A Society Dedicated to Preserving and enhancing the environment of the Stour and Orwell AONB
Our AGM took place in March and we welcomed two new members to the Committee – Geoff Sinclair and Simon Hewitt. Geoff is a naturalist with a particular interest in ancient trees and Simon, by virtue of living in Shotley, will help us to keep track of the planning applications and development proposals at the Ganges site. Sadly, though, Simon Marchant had found it necessary to resign as the demands of his overseas work made it impossible to continue effectively on the SOS committee.
We invited Trazar Astley Read, the Estuaries Officer for Suffolk Coast and Heaths, to give a short presentation at the end of the AGM. The aim was to identify areas where our two organisations might co-operate on environmental issues of mutual interest. Taking this further we have written to Nick Collinson, the recently appointed Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB Unit Manager, asking if he would be prepared to work with SOS to ensure that environmental impacts of the proposed Ganges development are fully appreciated and that any development works are carried out sensitively, taking full account of such impacts.
The draft minutes of the AGM will shortly be posted on our website.
The Boundary Committee Report
As you know, the then Secretary of State announced that a decision on the Report would be put back until July. This allowed for the preparation of an amended report and for further public comment. The second report showed little change to the original insofar as it affects the Shotley Peninsula – it would remain part of the proposed North Haven Unitary Authority. We encouraged you to write you individual observations and we submitted a letter from SOS on your behalf that reiterated the views that we had expressed during the earlier consultation. More recently, there has been a cabinet reshuffle with Hazel Blears abruptly resigning and being replaced by John Denham. Given the present political and financial situation it is possible that the issue of boundary changes and the associated costs of implementation will place this matter low on the new Secretary of State’s agenda. We should know more on this by the end of next month.
Stansted Expansion
The second runway public inquiry has been delayed for a second time. This is due to the need to resolve the matter of BAA’s ownership of Stansted. The financial case for expansion has taken a hit with passenger numbers through Stansted and flights (ATMs) falling by 12% over the last twelve months and by nearly 20% during May when compared with the same month last year. Passenger numbers are likely to fall to below 20 million this year compared with the 2008 peak of 24.1 million.
The practical effect of this further postponement will be to put back any decision on the possibility of a second runway until after the next general election. We cannot of course, predict the outcome of the next election but both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have indicated that they will be against further airport expansions and would rather favour strengthening overland transport routes.
NATS
Yet another delayed consultation! Unexpectedly, NATS announced that they were abandoning the proposals on which they had originally consulted and that they are now going back to the drawing board. We do not have any indication of when the new proposals will emerge but it will need a new consultation. Rest assured that we will be vigilant to pick up on the new proposals and we will then keep you informed and advise you as to what action we feel will be appropriate to ameliorate the effects of over-flying on the Shotley Peninsula.
In order that you may monitor aircraft noise as it affects you the following information from the Stop Stansted Expansion group (SSE) may be useful:
“A new leaflet setting out details of how to complain about aircraft noise is launched this week by Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE).
The practically-oriented guide is designed to help people affected by noise from planes using Stansted Airport to report their concerns in a way which will help lead to improvements to noise management and better track keeping in the future. In some cases it could also lead to fines being imposed on airlines where they break noise and track keeping rules.
Aircraft noise is one of the biggest concerns of those living or working within striking distance of Stansted Airport and the spread of noise nuisance across an ever larger area of the countryside over the last decade has woken up many to the nightmare that would be created if the number of planes were to triple with BAA’s plans for a second runway. Man-made sources of sound such as noise from aircraft can affect quality of life, sleep, performance at school and even, in some cases, health.
The “Concerned About Aircraft Noise?” leaflet is being launched to coincide with national Noise Action Week which ran from 18-22 May to advise people on a host of neighbourhood noise issues.
Over 20,000 copies of SSE’s leaflet have already been pre-ordered by 14 parish magazines in Uttlesford and East Herts districts for distribution to households across the community in the coming weeks and months. Others are expected to follow suit.
Commenting on the new leaflet Martin Peachey, SSE’s noise spokesman and technical adviser on noise to the Stansted Airport Consultative Committee, said: “SSE follows up every complaint made to BAA via the SSE website and in around a fifth of cases this yields something useful in terms of our work to press the airport to improve its system of noise and track keeping. We do, however, urge people to complain responsibly to avoid compromising the overall noise picture statistics.”
Copies of the leaflet are available on request from SSE at 01279 870558 or can be viewed online at www.stopstanstedexpansion.com/noise_complaint_form.html. This link also provides detailed information on what constitutes an infringement is plus an online form for reporting noisy or off-track aircraft to Stansted Airport with a copy to SSE for its own investigation and follow up. “
Ganges Development
A few weeks ago Haylink submitted a planning application to build 404 retirement home – which seems to be the same as the original application made some ten years ago! However, during March Shotley Parish Council discussed an Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Document relating to a ‘mixed’ development of over 400 units including private dwellings, sheltered housing, affordable housing, shops, workshops and a café amongst others. At this stage we are not sure of the status of the current proposals but we are looking into this carefully.
Beach Watch 2009
Beach Watch gives us all the opportunity to help our immediate environment in a ‘hands on’ way – by helping to clean up the beaches along the Stour and the Orwell estuaries and thereby protecting marine wildlife. This year the activities take place on September 19th and 20th. Our local Parish Councils have been involved in these campaigns for several years and they arrange for all the necessary equipment and collection bags. So, we suggest that SOS members approach their local PCs and volunteer to augment their efforts.
Stour and Orwell Estuaries Forum 2009
The annual forum for those with interests on the Stour and Orwell is proposed for Friday 26 June from 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm at The Venture Centre 2000, Lawford, CO11 2JE. A buffet lunch will be served at 1.00 pm and the meeting will begin at 1.30 pm.
This is an excellent event and is hosted by the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB Unit based at Woodbridge. They are tasked with providing an estuary management strategy for the rivers and this is your opportunity to comment on the new draft Stour and Orwell estuary management strategy.
Topics to include the Coastal and Marine Access Bill, The Essex Shoreline Management Plan with a Stour and Orwell focus and an update of the activities at the Port of Felixstowe. Two of our committee members are attending but if you would like to attend as well please contact Helen.Taylor@suffolk.gov.uk to confirm your place.
Haven Gateway Green Infrastructure Study
You may or may not be aware that the Shotley peninsula forms part of the Haven Gateway sub-region which is being considered as one economy centred on Colchester, Ipswich and the Haven ports. The area has been designated by government as a growth point and as such they are seeking to create 50,000 new homes by 2021 and correspondingly 50,000 new jobs by 2021!
The Haven Gateway Partnership is funded by EEDA and has a Chief Executive Officer and a small team to promote the area. Their focus is on education and skills training, job creation, tourism and culture, infrastructure, regeneration, marketing and promotion. This is a non-elected body although there are elected Councillors from the various local Authorities that combine the area covered by the Haven Gateway.
The challenging growth targets in the draft East of England plan demand additional housing centred both on Ipswich and Colchester but such housing has to be delivered “sustainably” and therefore the Haven Gateway have investigated areas for recreation for these large urban populations. In their report entitled “A Green Infrastructure Study for the Haven Gateway” dated April 2008 they set out various green infrastructure areas and one of these is Alton Water. The report states “if additional land could be acquired particularly on the north and northwest sides of the reservoir substantial benefit could accrue to the existing and future populations of both Ipswich and Colchester”. These areas are presently protected as wildlife habitats. But it is suggested that in order to deliver the massive proposed increase in housing, leisure facilities apparently need to be developed. As a Society we need to be mindful that this does not change the character of the peninsula. Anglian Water who own Alton reservoir have been looking to develop the site and we should be aware of proposals for camping and caravan parks; areas for log cabins have been proposed on other reservoirs owned by Anglian Water. Again, we need to be vigilant as a Society about the impacts of such future uses for Alton Water.
Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust are completing a 10 year study of the ancient trees of the Shotley Peninsula and this work is continuing and will be a topic for a further newsletter. Most of the Shotley peninsula has been surveyed although some of the villages are still outstanding.
Rodney Chadburn
Honorary Secretary, The Stour and Orwell Society