CURRENT NEWS
Parish Directory 2009-2010
Recycling
Calendar 2010-2011
July-August 2010
August
1st St
Mary’s
8.30
Eucharist (BCP)
8th St Mary’s 10.00
Sung Eucharist
15th
St Mary's
8.30
no service
22th
St Mary’s
10.00
Sung Eucharist
29th
St Mary’s
10.00
Mattins
Langham Parish Council
next meeting 7th September
Langham Footpath Walk
Next walk 10th October
Langham WI
12th
7.30
Langham Community Centre
(Denise Hammond-Webb) 'From Bakery to Banham'
Langham Good Companions 4th 2.30
Oak View, School Road, Langham
(Garden Party)
Patchwork Pals, Langham
18th 10.00
-3.00
Langham Community Centre
The Point, Langham
next session in September
Langham Carpet Bowls
Tuesday 2.00 & Friday 7.30
Langham Bridge Club
Monday 7.15
Langham Community Centre
Langham Pre-School
Monday - Friday in school term
9.30—12 Langham
Community Centre
2nd Langham Scout Group Wednesday (times
vary) Langham
Community Centre
Langham Baby/Toddler Group Monday in
school term
9.45—11.15 Langham Community Centre
Langham tennis Coaching Sessions
Langham
recreation Ground
Pay
& Play: 10.15-11.15 (age 5-10); 11.15-12.30 (age 11-17)
July
Greyhound Hill to be closed for repair from 26 July for
5 days
High Street repaired ... and done properly, with the
potholes cut out and filled - and the sides sealed with
bitumen!
Newsletter for July-August 2010
Supplement July-August
Tennis club Newsletter and Renewal Information
June 2010
THIS REQUIRES YOUR URGENT RESPONSE
LANGHAM PARISH COUNCIL NOTICE TO ALL LANGHAM
RESIDENTS
More Housing and Development Proposals affecting
Langham
In the Essex County Standard and the
Evening Gazette it has been reported that Edward
Gittins and Associates have proposed that more than
30 sites should be included in the development
proposals for Colchester. At least six of these
sites are in Langham. The Colchester Local
Development Framework (LDF), which is a series of
documents that determine how Colchester will grow to
2021 and beyond, proposes that the town should take
the bulk of growth, with surrounding villages hardly
changing. The housing provision
for Colchester Borough has been subject to thorough
examination at the Core Strategy stage. It has
identified a fifteen year supply of housing land
with a sufficient degree of flexibility in delivery.
Furthermore, there is no identified need in
Langham for any increase in dwellings, including
affordable housing. However, Edward Gittins &
Associates have put forward a number of proposals,
on behalf of their Langham clients, that are seeking
to change the village envelope (i.e. building
boundaries) in Langham and could introduce as many
as 120 new dwellings and new and expanded Local
Employment Zones. Whilst it is still unclear how any
new Government legislation will affect planning
procedures in the future Colchester Borough Council
(CBC) are still working on the basis that the Core
Strategy and the LDF are locally produced
documents/procedures and at this point in time they
are still valid.
For sites to be accepted by CBC they
need to be included in the LDF submissions document
and should be subject to proper public consultation
and have sustainability appraisal reports. None of
the site proposals in Langham were accepted into the
submissions document as they had either missed the
cut off date or had been rejected at an earlier
stage by CBC. Also, none of the five proposals
covered in this note have been subject to proper
public consultation. However, the Government
Inspector who is examining the submission document
for “soundness” decided to review all
representations that were put forward that
questioned the “soundness” of the submissions
document including late and previously rejected
submissions/proposals put forward by Edward Gittins
& Associates.
Edward Gittins & Associates have now
embarked on a process to carry out retrospective
public consultation in order to comply with
legislative requirements, in case the Government
Inspector has a mind to include any additional sites
as part of the examination of the submissions
document. The public consultation by Edward Gittins
& Associates has already begun and will end on the 6th
July 2110. The Parish Council consider it
would be unwise to ignore this public consultation
and would be pleased to co-ordinate a response from
residents. It is emphasised that this is
privately run consultation and although information
on this is available on the CBC website, it is not
supported by CBC.
On the reverse of this page is a
brief description of the proposal and the Parish
Council’s response. Also shown there are a number of
reasons why the LPC have responded the way they have
and you can use this information in your replies if
you wish. On page 2 there is a site map that shows
each of the proposals and the reply form. We urge
you to complete this form and return it to the
Parish Clerk by 2nd July or go onto the
Parish website
www.langham.org.uk and make your views known.
Please e-mail your completed form to the Parish
Clerk -
dcwinter@hotmail.co.uk
The form, in Word format can be found
here. You can wish to complete the form in
Word and attach it with your e-mail to the
Parish Clerk.
Please do not confuse this with an earlier flyer
which covered proposal 177/035 and referred to
114 new homes in School Road and a new Local
Employment Zone west of the A12. This was yet
another proposal put forward and over 150
objections were sent to the Government Inspector
as a result of your support to keep Langham as a
rural village.
Map of the proposals under consultation
1.
Representation 130/112
– On behalf of Williamsons Developments. This
submission requests significant changes to the
village envelope to allow about 100 new dwellings,
including 30 affordable units, on three parcels of
land in School Road and Wick Road. No detailed site
layouts or access information has been provided.
The Parish
Council Opposes this submission.
Reasons why :
·
No identified need
to change the village envelope. Settlement boundary
review done by CBC in June 2009.
·
There is no
requirement for a housing development of this scale
·
The development is
not sustainable
·
Harmful impact on
character and appearance of the area
·
Would involve the
loss of a significant area of Grade 2 agricultural
land.
2.
Representation 166/019 –
On
Behalf of Mr. L. Whitnell. This submission requests
the inclusion of the land at School Farm Buildings,
School Road within St Margaret’s Cross settlement
boundary. This would enable two dwellings to be
included in the village envelope also releasing one
additional plot that is currently used for parking.
In addition to this the submission requests an
amendment to the settlement boundary to include the
frontage between Wick Road and westwards along
School Road to the School Farm Buildings commercial
site. This section of land is also shown as
parcel A on representation 030/112
The Parish
Council Opposes this submission.
Reasons why :
·
No identified need
to change the village envelope. Settlement boundary
review done by CBC in June 2009.
·
It is unclear what
development is being proposed for the land in school
road that is required to be included in the village
envelope. This submission seems to replicate part of
030/112.
·
There is no
identified need for new housing or for a
reclassification of land on this scale.
·
Any significant
development on the frontage in School road would
have a harmful impact on character and appearance of
the area
·
Would involve the
loss of a significant area of Grade 2 agricultural
land.
3.
Representation
177/031 -
On
behalf of Powerplus Engineering & The Whitnell
Group. This submission requests a 50% extension to
the commercial site in School Road outside the
village envelope on the southern and western
boundaries for business expansion and additional car
parking.
The
Parish Council Opposes this submission.
Reasons why :
·
No identified need
to change the village envelope. Settlement boundary
review done by CBC in June 2009.
·
Expanding the site to this degree will also call
into question whether existing access arrangements
are sufficient and any proposal of this scope should
include this assessment.
·
We
believe an expansion of this nature would adversely
affect the character of the area and landscape
quality.
·
Additionally, this expansion has already been
opposed as part of an earlier planning request and
we see no reason to change our position on this.
·
Local businesses in
Langham currently operate a reverse commuting model.
Employees tend to travel to Langham from Colchester
and surrounding areas. There are few, if any,
employees that actually live in the village. This
extension to the car park would expand the need for
car travel and does not meet the sustainability
requirements of the Core Strategy which is trying to
reduce the need for car travel.
·
Once again this
results in the loss of a significant area of Grade 2
agricultural land and a change from ribbon
development to backfill which is non compliant with
VDS principles.
4.
Representation 029/113
– On behalf of Mrs Gant. This submission requests a
change to the village envelope to enable the
development of domestic garden extension in High
Street into 2-3 new dwellings.
The Parish
Council Opposes this submission.
Reasons why :
·
No identified need
to change the village envelope. Settlement boundary
review done by CBC in June 2009.
·
This
request requires a change from ribbon development to
backfill, would be out of character with the rest of
the village and is non compliant with VDS
principles.
·
Garden
land that is not within the village envelope is
usually farmland that has been given approval for
use as a domestic garden. Agreeing changes of this
nature would set a precedent for significant changes
to the village envelope.
·
No
representation document is available only a copy of
sustainability appraisal summary and the Site
Allocations Representation Form.
·
The
treatment of garden land as previously developed is
also contrary to current national proposals for
planning reform.
5.
Representation 171/025
– On behalf of Mr. Andrew Stevens.
This submission
seeks an extension to the Local Employment Zone to
include the whole of the site.
The Parish
Council supports this application.
Reasons why:
·
We
see some
merit in consolidating the space at this site.
There are
numerous buildings on this site which should be
re-used.
·
Safeguarding the site as a rural employment site
protects it from other development that could be
less sustainable.
Consultation Map - click on it
to enlarge
Langham photos Winter 2010
Langham photos Summer 2010
Primary School Update
June 2010
Gridleys
Many of us are only too
aware that 'Gridleys' has been demolished. It had
its thatch removed before the snows came, and the
expectation was that the property would be
re-thatched with the onset of better weather. It was
with some shock that the planning application came
in for the old house to be demolished, and replaced
by a modern build, a design with a mix of styles and
substantially larger and taller.
The Parish Council
objected to the planning application, both on the
grounds of the demolition of 'Gridleys' and the
design, scale and position of its replacement.
Sunday 16 May, the tarpaulin and timber was
removed from the building and the far
chimney stack collapsed.
Tuesday, 18 May planning consent and
pre-notification of demolition of the building
lodged with CBC
Tuesday 18 May, the Parish Council had a
photocall (in front of the roofless property)
with Essex County Standard at the site
Wednesday 19 May, the property was totally
demolished.
Wednesday 19 May, chance
meeting with the developers by a number of
parish councillors, who were advised that
structural and historical surveys had been
undertaken and were passed on by e-mail
subsequently.
The
historic survey is dated 13 May 2010 and the
structural survey May 2010.
Wednesday, 26 May the
Parish Council had a further photocall (in
front of the now-demolished property) with
Essex County Standard at the site.
The site has now
been substantially cleared, and fenced off from
the road.
We await the response
of the planning department to a. the planning
application for a new build and, b. the act of
demolition within the 28-day period deemed to be
required.
The building's rubble
indicated a house in very poor state of repair, and
the decision to demolish might well have been the
likely outcome. However, the speed of the whole
process has certainly distressed a good many. The
fact is, sadly, that this building was not listed.
There are a further 19 buildings in the parish that
need, at least, to be put forward for listing, and
the experience at Gridleys might serve some purpose
in safeguarding our built heritage locally.
To this end, of
safeguarding the built environment, CBC have shown
every encouragement, so an approaches will now be
made, after formulation of evidence to support the
list, to petition English Heritage to extend its
listings. Sadly, in the past when such an approach
was made, no extension to the list was made, which
was frustrating as the original surveys for listing
buildings was considered substantially incomplete
(having missed out whole areas of countryside).
Consultation Exercise by Edward
Gittins
proposed site for up to
114 houses
During the public
examination of the Strategic Plan in March/April
this year, some of the many submissions by Mr
Gittins were criticised by the Inspector for not
having gone through a phase of public consultation.
This was inevitable as the proposals had not been
submitted until the time for public consultation had
passed (submitted on the final afternoon allegedly).
In response to these
remarks Mr Gittins had launched a new, and hopefully
last, wave of public consultation. Responses are
sought to the proposals and returned to him. details
are on the Colchester Borough website. Although,
when looking at this web page, it looks as if this
consultation has CBC backing, this is not so. The
borough is simply helping Mr Gittins to undertake
his consultation.
The Parish Council is
confused by this act of assistance and is seeking
clarification.
http://www.colchester.gov.uk/Info_page_two_pic_2_det.asp?art_id=11300&sec_id=3750
At the moment of
writing it appears that objectors might need to
repeat their comments and, this time, address them
to Mr Gittins. In this case it would be prudent to
send a copy to CBC Planning. Meetings later this
week, ending 5th June, established the position
that there was a need to respond to the latest
consultation attempt by Mr Gittins.
Community Centre
As you may have read at the
top of this pages, and on the index page, the Community
Centre is under new management, and a new system of
making bookings is in place. A deep-clean will take
place in the four days after 26 July, and building work
is hoped to begin at around the same time. Completion is
judged to be around the end of the year. The last good
news is that the shop has received a substantial further
grant for its build!
Newsletter for June 2010
Supplement
An organ
recital is to take place at Langham Church on 3 July in
aid of the EACH Treehouse Appeal and the St Peter's
Boxted Community Access Appeal.
The recitalist, Anne
Page is a national figure in the organ world.
click here for details
May 2010
Newsletter for May 2010
Supplement
Advert for Boxted Parish Clerk
Tennis Club Newsletter Spring 2010
Primary School Update May 2010
http://www.gardensoflangham.co.uk/
April 2010
Inspector's
Hearing Documents and Programme
Date Published: 22 March 2010
The relevant sessions are being
covered by Langham PC, but the important date is 9
April, when a whole bundle of submissions concerning
Langham comes up. It is hoped as many Langham residents
as possible will be able to attend on that day,
hopefully taking just the morning!
Langham Parish
April Footpath Walk The next walk will be on
Sunday the 11th April commencing at the Langham
Community Centre at 2.00 p.m.sharp. It would be good to
see some new faces on the monthly walks. Everyone is
welcome but if you bring a dog please make sure it is
kept on a lead. This is requested by land owners and the
Wildlife Trusts. Any queries ring 01206 272486.
Langham Primary
School has received recently confirmation that
they have once again been awarded National Healthy
School Status. The members of the school community are
to be congratulated on receiving this award which is
recorded on the National Database.
Sport The school has also continued to
excel in Physical Education and School Sport and the
following categories have been highlighted for the
reasons of winning the Sports Award for the Colchester
Blackwater School Sport Partnership:-
Competition. The school has continued to enter all small
school competitions and been very competitive in these
events. They have progressed to a large number of finals
and also entered a number of open events with a high
degree of success. The partnership has highlighted the
hard work and dedication by the school staff in
preparing the youngsters for the competitions.
School Clubs Football, Tennis, Rugby,
Dance, Aerobics and yoga are offered to all the children
in the school and the National Activemark Award plus a
partnership Gold Award was gained to the school for
their achievements in PE and School Sport.
Whole School profile has highlighted
the fact that the attitudes of the teachers, parents and
children have helped dramatically raise the profile of
PE and sport to an outstanding level
Newsletter for April 2010
April Supplement
March 2010
STOP PRESS
Telephone lines cut
22-23 March 2009
Between 2-3 pm the telephone lines from the Horkesley
exchange went dead. From talking to the workmen on
site, it appears that the cable running through Hundred
Lane was cut by thieves at that time. They then tried to
pull the cable through, usually using a truck, but this
time they were out of luck and it wouldn't budge.
However a lot of damage was done, and the above photo
shows a couple of technicians rejoining the parted
strands, a real cat's cradle of wires. The team had been
on-site from 3 am, I was told. Service was restored
around 7pm. I think the firm did the best they could for
us, and thanks to all concerned!
This follows a spate of similar thefts, including two
well-reported cases in West Bergholt. This attempt was
in broad daylight alongside a public highway. It might
well be a good idea if anyone sees an unmarked or
suspicious lorry or van with men working on a telephone
cabinet, to take a picture of the vehicle on their
mobile, just in case they have no telephone when they
get home!
Langham in the press
Proposals for a new industrial area
alongside the A12, and 114 new homes in School Road, has
entered the wider public domain this week. The issue of
late submissions given to Colchester Borough Council,
under the guise of criticism of the Site Allocations DPD
of the Core Strategy, has been taken up by the
East Anglian Daily Times on Friday 12 March, and the
Colchester
Gazette on Wednesday 17 March.
This follows a letter from concerned
Langham residents to Bernard Jenkin, MP who, in turn has
released his grave concerns, and his call for an enquiry
into the submissions and comment process, in a press
release.
Sewage Works in Langham
This is currently broken
and an operation to pump out the intake of raw sewage is
underway 24-7. The red tanker belonging to A L Rowe has
been a constant traveller along Greyhound Hill, Moor
Road and Langham Lane. About 10 trips take place in the
daytime 12-hour shift and a few less at night. It is not
yet known how long this is liable to go on, but the
driver was concerned that people would be curious and
perhaps concerned about this constant traffic. He gave
me a number of telephone numbers:
R.T.S
0122523542826 Anglian Water contractors
and O.M.C. 01522341625 Duty
Manager of the tanker firm
Footpath Walk
The monthly Footpath Walk
took place on Sunday the 14th March from 2.00p.m. until
4.00p.m. (Always the 2nd Sunday of the month from
October until May) The route of the walk started at
Torrington Street and followed the line of the River Box
for the first 2 kilometres. On this stretch of the
walk the walkers were lucky to see a local hunt in full
flow with Horses, Riders and the hunting pack following
a drag smell. The River Box was crossed at Valley Farm
and the walkers then climbed the Stour Valley Path to
have excellent views over the joining point of the
Rivers Brett, Box and Stour. A very memorable walk.
Next village walk on Sunday
the 11th April meeting at the Langham Community Centre
sharp at 2.00p.m. Any queries contact Ian Sutherland
272486
Grant for Pre-School given in
full!
The grant from the
Essex Early Years Development and Childcare
Partnership have granted Langham community
Council £211,250.00 under the Every Child
Matters Grant.
See what it will
look like by clicking on the planning
application below!
Community Centre proposals and plans
- Planning Application 100114
Cuckoo Farm Park and Ride Display
An exhibition as to the
development of the Park and Ride scheme at
Cuckoo Farm .
It will be in
the Central Library Thursday 4th March, Friday
5th, Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th March.
Thereafter in Angel Court Monday
& Tuesday 8th and 9th ... and at the West Homes
Community Stadium pm on Wednesday10th 2010.
Primary School Update March 2010
Newsletter for March 2010
March supplement
February 2010
Valentine's
Day Dance - photos - then scroll down
Valentines Dance February 13th 2010
- made just over £600
Birchwood Road/A12 flyover situation
Family History
Chris Graves is
our Online Parish Clerk.
He
is not employed by the Parish Council but is a
member of the Essex Online Parish Clerk volunteer
network. He has a copy of the parish registers
(1638-1979) and is gathering material on Langham
families which can be passed on to any family
historian.
New scale of charges for the Community Centre
Newsletter for February 2010
February Newsletter supplement
This month the Parish Newsletter contains a report
from Langham Parish Council, and will contain the
meetings of Boxted in future issues. There is a
further page of advertising to cover the additional
printing costs, and provide an outlet for those
businesses that could not be fitted into the
Newsletter.
January
2010
Newsletter for December 2009/January 2010
Meeting in the Community
Centre on Saturday 23rd January, 10.00 - 11.30.
The objective is to come up with a letter from
the Parish Council to the Inspector that sums up
the views of the Council and we would hope the
Parish.
This meeting was well-attended and there was
much detailed discussion by the assembled
parishioners.
Langham Snow 2009
Langham Snow-2- 2009
Two new pages, covering
the snow on December 18th, and December 19-20th.
more Current News here for 2009
more Current News here for
2008
