SPRING WATCH
The recent series of Spring Watch featured the Sand Martin Banks at Rutland Water.
As many of you will recall the Society helped purchase a nest camera to spy on the intimacies of the Sand Martin Nest.
Further details of this, and a very welcome promotion for the Society, can be found by following the link:-
FINESHADE WOODS DEVELOPMENT
The Society has received information from Barrie Galpin, who many of you may know, advising of a planning application for a holiday development in Fineshade Woods.
Whilst there is already a camp site adjacent to the visitor centre this new development could have a major impact on more undeveloped parts of the wood.
The contents of the contact document are fairly self explanatory.
If after reading the information you feel you would like to express your views please follow the information re contacting the planning authorities.
This year
Fineshade Wood has been under attack
from two different developments:
In May a planning application was put in
to develop a glamping site in the field
right in front of the visitor centre.
There would be 30 "glamping pods"
(wooden sheds with metal roofs), a
toilet block, car park, warden's
bungalow etc. With lots of help we think
we have fought off this application - a
decision will be taken by the council in
September. (Loads of objections from
individuals and important environmental
groups).
This week a potentially more disruptive
planning application emerged when a
Forest Holidays/Forestry Commission plan
was published. They intend to construct
70 cabins, 2 miles of new vehicle tracks
and a central leisure and maintenance
complex in 96 acres of this publicly
owned forest. It is an area of
undisturbed semi-natural woodland that
will be turned into what would be
essentially a holiday park
We have less than 3 weeks to respond to
this second planning application, so the
small community here is urgently trying
to muster support. Below are fuller
details and if you could simply send the
council a short email to object we would
be very, very grateful.
Barrie and Tricia
Galpin
15 Top Lodge, Fineshade, Corby. NN17 3BB
barrie.galpin@zen.co.uk
01780-444351
The erection of 70 cabins and associated
buildings and infrastructure and
construction of new access road’
The full application can be viewed here:
http//:www.east northamptonshire.gov.uk/planningapplications
The reference number for the application is 14/01156/FUL.
The
deadline for objections is 23 July.
This is a
very detailed application and all the
documents and plans run to many hundreds
of pages.
Here are some particular points from the
application:
70 cabins in 96 acres of public land of
Fineshade Wood.
2 miles of new vehicle tracks.
Parking spaces for 189 cars.
This part
of the Public Forest Estate will be
leased by this company for 125 years.
460
mature trees (trunks > 6in. diameter) to
be removed for roads and building
construction.
Access will be by means of the existing
single track lane from the A43 to Top
Lodge.
New forest road to be built from the end
of the existing visitor car park passing
very close to Top Lodge residents.
An additional 60 vehicles per hour will
be added to the existing traffic.
Construction
traffic will use the single track lane
and then the existing walking track that
skirts the north of the site.
Only a preliminary ecological report has
been submitted.
Biological surveys are incomplete - both
the area surveyed and the time they were
carried out.
Very many notable and protected species
reported, showing it is certainly an
environmentally sensitive site.
Site is "of at least county importance
for reptiles and birds".
Partial botanical survey revealed 45
(axiophytes) "worthy plant species" and
22 Ancient Woodland indicators.
460 trees to be removed for roads and
building construction.
We are currently reading all the
documents in detail - if you have time
to read any of them and come across
anything very important please let us
know (email to
fineshade.wood@zen.co.uk)
so we can share them widely. There are
two documents that summarise the
application: "Design and Access
statement" and "Planning statement"
(particularly section 5.) The other
documents deal in much more detail with,
e.g Transport, Ecology, etc.
If you are able to send an objection to
the council, here are some pointers.
Include your name and address (The
address will not appear on the website)
Include the reference number
14/01156/FUL
At the top, use the word objection (or
the council may count it only as a
comment)
Indicate why you are qualified to object
(e.g. "I have been visiting Fineshade
for many years")
Stick to a single issue - we believe the
main weaknesses of the application are
access from the A43 and the
environmental sensitivity.
For many of us a short, pithy objection
may be the best approach, as we hope
there will be many objections for
counsellors to read
If you have particular expertise and
develop a detailed objection please send
us a copy by email.
Your objection should appear on the
website within a few days. If it doesn't
please follow it up - several comments
were lost on the previous glamping
application.
If you live locally, can you get your
Parish Council or Village Meeting to
consider the application and send an
objection? Several local villages in
East Northants are listed under
"Consultee comments" on the website. We
believe that comments from parishes in
Rutland will be important too. If you
would like some help with this, please
get in touch - for example we may be
able to attend a parish meeting if
invited.
On behalf of the residents of Fineshade
thank you very much indeed for your help
and support
Barrie Galpin
PS Latest news on glamping. 57 public
comments and 21 consultee comments have
been published - almost all objecting.
East Northants Council are planning to
make a decision in September. We are
very hopeful!
Objections can be made: by email to:
planning@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk
or online
www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/planningapplications
or by letter to Planning comments, East
Northants Council, Cedar Drive,
Thrapston NN14 4LZ