Town Council Report: Holdingham Sleaford (Woodside)

I have put the report below into the Town Council after a visit around the Holdingham Ward.

Full Council: Agenda Item

Report: Holdingham Ward: Woodside Open/Play Area

Post Note: A Working Group has been set up, by the Sleaford Town Council, to review how the site might be better used by the Community.

Main Text: This report stems from a visit to the Woodside Play area on 23 January 2017. It also covers Peterborough Way to Winchester Way through to Birchwood Road and entrance to the Woodside Play Area via Summerfield Drive. Litter generally low but some Cartons on entrance to Lincoln Road onto Peterborough Way. Otherwise litter free on this route. 

On the Open Space itself new trees have been planted (12 near Summerfield Drive entrance and 18 approx at the Beech Rise end of the Open Space). Photographs are attached. Mole Hills cover much of the area.

All straps/ties seemed intact. The play area seemed functional. There were a few signs of dog litter.

The STC official description is: Comprising of a 5.5 acre grassed area this site is located alongside Sleaford Wood which is managed by the Woodland Trust. Access is from Beech Rise and Summerfield Close.  At this time the only facilities are:  Multi-play Unit

Dogs are welcome in the Woodside Play Area.  It is against the law to allow a dog to foul a public space and not clear up after them, bins for disposing of dog waste are provided at the entrances.

Issues

The good condition of the newly planted trees may be partly due to lack of use of the area (compared say to the Lincoln Road area). There is still the problem of access (Beech Rise or through the Sleaford Wood/Summerfield Drive side). Ownership of access appears largely outside the control of STC.

Conclusion

Still appears as a much underused facility:  this might be improved if access and “policing” could be further addressed.

The roads mentioned above from Peterborough Way appear generally clean and well kept. 

Sleaford & Holdingham: Consultation On Local Plan

Policies Map Modifications, January - March 2017. 
There is now only 6 weeks or so left before the Planning Inspector Modifications are adopted. 

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Post Note I received reply to what Secondary Access means. 

"It isn't envisaged that that these secondary accesses will  be open to the whole (all) of the SUE.
Only to a limited number of dwellings defined in the traffic assessment."

 I am not sure I am any the wiser.  

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Here is the link:  Holdingham, and other parts of Sleaford, is around pages 35,36,37. See the site
 at: Inspectorate

For Holdingham: will it result in Rat-Runs between the A.15 and the Lincoln Road/Northgate (B1518)
or just emergency access or something else. 

I fear it will create problems. 

Those requiring provision of emergency access and access to shops will be a big pressure grouping. 

A few photographs: Holdingham

I took these photogrpaphs today (10 January). Basically I was looking a potential hot spots relating to Litter and potential problems for Motorists and Cyclists. The first two are of the Beck between Stokes Drive and the Garage. I have reported the litter problem

The two below show where the Cycle Way from Leasingham meets with the entrance to Holdingham Grange.  Clearly this needs sorting out: who has right of way and what will the needed realignment entail  It needs addressing asap. Further down the banking of the A17 seems to be taking place.

Sleaford Holdingham: 2017 versus 2016

Am I addicted to Facebook or have I gone over to YouTube!

Neither I hope but it is a close shave!

2016 was a year that: even in my lifetime appears to have seen more changes than normal (unfortunately some family losses and also many celebrity losses). The latter: I always think the media overplays but that is life in a media celebrity dominated society (my interpretation).

So as far as YouTube is concerned I managed two videos  (one taken around November 11/13 Remembrance services at Brinsworth, Rotherham (where I was born)  and the other just after Christmas into 2017 of my Grandchildren horse riding in freezing weather at Branston, Lincoln. Another related to the Boxing Day Hunt which always attracts well wishers but also criticism from those opposed to hunting although this hunt is within the law and does not refer to foxes.

So here they are (set to what I thought was appropriate music): Remembrance Brinsworth)  and at Branston .

That is the easy bit over with. Now the hard bit: Brexit. Political shenanigans and seemingly endless maneuvers and resignations. But that is at national level.

For the local level read todays Sleaford Standard front page "Could the waiting be over for Tesco site?".  Tesco and Council Officials hinting that announcements could soon be made. 

Oh and by the way: Looking Forward to the Year Ahead is  a piece in the local press including developments in and around Sleaford including (by Spring) the confirmation of the Central Lincolnshire local plan.