NEWS
Village litter pick: Saturday 22nd October
We are holding our next little pick on Saturday 22nd October
If you can come along and spend a little time helping keep our Parish clean, then meet in the Playing Field Car Park (off Jollyboys Lane North – CM6 3DU) anytime between 10am and 2pm.
You can choose which area you ‘pick’ and high viz vests will be provided, along with grabbers and refuse bags.
Any queries please ring Diane Smith (Clerk) on 01371 823071.
Your help really will make a difference. last time we collected 30 bags of rubbish, some tyres and traffic cones.
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
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NEWS : Parish Councillor Vacancy
Following the resignation of Alan Thawley, the Council has a vacant seat on the Parish Council, which will be filled by co-option.
If you are interested in becoming a Parish Councillor and wish to be considered for this vacancy please let the Clerk know by 12 October 2016. Interviews will then be held and the Council will appoint the most suitable candidate.
If you wish to know more about the role and what it entails please feel free to contact the clerk, or any councillor, for more information.
Diane Smith
Clerk to Felsted Parish Council
Office: 01371 823071 E mail: ku.vog.cp-detslef@krelc
Find out how to have your say on the Uttlesford Local Plan at public exhibitions
Uttlesford District Council has released the following announcement. The closest exhibition to Felsted is in Dunmow, as detailed below:
Public exhibitions will be held in three Uttlesford locations this month so that residents and businesses can find out more about the draft Local Plan.
Uttlesford District Council is preparing an evidence-based plan that will set out how the district will develop up to 2033, and needs to identify land for 4,600 homes, along with employment and other development, to meet the future housing needs of the district and to support the vitality and vibrancy of the local economy.
The exhibitions are drop-in events and are open to all. They will he held on:
- Wednesday, 14 September, 5-8pm – Council Chamber, Uttlesford District Council Offices, London Road, Saffron Walden CB11 4ER
- Tuesday, 20 September, 5-8pm – Helena Romanes School, Parsonage Downs, Great Dunmow CM6 2AU
- Wednesday, 28 September, 5-8pm – Forest Hall School, Forest Hall Road, Stansted CM24 8TZ
Officers of the Council will be in attendance at each event to answer questions related to the work of the emerging Local Plan for Uttlesford.
While not a formal consultation, the event will be an opportunity to find out more about the scope and purpose of the Plan, as well as the housing sites currently under consideration.
A decision on the sites which should be chosen will be made by the Council in early November. The exhibition provides an update on this work, and also explains how everyone can make their views known on the chosen sites at that stage in the plan making process.
All documents related to the Local Plan are available at www.uttlesford.gov.uk/planningpolicy
Station Road closure for 6 weeks
UPDATE to below news item.
Arriva have issued a bulletin regading the shuttle bus service to the 133 during the Station Road closure period.
Original news item
We have been advised that Station Road will be closed from 25 August to 5 October (it COULD finish earlier if everything goes smoothly).
The closure will start from a point approx. 200m north of the Baynard Avenue junction past the new building site.
Diversions will be via B1417/B1256 and B1417/B1008.
In addition, ECC is undertaking surface dressing at the village end of Station Road on Friday 18th and Monday 21st August. We understand that the road will be managed with traffic lights, so we are not expecting the road to be completely closed on this occasion.
Notice of vacancy on Felsted Parish Council
FILLING OF CASUAL VACANCY ON PARISH COUNCIL
ARISING FROM THE RESIGNATION OF ALAN THAWLEY
Notice is hereby given that a vacancy has occurred in the office of Parish Councillor for the above Parish arising from the resignation of Alan Thawley.
An election to fill the vacancy will be held if notice in writing of a request for such an election is made by ten Local Government electors for the electoral area and received by the Chief Executive of the District Council of Uttlesford at the District Council Offices, London Road, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 4ER, by not later than 15 September 2016.
If an election is not requested by ten Local Government electors as aforesaid the vacancy will be filled by the Parish Council as soon as practicable after the expiry of the date referred to above.
Dated this 25th day of August 2016
Mrs D Smith
Clerk to Felsted Parish Council
3 days left to respond to the Braintree Local Plan proposal for a New Town north of Felsted
The consultation process for the Braintree Local Plan closes this Friday, 19th August.
You can read our earlier news item here.
Felsted Parish Council has responded to the consultation, objecting to both the consultation process and to the proposal for the New Town to the north of Felsted.
You can read our responses against the process here, against point 2.1, and against the New Town here, under point 3.87 SP10. You can also read a pdf of our responses here.
The consultation document is potentially confusing as to where best to respond, so we suggest you concentrate on the opening introduction and the section detailing the New Town, as we have done.
When making your own submission, should you agree with the Parish Council, then you can use points we have made, but please do not copy our responses, since ‘cut and paste’ identical responses risk being discounted.
Remember, the search area for this New Town includes Gransmore Green and if approved will, over time, result in 13,000 houses being built, right to the edge of Felsted.
It is important that you have your say. The link to the consultation site is here.
You will need to register before responding, but this is an easy process.
Stansted noise complaints update
Your Parish Council is continuing to work to fight the change made to Stansted airport flightpaths, which has resulted in a more than doubling of planes overflying our Parish.
Read our earlier news item here.
Cllr Andy Bennett, alongside representatives from Stebbing Parish Council and High Easter, made a statement to the last Uttlesford District Council (UDC) meeting. UDC was asked to support the Parishes by writing to Stansted and the CAA, as part of the change review process, on 2 key points:
- Call for consideration to be given to ways in which increases in noise disruption can be mitigated, whether the flightpath change is reversed or not, through a review of existing NPR routings and the use of Performance Based Navigation to introduce respite use to the flightpaths.
- Highlight the unconsidered impact of the change and call for its reversal.
We have also written to Chris Grayling MP, the new Secretary of State for transport, seeking his support and ensuring that he is aware of our grievance.
Cllr Susan Barker will be responding on behalf of UDC and we will advise UDC’s response in a future update. Cllr Keith Artus is also following up in his role as Chair of the Stansted Airport Advisory Panel. again we will report back on progress.
Following attendance at the last Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) Parish meeting, we have also written again to our MP, Sir Alan Haselhurst seeking his further support.
We have also joined the Aviation Environment Federation.
How to complain
It remains vitally important that you, as parishoners, continue to complain about problem flights, and the over arching subject of the change in flightpath usage. Given that there is soon to be a new consultation regarding night flights, it is particularly important to report night disturbances.
Stansted airport has switched off its phone complaints line, which makes it difficult for those not online to complain. The Parish clerk has helped more than one parishoner to complain, by completing the web based SSE form for them. Please visit the clerk during normal opening hours if you would like her to help you.
There is however, a further option, you can write, outlining your complaint, to:
Noise Communications Team
Enterprise House
Stansted Airport
Essex CM24 1QW
Using the form via the Stop Stansted Expansion group’s website is the preferred option for submitting a complaint. It allows your complaint to be noted and used in their arguments, whilst also being forwarded to the Stansted Airport noise complaint team.
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.
For more information, please contact Cllr Andy Bennett
Braintree District Council New Town proposal north of Felsted
Further to our earlier news item, Braintree District Council’s Local Plan consultation closes on 17th August.
You can submit your comments on line here.
The plan includes a proposal to build a New Town to the north of Felsted. The precise area is to be set, but the southern edge of the search area consumes Gransmore Green, within our Parish.
The impact on the Parish of Felsted from this development would be immense.
The consultation document is difficult to navigate and to understand exactly where the most important questions are.
However, SERCLE, the Stebbing based campaign group, has issued guidance notes which you might find helpful.
Please do have your say, whether you are for or against this new town development.
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Uttlesford and Braintree Local Plans: update 14/7/16
Update: 14th July, public meeting for SERCLE
A public meeting has been arranged for SERCLE supporters next Thursday 21st July between 7-9pm at Stebbing Friends Meeting Hall, Stebbing High Street. This is to give everyone the opportunity to find out more about the current campaign strategy.
Sercle has also produced a flier, which can be downloaded here.
Original news item:
Your Parish Council continues to maintain awareness of, and involvement in, the Local Plan processes in Uttlesford, Chelmsford and Braintree.
Whilst the Uttlesford Plan remains our prime focus, there are issues and developments with neighbouring plans which impact the Parish of Felsted.
The Braintree Plan has entered its ‘Preferred Options’ phase, some weeks ahead of Uttlesford.
This includes a proposal for a New Town (referred to as a ‘Garden Community’) just to the north of Felsted. The potential size of this is indicated in the plan: starting at 2,500 houses, and ultimately up to 13,000 houses. Whilst the main area is within Braintree District, it also includes a significant development area within Uttlesford. Included in the ‘Area of Search’ for the New Town location is Gransmore Green, Felsted.
The potential impact on the Parish of Felsted from such a development would be massive. Alongside the impact from the physical presence of a New Town, dwarfing Felsted in size, there is the impact on roads, utilities, and services, to consider. Whilst there are plans to deliver these needs within the New Town development, the harsh reality of past developments is that facilities have followed long after the houses; in the interim local communities feel the impact. It is also likely that the village of Felsted would become a ‘rat run’ to Chelmsford for the development.
The Braintree Local Plan website is here . There are a number of public meetings to explain their plan. The feedback page for the current consultation is here. This process closes on 19th August.
A residents group, centred around Stebbing, has been set up. Whilst Felsted Parish Council has no official relationship with this group, we are pleased to share their details with Felsted residents, who may like to get in direct contact with the group:
SERCLE (Stop the Erosion of Rural Communities in Local Essex) is a resident-driven campaign whose aims are to:
- Make residents aware of the development
- Garner support for the campaign and give residents a voice
- Identify relevant (legal/compliance based) arguments opposing the development
- Make our voice heard as BDC and UDC perceive there may be no objection
The campaign has:
- A Facebook page – www.facebook.com/sercle.org and a web page (under construction)
- Petition – https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-west-of-braintree-new-settlement-development.html
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To receive notification of local news items as they are posted on this site by Felsted Parish Council, please enter your email address in the box at the bottom of this page. Your details will never be passed on and only ever used for this purpose.
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.
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