East Leake
Mike Elliott 0115 937 6506 elliottnews@btconnect.com
PLANNING CONCERNS. Parish councillors at East Leake are continuing to express strong concerns over the latest of the large scale planning application for housing in their parish, the latest being for up to 170 dwellings o land west of Field End Close.
A new report by the parish council looks in detail at the content relating to walking routes, cycling routes and public transport, with them saying that to walk to the bus stop/village centre, the footpath starts on north side of West Leake Road at the junction with Field End Close meaning pedestrian exiting the site have to cross the road immediately.
It would be necessary to make another road crossing before reaching the village centre or nearest bus stop.
It has been claimed by a woman with a buggy she could not walk on the north side of Station Road from Bateman Road westwards as it was not suitable for the buggy. Another woman walking her dogs, has remarked on the volume and speed of traffic along Station Road/West Leake Road. There has been a petition to the Borough Council regarding the poor state of the pavement, with a claim from a resident on West Leake Road that his disabled wife had fallen when her disability scooter tipped over due to the unevenness of the path and she had landed in the road. She is now virtually housebound as it is unsafe for her disability scooter on the footpaths.
It is also pointed out this is the route that is considered suitable for access to schools, the village centre and bus stops.
For cycling there is currently no designated cycle path along West Leake Road and Station Road. The parish council point out the houses on the north side of West Leake Road, opposite the access to Field End Close, do not have driveways or garages so there is often several parked cars on this part of the road. There is considerable congestion in this area when parents/carers drop off and collect children going to/from the Scout hut at the end of the lane adjacent to these houses.
Little attention, say the parish council, is paid to the effect this increased traffic will have on the immediate surroundings. The traffic flows show that much of this additional traffic will go towards Main Street, adding pressure to the junction of Station Road and Main Street, at a time when schoolchildren will be needing to cross Main Street to Brookside School and traffic turning left along Main Street will cause more congestion in the centre of the village at the Gotham Road/Main Street junction. There is already considerable concern amongst residents about the current situation at this junction, particularly at peak times, morning commuter and school time, 8-9am, afternoon school time 3-4pm and commuter peak time around 5-6pm.
The parish council point out that much of the documents focus on the access to the site via West Leake Road. There is little information about the access via Woodgate Road
There are concerns that the road through the development could become a cut through for vehicles entering East Leake from Travells Hill and going towards West Leake.
The parish council have strongly objected to the application
CINEMA. St Mary’s Parish Church at East Leake will provide the venue for the latest of the East Leake Communnity Cinema sessions on Saturday this weekend, February 9. Doors open at 5.30pm. and the U or PG certificate film will start at 6pm. The earlier start allows the Family tag to be given to this week’s film. The next on March 9 , will have the doors opening at the later time of 6.30pm. and the film will start at 7pm. Copyright restrictions for free-entry Community Cinemas prevent the listing of the titles here so see the posters inside church and in the porch for details of this season’s films. Round up your family and friends and come along to enjoy the features in full HD on the big screen with surround sound.
AGM. At the Annual General Meeting of East Leake Mothers’ Union , their first meeting of 2019, Judith James and Gill Young agreed to continue as Joint Branch Leaders for the next three years, with Gill Richards continuing as Secretary and John Young as Treasurer.
A Celebration of Epiphany followed the AGM, with prayers, poetry and prose readings, and hymns accompanied by Sue Shaw. A generous collection of toiletries for the use of those in Medaille Trust Safe Houses was made. It was agreed that scarves, hats and other items would to be knitted for Framework.
The next meeting will be on Monday next week, February 11 at 2.15 pm. when Peter Foden will be speaking about ‘Exploring St. Mary’s Church’. The Corporate Communion service will be at 10am. on Wednesday February 13.
CAREERS FAIR. East Leake Academy are holding the latest of their Academy Careers Fairs on February 28 when they invite students to discover their future destiny.
There will be over 50 leading careers providers attending, making the event is one of the largest of its kind in the region.
Principal Mrs Kath Hardy says she hopes students will visit stalls for information and advice on future pathways
Careers sectors represented at the fair include: ELA Sixth Form, further and higher education, apprenticeships, Armed Forces, banking and finance, healthcare, construction, beauty therapy, engineering, law, sciences, photography and many more! Parents are welcome to attend as well as the students.
FRIENDS OF MEADOW PARK. East Leake’s Friends of Meadow Park retiring chairman Ann Weekley, in her annual report on 2018, says the main task achieved has been the updating of their Constitution.
“Certain points were made clearer -- for example who is allowed to sign cheques --, a new classification of membership was added -- the household membership -- and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) which came into law May 25th 2018 were adopted in the updated document. “
Ann said the ‘Meet Your Village event’ in April had brought in many new members and In June they had a stall at the Carnival and demonstrated willow weaving skills and had a ‘mini-beast’ water tray where pond/river invertebrates were identified. At the ‘Christmas Lights Switch On’ event the Park hosted a Fun Run organized by Physio Needs. It was a popular event. “
The chairman says their Forest School continues to thrive as the Lantern Lane Primary School children in Year 3 have regular half day sessions in the Park in term time.
“The children enjoy learning basic wood-craft skills, identifying trees, flowers, butterflies and birds.,” adding that the number of children in Year 3 has increased so the log circle had to be made bigger, adding that Andy Denker and Conrad Oatey worked hard on this project – they sourced the logs, had them cut to size and then secured them to the ground with thick metal hoops.
Ann said Meadow Park is popular with dog walkers and they are pleased to see it used so well as, for the most part, people clean up after their pets. Two members are still spraying offending mess blue and have been thanked by locals for keeping attention focused on this very important issue.
Ann stepped down as chairman and Kevin Shaw has been elected to the position and was thanked for her hard work and her focus on the evolving needs of the Park both as a leisure resource and an area for wildlife to flourish.
MEMORY CAFE. East Leake Memory Café serving those with dementia has moved its base jus a few yards. It has gone from the parish council office on Main Street to the Methodist Church on the opposite side of the road.
The amenity is a café with a difference for those with dementia, their family, carers and friends and is held every Tuesday from 10.30am to 12 noon. It offers music and singing, fun and exercise. Entry to the sessions is free and refreshments are provided.
“Just turn up on the day or contact Ann on 01509 559 797” is the friendly invite to anyone interested. The service is provided through the East Leake Community Care Association.
HISTORY SOCIETY. The East Leake and District Local History Society’s January talk was given by Ann Speight of Leicestershire U3A, who related the history of Nanpantan Hall and its association with the Paget family.
Ann explained that up until the late 1880’s the only building at Nanpantan was an agricultural workers cottage, the name nanpantan meaning an area of “waste”, outside the various large estates in the area. Around 1890 the Warner family, who were partners in the large Loughborough hosiery firm of Cartwright and Warner, had the present Hall built on part of the land they already owned, there being records of hosiery workers picnic’s having previously taken place on the site.
The Hall does not appear to have been a favoured residence of the Warners, as the families already had town houses along Leicester Road, on the outskirts of Loughborough.
Eventually around 1900 the property was aquired by the Paget family, some of whom were landowners in the Quorn area, but no records appear to remain of this sale.
This gave rise to the urban myth that the property changed hands as the result of a wager, possibly a game of cards, but as both the Warners and Pagets were Nonconformists this seems highly unlikely.
Some members of the Paget family were bankers so perhaps the house changed hands as a payment for a debt. The house was brought up to date, with among other things, it’s own gas works, with the intention that it should be a home for a son, who was at the time a university undergraduate.
However, being a young man he did not move in, so the house was let furnished, to among others, a member of the Everard brewery family. Inventories still exist of items of the furniture etc. which were included in the lease, including things as insignificant as “tea-cups,six, one with chipped handle” and in the potting shed “pots 6 inches dia, five”.
The Pagets did not appear to wish to live at Nanpantan, seemingly prefering the two “big Houses” at Sutton Bonnington, St. Anne’s Manor and Sutton Bonington Hall, the later on the main street through the village.
The Paget’s took a very active interest in the village life at Sutton Bonington and it became the last resting place of a number of members of the family.
The last direct member of the Paget family, a maiden lady, lived alone at the hall, with her servants living at the Lodge. Upon her death the property passed to a distant cousin, who had been a bridesmaid at a family wedding and is now used as a commune and conference centre, with visitors being housed on a dormitory basis, with up to nine narrow beds in each bedroom.
Although Friends of the Hall cultivate the walled gardens, it has not been possible, until recently to gain access to the actual Hall.