Don’t Forget: The TIME TEAM Groby Episode is on Channel 4 on Sunday 20th March. Set the video!
The News & Information Magazine for Groby, Field Head & The Brantings
LETTER Bloors lose appeal Switching off of street lighting on Sacheverell Way & The A50
The Clerk to Groby Parish Council has received numerous complaints from residents regarding the “switching off” of the street lights on the A50 and parts of Sacheverell Way as part of LCC’s project to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions from street lights. It would appear residents were of the opinion that the lights would be dimmed or switched off between the hours of Midnight and 7 am. LCC Highways approved the scheme for completely switching off these lights and others around Leicestershire recently. Now that the lights have been switched off, the lights will be kept switched off for 3 years whilst monitoring is carried out to ensure there are no adverse impacts as a result of the changes. A review of the situation will be implemented within the three-year period. All Councillors expressed concerns regarding the footbridge on Sacheverell Way, and whilst no properties front the road, the pedestrian footpath is well used by residents, again a concern without lighting. Borough Cllrs Martin Cartwright and Peter Batty have also received numerous complaints from residents and share the concerns of the Parish Councillors with regards the footpaths and footbridge over the A46. Residents wishing to express their concerns for the turning off of the street lights should contact their County Councillors Rob Fraser or David Sprason or write to Highways and Streetlighting, Leicestershire County Council, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8ST.
Beverley Greenwood MBA BSc Clerk to the Council
against planning refusal Norman Griffiths reads the Inspector’s decision It has been a long wait for the Planning Inspector’s report on the appeal by Bloors Homes against the decision by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council to refuse planning permission. But as they say good things are worth waiting for. The decision to reject the appeal was one which was hoped for but not wholly expected after an appeal was allowed last year in Markfield. Bloors want to build houses next to the cemetery on land which for all intents and purposes is part of the village of Groby but for administrative purposes is within the Parish of Ratby. It is easy to assume that Ratby is the other side of the M1 but in fact the parish is split by the motorway. The land in question is in the area known as the Rothley Brook Meadow Green Wedge, a largely open and sloping field with Sacheverell Way to the south and Groby Road to the west. The terrace of the aptly named Brookvale Cottages opposite the Community College is to the north of
the site. Streams border the site on the northern and eastern sides and there is a pond in the southeast corner. The company proposed to build 133 dwellings, 18% of which would be affordable housing. The Borough Council target for such a site is 40% and following discussions during the course of the Inquiry a compromise of 33 (around 25%) affordable housing units was proposed by the developer and the council. Lloyd Rogers, the Inspector, identified 5 main issues that he thought he should consider carefully when assessing the effect of the proposed development. 1. The character and appearance of the area He found that the proposed development would clearly extend the urban fringe, altering the current semi rural character, and he agreed with the recent Inspector’s report into the Hinckley and Bosworth Core Strategy 2009. This report identified that the Rothley Brook Meadow Green Wedge provides separation between Groby, Ratby, Kirby Muxloe and the suburbs of Leicester and fulfils a valuable function in retaining the identities of the
Chattabox and the Pirates’ Treasure Captain Yo Ho, Captain Heave Ho and Captain Book led over 100 children on a half term adventure to search for promised treasure. There were plenty of clues to solve, hats and parrots to design and make, children to turn into a pirates’ crew, stories to listen to, songs to sing and jokes to tell. The week-long event has become a regular in the February half term, and a favourite among the Groby primary school children. It’s hard to know what was the most popular part of Chattabox this year, but the countless messages in the bottle reflect the children’s enjoyment, messages, prayers and thanks. Extend would like to express their thanks to Martinshaw for hosting the Pirates, and to the many leaders and helpers who worked alongside Deb Goodhead (the Churches’ Youth and Children’s Worker) throughout the week.
Revd. Louise Corke
Next issue out on 9th April • Article/Advert Deadline: 26th March