East Leake
HOUSING PLAN REJECTED. Plans for yet another large scale housing development in East Leake have been rejected by Rushcliffe Borough Council. It is not yet known if an appeal against the decision is likely, with such an appeal leading to a planning inquiry being held.
The residential development would have seen up to 101 dwellings being provided on land West of Field End Close.
A statement from the Borough says the application site is an area of open agricultural land to the west of the village and is separated from the main built-form of the settlement by the railway line, which forms the eastern boundary of the site. The land in question is bounded by a narrow thread of ribbon development along West Leake Road to the north. To the south is Woodgate Road, beyond which is open countryside. Allotments and agricultural fields lie to the west.
The irregular-shaped application site measures approximately 8.7 hectares and is partially bounded by hedgerows and trees. The land is located circa 1.5km from the centre of East Leake when measured from the mid-point of the site.
The majority of the village is located to the east of the Great Central Nottingham) Railway linethat runs on a broadly north to south axis, save for the development along West Leake Road which is predominantly ribbon development with the majority of dwellings set in generous plots.
The rejected application sought outline planning permission with all matters reserved except for access and was a resubmission of a previous application for up to 170 dwellings which was refused in February last year.
According to the submitted Planning Statement, this revised scheme seeks to address the three reasons for refusal relating to Highway Access, Landscape and the Scale of Development.
An ‘Indicative Site Layout Plan’ has been submitted which illustrates the construction of up to 101 houses situated largely within the central/ northern part of the application site.
An ‘Indicative Landscape Strategy Plan’ has also been submitted indicting potential attenuation storage in the northwest corner--in the lowest part of the site-- and buffer planting comprising hedgerows and trees along the boundaries of the development site.
Two points of access are proposed to serve the development, located on West Leake Road via Field End Close and Woodgate Road respectively. Field End Close is a single lane road with a grass verge that currently serves four properties and the proposal site. Woodgate Road is a two-way rural road subject to the national speed limit.
The development scheme proposes that 18 of the proposed dwellings are accessed from the north via Field End Close/West Leake Road with the remaining 83 dwellings accessed via a new priority junction onto Woodgate Road. The development proposal seeks to extend the 30mph speed limit to cover the site frontage facing onto Woodgate Road.
A spokesman for the Borough council said according to the Planning Statement, the scheme would comprise predominantly two storey properties to reflect the character of housing within East Leake, in particular West Leake Road and the new housing to the east of the railway line. The proposed 101 dwellings would equate to a density of circa 11 dwellings per hectare.
“For absolute clarity, the application is only seeking permission in principle, i.e. whether or not up to 101 dwellings could be built on the site. With the exception of the proposed access arrangements, all other matters, including the appearance of the proposed dwellings, the layout of the development, the scale of the dwellings and landscaping, are reserved matters for future consideration as part of further submissions.
The site is located adjacent to, but outside, the built-up part of the existing settlement and is located within the open countryside.
The original proposal for 170 properties was refused on the grounds the project would comprise residential development of a greenfield site outside of the built-up part of the village and that the site is not allocated for development in the development plan and, although, although acknowledging that East Leake is identified as a key settlement for growth in the Rushcliffe Core Strategy.
Rushcliffe says it has not been adequately demonstrated that a suitable access to serve the new development can be provided or that the traffic generated by the proposed development would not result in an unacceptable increase in danger to the users of the highway due to the use of the access or that a suitable means of access can be provided without detriment to the amenity of adjacent properties or highway safety.
Planners say the development proposal would negatively impact landscape character and would have an adverse visual impact on users of local rights of way and it has not been adequately demonstrated that these impacts could be satisfactorily mitigated.
CHILDREN ENCOURAGED TO GET OUTDOORS. Children in East Leake are being encouraged to develop interests in outdoor and nature-related activities thanks to the Friends of Meadow Park in the village
At the annual general meeting of the Friends of Meadow Park Ann Weekley explained that the children have been engaging with the Forest School set up by the Friends. She told members: ”Forest School is a programme of outdoor activities which are aimed at encouraging children to enjoy being outdoors while at the same time respecting the natural environment.”
She said:” There are creative activities such as making bird feeders, making ink from oak galls, planting saplings and building shelters from sticks; there are sessions where they learn the names of trees, of birds and of creatures in the brook; and of course there are fun activities – scrambling under the cargo net and walking the tightrope.”
Lantern Lane Primary School in the village use Meadow Park for their Forest School programme. The children are Year 3 pupils and during the last 12 months Ann has been been asked to provide various nature-related activities.
Ann saif:”September was tree ID time, followed by bird recognition in late February and identifying creatures they fished out of Kingston Brook in July.
The latter two activities were particularly successful as I had experts with me Eric Bryson for the birds and Ian Morrissey for the brook. The sessions would have been a lot poorer without them. I’m very grateful to them both.”
The ‘base’ for the Forest School activities is in the wooded area in Gibson Field. There is a log circle where the children and staff eat their lunches, protected on particularly wet days by tarpaulins attached to six tall poles.
Ann explained: “For the provision of both, log circle and poles, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Andy Denker and Conrad Oatey. They not only provided the logs but had to do the fixing, not once but twice. The first log circle logs were stolen so they wired the second lot together and into the ground as well. History repeated itself with the poles. They had been worked loose and piled up but fortunately we saw them before they were collected and hid until they could be re-interred.”
Ann concluded: ”it’s been a very successful year and the vast majority of the children are very enthusiastic. An enthusiasm we hope they will retain as they get older. I see them from time to time in the village and often, to their parents’ bemusement, and indeed amusement, tell me about something they’ve seen in the Park. I’m usually introduced as ‘ That’s Ann. We know her!’”
HISTORY OF GOLF CLUB. Members of East Leake and District Local History Society were entertained by one of their own members at their January meeting when Mrs Val Franklin gave entertaining talk on The History of Rushcliffe Golf Club.
The meeting in St Mary’s Hall was well attended and visitors were united in their opinion the talk had been very well presented.
Almost 50 people were at the meeting on to hear about the history of The Golf Club, which was established 110 years ago. They heard how the golf club was formed, why a golf course was created in what was then the tiny village of East Leake, and its connection with the Great Central Railway.
The talk included social history from the Edwardian era with anecdotes from the club’s archives such as the first suggestion book, and slides showing how golf club members dressed in Edwardian costumes to celebrate its Centenary in 2009.
On display were the first Rule Book printed in 1911, and hickory shaft golf clubs of the time alongside their modern day equivalent. The area around the 14th hole is a historical site of an ancient moot (meeting place) dating from pre-Saxon times, and also the site of a water pump built in 1862 to pump water to Gotham village – historical facts unknown to many.
The audience also learned why part of the golf course is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and about the many famous actors, performers and sportsmen who have visited Rushcliffe for a game of golf.
The East Leake and District Local History Society meets monthly on a Wednesday in the St Mary’s Church Schoolroom, and visitors are always welcome.
For details of forthcoming speakers and topics, please contact secretary@eastleakehistory.org.uk.
The February meeting is on Wednesday next week, the 19th at 2pm --(note the afternoon timing). SubjectThe People of Bradgate Park “The Grey Family”
There will be refreshments after the talk and visitors are welcome.
FREE ENTRANCE FOR CHILDREN. Free entrance for children for a limited period is being offered by Manor Farm Park and Woodlands at East Leake.
One child will be able to visit free when accompanied by a paying adult until Friday this weekend, February 14. Adult prices start from £7.50 when booked on-line prior to midnight the day before visiting.
During half-term – February 15 to 23 - visitors to Manor Farm Park will be able to see new born lambs.
For adults only there will be a French-themed evening in Antlers Bistro on Saturday, February 29. Full details, including the menu, are Available on the Manor Farm Facebook page and on the website – www.manorfarm. info for more details.
COMMUNITY CINEMA DATES. Community cinema dates at St. Mary’s Church in East Leake are this Saturday, February 15 and Saturday, March 14.
The February date has been re-scheduled. On both dates the doors open at the later time of 6.30pm with refreshments available from that time and the films start at 7 pm.
Copyright restrictions for free-entry community cinemas prevent the public listing of the film titles and villagers are advised to see the posters inside the church and in the porch for details of this season’s films.
Villagers are advised to come along to the showings with families and friends and enjoy the features in full HD on the big screen with surround sound.
The work of a charity providing support for children with cerebral palsy will be the subject of a talk to be given at St. Mary’s Women’s Group in East Leake on Monday next week, February 17.
The charity runs the Conductive Education Centre in Shepshed and the meeting starts at 8 pm in St. Mary’s Hall. Everybody is welcome to attend.
PATHWAYS EVENING. East Leake Academy have confirmed that the new date for its Year 9 Pathways Evening is tomorrow, Thursday February 13.
Parents are advised by the Academy that they have rearranged the date now to place tomorrow from 6-7pm.
The Academy say this is an important information evening for Year 9 students as they start to choose their GCSE options. Staff will be on hand on the evening to provide support and guidance.