News

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Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Society will take place on Wednesday 8th May 2019 at 7.30 pm at Cringleford Playing Field Pavilion. The AGM is normally completed in the first half hour. We can then enjoy a talk “Wildlife in Common” by Caroline Spink of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust will then give a talk “Wildlife in Common”.  Caroline will give us a valuable insight into the Trust’s work on commons. The NWT has long been committed to the welfare of wildlife in the Valley, reinforced recently by its recent purchase of wetlands adjacent to Harford Bridge. One of the green assets of the Yare Valley is a common: Eaton Common.

Papers for the AGM are published in the April Newsletter.

Members and non-members are welcome to attend – so please come along.

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New Planning Application for UEA/Rugby Club Car Park

A new Planning Application (Reference 2019/0521) has been submitted to South Norfolk District Council for the expansion of the UEA Sports Field Car Park adjacent to Colney Lane. Permissions have already been obtained for the expansion of the car park. These  relate to the UEA Rugby Club development; but there are some significant differences between the latest application, and the previous permissions.

The search page for the application is here , insert the reference 2019/0521.

The Yare Valley Society has a number of concerns about the new application:

1. The impermeable surface proposed for the extra parking spaces will result in increased water run-off

2. Proposals for new lighting, and the impact of resulting light pollution on wildlife

3. The grossly inadequate arrangements for cyclists attempting to negotiate the proposed entrance to the car park. This is on the Norwich Pink Pedalway – a key commuting route to the Hospital and Research Park.

The Yare Valley Society has made formal objection to the proposals.

Please have a look at the proposals and send in your own comments. 

 

 

 

 

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Bartram Mowers: Developers think again.

Developers have withdrawn their planning application for phase 2 of their development at Bartram Mowers on Bluebell Road. Planners at City Hall had serious reservations about the application, and it seems that the developers have decided to withdraw the plans rather than attempt radical change.

The YVS view is that any plans for the Bartram Mowers development need to be sensitive to the needs of the Yare Valley as a green infrastructure corridor. The plans were seen to be unsatisfactory on a number of grounds, but of particular importance to the Valley is that Phase 2 is supposed to deliver a significant area of open space. Planners describe this open space as “the opportunity to become a valuable piece of local green infrastructure for the wider community, as well as serving the development itself”. Unfortunately, the developer’s plans failed to explain what enhancements would be made to the open space or how it would function.

There can be little doubt that the developers will be returning with a new set of plans. Hopefully these will pay more attention to the role the delivery of open space has to play in the enhancement of the Yare Valley for wildlife and recreation.

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Yare Valley Society responds to Consultation

Greater Norwich Local Plan Consultations

The YVS response to the consultation can be found here.

If you have not already responded, please try to do so before 5 pm on Friday 14th December.

Help on how to respond is given below in our earlier post on 3 December.

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Three new threats to the Valley: 14th December Deadline

Greater Norwich Local Plan Consultations

Three new development sites that impact on the Yare Valley Green Space have been added to the list of sites already consulted upon.

The new consultation that includes the three sites will close at 5 pm on Friday 14th December.

YVS ask all concerned about the future of the Valley to respond without delay to the consultation.

To make responding easier, the details for the three sites are collected in a single document to download here.

Please write in to say how important the Yare Valley green space is to you, for informal recreation, for the protection of wildlife, for the well-being of our community, and that you support the policies that seek to protect our green space.

DETAILS OF THE SITES

Open the downloaded document of the sites. Enable editing.

Click on the blue sphere for a map of the site (perhaps press “Ctrl” and Click – “Ctrl” is usually at bottom left on keyboard).

Click on the tiny red pdf symbol to the right of the blue sphere to get details of the site application.

WAYS OF RESPONDING

  1. Online: Click on the writing pencil. You will be asked to register and/or log in. Proceed as directed to make your comment.
  2. By email: Email your comments to gnlp@norfolk.gov.uk. Remember to quote the site reference number.
  3. By letter: Remember to quote the site reference number. Send to GNLP Consultation, County Hall, Martineau Ln, Norwich NR1 2DG

The GNLP team would prefer you use method 1. or 2., but they do not wish anyone to be deterred from responding. For further help on responding ring 01603 306603.

MORE INFORMATION

The GNLP consultation site is at http://www.gnlp.org.uk/.

For more information about Planning Policies relevant to the Valley go to Planning. 

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Local Residents put finishing touches to Bridge of Dreams

Eaton Village Residents Association working with the Norwich Fringe Project have planted trees on the river banks at the approaches to the new bridge, and fenced off a culvert on the approach path. Their efforts will ensure the greenery will soon reclaim the river banks with renewed vigour. Peace and tranquillity will return to the river and we can all pause on the bridge and dream. Follow the links to find out more.

Norwich Fringe Project is always pleased to hear from people wishing to volunteer to help maintain and improve the green space around Norwich.

Protecting the riverbank planting
Whips go in on the bank
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YVS and local Parishes join in protest

YVS and Colney and Cringleford Parishes have written a joint letter to South Norfolk District Council Planning Department expressing their concern that UEA has failed to address important issues raised by objectors to UEA’s most recent Rugby Cub planning application (2018/1830).

An email dated 26th September 2018 from the UEA’s Agent claims to respond to objections, but instead ignores any reference to many of the legitimate planning concerns that the objectors, including the CPRE, have raised.

A major concern (amongst several) is that car parking spaces are built within the Yare Valley protected green space for a Rugby Club facility that does not exist and may never exist. The text of the letter can be found here.

Go to our Planning page for more background information on this application.

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Strawberry Field enhancement delayed

A notice posted at the Bluebell Road entrance to the Strawberry Field suggests that work on improvement of paths, signposting, interpretation panels etc. would be taking place this autumn, and that the field would be shut in order to enable the work to be done.

Strawberry Field Notice

YVS now understand that the work will not now take place until the spring because of the need to complete some formalities. In the meantime, the field will not be shut, and the public will be able to enjoy use of the Field.

 

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“Bridge of Dreams” now open

The Colney/Bowthorpe bridge linking a Colney bridleway with an ancient track into Bowthorpe is now open. The dreams of half a century have been realised. There are reports of it already being used by “green” commuters between the Norwich Research Park and Bowthorpe. It will not be long before other  users of the Valley green space include this tranquil crossing in their circular excursions.

Bridge of Dreams
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Latest Rugby Club application 2018/1830

More information and comment on this application is on now on our Planning page.

The YVS view is that SNDC should stand by the conditions of the original approval, and refuse the application, to avoid possible unintended consequences of approval being granted.

The Yare Valley Society objection letter to this application can now be viewed here