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info@LofthouseCAG.co.uk |
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May commences with a big clean up of the area of our Park near Railway Terrace and behind the Southbound platform of Outwood Train Station by WMDC representatives after a campaign by LCAG following the last Litter Pick Up. It is evident that this area has been used by people to congregate to take Drugs & Alcohol. Please report all incidences of anti-social behaviour - see the "Crime Watch" area of this website for Police contact numbers. Leading up to May 1st 2008 Local Elections, candidates for both Labour & Conservative, Stanley & Outwood East - Ward 15, recognised the importance of our parks and open spaces and in particular protection of Lofthouse Colliery site and support of the work of LCAG. End of April and we held a Public Open Meeting so that people could "Have Their Say" and have a chance to catch up on Park progress to date. April 1 and we have submitted our application, temporary events notice and fees to WMDC and have let relevant authorities and emergency services know about our plans to hold a Proms in the Park event on Saturday, 12th July. Lofthouse 2000 Brass Band will perform an open air concert in front of an audience enjoying a picnic on the grass. This is a local event for local people so what other supporting activities would you like to see organised in the Park on the day? Is there other live music that would you like to hear at the concert e.g. Jazz. How about some games and activities, perhaps a treasure hunt? Are there any local clubs or organisations that would like to be involved in the event or put up a display stand to let people know what's available in the community? Please contact us via the "Get in Touch" or "Forum" areas of this website. Easter and we'd like to know if anyone is interested in more volunteering events being organised over the next few months? We could hold another Litter Pick Up in our Park (particularly near Outwood Train Station - Southbound), clear the becks, contruct bird & bat boxes, do some gardening in some of the smaller green space areas? Please contact us via the "Get in Touch" or "Forum" areas of this website. Middle of March and after campaigning WMDC a new dog waste bin is installed on the bridleway (Ridings Lane park entrance) which joins the two litter bins installed in recent months (playing fields & pond) to improve facilities in an attempt to reduce litter dropping and dog fouling in the area. Early March and a generous donation is kindly made by Outwood and District Working Mens Club in response to our sponsorship letter. First day of March and over 20 adults and children turned out in blustery weather conditions to attend the first Litter Pick Up of the year. During the morning we concentrated on areas where some of our projects are planned - Pit Winding Wheel, Heritage Gateway and improved entrance to our Park from Railway Terrace. In the afternoon we moved on to do the Pond and the Bridleway. A mountain of rubbish had been collected by the end of the day, thanks to all who attended and those who supported the event. February concludes with a request to WMDC that the permissive path network on Lofthouse Colliery Nature Park be recorded as footpaths - public rights of way. The position is that a permissive path can be closed at any time and the land owner can choose to maintain the path or not, whereas, a recorded public right of way is protected in law and there is a duty that the path be maintained. End of February and Teacher representatives from Outwood Grange met with LCAG to discuss the planned projects for our park. Ideas will be shared with Heads of Department to establish further interest and involvement. Late February and over 200 letters asking for sponsorship have been delivered to local businesses to ask for donations for cash or gifts to raffle/auction or for materials or labour. Just Hair and Elizabeth Anne Florist are the first 2 to positively respond, many thanks to them both for their generosity. Click here to download a copy of the sponsorship letter if you wish to support us. Towards the end of February and Dare to Care www.daretocarecampaign.org.uk have awarded us the opportunity to claim up to £80 for our next Clean & Green Litter Pick Up event. Middle of February and we successfully held our first Heathland Project Community Workday with 14 very willing volunteers doing practical tasks. With guidance from the Community Wildlife Rangers from Coalfield Heathland Project, Sheffield Wildlife Trust we cleared birch scrub - cutting birch seedlings off the area of heathland to prevent it taking over the heather. Begining of February and we have published a calendar of events for our Park (please see "Diary Dates") and further grant applications are being submitted for our Park projects. End of January and the first LCAG Newsletter is being edited for circulation in the local neighbourhood during Spring as well as being posted on this website. Late January and the group are awarded their very first grant of £1,300 from WMDC Community Chest for the installation of the Pit Winding Wheel at Ridings Way/Colliery Approach. January and Ed Balls writes again to provide the reply from Councillor Peter Box Leader of the Council. Click here to view page 1 of the letter from Councillor Peter Box to Ed Balls. Click here to view page 2 of the letter from Councillor Peter Box to Ed Balls. Mid January and WMDC inform the 600+ people who wrote them a letter that they have reached the next stage of consultation on the first two documents to be submitted to Government which will form part of Wakefield's new Local Development Framework. The documents submitted can be found at the web site address shown below. You can make comments on these for the next 6 weeks until 28th February. We await the next stage of public consultation when the preferred options for the Site Specific Proposals document and map is released that will identify the future intentions for Lofthouse Colliery Nature Park. http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/Planning/SpatialPolicy/pub_LDF/CoreStrategy/CSDPSubmission.htm Click here to view page 1 of the letter from Planning Services about the LDF. Click here to view page 2 of the letter from Planning Services about the LDF. Early January 2008 and arrangements are made with WMDC and Landscapers to quote for improvements to our Pond and plans for our Pit Winding Wheel installation are advanced. 2008, a New Year ahead and we await announcement of the Wakefield Local Development Framework and it's implications for our Park. 2007 ends with new metal gates being installed by WMDC at the end of Colliery Approach as an indication that the community cares for the area and want to protect it. December and Ed Balls writes to those who have participated in the letter campaign so far (that LCAG have record of) and provides a copy of the letter that he has sent to Peter Box and commits to write again with the response. End of November we display our plans for the Play Area off Ridings Way and commence with grant applications that aim to fund the project. See the "Our Projects" area of our website. Mid November and Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families writes to Councillor Peter Box, Leader, WMDC to ask for information to help us to make effective representations at formal consultations as part of the Local Development Framework due in the New Year. Click here to view a copy of the letter from Ed Balls MP to Councillor Peter Box, Leader WMDC. Ed Balls MP says “The Lofthouse Colliery playing fields are an important part of community life and are a well used resource with over 400 young people and many other members of the community using them for exercise, relaxation and other recreational activities every day. Whilst it is important that new homes are built it is essential that this development does not come at the cost of much needed community facilities. The Lofthouse Colliery Action Group has widespread local
support with over 500 local residents already involved and more people joining
the campaign every day. They are working hard to save the playing fields as
well as trying to upgrade and expand the children’s play facilities on
the site - this is proving increasingly difficult because of the site’s
uncertain future. Early November and applications for grants and funding are being submitted to various providers to support projects to improve, enhance and maintain our Park. The begining of November and LCAG provide Wakefield MDC Spatial Policy Manager with photocopies of 600 letters, with 4 versions of varying content, as evidence of the significant concerns and strong support of people from the district.Click here to view a copy of the letter we sent to WMDC. The end of October concluded with our AGM and formation of a permanent Committee of 5 Officers and 4 members. See the Useful Information section in "About Us" for details of names and roles. Click here to view a copy of the presentation delivered at the AGM on 29th October 2007. By late October, we had participated in CSV (Community Service Volunteers) Make A Difference Day which is the UK's biggest day of volunteering on Saturday, 27th October 2007. Our Clean & Green litter pick-up event was a success with 25 people taking part to achieve collection of a mountain of rubbish from around our park that was disposed of to schedule. Thanks to everyone who took part and representatives of WMDC who gave service and support. Click here for a CSV Thank You Certificate. Towards the end of October, LCAG find website publication of the final version of WMDC Site Specific Policies and Proposals DPD report and identify changes to the entry for Lofthouse Colliery with "Proposed Land Use" changed from "Housing" to "PAS (Open Land)" - see "Our Priorities" for further details. Mid October, we are working on gaining a Pit Winding Wheel with the support of local Councillors, planning improvements to the Play Area off Ridings Way with representatives of WMDC and making decisions on significant improvements to the Pond with the Council's Countryside & Conservation Service as well as keeping up the all important "Green Belt" letter campaign. Early October, our campaign is heard by Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. Assured by our recognition that young families need housing, but that they should be built in the right place and not to the detriment of our valuable community open spaces such as Lofthouse Colliery Nature Park, Ed has committed to actively support our cause. Mid September, the momentum continues with interested parties completing and returning letters regarding lobbying Green Belt status. The letter campaign will continue into the New Year until the consultation period is announced by WMDC when they will be submitted. If you can help our letter campaign, please contact us via the "Get in Touch" area of this website. From early September 2007 LCAG Committee and membership worked in partnership to raise awareness in the Community of the Open Meeting which took place on Tuesday, 11 September at Lofthouse Hill Golf Club. The team posted in the region of 1600+ flyers to homes in the neighbourhood and displayed notices around the district. On the night of the meeting the venue was filled beyond capacity with over 200 people interested in the campaign to Protect, Enhance and Maintain Lofthouse Colliery Nature Park. LCAG would like to thank everybody firstly for attending the meeting but additionally for responding to the request to sign letters, give ideas and concerns with regard to our Park and for their commitment to spread the campaign further by taking letters requesting the change to Green Belt wider into the Community. Click here to view a copy of the presentation delivered at the Open Meeting on 11th September 2007. During August 2007 each member of the LCAG Committee sent a letter to Wakefield MDC Regeneration & Housing Services Spatial Policy Manager with a copy forwarded to the Director of Planning. The letter was a request to change the land status and designation for Lofthouse Colliery Park site to Green Belt. LCAG have received letters of response from the Project Leader and Acting Team Leader Spatial Policy dated 22 August and 3 September 2007. Click here to view a copy of the letter we sent to WMDC. Click here to view the first letter of response. Click here to view the second letter of response. |
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