Local News August 2021

Local news August 2021 We do hope that our members and their The Covid families have kept well during the Covid pandemic. If the virus has struck you or Pandemic yours, we offer our sympathies and, where appropriate, our best wishes a full and lasting recovery. Little did we know when we posted out our last newsletter that we were about to face a As we were unable to hold an Annual General once in a lifetime (we hope) world-wide Meeting during 2020, it is now vital that we pandemic that was going to keep us locked do have a meeting of members, even if that up for long periods at a time. This has has to be a virtual meeting. For full details, prevented us from holding any events, see page 3. involving person to person contact. Our committee has only been able to contact one We have embarked on a new project to build another by either e-mail or the use of Zoom up CPRE Notts, finding new volunteers and or Microsoft Teams calls. We have had to members, by making efforts to engage with cancel the 2020 and 2021 Best Kept Village local communities by the use of social media Competitions and the Valerie Gillespie Award. and personal contact and you can find more about this on page 4.. Despite these difficulties, our work has continued and this newsletter sets out some Already, we have found some new volunteers of our activities and how we hope to build who will offer themselves for election as back the Nottinghamshire CPRE over the trustees at out next AGM, when we hope that coming months and years. you will be able to question us on our plans. 1 We have developed a new strategy to Our Strategy keep us in line with the aims of CPRE We are CPRE Nottinghamshire, the across England - taking a One CPRE countryside charity approach which follows clear consistent We believe that the countryside is for everyone. aims, whilst maintaining the independence We know that engaging with our natural of each county branch.. environment, especially near to where we live, is We have identified a number of aims to pursue vital for our mental and physical health and with varying levels of priority, dependent upon the wellbeing. We want to promote the countryside time and resources at our disposal. Briefly, our and its communities to enable more people than highest priority aims are: ever before to benefit from it – including those who have not been able to benefit before. Raise our profile to attract a diverse range of new members, undertaking membership drives on the Our strategic aims, in line with CPRE across the back of local campaigns, past successes and whole of England are to: environmental issues, communicating via social 1. Connect people and countryside: we will work media, press, e-newsletters, and our website. for a planning system that protects and enhances Give talks to local groups and develop a the Nottinghamshire countryside as well as Powerpoint presentation.. achieving positive outcomes for people, the Recruit volunteers to our identified vacancies. economy and the environment; and national policy Reduce our financial operating deficit and cover or which supports realistic housing targets and local reduce annual costs over the next few years. plans. Maintain effective governance and a high 2. Promote rural life: we will work for a planning performance operation. system that protects and enhances the Update the funding and organisation of our award Nottinghamshire countryside as well as achieving schemes. positive outcomes for people, the economy and Research the access to rural transport in the environment; and for a national policy which Nottinghamshire and write a “transport deserts” supports realistic housing targets and local plans. report, using it to campaign on the issue. 3. Empower communities: we will ensure that CPRE Nottinghwe will support local Full details of our strategy will be placed community initiatives; increase volunteer numbers on our website. and offer support and training for volunteers. 4. Grow our capacity: we will ensure that CPRE Nottinghamshire is a well-managed and resourced branch by increasing our membership and training and supporting staff and members; maintaining good governance and financial management; and communicating effectively with local audiences. A note from Fred Cook Chair CPRE Nottinghamshire Tempus Fugit Tempus fugit is a Latin phrase used as an Accordingly, I shall stand down at the AGM and admonition that one is wasting time, or as a propose the election of a successor. We have lamentation about getting older. I hope that I reached a point where we ought to be able to have not wasted my time as chair of CPRE Notts build a better future for CPRE Nottinghamshire but I am certainly getting older. I have tried to and the project outlined in this newsletter hold keep the show on the road and made progress real promise. Although it has been a privilege to towards getting the branch in better working serve as your chair, there comes a time when order. Our constitution places a time limit on fresh blood is needed and I wish my successor the period after which the chair may seek re- the best of fortune and hope that you will election at an AGM and I shall have exceeded continue to offer your support in future that time when our next AGM takes place. endeavours. Thank you for the support that I have received. and I hope to see you at the AGM. 2 AGM: 21 September at 19.30 East Midland Freeport We were unable to hold an Annual General Meeting in 2020 Freeports are a special kind of port where normal tax because Covid restrictions on gatherings prevented it. At and customs rules do not apply. These can be airports as the time, it was not generally contemplated that the well as maritime ports. At a freeport, imports can enter with simplified customs documentation and without pandemic would still be biting hard more than a year later. paying tariffs. There are currently about 80 freeports We were advised at the time that a virtual AGM would not dotted around the EU. Now that the UK has left the EU, suffice, but that advice has changed. We have taken the view some Brexit supporters say the UK can adopt a more that it is still not safe to hold an indoors AGM with members generous freeport policy. The Government propose to physically present and that, therefore, we should hold a establish a freeport at the East Midlands Airport and this virtual AGM. As we consider that we should not delay proposal is based there; and at the Gateway Industrial holding an AGM any longer and that although we recognise Cluster (EMAGIC) in North West Leicestershire; Unipers that this format is far from ideal and will not suit everybody, Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site in Rushcliffe in we believe that we have little choice. We are notifying all Nottinghamshire; and the East Midlands Intermodal Park our members by this newsletter sent to all our members, (EMIP) in South Derbyshire. Following on concerns that with accompanying documentation, and respectfully suggest there might be encroachments on to greenfield land in that anyone who wishes to attend the AGM but is without Nottinghamshire and increased aircraft noise over access to an internet connection seeks assistance from a residential areas, we have sought further information and friend or relative who does have access to the internet via assurances from Ruth Edwards, the Rushcliffe MP and a computer, tablet or smartphone. All that people wishing to proponent of the East Midlands scheme, but we have yet attend the AGM need to do is to put the following Zoom link to receive any response, despite a reminder. into their browser and enter some simple details. We shall be sending this link electronically to those members for whom we have an email address. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ North Nottinghamshire Garden Villages 82475396023?pwd=QXZGSEpXNlJiVzVySEN4dGpMYUJBZz09 Meeting ID: 824 7539 6023 Passcode: 819298 We have lent general support to the delivery of a new The Government's Planning Proposals Garden Community in two new villages, located at Gamston Airport and the former Bevercotes Colliery. These Last year, the Government produced white papers setting out sites together will provide a minimum of 1000 new homes proposals for a new planning system. These proposals set out within the period to 2035 with another 3000 homes being a formulaic approach to determining how many new homes delivered beyond this. These sites will also deliver should be built in each area and would have categorised land associated community facilities and services, a range of into three zones: land suitable for growth; renewal areas and local employment opportunities and supporting Protected Areas (such as Areas of Natural Beauty and Green infrastructure. We made submissions about the need for Belt land). Only in the Protected Areas would planning appropriate development principles, and stated that the applications have to be made for approval by the local proposed cycling and walking route between the 2 villages authority. CPRE made representations, opposing these and across the A1 needs careful design to be attractive changes, to every Nottinghamshire MP and to the chairs of the and (perceived to be) safe, and overall the A1 needs to be various planning authority committees in our county. We ‘tamed’. Otherwise community severance would be built received several positive replies and obtained a meeting with into the design. It is also our view that Bassetlaw should Tom Randall, the MP for Gedling, which was quite encouraging. consider the creation of a Green Belt around the settlements to prevent future sprawl and encroachment As you will probably know the Government has been under into the countryside.

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