Neighbourhood Plan Sets Out Aspirations for the Future of Nettleham

Residents in Nettleham have officially submitted its Neighbourhood Plan to West Lindsey District Council.

The much anticipated plan which has taken three years to create sets out the future housing requirements as well as identifying sites suitable for development.

It’s the first in West Lindsey to consider environmental impact and to allocate sites accordingly. Environmental specialists who live and work within the community were also consulted.

John Evans, chair of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee thanked the committee for working hard on the plan and said it felt fantastic to hand it the district council. He said:

“The overall theme of the plan makes sure any new developments fit with the character of Nettleham. People in the village are very passionate about the place they live and we’ve been very impressed with the response.”

The committee has included policies about open space, design, affordable housing and infrastructure.

Key recommendations include:

• That a green wedge of land between the village and Lincoln remains,
• Development is of a sustainable nature 
• A number of small developments are in place in order to gradually integrate newcomers

West Lindsey will now look at the plan before sending it on to an independent inspector to be examined. Once the plan is adopted it will form part of the planning consideration for the village when determining future planning applications.

Now it’s time for residents to have their say on the plan.

West Lindsey District Cllr Giles McNeill, who represents Nettleham praised those that people that have dedicated their time to the plan. He added:

“Now is the time for residents, particularly those who don’t necessarily live in Nettleham, perhaps in neighbouring parishes, to have their say.”

There are currently nine neighbourhood plans underway in West Lindsey. The district council is encouraging other communities to get involved in the process.

Neighbourhood plan champion at the district council, Cllr Steve England said:

“Neighbourhood Plans are extremely important and it’s great to see West Lindsey support them.

“There’s been ideas shared with the Welton Neighbourhood plan alongside this work and this collaboration has made sure of its success. It’s also had the support of the Department for Communities and Local Government which is ideal in progressing plans forward.”

The Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan will be available for public comment from Friday 5th June until Friday 17th July 2015. If people wish make comments on the proposed plan, then they can by visiting www.west-lindsey.gov.uk and searching for Neighbourhood Plans.  Alternatively, they can email luke.brown@west-lindsey.gov.uk for a copy of the document and response form.

Nettleham Parish Council Elected

The twelve members of Nettleham Parish Council have been elected following a contested election on Thursday, 7th May 2015. The count took place at the West Lindsey Leisure Centre, Gainsborough on Saturday, 9th May 2015 following the general and district council election counts.

The result of the election is as follows:

• 6th - Janice Clayton* 1,013 Elected
• 8th - John Downs* (Company Director) 935 Elected
• 7th - John Evans* 936 Elected
• 11th - Susan Harland* 774 Elected
• 3rd - John Hill* (Chartered Engineer) 1,037 Elected
• 2nd - Malcolm Leaning* (Retired) 1095 Elected
• 5th - Giles McNeill* 1,029 Elected
• 13th - Peter McNeill 617
• 14th - Richard Porter* 54
• 10th - Roger Sharp 829 Elected
• 12th - Joseph Siddall* 711 Elected
• 9th - Michael Spencer* 880 Elected
• 1st - Angela White (Independent) 1,155 Elected
• 4th - Terry Williams* (Environmental Lawyer (Rtd)) 1,040 Elected

*Seeking re-election to the parish council.

Two ballot papers were rejected because more candidates were voted for than permitted. One hundred and seventeen were rejected being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty.

There was an electorate of 3,053 within the parish of Nettleham. 2,156 ballot papers were issued. Turnout was 70.62%

Nettleham Parish Council Faces Contested Election

The parish of Nettleham is one of eleven parishes in the West Lindsey District that will have a poll to determine who will serve as the twelve members of Nettleham Parish Council for the next four years.

The candidates are:

• Janice Clayton*
• John Downs* (Company Director)
• John Evans*
• Susan Harland*
• John Hill* (Chartered Engineer)
• Malcolm Leaning* (Retired)
• Giles McNeill*
• Peter McNeill
• Richard Porter*
• Roger Sharp
• Joseph Siddall*
• Michael Spencer*
• Angela White (Independent)
• Terry Williams* (Environmental Lawyer (Rtd))

* Indicated that this individual has previously served as a member of Nettleham Parish Council

Electors will be able to cast up to twelve votes in the election on Thursday, 7th May 2015 which is being held concurrently with General and District Council elections. The count is to be held on Saturday, 9th May 2015.

Nettleham Welcomes Duke of Kent to Open Bishop's Palace Site

Nettleham welcomed His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent today where he officially opened the Bishop's Palace Site and planted an English oak to commemorate the occasion.

® Stuart Twitchett, WLDC

The Duke arrived in the village by helicopter, at around half past ten, at the Police Headquarters, Deepdale Lane and was welcomed by Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, Mr. Tony Worth and his wife, Jenny. They departed by car for Nettleham Parish Council at the Old School, Mill Hill.

Arriving at the Old School the Lord Lieutenant presented the Chairman of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Mrs. Irmgard Parrott and Mr. Len Parrott, the Chairman's Consort, the Police & Crime Commissioner Alan Hardwick, the Chief Constable Neil Rhodes and the Chairman of the Parish Council, Cllr. Terry Williams and Mrs. Kathleen Williams, the Chairman's consort.

® Stuart Twitchett, WLDC

The Duke was escorted into the Large Hall of the Old School by Cllr. Williams and was introduced to Cllr. John Evans who has been the Lead on the Bishop's Palace Heritage Project.  Cllr. Evans gave an explanation of the project and introduced a number of key individuals to the Duke. Including:

• Mrs. Pat Gregory - Founder Member of Nettleham Heritage Association
• Mr. Chris Williams - Chairman, Nettleham Woodland Trust
• Mr. David Gibbons - Headteacher, Nettleham Junior School
• Mr. Nigel Kingston - Editor of Nettleham News; and
• Miss Chrissie Clayton - Orchard Specialist

A number of individuals from support organisations who have provided assistance to the project were also presented, they included:

• Ms Liz Bates - Director of Heritage Lincolnshire
• Mr. David Start - Director (Retired) of Heritage Lincolnshire
• Ms Mary Hurst - WREN
• Mr. Barry Billingham - Cory Trust

Also in attendance were:

• West Lindsey District and Parish Councillor Giles McNeill
• Parish Councillor Mrs. Janice Clayton, Vice Chairman of Nettleham Parish Council
• Parish Councillor John Hill
• Parish Councillor Joe Siddall
• Parish Councillor Mrs. Susan Harland
• Parish Councillor Allan Bonney

© 2014 Creation Media

A little after eleven o'clock His Royal Highness was escorted to the Bishop's Palace Site by Councillors Evans and Williams and given further information about the project, walking through the parish cemetery, into the newly named Swathe and through into the site where the Duke was invited to plant a commemorative English Oak by Mr. Rod Newborough, a forestry expert. There were cheers, applause and frenetic waving of flags by local school children.

At a quarter past eleven the Duke formally cut a ribbon on the ceremonial gateway into the main field of the Bishop's Palace Site and officially opened the site. Cllr. Williams proposed a vote of thanks.

© 2014 Nettleham News 

The tour continued into the Bishop's Palace Site into the schedule Ancient Monument with an explanation of the visible archaeological features.

Around half past eleven the Royal Party departed the village from in front of the White Hart public house and Methodist chapel for their next engagement.

Duke of Kent to Open Bishop's Palace Site

Nettleham will welcome His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who will officially open the new heritage amenity of The Bishop's Palace on Wednesday, 11th March 2014.

The site consists of an original palace of the Bishops of Lincoln and covers an area of over three hectares. The sites use dates back over one thousand years when it was originally the Manor of Nettleham, owned by Queen Edith, wife of King Edward ‘the Confessor’.

Three centuries later, in February 1301, a document signed by King Edward I whilst staying at Nettleham, proclaimed that his son Edward of Caernarvon (later Edward II), would be the first English Prince of Wales in this Lincolnshire village.

The site is an ancient scheduled monument, it has been leased by Nettleham Parish Council, from the Church Commissioners, and had been used as a paddock for many years.

District Councillor, Cllr. Giles McNeill said:

"I am very much looking forward to the Duke's visit. I know that a lot of local people, together with the Parish Council, and the support of English Heritage and other partners, have all put a lot of time, effort and energy in to this project. It is fitting that such an historically important site is being opened up for public access and moreover that it is being opened, officially, by His Royal Highness.

The site now comprises a heritage area (the Scheduled Ancient Monument) with a discovery trail and interpretation panels. In addition, adjacent to the scheduled area, a new area (Bishop’s Meadow) has been created with wild-flower meadowland, a woodland of native species, a heritage orchard and dry stone wall reconstruction.

The site is situated close to Nettleham C of E Junior School which will be undertaking a series of history-related projects on the meadow area.

During the preparation of the Nettleham Parish Plan in 2007, public consultation identified the site as being one which should be developed into a heritage amenity for all to enjoy. The Parish Council approved the project in 2010, the Church Commissioners, who own the site, were contacted and a lease was agreed in 2012.

Funding for the project was obtained from Heritage Lottery Fund, WREN and Cory Trust for various aspects of the project. Several local organisations are involved in the project, including Nettleham Parish Council, Nettleham Heritage Association, Nettleham Woodland Trust, Nettleham C of E Junior School and the local village quarterly publication, Nettleham News.

'Planning Win' for Parish Council

Members of Nettleham Parish Council have been pleased to learn that planning permission was refused, last night, by West Lindsey District Council's planning committee, for a substantial development on Greetwell Lane.

Nettleham Parish Council objected to this proposed development; the council maintained its strong opposition to the application, which fails to address the reasons for rejections previously made (Section 3 (PP3), Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8). 'In principle the Parish Council supports the provision of Sustainable properties; however, the design, intensity and siting of this development is not in keeping with the other properties in this rural location.' The council also felt that the development did 'not respect its close proximity' to the Bishops' Palace, an scheduled ancient monument, site and ignored the open aspect to the east of the site. The parish council stated that such an extensive development of this site would not respect the Nettleham Village Design Statement. If this application were to be approved it would, in the opinion of the council, set a precedent for future intensive tandem developments in this location.

The Parish Council also noted that West Lindsey District Council's own report (PL24 10/11 dated 17th November 2010) by the Director of Strategy and Regeneration states that 'the authority has exceeded the required 5 year deliverable housing supply and that residential development in primary rural settlements should be resisted unless material considerations indicate otherwise' which removes the pressure on the Planning Authority to achieve set targets.

Cllr. John Evens made representations on behalf of the parish council at the Development Management Committee meeting whilst members of the public from Nettleham also Spoke against the scheme. Cllr. Evan praised the work done by Cllr. Malcolm Leaning, Liberal Democrat (Nettleham Ward) who spoke against the proposal, saying:

"Malcolm Leaning did an outstanding job as our ward member speaking against the proposal, clearly having done a lot of preparation on the various planning policy reasons and put such a strong case across that the vote was unanimous to reject the application. The site visit of a couple of weeks ago also had a big impact on the members appreciation of the setting."

The development in question was an amended version of a previously rejected proposal to site a number of homes on land abutting the ancient scheduled monument of the Bishops' Palace. Cllr. Evans continued:

"I was also personally very pleased to hear the Nettleham VDS referenced on many occasions by Simon Sharp and Members, it is being taken notice of and was clearly a worthwhile project which will benefit our community for years to come."

Parish Council Summary of Appointments

Nettleham Parish Council, at it's Annual Parish Council meeting, on Wednesday evening, made a string of both internal and external appointments. First off was the re-election of the Chairman and Vice Chairman, Cllr. Terry Williams and Cllr. Mrs. Janice Clayton respectively.

The council undertook a new system of electing councillors to the various committees and outside bodies.

In previous years there had usually not been sufficient interest from members of the council and so positions were filled without a contest. Last year however, after a somewhat difficult set of exchanges, the committees were eventually decided. It was therefore agreed that for the current year as ballot would be held to determine committee memberships.

The members of Nettleham Parish Council's Committees for 2010/11, as elected at the meeting, are:

Property Committee

• Cllr. John Downs
• Cllr. Alf Frith
• Cllr. John Hill
• Cllr. Giles McNeill
• Cllr. Mike Spencer

Planning Committee

• Cllr. John Downes
• Cllr. John Evans
• Cllr. John Hill
• Cllr. Giles McNeill
• Cllr. Mike Spencer

Field Path Committee

• Cllr. Mrs. Janice Clayton
• Cllr. Mrs. Susan Harland

Parish Plan Action Committee

• Cllr. John Evans
• Cllr. Joe Siddall

Mulsanne Park Users Committee

• Cllr. John Downs
• Cllr. Mrs. Susan Harland
• Cllr. Giles McNeill

Nettleham Parish Council also made a number of appointments to outside bodies for 2010/11, as elected at the meeting, they are:

Village Hall Committee

• Cllr. Mrs. Janice Clayton
• Cllr. Giles McNeill
• Cllr. Joe Siddall

Nettleham Infant School Board of Governors

• Cllr. Giles McNeill

Nettleham Twinning Association

• Cllr. Mrs. Susan Harland

Flood Wardens

• Mrs. Frances Buckle
• Cllr. Mrs. Janice Clayton

Skate Park Steering Group

• Cllr. Joe Siddall
• Cllr. Alan Bonney
• Cllr. Mrs. Susan Harland