) and Ron Margetson (bass & vocals) have been playing together for many years and play alongside other musicians. They deliver exciting sounds of rocking country with perhaps a little bluegrass.
Roger and Chris Trivett
Roger, the guitar teacher, plays as Chris sings mainly traditional songs – we can all join in the chorus!
Marion Downs
A keyboard player & guitarist who sings mainly contemporary songs suitably amplified and illuminated by the good work of her husband Dave and son Jon who will provide excellent sound and lighting support for the performers throughout the evening.
Brian and Dee Spencer (Moonlight and Rosie)
A gentle duo singing a variety of material from the world of folk, country and jazz standards.
Annie Smith
A rising star of the folk scene who charms her audience with memorable performances.
Joe Phillips (with the Last Shot)
Affectionately known as ‘Grandad’ by Jim, he can still deliver the country favourites especially with the support of ‘Last Shot’
Dave Collins
As local singer-songwriter, Dave has written some amazing songs that are not only tuneful, humerous and entertaining but, in true folk tradition, also tell us a story.
Paul Benson
A professional dancer who moved into the folk scene. His melodic banjo playing is a treat for us all.
Steve Fox
An accomplished guitarist/folk singer often playing alongside ‘last shot’.
Paul Cullen (Carbuncle)
His style is described as an 'intelligent punk-folk'! His appearance is eye catching and the lyrics of his own song compositions make people sit up and take notice
Dave Ball
Dave Ball is a very a experienced singer of traditional folk songs and for many years was a member of the Pendragon Folk Group, who ran the Carlton Folk Club,
Better Ears than Ours (5-9-14)
Time to Change your Image? (30-8-14)
It's Tomorrow! (5-9-14)
56 people have entered 242 exhibits: see you there?
Tony Jarrow
Cropwell is on Lancaster's Flight Path (31-8-14)
There were about a dozen people standing on the hill that overlooks the A46—just off the Lime Kiln to Cotgrave Road at 3.30pm today: we were waiting for the arrival of the Lancaster Bomber. Five minutes later it appeared; it must have flown low over the Lime Kiln Pub on its way to Radcliffe and then Gedling. Here are a few photos of its flight.
In the distance we could see it circle over Gedling. Then, 5 minutes later, it was heading our way again, flying over Radcliffe Golf Course on its way back to Lincolnshire.
Whilst there, I unexpectedly met a friend who had also come to watch the flight path. Both mine and her father had flown Lancasters in the Second World War and we shared experiences of taking them to see the planes in Lincolnshire several years ago. Those airmen are no longer here; I wonder how long their planes can go on flying.
Did anybody else get photos of the plane?
Tony Jarrow
Lancaster Bomber Update (30-8-14)
Following on from my article yesterday about the flight of two Lancaster Bombers, it was reported this morning that one of them, the Canadian one, had technical problems and has been grounded until further notice. So now you have only one to look for on Sunday afternoon.
Good luck.
Tony Jarrow
Very Rare Visitors on Sunday (29-8-14)
On Sunday (31st Aug) two Lancaster Bombers will be flying nearby. They will be flying from Milton Keynes to Gedling and Radcliffe on Trent is on its flight path.
A glance at a map suggests that they will probably fly over somewhere between Cotgrave and Cropwell Bishop. However that is only a guess based on them flying in a straight line. How the pilots approach Gedling will no doubt depend on the wind direction and this in turn will affect there planned flight path over Radcliffe on Trent.
The advertised time for Gedling is 3.50pm and the planes are supposed to then arrive at East Kirkby in Lincolnshire at 4.10pm. However, the Radcliffe on Trent Parish Council website suggests that they will be over them at about 3.30pm (over the Main Road) and will come from the Radcliffe Golf Club direction. These times don't quite tally: it doesn't take 20 minutes to fly between the two.
So, somewhere in the sky over Cropwell Bishop (or close by) between about 3.15pm and 4pm on Sunday, you should see and hear a couple of Lancaster Bombers overhead. This will be a very rare opportunity for us, possibly the last, because only a handful of these famous World War 2 planes survive.
Bad weather could spoil everything but, at the moment, the forecast looks good. Keep a look-out.
Tony Jarrow
Village Show: get your entry in this week (26-8-14)
It has been a good year for growing most things in the garden and allotment plot: some crops are appearing two weeks earlier than last year.
It is now only 11 days until the 2014 Cropwell Bishop Show so now is the time for you to scan your crops and decide what to enter. You don't need to present them until the day of the Show but you do need to submit your entry form by this Friday, 29th August.
There are entry forms on the counter in the Co-Op and Gary Jowett's Butchers shop so pick one up. You can also download one from this website: click on the Allotments page for details.
Remember, the Show is not just for fruit and veg—in fact there are more categories for other things. If you are new to the Village and not sure what to expect, take a look at the photos from last year's event: click on the 'Earlier News Story' in the right-hand column on this web page, the 8th one down labelled, 'Village Show 2013'.
Our Village Show is put on so that people can enjoy an aspect of village life that has gone on for centuries. Make a note of its date and enjoy taking part (or just viewing) at the Old School that day.
Tony Jarrow
A New Arrival in the Village (22-8-14)
We knew it was coming and now it has arrived: the new wooden bus shelter on the Cropwell Butler Road.
It looks very smart. Just a pity that the new bus timetables may result in you spending rather more time on that seat waiting for your bus. At least the seat looks comfortable.
Thanks to Eddie Ward for the photo.
Tony Jarrow
Room in the Sky (21-8-14)
Yesterday afternoon, if you chanced to look up and over the rooftops, you may well have seen the top of a giant crane. Moments later, you would have seen the first of three prefabricated buildings arriving at the Primary School.
These photos were taken from Kendal Road by John Hallam. On the horizon you can see the houses at the top of Fern Road.
It is believed that these units will form the new Nursery/Preschool building at the Primary School. No doubt in a few weeks they will be full, not of empty sky, but of happy little people.
Tony Jarrow
Our "New" Co-Op is open (21-8-14)
It has been hectic and crowded on Church Street for the last couple of weeks with vans and lorries everywhere, but today we can see the results of all the effort that has gone into revamping our Co-Op.
As you can see from the photos, balloons and staff are everywhere, providing a bright and cheery start for customers.
Inside, floors, walls, lighting and cabinets are new and the shelves are fully stacked with goods and special offers. The layout is slightly different with the serving tills now on the left-hand wall but it doesn't take long to find your way around.
Have you been down yet with your voucher for a free cake?
Tony Jarrow
"NO" to Tip (20-8-14)
Last Monday, over 500 people visited this website and in the evening the Old School was packed with Villagers who wanted to speak their mind on the Planning proposal to tip at least 60,000 tonnes of waste in our village.
Our own Parish Councillors were there and so was our Rushcliffe Councillor, Gordon Moore and Notts County Councillor, Richard Butler. I was unable to attend but I have been told that the message, loud and clear, from residents was that they do not want the proposed landfilling scheme to go ahead.
They let councillors know that they want to formally object to the proposal.
That was two days ago and, as all of you are now probably aware, our Parish Council has responded amazingly swiftly. I have only just got back from a holiday but I understand that less than 24 hours after the meeting, people were getting through their letterbox full details of how they can send in formal objections to the Councils.
The yellow leaflet stapled to the August edition of Cropwell Bishop News summarises the situation and provides names of the people to contact and the urgency required. Clearly, our Parish Council has been very busy and fully supports the objections of Villagers.
These details are also on the Cropwell Bishop Council's own website: click the link in the right-hand column to go straight to it.
Remember, it is no good just sitting and grumbling about the situation, you have got to send a message to the people who matter—and you need to get it to them by Friday—so start writing now!
Note: If, for any reason, it is not possible for you to get your message there by Friday, send it in as soon as you possibly can. If there are lots arriving, it is possible that the deadline for objections will be extended.
Tony Jarrow
(The photograph above was taken in 1992. It is of the old gypsum mine that British Gypsum wanted to fill with waste. Compare its depth with the distant yellow digger. That was a much bigger hole but the planning proposal was successfully opposed by residents of Cropwell Bishop)
Do You Care? (17-8-14)
Our Parish Council has called this Meeting and the turn-out will be an indication of the strength of feeling of residents towards the Planning Application to dump waste in Cropwell Bishop. Parish Councillors exist to represent you, but you have to tell them your opinion—and this could be your only chance.
Notts County Council may well be attracted to the idea of using our Village to dump waste, after all, once house building starts in Cotgrave and then Bingham we are perfectly placed to offload waste material. It might like the idea of a 'small carbon footprint', but leaving the waste in Cotgrave and Bingham would make an even smaller one.
But we are the ones who will have to live with the problems it causes over the next 6 years. And, if in 2020, the house building hasn't finished, and if there is still space in our 'hole', who is going to say NO to carrying on for a few more years?
Chris Allsop Holdings is a private commercial company and, quite rightly, exists to make a decent profit. There is nothing at all wrong with that.
However, let's remember that the only reason we now face this situation is because the Company ignored (however inadvertently) development restrictions to dig the hole in the first place—and made a profit in doing so.
It now appears only too happy to correct this error by filling it with waste—and making further profit.
If you built a granny-flat at the bottom of your garden without getting planning permission, can you imagine the Council saying;
"Oh well, you weren't to know, and anyway, we are a bit short of low-cost housing at the moment so, rather than fine you or ask you to pull it down, we will allow you to let it and keep all the profits".
I really can't see that happening to you or me, can you?
Cropwell Bishop is your Village: if you can, take this opportunity to tell your Parish Councillors how you want it to develop. Remember, the "hole" needs little more than bulldozing to bring it back to its Wildlife Park status: it does not need filling with waste.
Tony Jarrow
Where is it? (16-8-14)
The map below shows the location of the proposed landfill site referred in the previous news report.
Tony Jarrow
Land Fill Application (15-8-14)
Cropwell Bishop Parish Council has called an Extraordinary Council Meeting for next Monday evening (see notice of 11-8-14 below).
Since I was Chairman of the Cropwell Bishop Parish Plan I feel that it is in order for me identify points in the Application that may have a bearing on how residents view the proposal.
The Application is available on-line for anyone to see. However, because it is 26 pages long, I have tried to summarise it and pin-point the passages that might cause residents most concern.
The planning application by Chris Allsop Properties relates to the land that lies behind the Canalside Industrial Park. (see picture right)
Ostensibly, the planning application is to restore the site by filling it with 60,000 tonnes of material that is unsuitable for recycling, and then cover the waste with clay that already exists on site.
It is said that it will take 3 years to fill the hole and that by 2020 the job will be finished.
The photos below show the site.
The purpose of the Cropwell Bishop Parish Council's Meeting next week is to enable residents to express their views of the Application.
Residents who have lived in the Village over 20 years, will recall the planning application by British Gypsum to fill with waste the giant hole left by its mining. That proposal was rejected by a packed meeting of Villagers at the Memorial Hall. As a result, the plan was abandoned and the land was restored to the site you can now visit across the road from the Canalside Industrial Park.
The current Application by Chris Allsop Properties is likely to affect, in some way, all residents of Cropwell Bishop. Now is the time to consider the impact it is likely to have on your lives over the next 6 years.
Key points:
- In 2001, the land was covered with mounds of clay that had been left by British Gypsum. Even so, it was designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation and referred to as a Local Wildlife Site. This status protected it from any damaging development—or so it was thought.
- Apparently, the owners of the land, Chris Allsop Properties, were not aware of its status.
- In 2011 Chris Allsop Properties dug out clay from the site and sold it. There now remains a large hole as a result. See pictures above.
- Now Chris Allsop Properties wish to restore the hole it dug to its original status as a Local Wildlife Site.
- The Company proposes to fill the hole with clay, rubble, concrete, etc and then cover it with native clay on the site. The Company's view is that this would be more beneficial than leaving the site unfilled: there is no supporting evidence for this view.
- It would first have to dig up more clay to enable the final mound of waste to be covered.
- To deliver waste to the site, there would have to be, on average, 9 lorries (32 tonnes lorry with 20 tonne capacity) arriving—and then leaving—each working day.
- However, the Applicant states that it may wish to import up to 15 lorry loads (that is 30 lorry movements) per day.
- The site's working day would be: 7.00am-6.00pm weekdays, 7.30am-12.30pm on Saturday.
- The application is to import, stockpile and process waste with a crusher/screener and compact the material into the hole.
- The apparent uncertainty in the number of loads being delivered each day (9 to and fro, or 15 to and fro) is probably because the site will be used to process and stockpile waste. It looks like the waste material delivered to the site will not be simply dumped into the hole, it will be screened, some crushed and then any material that can be sold elsewhere, will be stockpiled and eventually taken away by another lorry. What percentage of arrivals will be treated in this way is unknown.
- Using figures quoted in the application, it is calculated that the volume of waste that will be delivered to the site will be equal to 100m x 100m x 2m. Interestingly, the hole appears to be about 6m deep: does that mean that at some future date there could be will be an application to import more waste to completely fill the hole?
- Dust, fibres and particles will be generated, particularly during dry weather.
- Noise will be generated by the crusher, mechanical loading shovel and compactor. This will be most noticeable to properties downwind from the site.
- If the sole aim was to correct the damage done in 2011 and restore the site to its original designation as a Local Wildlife Site, it could be done by simply re-contouring the existing material on site. The motives for filling the hole with waste lie elsewhere.
- The desire of everyone concerned to make the site, once again, beneficial to local wildlife is commendable. However, sadly, there is no suggestion that the general public will be allowed access to the site if the proposed project is completed. The land will continue to be owned by Chris Allsop Holdings.
Data used was extracted from the Planning Application Supporting Statement. I have annotated a copy with a highlighter to draw attention to what I consider important points. To download a copy, click this link:
Planning Application Supporting Statement (with highlighting)
The 'Highway Impact Statement' is a document which analyses the possible effect of the Application on the roads around the Village. I have annotated a copy in a similar fashion: to download a copy, click the following link:
Highway Impact Statement (with highlighting)
If you are concerned about this possible development, I would urge you to attend the Meeting next Monday evening (Old School, 7.30pm).
It is unfortunate (for residents) that this Application has been made at time of the year when many people are on holiday (like I will be next week).
Attending this Meeting might offer you your only opportunity to have a bearing on the outcome of this Application.
Tony Jarrow
The Cabin: thinking of you (6-8-14)
Thank you very much to everyone who contributed to the collection for Mark and Chantelle (owners of The Cabin).
We collected £137 and along with the flowers and chocolates (pictured right) we bought a £50 gardening voucher and a £50 voucher for Ashmores Restaurant.
They both say thank you very much and how much they appreciated the gifts.
Maria Carter and Jo
Tickets for Village Events (24-7-14)
You can still buy tickets for Village events from The Cabin in the usual way. However you will need to visit the Portakabin behind the shop where they are presently selling newspapers and you should go in the morning.
Thanks to Chantelle and Mark for continuing to support the Village at this difficult time.
Tony Jarrow