Kimberley Brewery site – SOBS  meeting on Monday night
 
For reasons that I find less than convincing, Broxtowe Borough Council did not support the application to list the buildings on the former brewery site. This decision flew in the face of the wishes of the people of Kimberley and was taken even though the elected representatives of the town had expressed their support for listing.

Further, an officer at the County Council has prepared a report which recommends the buildings should be listed but this report has not been sent to English Heritage, who will decide whether the buildings will be listed or not.  I am trying to determine who commissioned the report; I am also determined to find out why it was not sent to English Heritage.

Monday’s SOBS meeting, which I attended, discussed some of these matters and as result the Borough Council sent a “pro listing” letter to English Heritage a few days later.

In the meantime Conservative County Councillor Philip Owen had spoken to the author of the report. Philip tells me that he has been told a decision on listing is imminent so serving the report now would have no effect on the outcome.

If English Heritage refuses the application then it can be appealed and the report can be served as it will amount to “new evidence”.  Let’s hope English Heritage list the buildings; not only will the site then be secured for the people of Kimberley but it will get a number of Borough Councillors “off the hook!”

At Monday’s meeting (yet again) grave concerns were raised about the state of the site, which continues to be accessible to vandals, thieves and curious youngsters. The site, and the buildings in particular, is dangerous. I have had a number of productive conversations with Inspector John Lees at Eastwood who is the Local Area Commander and I have also spoken to the towns beat manager, PC Paul Toon.

The police share the concerns of residents about the site and the time has come for them to meet up with SOBS and really get to grips with the problem. Anyway, I was asked to invite John to the next meeting and he got straight back to say he will be there.

The next SOBS meeting is on February 25th in the Town Council office at 7.
 
When English Heritage make a decision on listing I will let you know.
 
Saving the Green Belt
 
Watnall, Nuthall and Greasley
 
A huge thank you to everyone who delivered almost five thousand leaflets to every home in Watnall, Nuthall and those parts of Greasley under threat of losing its precious Green Belt land. The leaflet gives details of whom to e mail/write to and our advice on the contents of letters of objection (full details on the web site).

I was delivering in Watnall in an area which truly appreciates the Green Belt which borders their gardens, provides them with some splendid views and defines their community.

I enjoyed talking to many residents all of whom are vehemently opposed to any development. The main concern is the simple fact that the existing road network is at breaking point and cannot possible sustain any more homes.
 
Chilwell, Toton and Bramcote
 
If you read the document that identifies the sites being considered for development on:
http://www.broxtoweconservatives.com/resources/cdplanningsuesbrief2.pdf you’ll see the various areas of Green Belt under threat and the communities they touch.

Conservative Councillors in Chilwell started the fight to save the two sites in their wards in December. Indeeed, it was Chilwell Councillor Richard Jackson who first raised the threat to all the Green belt throughout the Borough.

The sites extend to Toton and Bramcote so Conservative Councillors are campaigning to save the Green Belt in a number of wards.
 
In Chilwell we’ll be delivering a leaflet to every home in the next couple of weeks. I have visited the threatened sites and spoken to residents. Again the main concern is the inability of the infrastructure to bear any more development and certainly in Toton there is also concern about the effect more homes will have on the local primary schools which are already over subscribed.
 
In Bramcote the threatened Green Belt starts at Bramcote village and extends south-west through to Toton sidings
 
Everyone who is opposed to building on their local Green Belt should please write to the Planning Dept, Broxtowe Borough Council, Foster Avenue, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 1AB or email dpcd@broxtowe.gov.uk. Ask them to send a copy of your letter to the leader of the Borough Council and strategic planning at Notts County Council. Tell the planning department what the Green belt means to you, how and why you enjoy it, explain how it identifies your community and give examples of the existing problems we have with traffic, over subscribed schools and the general strain on the infrastructure; please make the point that we can’t cope with any more developments. Please also ask your friends, neighbours and family to write. Together we can save our Green Belt.
 
And finally
 
I think I have just about recovered from Friday evening (we stayed on longer than planned and I’d forgotten how much I enjoy a glass or two of whisky after a meal).

Broxtowe Conservatives annual dinner has always had a good turn out but this years was amazing. We had to lay on an extra table and even had a waiting list. I couldn’t get my oldest daughter a ticket but then Gavin Jackson, Chairman of Trent University Tories took a serious injury to his knee so Milly grabbed his place.

Anyway the guest speaker was the reason why we sold out two weeks before Friday – Newark MP and recently fully rehabilitated back into the party – Patrick Mercer.

He gave an excellent speech explaining our reasons for opposing the Governments plans to extend the period of time a suspect can be remanded without being charged.

Patrick also announced that he will be publishing full details of his staffing arrangements on his Parliamentary web site. Patrick believes that MP’s should account for how they spend public money and I think he’s right. Let’s see how many others follow suit.
 
Have a good week and please keep in touch,

As ever
Anna