Issue 22 - Dronfield Civic Society

Dronfield Civic Society
Caring for our local environment since 1989
Daffodil Embankment
Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School
Issue 22
March 2016
Web: www.dronfieldcivicsociety.org.uk
Email: enquiries@dronfieldcivicsociety.org.uk
Welcome to the March newsletter
We are pleased to announce that our bid for grant funding from Veolia to improve Mill
Lane has been successful. See inside for more on this story.
Now is the time to renew your membership. Payment details appear on the back page
of this newsletter. We welcomed more than nine new members to our society in
January. Your membership is important to us and helps fund on-going work around
Dronfield and district.
It is not too late to enter the DCS Photographic Competition. A £250 prize will be
awarded to the 14 and under winner and the overall winner of the adult category will
receive a flight in a light aircraft with the opportunity for aerial photography.
A message from
Chairman
John Harvey
Thanks to all those who made nominations for this year’s John Robert Clough Award.
The winners will be announced at the AGM in May. Please join us for an evening of
celebration. Happy Easter
If You Go Down In The Woods Today…………
You’d better not go alone….
Go with Paulette Edwards from BBC Radio
Sheffield and our own David Hallam who knows the
best places to site your beautifully made bird boxes
for maximum occupancy this spring.
With thanks to Paulette and pupils of Dronfield
Junior School.
You’d better go in disguise………. You’re in for a big surprise……
If your school would like to be involved in projects like
these please get in touch.
We are very pleased that John Hinchcliffe has recently offered to take the minutes at our committee meetings
If you are a member and would like to receive this newsletter by email, please contact enquiries@dronfieldcivicsociety.org.uk
Assets of Community Value
Local Hostelries Under Threat
It’s a sad fact that around the country as many as 29 pubs a week are
closing down to become convenience stores or residential accommodation.
Nationally, branches of CAMRA have had success in listing pubs as Assets of
Community Value which allows a community to have a greater say over
planning and development in their local area. Any pub listed as an ACV is
subject to a full planning application and community consultation should it
come under threat.
In Unstone, the Fleur de Lys is under threat of demolition for a housing
scheme. A previous application granted conditional approval for the
re-development of the pub into six apartments as affordable housing.
A more recent proposal is for its demolition. Historically, the Fleur has
importance in Unstone and is the only survivor of four inns along this
section of Main Road. Behind the whitewashed render is a lovely stone
frontage, which with a bit of sympathetic restoration could be retained in
any future change of use.
THIS PUB MATTERS
THE FLEUR DE LYS UNSTONE
What you can do
You can help by signing local petitions for ACV listing and by commenting on
planning applications on grounds of loss of amenity and loss of heritage.
http://www.camra.org.uk/list-your-local
The Beer Festival Follow-Up
In our last issue, we reported on a few matters of concern to members and local residents following the 2015
Three Valleys Beer Festival. Chairman of Sheffield & District CAMRA Andrew Cullen who read the article has
explained how the event will be better managed in 2016, and he outlined the positives of hosting such an event
for the local area. The event helps to support and market the pubs in the area, including those in rural locations
which suffer from a lack of public transport. Our pubs are social hubs providing local employment and many
serve food with ingredients sourced locally, benefitting the local economy. The event attracts visitors from
outside the area who travel by train and who spend money with local businesses. 2015 was a record year for
visitors, with between 9000-12000 people estimated to have taken part. Fast food outlets and local convenience
stores also did a roaring trade. Such local businesses are being asked to sponsor/support the extra resources
needed at this year’s event.
ACV Check List
Reasons why a pub can be listed as an ACV
Live music events are hosted
There is a play area for children
The pub has a food menu
There is a beer garden enjoyed by local people
The pub has quiz nights which bring
people together
Free wifi is available
A local beer festival is hosted
Free parking is available which serves the
wider community
It is the only pub in the village
There are good transport links
There is good access for disabled people
The pub has value to local heritage and culture
Local sports teams meet in the pub
The pub provides other local services
The pub offers games
Meeting spaces are available
The pub is CAMRA listed
Mr Cullen said,
“We are keen that for next year the various interested
organisations in Dronfield work together with us to grow
the positives of Three Valleys and minimise the negatives
and ensure the town benefits from all the extra visitors
coming and spending their money! (Some of whom do
return when the festival isn’t on)”
Changes for this year include working more closely with the
local hostelries to review facilities with each pub having to
submit an event plan, additional portaloo facilities, a
different layout to outdoor events and possibly added
stewarding and security staff. The two venues in Dronfield
where incidents occurred last year have been advised to
employ security staff. There will be changes to the bus
services which will operate on a one-way loop every 15
minutes to improve the movement of people and lessen the
numbers on the streets outside pubs.
Mr Cullen will take forward any suggestions and concerns to
pre-event planning meetings.
DCS has secured more than £8000 from Veolia Environmental Trust for the
Mill Lane Improvement Project
What the funding will
help us to do
Trust’s Christmas grants mean over £4m awarded to Derbyshire community projects
Reinstate Footbridge
Footpath restoration
Tree Planting
Bulb Planting
Improve access
Woodland management
Information panels
Encourage biodiversity
Seating provision
Litter prevention and
control
Two community projects in Derbyshire have received a Christmas funding
boost from Veolia Environmental Trust.
We have awarded Brimington Common Methodist Church, Chesterfield, a
grant of £9,344 to make the church and its community facilities warmer, drier
and more comfortable.
We have also awarded a grant of £8,694 to Dronfield Civic Society. It will be
used to improve an area around the River Drone by improving access from
Mill Lane, installing information boards outlining the history of the area, and
managing the trees and vegetation.
We will now start working with the two organisations to finalise the projects’
details, including their start dates, so that work can begin as soon as possible.
Dronfield Civic Society’s Project Manager, David Hallam, says, “This grant is
great news. The improvements will include a replacement footbridge in
order to restore the footpath through the woodland and make the area safer
and easier for local school children, local walking groups and other visitors to
navigate. It will also engage the community with the area’s heritage, and
reduce traffic-flow and fly-tipping. We are looking forward to work getting
started.”
The Executive Director of The Veolia
Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor said,
“The church and the civic society need
to be congratulated on securing their
grants in the face of stiff competition
from a large number of other
applicants. Their projects will make a
real difference to the lives of people
in Derbyshire and we look forward to
seeing the work start.”
Securing grants like these is dependent upon a percentage of match funding by the
society. Please help by renewing your membership for 2016. Details of how to pay
and where to send your cheques can be found on the back page of this newsletter.
Dronfield Civic Society is working closely with Oliver Foulds, Conservation Assistant
for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust who has provided a woodland management plan for
the site. It is anticipated that more whips of native tree species will be planted on
Mill Lane to add to the 100 planted last year. This will form part of an on-going
habitat improvement plan to encourage biodiversity.
And 105 native saplings from the Woodland Trust
In mid-January, DCS secured a
Woodland Trust tree pack for Mill
Lane which included 105 native
saplings. Local school children will
be invited to help with the planting.
Woodland Trust tree packs have been generously funded by lead partners Sainsbury’s, IKEA FAMILY, players of
People’s Postcode Lottery and Yorkshire Tea.
“The small woodland at Mill Lane supports a mixture of native broad-leaved trees. The ground flora does not appear to be
particularly diverse but this cannot be confirmed without a botanical survey carried out at an appropriate time of year.
Bramble and ivy cover much of the woodland floor but the river Drone runs through the woodland and this has helped to
diversify the ground flora to an extent, with species like pendulous sedge and hart’s tongue fern growing in the shaded, wet
soil by the water. The footpath running through the site allows visitors to enjoy the wildlife of Mill Lane but it does mean that
the level of disturbance is quite high in this site, especially given its small size, and so you may not be able to attract the more
elusive animal species you might see in a large wood. Nevertheless, the ecological value of the woodland could be improved
with some small changes.” Oliver Foulds Conservation Assistant
The proposed information panels will also recognise the importance of Mill Lane as an industrial heritage site which has
archaeological remains from the 1829 Damstead Works, owned by Ward, Camm and Siddall and described as a spindle and
flyer manufactory.
Defending wildlife, restoring landscapes, inspiring people www.derbyshirewildlife trust.org.uk
Clean for the Queen is a campaign to clear up
Britain in time for Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th
birthday which will be officially celebrated in June.
“When she came to the throne, litter was not the problem it is today.
Food packaging, plastic bottles, takeaway meals and cigarette butts have
all combined to a growing menace that affects our wildlife, streets,
countryside and sense of pride. What better way could we show our
gratitude to Her Majesty than to clean up our country?”
Dronfield Civic Society will be working with other local groups to
co-ordinate a clean up of the litter hotspots on the weekend of
March 4th 5th and 6th.
http://www.cleanforthequeen.co.uk
Committee
member
Jane
Singleton regularly monitors
this litter and fly-tipping
hotspot. An online request and
phone call saw the litter
cleared and the promise to
reinstate the bins.
If you spot a litter problem
report it to NEDDC on 01246
217610.
Get involved and send us your before and after
photographs to include in our next issue
Between Christmas and New Year, the
bins on Windmill Lane between
Apperknowle and Hundall were
removed by the Council. An act of
vandalism last August damaged the
retaining clips which hold the grey bins
in their housings. Whilst it is clear that
not everyone is prepared to use a bin
there is evidence enough that we need
replacement bins on Windmill Lane to
prevent this sort of mess in our lay-bys
and hedge bottoms.
CLEAN FOR THE QUEEN
North East Derbyshire Local Plan (2011-2033) Further Call for Sites
Over the next 20 years, the new Local Plan needs to identify sufficient land in the right places for housing and businesses.
The Plan must consider options for sites of all types and sizes to deliver the necessary housing numbers. The Council is now
preparing a single Local Plan rather than a plan in two parts which will include all site allocations to 2033. Work on the
Local Plan will be informed by the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). Until now, the SHLAA has not
assessed land within the Green Belt. However, in order to reflect a change in government guidance, the SHLAA now needs
to be expanded to include all sites, including those with policy constraints such as Green Belt, to ensure that it provides a
comprehensive assessment of all potentially available development land across the District. Read more derbyshire.gov.uk/
localplan The Civic Voice draft response to the government consultation on proposed changes to the National Planning
framework can be found at http://civicvoice.org.uk/resources/nppf-consultation-december-2015-discussion-document
There are important proposals in the government plans which could affect our area including relaxing restrictions on house
building on brownfield sites and designating commuter hubs which could result in towns like Dronfield being required to
provide land for more new houses.
The Pavement Parking Problem
One of the issues affecting Dronfield residents and which has
been flagged up as part of the Safer Dronfield Campaign, is
pavement parking. It is illegal in some parts of the country, so
we contacted PC Sally Horner to see what can be done about it
in our town.
An offender cannot be ticketed unless the obstruction is
current i.e. someone is unable to get past the vehicle at that
moment in time. If a PC is in attendance and cannot pass the
vehicle, or if a PC sees a person unable to pass on the
pavement, the vehicle can be ticketed.
Pavement parking endangers pedestrians especially those with
young children in pushchairs, partially sighted people who may
walk with the aid of a guide dog and disabled people in
wheelchairs.
Danger spots brought to our attention are Eckington Road at
the junction with Green Lane, Dyche Lane near the shops,
Green Lane, and Church St in Unstone.
The Highway Code rule 244 says “You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement
in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement
can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual
impairments and people with prams or pushchairs”.
What a choice! No pavement left, so
do we go on the road or someone’s
front garden?
Trade vehicles often have a WELL
DRIVEN? phone number. If you see a
trade vehicle parked on a pavement it is
worth noting the phone number and
taking a photograph to include the
vehicle registration number.
Most
reputable companies will follow this up.
Dog Fouling
NO
Just More Responsibility
More dog waste bins? More signs?
Another regular complaint arises about a minority of dog owners who
allow their pets to foul pavements, parks, play areas and woodland
footpaths. Equally irresponsible are dog owners who see fit to collect
the mess in a plastic bag and throw the brightly coloured bag into the
long grass, push it into gaps in walls and hang the bags on tree
branches. Plastic bags can take hundreds of years to rot. Areas brought
to our attention are Eckington Road, Unstone Line and Whittington Lane
Park Unstone Green. One infuriated resident has installed a camera
with the intention of identifying the persons responsible. We are
advised that this is a matter for the council dog wardens and not the
police.
Out & About
DCS at the Christmas Fest
Many thanks to all those who visited the DCS stand at the Christmas Fest in the Civic
Hall last December. As well as gaining a few new members, the event helped
promote the Safer Dronfield Campaign, our Photographic Competition and we
collected signatures for two petitions, for a safer crossing on High Street and
towards an ACV nomination for the Fleur de Lys in Unstone.
Coal Aston Village Hall Rear Car Park
It was brought to our attention some weeks ago that youths in vehicles were seen
on a regular basis in the darkest part of the rear car park of Coal Aston Village Hall.
Daytime checks revealed the site was litter-strewn with cans, fast food packaging
and cigarette packets. Evidence of drug dealing was also found. This has been
reported to the local police officer and as a result, regular visits have been made by
the police and a number of car owners already known to the police have been
spoken to. We arranged a meeting with the Village Hall chairman and local
councillors which we hope will see improved lighting in that area of the car park.
Callywhite Lane Culvert
Dronfield Civic Society committee members keep a close eye on the state of the
culvert on Callywhite Lane in order to prevent a reoccurrence of flooding which badly
affected businesses on the industrial estate some years ago.
A partial
blockage was reported prior to the Christmas holidays resulting in prompt clearance
by DCC. A further check towards the end of January showed that the stream had
overflowed due to debris flowing down the stream. This again has resulted in an
excellent response and clearance of the debris by DCC.
Committee member David Hallam recently
made the Derbyshire Times aware that
inappropriate signage by businesses is
spoiling our towns and countryside. Most of
it is illegal, particularly when fixed to street
furniture. There are many examples around
our town of signage which does not have the
necessary permission.
If you see inappropriate signage, report it to
the authorities or take a photo and send
it to us.
Persistence Pays Off
If the waste is on the public highway or
on Council owned land we will clear it
away, usually within 5 working days. If
the fly-tipping is on private land this
will usually take longer as we have to
contact the owners to get them to
clear the waste. NEDDC
Derbyshire Business Signs ‘An Eyesore’
http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/business
The Callywhite Lane Fly-tipping Saga
David is well-known as our man about town bringing to the attention of the
authorities environmental issues like illegal signage and fly-tipping. To cut a long
story short—this rubbish had been accumulating for months—it could be a year or
more, and in the meantime the problem of whose land it was on had prevented
clearance. At last, through intrepid investigation by David, the owner of the land
was identified despite efforts by the company to disclaim ownership and now this
saga has been brought to a successful conclusion. Local councillor for Coal Aston
Alex Dale has put forward a motion to NEDDC about fly-tipping. That this council:
a) Notes that, according to the House of Commons Library, incidences of fly-tipping
increased by 20% between 2013 and 2014 in England, whilst local authority
prosecutions against offenders fell by 9% over the same period b) Believes that
strong, effective and well-publicised enforcement action against waste offenders is
essential in order to deter future incidences of fly-tipping c) Acknowledges the
concerns of residents and believes that the authority’s record of enforcement action
has been disappointing d) Resolves to undertake a major review of its environmental
enforcement procedures, taking account of residents’ experiences, with a view to
adopting a more proactive stance against offenders.
http://www.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk/environment-planning/environmental-health/dont-stand-for-it/flytipping/ Report Enviro Crime 01246 217610
High Street Heritage
Dronfield Civic Society has made the new owners of the Blue
Stoops aware that this little stone building should be
retained in any proposals for the Stoops and its grounds.
The outbuilding isn’t included in the listed status of the pub
but the owners, The True North Brew Co. have commented
that, “it is charming to look at and we’ve no plans to
demolish it.” In fact the plan is to re-use the building as a
self-contained micro distillery with glazed openings so that
the process will be fully visible to the public. You can view
the proposals on the NEDDC planning page under reference
15/01300/LB and 16/00056/FL.
APPG for civic societies to
make the case for the historic
environment
Craig Mackinlay MP calls on
communities to ask local MPs to
join the group
Civic Voice, the national charity for the civic
society movement, held the first meeting of the
All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Civic
Societies in November 2015.
The launch, which saw Craig Mackinlay MP
proposed and elected to the position of Chair,
also decided upon some of key themes for
discussion for the group throughout meetings
during the coming year. The inaugural meeting
also instated William Wragg MP, Natascha Engel
MP and Cat Smith MP into officer roles.
The recommendations from the meetings
concluded that the groups aim over the next
months should be to focus on the historic
environment. The meetings during the coming
year should specifically reference the impact of
the loss of conservation staff, the importance of
community involvement in local heritage listing
and the impact of development on Cathedral
cities.
DCS Takes the Lead on Local Listing
From mileposts to Council Schools, coke ovens to pit houses, it is
clear that Dronfield has a diverse range of historic assets worth
protecting for the future.
Local heritage lists celebrate heritage that is valued at local
level. The process of preparing a local list allows local people to
identify the local heritage they would like recognised and
protected. It is also an opportunity for local authorities and
communities to work in partnership.
In January almost eighty people joined our monthly talk at St
Andrew’s to hear what Chairman John Harvey had to say about
local listing. Many examples of ‘Dronfield’s Hidden Heritage’
were showcased including the particular architectural style of
Dronfield schools and the development of Fletcher Avenue—the
town’s first council housing.
Dronfield Civic Society is taking the lead on local listing and we
need your help to identify the heritage you would like
recognised and protected.
Help us compile a local list through the medium of the DCS
website.
Dronfield Council School - Designed by Sheffield Architects
Flockton & Abbott
Craig Mackinlay MP, newly elected Chair of the
APPG, commented “The conclusions drawn by
the meeting are for the group to focus on the
impact of the loss of conservation staff, the
importance of a community voice when protecting
the local historic environment and the future of
Cathedral cities. I now call on all communities
across the country to tell their MP to join the All
Party Group and to give Civic Voice examples of
what is happening to your local historic
environment. We will debate these issues in
future meetings.”
Dronfield Civic Society is once again offering free National Trust passes worth £14 to members. The pass
allows a free one day entry for a single site. This offer expires on May 31 st and the passes are not valid on
Bank Holidays or Bank Holiday week-ends. If you would like to take advantage of the offer, please contact our
Secretary. The phone number is on the front page of this newsletter.
NEW TIME 7:45 P.M.
DCS Events ALL AT ST ANDREW’S
Wednesday 16th March—Tools for Self Reliance
An interesting presentation by Peter Dumenil of Bakewell about the work
of this national charity. Tools for Self Reliance collect and refurbish old and
unwanted tools which are then made up into kits and sent to
developing countries. A truly beneficial scheme which enables the
recipients to set up and develop their own small businesses.
Friday 15th April — An Evening with Natascha Engel MP
We are delighted that Natascha has accepted our invitation to come and talk about her
role as one of the Deputy Speakers of the House of Commons and her
involvement as Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Civic Societies. There
will be plenty of Q&A time, so come along and take part in the DCS Question Time.
PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS ON A FRIDAY
Wednesday 18th May — An Evening of Celebration
A social occasion to find out what your Civic Society has achieved in the last year.
To include a presentation of the John Robert Clough Awards and our patron Dave Berry
will announce the winners of the Photographic Competition.
Please note there will be a very short AGM.
Readers’ Feedback
BACK ISSUES OF OUR NEWSLETTERS ARE AVAILABLE TO READ IN PDF FORMAT ON OUR WEBSITE
Dear John,
May we take this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for the latest issue of the Newsletter … it is an
absolutely first class production and so informative and I can assure you is most assiduously read by the pair of
us. Please also convey our grateful thanks to all the active members of your team… having lived in Dronfield for
almost 50 years we gratefully appreciate all the excellent work that the Society does on our behalf within our
community. Des and Dorothy Dunkley
Dronfield Civic Society is sponsored by Stauff
UK Ltd. Experts in the UK hydraulic industry
since 1977 www.stauff.co.uk
If you would like to become a sponsor of Dronfield Civic Society
please contact us at enquiries@dronfieldcivicsociety.org.uk for
further details.
An Invitation to Renew Your Membership
From April 1st 2016 Dronfield Civic Society invites you to renew your membership. Annual subscription charges are £8.00 singles,
£12.00 couples/families and £25.00 for small businesses/schools and associations.
Please renew my membership of Dronfield Civic Society from 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2017
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