At the present time the committee has a membership of six councillors and the committee has met twelve times. There have been an additional two one item agenda meetings of Full Council to discuss the Design Guide for the South East Quadrant (SEQ) and the Land off Sleaford Road planning application. The chairman has also spoken as our council’s representative at NKDC planning Committee meeting on the Linden development

The work of the committee is split into several areas (see table 1), with the main area of work being planning applications. This year (March 2020 – March 2021) the committee had a budget of £20,872. Approximately 70% of this committee’s expenditure relates to street lighting repairs, renewals and electricity costs.

1 Bracebridge Heath Parish Council owns the street lighting in the older areas of the village but not the Sycamore Grove and St John’s estates. These and the main roads are owned by Lincolnshire County Council.

2 Responsibility for trees and woodlands owned by Bracebridge Heath Parish Council.

Planning

As stated last year the Parish Council acts as consultees to NKDC Planning Committee and does not have the power to grant or refuse applications. All the comments the committee submit on planning applications must be in line with national planning conditions (material considerations), and the Central Lincolnshire Plan. If the planning application is within the South East Quadrant it should also adhere to the new Design Guide. Once Bracebridge Heath’s Neighbourhood Plan is in place any planning applications will also have to be in line with its policies. A list of planning objection criteria (material considerations) can be found at

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/faqs/faq/4/what_are_material_considerations

Committee members are expected to carefully look at the planning applications before the meeting. This includes looking at the plans, comments made on the NKDC planning website, google maps etc. In the meeting each application is thoroughly discussed before any decision is made on what comments to send into NKDC Planning.

This year the Environment Committee has considered 42 planning applications and has submitted comments on each one. The length of the comments can range from ‘no comment’ to several pages for the larger applications.

The table below gives a summary of the planning applications received and responded to this year:

Notes on the large developments:

When a proposed development borders another parish, the respective bordering Council is also consulted. The following table shows the main consultees for large developments within and around Bracebridge Heath.

The map below gives a guide to where planning permission was sought. Some applications were altered and resubmitted meaning the committee looked at them more than once. These have only been shown once on the map.

 

Action Plan

This year the committee has put together an action plan which has been accepted by Full Council. The full action plan can be seen on Bracebridge Heath Parish Council website.

Heritage Trails

The first of the four trails around the woodland walk and Hospital site is now available and can be found on the Council’s webpage under Heritage. The second trail is now being trialled and should be available by the summer. This trail takes you along Sleaford Road, through the estates and back to Grantham Road, and includes RAF Bracebridge Heath, the original police station and other items you may not know.

The Heritage section on the Council’s website also includes: The Origins of St John’s Hospital, St John’s Hospital Cemetery, Transcript of St John’s Hospital Burial Records, Bracebridge Heath Character Profile and the History of St John’s School.

Fields in Trust and Tree Charter

The committee continues to work on plans to protect our green spaces through Fields in Trust. The committee also has a keen interest in providing all types wildlife the means of traversing our built up areas. The committee supported the development of North Kesteven District Council’s Tree Strategy and is in the process of identifying areas of land where additional trees of various types can be planted including the possibility of introducing a community orchard. If there are any areas where residents would like to see additional trees planted please get in touch with the Parish Council.

This committee has been proactive when consulted about planning applications to push for wildlife corridors, green areas and trees along with pushing for high standards of climate change mitigation factors in any new housing developments.

St John’s Hospital Cemetery and the Woodland Walk

This committee continues to maintain the cemetery and woodland walk and has put money into its reserves so that the trees can be regularly maintained and inspected. If trees have to be felled new trees will be planted and if possible on the basis of two for every one removed. However, it may not be possible to plant them exactly where the previous tree was removed. Our plans to put signage up at the cemetery entrances have been delayed but should take place soon. The limestone wall surrounding the cemetery underwent some urgent repairs this year. The wall is now safe, and the committee continues to look at the options for a full repair.

Red Hall Farm Lane

Requests have been made to Council regarding Red Hall Farm Lane to try and reduce the speed of traffic down the lane. Red Hall Farm Lane is a popular pedestrian route for residents and provides pedestrian access to St John’s Primary School. Council takes the safety of residents on the lane seriously and the committee has looked at several options for introducing traffic calming measures. The committee is currently in the process of seeking the opinion of residents on the lane to find the most suitable solution. In the meantime, Council reiterates the message about safe speeds down the lane through social media.

Street lighting

This year a number of street lights have been replaced due to their condition. When columns or defective light units are replaced the new lights are less light polluting and more energy efficient. This committee has a programme for replacing the columns that are nearing the end of their lifespan.

Events

Due to the continued pandemic our planned VE Day celebrations on the recreation ground had to be cancelled. Our thanks go to Cllr C Barr and other members of council who put in a lot of hard work organising the event before it had to be cancelled. Council recently decided that the main raffle prize of the tablet should be donated to the hospital as a means of aiding communications between patients and their families.

The pandemic also meant that the Remembrance Day service and parade had to be cancelled but in conjunction with St John’s Church provision was made at the war memorial for individual crosses or remembrances to be left and wreaths laid.

We were able to provide our annual Christmas tree and thanks must go to those who erected and decorated it, although again the usual carol singing could not take place.

Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future we will be able to hold gatherings and events again and we will be looking for volunteers to help us with various events.