Callingtons, Anstey Lane
This planning application was heard at the plans committee on Thursday 21st April. Deborah and Paul both attended, along with the Chairman of Anstey Parish Council, to speak on behalf of our residents against this site continuing. Deborah - on behalf of her and Paul- raised the issues of the large HGVs using the local roads and The Nook and the loss of the green wedges, areas of separation and the loss of biodiversity. Unfortunately, the committee voted 6-4 in favour of approving the retrospective planning permission, though this does require Callingtons to pay circa £138k to support biodiversity projects and there will be certain conditions attached. The agenda is outlined here with the minutes of the meeting added in due course: https://charnwood.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=152&MId=704&Ver=4
Planning Applications
The deadline for comments for all five major planning applications for Anstey has now passed but in general you are able to submit comments up until the applications are decided. Please continue to submit your comments for all the applications. The reference numbers are all here as a reminder. Please quote all five reference numbers when you send in your comments:
- P/20/2252/2 - Land off Bradgate Road
- P/20/2251/2 - Land off Bradgate Road
- P/21/2668/2 - Land off Groby Road
- P/21/2358/2 - Land off Groby Road
- P/21/2359/2 - Land off Groby Road
We have had encouraging support so far, but we need many more comments to be submitted to show that we have the support of the village behind us as we try to stop this overdevelopment of Anstey. The totals so far up to 13th April 2022 are: -
- 386 comments submitted for the three Groby Road applications
- 441 comments submitted for the two Bradgate Road applications.
Once the traffic assessments have been submitted for all the five applications, we are planning to put out further information and to hold some public events.
Scan here regularly for further details as we update our website as soon as we have more information:
Post Office
It was a great loss to the village and surrounding villages when the Post Office closed suddenly in March. We kept pressure on Post Office Counters Ltd to actively look for a new location for a Post Office in Anstey and a new Sub-Postmaster. We are delighted to hear that Balu and his team at Londis in The Nook, have been approved for the new Post Office location. They have experience of running a Post Office before and they are right in the centre of the village with parking. We are still waiting for the opening date, but we wish Balu and his team the very best of luck and thank them for stepping up for the village and providing a much needed service. Please support them!
The Nook
Deborah has been asking for a review of the traffic flows in and around The Nook since the layout was changed a few years ago. Due to the pandemic these surveys have been delayed but they have now been completed and the data is being analysed. The traffic has been building up in the area, as the Covid restrictions were removed, and it is again very busy in the area. Deborah is hoping that she will be advised of the results in a few weeks, and we are interested to see how The Nook is actually operating at the moment. This data will also be useful to feed into the five current main proposed planning applications. As soon as we have some more information that we can share, it will be on our website, and we will include it in our monthly reports.
Cropston Road
We have been working on the crossing, or lack of crossing on Cropston Road for a while now. You may have seen the new ‘Children Crossing’ signs that are now in place. There have been further traffic surveys carried out in the area to assess the level of traffic to understand if a more substantial crossing is needed. The data will also be assessed to see if there is a need for a School Crossing Patrol. We are hoping to receive the results in a few weeks and again, we will share on our website, and we will include in our monthly reports.
Bus Stop Relocation
Deborah had a catch-up meeting with highways engineers on Thursday 14th April to discuss the works planned. We are very happy to hear that everything is in place for the work to commence. They plan to carry out the works on Sundays over a month to keep disruptions to a minimum and use traffic light controls. They are now in the process of booking the works in and we have been given a timeline of ‘within the next couple of months’.
Council Tax Rebates
Council tax rebates to help with your energy bills will start to be paid to Charnwood Borough Council residents who pay by Direct Debit in May 2022.
The Government announced a £150 council tax rebate payment to all households in council tax bands A-D to help with rising energy bills. For those who receive Housing Benefits, Universal Credit or Council Tax Support, the rebate will not affect your entitlement to these benefits.
Charnwood Borough Council will confirm details soon about how residents who do not pay their council tax by Direct Debit will receive their payment. Please keep an eye on the website for further details: https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/ctenergyrebate
The Council will also be launching a discretionary scheme for vulnerable households who may not qualify for the council tax rebate. Further details will be announced shortly.
Tourism Website Launched
A website to promote Charnwood’s tourism offer to visitors has been launched.
‘Discover Charnwood’ has been developed by the Borough Council to showcase the area’s unique story along with its attractions and vibrant towns and villages.
Charnwood’s landscape was sculpted by the forces of nature nearly 600 million years ago and its unique geological history is of global importance. At the heart of the borough is Loughborough, home to the last working bell foundry in the UK, 800-year-old markets and fairs, Great Central Railway, and the renowned Loughborough University. The borough is also home to the stunning landscapes of Bradgate Park, Beacon Hill and the Outwoods plus many hidden gems like Morley Quarry at Shepshed.
A leaflet to celebrate the area’s heritage is also being developed and it will be launched in the next few weeks.
To find out more, visit www.discovercharnwood.co.uk
You can also follow @DiscoverCharn on Twitter and if you want to share your pictures of the area, use the hashtag #DiscoverCharnwood.
Tenant’s Garden Competition
Council tenants are being encouraged to enter an annual garden competition.
The event is run by Charnwood Borough Council and is open to its nearly 5,600 tenants who are being urged to show off their green-fingered skills.
There are six categories to enter:
- Best newcomer
- Fruit or vegetable garden
- Hanging basket, window box and balcony
- Sheltered court garden
- Communal or shared garden
- House or flat garden
Entries for the tenant garden competition need to be submitted by Friday 3rd June and judging will take place between 11th -15th July. The winners and runners-up will receive high street shopping vouchers as prizes.
Due to the changes in weather throughout the year and the effect that this can have on gardens, applicants can also submit pictures of their gardens between now and the judging dates to ensure that they are being judged at their very best.
To enter, tenants can call the customer engagement team on 01509 634955 or email involvement@charnwood.gov.uk for an application form.
Alternatively, download an entry form via www.charnwood.gov.uk/gardens.
Charnwood Community Grants
Community groups and voluntary organisations in Charnwood are being invited to apply for grant funding. Charnwood Borough Council has launched its first round of the 2022/23 Charnwood Community Grant schemes which help local organisations, charities, and community-led projects access funding support.
Applications are also open for the Members Grant scheme which enables local groups to apply to their local councillor for up to £500 in funding.
Charnwood Community Grant – Round 1 deadline Friday 13th May 2022, 5pm
These grants can provide up to £5,000 for organisations currently running projects with community benefit in Charnwood, including organisational running costs (for up to one year), environmental projects and one-off contributions for equipment costs.
The maximum amount of grant that can be applied for in one year is £5,000. Applications can be made in both rounds to a maximum combined total of £5,000.
Community Facilities Grant – Round 1 deadline Friday 13th May 2022, 5pm
The community facilities grant scheme can award funding of up to £20,000, to a maximum of 50% of the cost of a project which assists with the renovation, improvement and provision of community buildings, including fitting out and provision of facilities for people with disabilities.
Member Grants – Applications close on Tuesday 31st January 2023
These grants give each borough councillor the opportunity to award up to £500 to projects which bring benefits to their ward each year.
Application forms and more information is available at: www.charnwood.gov.uk/grants, email: grants@charnwood.gov.uk or call 01509 634730.
Mayoral
Unfortunately, the Mayor contracted COVID for the second time in March, meaning he was out of action on the Mayoral front for 2 weeks. He also sadly lost his Uncle Ron to a stroke and COVID too and attended a family funeral in North Yorkshire. He attended the funeral too of Mavis Mason, a former Mayor of Charnwood at All Saints Church. That was a wonderful celebration of the life of a remarkably strong woman with speeches from her son Daniel, daughter Sam, grandchildren and close friends.
The Mayor supported the KFC's British Spring Clean effort with two hours of litter picking in Loughborough followed by a team lunch. This effort yielded many rubbish bags full of everything from cigarette ends to bottle tops, to pieces of carpet, and even a shopping trolley.
As ever, the Mayor supported a number of charity dinners including: the annual dinner for the Loughborough Boat Club (a really brilliant group of people resplendent in their club ties and blazers); the National Association for the Prosecution of Felons dinner at the Longcliffe Golf Club; and the 70th birthday party celebration of Age UK supported by Pukka Pies and Morrisons, who supplied the pies and mash respectively, to over 100 retiree guests. Meggitt, the engineering and catering firm also provided support.
Finally, the mayor was also proud to attend the Loughborough Town Hall to raise the Vaisakhi flag, commemorating the Sikh spring festival.