5 Years in the Making!
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Newsletter of the Sonning & Sonning Eye Society • SummerIssue 2017 51 5 years in the making! Mike Hart, Chairman We are pleased to report that the ‘from time to time’, to review 2017 Sonning Conservation Area the boundaries and to formulate Appraisal (SCAA) was adopted proposals to preserve and by Wokingham Borough Council enhance their special historic and (WBC) at their meeting on 7 April architectural character. and became effective on 19 April Since 2012 the Council has been 2017. working with the Parish Council and The aims of the SCAA are to Sonning & Sonning Eye Society in the define the historic and architec- production of an appraisal document tural character and appearance of for Sonning CA. The Parish Council Sonning; identify what is worthy of and Sonning & Sonning Eye Society conservation; and to encourage pro- have carried out the research and tection of the area and to safeguard produced the draft document. This its character. was passed to the Council to final- The WBC recommendation ise and consult on. A 6 week public Once designated, the LPA has a to adopt the SCAA included the consultation has been undertaken duty to have special regard to the following background explanation: and amendments have been made to the appraisal to reflect consulta- desirability of preserving or enhanc- “Conservation areas (CA’s) are tion responses. It is now proposed ing the character or appearance of areas of special architectural or that the document is adopted by the their conservation areas in undertak- historic interest. Local Planning Council and will constitute a material ing their planning duties. In provid- Authorities (LPA’s) have a duty to planning consideration in assessing ing an up to date assessment of the designate these areas under the planning applications. character of the conservation area, Planning (Listed Buildings and this Appraisal is a material planning The Appraisal assesses the special Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and consideration.” architectural and historic significance There is a link where you can of the conservation area through download your own copy of the considering issues such as the layout, open spaces, trees and landscape, final SCAA on the Society’s website focal points and important build- www.sonning.org.uk. ings. The Appraisal identifies both The Society would like to thank positive features and those which all the volunteers who comprised are considered to detract from the teams who went round the vil- its special interest of the area. It lage to record the details that were also highlights vulnerabilities to define the important features and opportunities for enhance- that make Sonning special. ment. The designation of a conser- Bridge is the newsletter of the vation area gives the LPA addi- Sonning & Sonning Eye Society tional controls over the demolition Published by the Education & Social Panel of unlisted buildings and works to email: [email protected] trees, restricts some permitted devel- web: www.sonning.org.uk opment rights and tightens regula- Printed on paper from responsible sources by a tions on advertising. company supporting the Woodland Carbon Scheme Bridge newsletter • Issue 51 • Summer 2017 1 Executive Committee & Panels Patrick Hamblin, Planning & Traffic Panel >>Eye on Sonning Planning applications Sonning Bridge a view from the Bridge The Planning and Traffic Panel The bridge, a Grade II listed struc- continues to meet monthly. There ture, was recently damaged by a Mike Hart, Chairman have been 21 applications reviewed at vehicle and the Society is monitoring We are delighted to report that a the three meetings held since the last its repair. new audio-visual system has been edition of Bridge. installed in Pearson Hall comprising Letters of objection were sent to Traffic a permanently fixed high defini- Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) The joint working group consisting tion projector and large electrically relating to the application to vary a of representatives from the S&SES operated screen. The system, which condition of planning consent to al- and SPC have had discussions with can be operated from a laptop low for up to 825 pupils to be enrolled local businesses and others relating computer, will greatly enhance the at Reading Blue Coat School, the to traffic issues. A meeting was held visual aids for future talks and even demolition and replacement of Pool at the end of May between the RBCS allow us to show films in the hall. Court, the provision of a car park in Headmaster and representatives Our thanks go to the Fire Brigade Sonning Field, the replacement of the of WBC Traffic Team, SPC and the Trust who generously covered all existing property at 12a South Drive Society. WBC will be taking over the the supply and installation costs. with a much larger property and the responsibility for enforcing parking installation of an artificial grass pitch restrictions later this year and will and floodlighting at Old Redingensi- consider extending the yellow lines ans Sports Ground. A letter express- along Sonning Lane. ing our concern with the long-term use of the land to the west of Orchard Lodge, Sonning Eye as a car park was sent to South Oxfordshire District Council. We are pleased that our talks and Sonning Parish Council Planning walks are so well attended and with Committee meetings the new audio-visual system in The Society has been represented at place we can now cater for a bigger all the above meetings since the last audience in the hall. We welcome edition as an observer. A digital speed indicator has been the new members who have joined installed by SPC in Pound Lane near us and we are planning on launch- Local Plan Update: the school entrance. ing a new initiative to welcome No changes have been made to the even more Sonning newcomers to Cycle racks join the Society. list of sites for updating the local plan that will guide development in the A cycle rack has now been installed In this issue of Bridge we are Borough for the next 20 years and in the St George’s playing field. The pleased to include an article from also the gypsy and traveller local plan Society thanks Brian O’Callaghan Lesley Green summarising the since its publication by WBC. 7 sites for donating the cycle rack and to the after-dinner talk on her memories are listed in Sonning. The Society is Scarecrow Committee for funding the as headteacher of Sonning Primary continuing to monitor the list. installation costs. School that she gave at the AGM last November as well as an article >> Membership news from David Woodward, the Chair- We do hope you like the new format of our quarterly newsletter. We man of the Eye and Dunsden Parish wanted to have more room to allow for the occasional in-depth piece Council, on the recently issued and also to be able to do justice to the photos that accompany the articles. interactive Oxfordshire flood map. If you have any comments or suggestions about Bridge then do let us know I would remind you that we by emailing the editorial team at [email protected] and please, if welcome comments or suggestions you have any ideas of articles of local interest that you’d like to read about for future issues of Bridge to any or better still to contribute we’d love to hear from you! of our editorial sub-committee (Jeremy Gilmore (IT), Lesley A warm welcome is extended to the following new members: Heaney (distribution), Pauline Ms Simmons & Mr Keeshan Ms Hulett & Mr Sherwood Simmonds, Annabella Marks, Mr & Mrs Goddard and Family Mr and Mrs Smyly Bob Hine, Andy Bell, Joyce Reed Welcome packs for new residents are available from Lesley Heaney, our or myself) or email the team at Membership Secretary (0118 969 7231). [email protected]. Bridge newsletter • Issue 51 • Summer 2017 2 Memories of: A Primary School Headteacher Lesley Green, Headteacher of Sonning School, 1999-2015 I always wanted to teach and graduated in 1978 from oldest pupils were tour guides and it made me so proud Bulmershe College in Woodley. Twenty years were when visitors gave such positive feedback…. it endorsed spent in various schools, including six as a Deputy that we were getting it right. My introduction of the Head before becoming the new Headteacher of Son- ‘Golden Flames Awards’ was popular and celebrated ning CE Primary School in 1999, whilst still completing how children had ‘shone’ each half term …their reward my Masters Degree - even though tutors had advised was a special tea party with me! not to take on anything new in the final dissertation The local community were kept updated through my year! Headship was a path I never actively planned for contributions to the Parish Magazine and we enjoyed but opportunities come along when you least expect our involvement in a range of activities such as the them. village show, the scarecrow trail, visits to Ali’s Pond, In the beginning I enjoyed some teaching but as the the Art club competition and visits with our twinned school expanded my priority was spending more time community of Liguge. I also enjoyed being part of the monitoring the teaching and learning. I also discov- Village Voices Oral History project which helped our ered that my new role involved lots of talking, listening pupils learn more about the history of our school and and meetings! I had a great staff team who embraced local community. There were some amazing staff and changes and challenges together. Whilst meeting the I very feel proud two are now headteachers. I tried to statutory curriculum requirements our guiding prin- be accessible for those ‘have you got a moment’ occa- ciple was flexibility; the children told us what they sions and always enjoyed hearing laughter from the enjoyed so we structured teaching in response to this staffroom at lunchtime.