NEWS
Increased noise disturbance from Stansted airport flights
Your Parish Council has continued to receive complaints about noise and disturbance from increased flights out of Stansted.
This is due to the change in flight path usage, introduced in February 2016. Stansted moved flights, which previously took off to the west and south of the Parish, to directly over the Parish of Felsted. This has already more than doubled the planes passing directly over us.
You can read the original news item here.
We have now also written to the CAA here, and their response can be read here. Following on from this we have now written to the Secretary of State for Transport here, with a covering letter to our MP, Sir Alan Haselhurst asking him to take up the objection for us, here.
We are also lobbying the District Council and Stansted Airport Consultative Committee (STACC). We are also working with Stop Stansted Expansion group and other affected Parish Councils in the area, who are taking similar action.
Our goal is to have the change reversed at, or before, the official change review.
As proved vital in the successful defeat of the Catesby planning application, we need continued involvement from the community. Every single complaint counts and helps our cause.
As a result of Stansted airport switching off its freephone complaints line, it is now an online process to complain, but it is simple.
It takes just a couple of minutes to complete the form. This can be used to complain about specific noisy planes (where you need to give the date and time of the disturbance), or about the broader noise problem. Please do both.
Using the form via the Stop Stansted Expansion group’s website allows your complaint to be noted and used in their arguments, whilst also being forwarded to the Stansted Airport noise complaint team.
For more information, please contact Cllr Andy Bennett.
Felsted News needs a new editor: could it be you?
The ‘Felsted News’ newsletter has been important to the Parish Council, enabling us to reach everyone in the parish with news and information, especially those who are not online.
Produced 3 times a year, and delivered free to every household, ‘Felsted News’ is an A4 size, 4 page magazine style newsletter.
With the current editor, Alan Thawley, having moved away from the Parish after many dedicated years service as a councillor, we are now looking at options for the future, including working with Interface, the village church magazine.
Would you like to take on the role of ‘Felsted News’ editor?
Do you have some ideas about how we could produce Felsted News in the future?
Perhaps you have some ideas about how we can keep those not online up to date with what is happening in the Parish?
If you would like to have a chat about your ideas, or would like to find out more about this important role, please contact Diane Smith the Parish clerk or speak to one of your councillors.
UPDATE: Planning Application for Land to the South of Braintree Road
July 1st UPDATE: the planning application was considered at the Uttlesford Planing meeting held on 29th June and was refused.
Cllr Chris Woodhouse spoke at the meeting on behalf of the council, proposing refusal.
We understand that there were a number of grounds on which the application was refused, not least of which was the number of objections received from residents.
May 26th UPDATE: the planning application will NOT now be considered on 1st June. We believe it will now be considered at the meeting on 29th June. However, we understand that the site visit will likely still go ahead on the morning of the 1st June.
Original news item:
The outline application for Land to the South of Braintree Road, Felsted for up to 55 dwellings, means of access and associated works, with all other matters (relating to appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) reserved, can be read in detail here UTT/16/0287/OP.
Felsted Parish Council planning Committee discussed this at length, and has submitted an objection to the application. This can be read in detail here.
This application will be the subject of an Uttlesford District Council planning committee site visit and review, to be held on 1st June.
It must be understood that it is not allowed for any approach or representation to be made to any council member during the site visit.
The time and place to make representation is at the Planning Committee meeting.
This link takes you to full details of the meeting and how you can have your say.
The great compost giveaway
If you want to give your garden a head start this summer, why not visit the ‘Compost Giveaway’ in Great Dunmow where you can fill your boot with ready-to-take-away compost.
The event has been organised by Essex County Council, in partnership with Uttlesford District Council and Great Dunmow Town Council.
The compost will be available at Braintree Road car park on Thursday, 30 June on a first come, first served basis to local residents from 11am to 4pm, or until supplies run out.
Just remember to bring your own bags or containers, gloves and shovels as you will be able to help yourself to a car boot load (based on a medium-sized car boot).
Please be advised you should arrive early to avoid disappointment as the compost has been in very high demand at similar events in previous years.
The free, nutrient-rich compost is created from garden waste collected at the kerbside and at recycling centres across Essex.
There are many benefits to using this, or homemade compost, as a soil improver:
- It is a brilliant alternative to peat which is, controversially, harvested to produce shop-bought compost
- It’s great for your garden as it improves soil structure, drainage and nutrient content
- It can be used as a lawn dressing, mulch and potting mix
For more information about the benefits of composting, visit www.recycleforessex.com, or to find out how to get a reduced-priced compost bin, visit www.getcomposting.com
Flight Noise From Stansted Over Felsted Parish
The last Parish Council meeting discussed the recent vast increase in aeroplane noise over the Parish from Stansted departures.
This is due to the change in flight path usage, introduced in February. Stansted moved flights, which previously took off to the west and south of the Parish, directly over Felsted. This has already more than doubled the planes passing directly over us.
The above diagram is from NATS. As can be seen, before February 2016, the flights spread over a wide area (marked by dotted lines), were moved onto 2 narrow corridors over our Parish (the red blob). As flights have to take off into the wind (before turning to head onto the air traffic control route to Clacton), different areas of the Parish are affected differentially, according to the wind direction at any time.
Cllr Andy Bennett led the Council’s strong objection to this plan, and some residents also contributed individually to the 2014 NATS consultation. Information about this is here and here.
When Stansted’s summer timetables start in the next few weeks, there will be even more planes overhead. The airport is expanding fast, and is only running at approximately 50% of current capacity. In addition, more runways at Stansted are again being promoted (4 RUNWAY HUB).
There could soon be many times the current number of planes flying directly over us. This will be near-constant loud aircraft noise over our quiet rural area.
The Council continues to make strong representation to Stansted airport and via other official channels. Cllr Andy Bennett and Cllr Richard Freeman met with senior management from Stansted, and their owners the Manchester Airport Group, in April about the unacceptable new situation.
But, there is no substitute for individuals making their own voices heard.
It needs a spread of individuals complaining NOW to stand the best chance of alterations being made to this new operation. Individuals’ complaints at flightpath changes around other airports (especially Gatwick) have led to official re-thinking to mitigate noise nuisances being concentrated into single areas.
The process of complaining to Stansted is simple.
It takes just a couple of minutes to complete the form. This can be used to complain about specific noisy planes (where you need to give the date and time of the disturbance), or about the broader noise problem.
Using the form via the Stop Stansted Expansion group’s website, here, allows your complaint to be noted, then passed to the Stansted Airport noise complaint team.
You can also complain directly to the airport here.
For more information, please contact Cllr Andy Bennett.
Nationwide Tree Care: cold calling in the Parish
The Parish Council has been made aware of a male caller from ‘Nationwide Tree Care’, based in Boreham/Chelmsford, cold calling in Felsted.
He is giving out leaflets, 
and reportedly pressure selling, for work on trees and large garden shrubs. He is driving a white panel van (we understand it has no company branding) with ladders on the roof.
The leaflet claims that the company is a member of the ‘Rated People’ organisation. Whilst, under the auspices of ‘Data Protection’, the ‘Rated People’ customer support team will not advise whether or not this is true, there is every suggestion that they are not members. A simple Google search on the company and address given on the leaflet also does not validate the company and the 0800 number quoted is unobtainable.
The leaflet also includes the government ‘Environment Agency’ logo as a suggestion of endorsement. We are again trying to validate this, but believe it unlikely that this would be authorised, as the logo is specifically restricted from use under their terms and conditions.
We have passed on details of this matter to the local police, and, on their advice and with their support, are making this news announcement.
We would advise caution before engaging anyone for tree or garden work (or in fact any service) without careful checking of their credentials.
We would of course welcome contact from the company if this understanding is incorrect. Noting that there are companies with the same name in other parts of the country with no suggested association.
Bag some free compost
Essex County Council is giving away free garden compost Thursday May 5th between 10am & 2pm:
Felsted Youth Council: get involved
Felsted Parish Council has proposed the setting up of a Parish Youth Council for the village.
What is a Parish Youth Council?
A Youth Council is a democratic organisation created, run and developed by young people for young people, in order to represent the views of young people at a local level.
It gives young people the opportunity:
- To have a voice.
- To discuss relevant issues.
- To engage with decision makers.
- To contribute to improving the lives of other young people within their communities.
In many parishes, the Youth Council has responsibility for managing a part of the Parish Council’s budget where it is of particular relevance to young people.
Who are the members and how are they elected?
Typically, members are aged 14 to 18 years and will either live in the village or will be in education in the village, travelling from homes fewer than five miles away.
Initially a steering group of interested young people will be established who, with the help of an adult ‘champion’ will define:
- What exactly the Youth Council should do.
- Its responsibilities and its boundaries.
- What should be the formal process for electing members.
Both the formation of the steering group and the election of members are likely to involve cooperation with the schools serving the village, ,parents and/or local youth groups.
How can you get involved?
If you are a young person interesting in getting involved, or are a parent and would like to understand more, please contact the Parish Clerk.
The Parish Council also hopes to contact students through their schools, so watch for notices and letters from us.
You can also learn more about Youth Councils from the Local Youth Council Network page of the British Youth Council website.
Uttlesford Local Plan update: call for sites assessment
Further to our previous news items regarding the Uttlesford Local Plan consultation process, with a request for help from Parishoners, we have now submitted the councils view on the accuracy of the assessment document for the 28 potential development sites identified for Felsed.
It is disappointing that only 1 resident came forward with information to assist the council in this important work.
Nevertheless, we have put in a significant amount of effort and time in reviewing the accuracy of the assessment.
The letter submitted by the Parish Council can be viewed here.
We have pointed out individual errors and highlighted the broad issues around implied access to facilities, including school places and the doctors’ surgery.
We remain vigilant and engaged with the Local Planning process to promote the best interests of the Parish.
Have you seen this man?
We have been asked to help in the search for a suspect in 2 recent local burglaries, in Bardfield Saling and Finchingfield.
If you recognise this man and have any info that will help the Police in their work, then please contact them.
Contact Braintree CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
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