I write to provide you with a further brief update on CPRE activity since the publication of our October Newsletter. As always please let me know if you have any queries at chair@cprerutland.uk or on mobile 07710 328469. A telephone message can be left for the branch on landline 01572 495050.

 

Ron Simpson

Ron Simpson BEM

Chair 

CPRE Rutland

 

 

Governance Update

We now have three volunteers interested in becoming Trustees of the charity, including a former Woodlands Trust representative. CPRE Trustee Role Descriptions are being sent to the potential nominees next week. All being well the board will be asked to approve the nominations at their next scheduled meeting in December. In the new year Membership Lead Annabelle Meek and I hope to stimulate more interest in governance among potential new members we will be approaching.

Key Events

12.10.2021 – As CRERutland Chair and a parish councillor I attended a Rural Services Network Market Town Group meeting, a new group just getting under way. It will meet twice a year. 

13.10.2021 – As CPRE Chair I attended a two hour meeting with the Chair of Healthwatch Rutland, Janet Underwood, to discuss rural transport and the arrangements planned for the new hospital set up in Leicester

13.10.2021 – As forewarned,CPRE published research on why young people are being driven out of the countryside.

14.10.2021 – I featured the above research in my column in the Rutland Times 

18.10.2021 – As CPRE Rutland Chair I met with Rutland County Council member and local farmer Andrew Brown on Zoom to discuss the best way forward for CPRE Rutland in engaging with countryside issues confronting the farming community.   Andrew helpfully offered lots of insight and suggestions on the way forward. 

19.10.2021 – CPRE Rutland Planning Lead Carolyn Cartwright presented a deputation on behalf of the branch to the RCC Planning Committee in support of those in the community concerned about the long term implications of an RCC officer recommendation to approve the construction of a new petrol/charging station with shop on a greenfield site immediately north of Uppingham on the A6003/A47 roundabout. I am delighted to report that our voice was again heard along with that of many other objectors and the application was not approved.  Well done Carolyn. We can now expect an appeal. For information our deputation is appended to this update.

19/20.10. 2021 – CPRE Research Volunteer Malcolm Touchin attended the CPRE national conference on my behalf funded by the branch. He reports that, although interesting, little new was revealed during the one day online and the second day in Birmingham.

22.10. 2021 – On this date I had a preliminary meeting with the appointed lead designer of our new replacement website. The bulk of the work will be undertaken during November, a little later than planned but I have great expectations of the outcome. Refreshed CPRE social media pages will be integrated with the site.

Rural Transport

I am pleased to advise that I am now engaged on Rural Transport matters with RCC Deputy Leader of RCC regarding the content and submission of the county’s bus improvement plan due to be debatedat RCC Cabinet in the coming week and submitted to government by the end of the month. Liaison with CPRE Rutland is noted in the Cabinet papers.

I have also engaged on hospital public transport matters with Jennifer Fenelon, Chair of the Rutland Health and Social Care Policy Consortium. I will keep you informed of developments.    

Housing 

The CPRE Rutland Parish Housing Survey piloted in Uppingham is to feature in a forthcoming planning appeal. Uppingham Homes CLT has been awarded a government grant to fund an appeal to overturn the RCC planning committee refusal to approve six new homes for local young people.  Expect this to make the headlines as there is significant national and local support for the project.      

Rutland Round 

I am pleased to report that a quotation to prepare a smart phone app of the Round has now been issued.        

Coming Soon

8.11.2021 – I will be attending the Rutland Agricultural society Autumn talk on The Fruit Trees and Orchards  of Old England at the Rutland Showground

18.11.2021 – CPRE Rutland to attend the virtual launch of CPRE, the countryside charity’s ‘State of brownfield 2021’ report in the presence of the Housing Minister Christopher Pincher MP – Want to join us? Call 01572 823465.  

Appendix

Deputation to the Planning Committee of Rutland County Council held on October 19th 2021

Planning Application 2021/0018/MAF

CPRE is the countryside charity that campaigns to promote, enhance and protect the countryside for everyone’s benefit, whichever parish they live in. Here in Rutland the countryside charity has been engaged with the protection of the county’s much valued green space particularly when it borders on the county’s market towns and heritage villages.

This application has significant implications for the sustainability and future prosperity of Uppingham. The site lies at the northern boundary of the town and impacts earlier planning decisions intended to protect the approach to the town from the north and the view of the Uppingham Gate commercial area. Significantly it also lies outside the boundary of the Uppingham neighbourhood plan.

It is a fact that the those submitting this application could have applied to locate this new fuelling station within the commercial zone on the other side of the A47 (already recognised in the Rutland Local Plan) and still achieve all the commercial objectives they wish to achieve. They have deliberately chosen not to and instead seek to build on valuable open countryside.

Specifically, CPRE Rutland objects to this application because:

  • It conflicts with Local Plan policy intended to protect the county’s market towns. It is felt that the officer’s advice that this application will not impact on Uppingham is fundamentally incorrect given its conflicting retail offer of a convenience store and its close proximity to another garage (less than one mile)
  • The proposed site is outside the planned limits of development
  • Electric charging points are available in the centre of Uppingham and could be more significantly signed on the A47 by the highways authority
  • The A47 roundabout concerned already has high traffic speeds and requires significant redesign to enable any additional access points

To summarise, CPRE Rutland is opposed to this development because of the cumulative effect of such development on the county’s towns and villages and intrinsically rural landscape within which the site is set. The proposed design is unexceptional and would significantly detract from the visual amenity of the area on an important approach to Uppingham.

Thank you for listening.