Recreation Ground Boston Road! Will proposals help regenerate Sleaford: and how will it affect Holdingham?

The initial answer is "watch this space". However, one outcome, hopefully and in the long term, will be to decrease the congestion on the Lincoln Road especially at peak times. 

Update: The Sleaford Town Council debated two main issues relating to Boston Road on Wednesday 5th July. Firstly about Bikers using the Rec once per month and secondly the public comments/reaction to the proposed access to Boston Road from the Advanta Seeds site. The link to the Youtube recording of that part of the meeting is HERE.

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Interestingly there was a short mention of it  (the talks with Tesco by STC) at last weeks Council Meeting (21st June). 

This was at Agenda Item 14.2 and was recorded. 

However I have attached, as a link at the end, a Radio Interview back in 2013, on Radio Lincolnshire, between the Mayor (at the time), and our present County Councillor (Kate Cook). 

The YouTube Link is at: Boston Road Site Access. 

How times have changed. (Hopefully). Some trees have been marked, presumably those under threat,  but they relate (to my knowledge) what was proposed at the time of the CPO (2014/2015). 

Holdingham Biogas. Back round the loop.

Post note: The matter was discussed at the Sleaford Town Council on 21st June 2017. This in reference to the Planning Addition listed below. Leasingham Residents were there and Holdingham Town Councillors spoke on the subject. Steve Flanagan spoke for the residents. The Sleaford Standard (who were at the meeting) has also reported it. An updated Standard report is here

The Debate is on Youtube.

The Sleaford Standard has put the story out today (26th June): Standard

 It is a bit like a rerun of an old movie. The  Chicken Farm idea was thrown out but the Anaerobic Digestor (AD) Plant was passed - and built. The inputs to the AD appear to have fallen short: read on.

The Facebook CUG Anti Anaerobic Digestor Forum has protested about these developments  and effectively won the argument (with the aid of the Planning Inspectorate) to get the 590,000 Chicken Farm stopped. Now  the AG issue has reappeared because they want to increase  the range of materials to be used (to feed the AD).

"Here is the link: The Plan is at the following address ( you may need the number PL/0071/17):

http://eplanning.lincolnshire.gov.uk/ePlanning/searchPageLoad.do

Online Planning Applications - Lincolnshire County Council

Environment and Safety - Planning and Development - Online Planning Applications

eplanning.lincolnshire.gov.uk" The Planning Number is PL/0071/17.

Kids Play Equipment: Lincoln Road; Holdingham; Sleaford

Wear and Tear or Vandalism?

The Town Clerk mentioned to me about having to remove a piece of Play Equipment in the KId(ies) area on the Lincoln Road Play Area. 

Whetr or not it was vandalism ot wear and tear is hard for me to judge. The inference was that it is due to damage. 

Here are two photographs. It is a pity as the play area is used frequently (weather permitting). 

Holdingham Woodside Trees Growing well

I took photos of the trees (1st June) on the official first day of summer. The weather has varied but has been sufficiently wet (and relatively warm)!!!

I couldn't see any damaged trees the (in June) apart from one or two hanging branches that could easily have happened naturally due to wind and the weight of growth. Nice to see a number of kids playing in the field and on the play equipment.

Update: 

These photographs were taken on September 23rd 2017. All surviving.

New Sleaford Mayor

Plenty in the local press about resignations from the Sleaford Town Council.  

But what about our new Mayor (or is that Mayoress). Or Chairperson? It is explained at the recent Annual Meeting of the Town Council. 

Video footage is available on Youtube. 

Town Polls: have views changed in Holdingham and Sleaford?

I was browsing through Blog posts written years ago - at the time during and before the debates about Compulsory Purchase Orders and Closure of the Station Gates. 

It is interesting as the 2005 poll provided a complex result. This was about have road through part of the Boston Road Recreation Ground.

The second, in 2011, was about the issue of closing the Station gates on Southgate. The second I remember well due to the queues of people trying to vote at the Jolly Scotchman but some being turned away (they had either come to the wrong polling station or maybe were not eligible). Polling cards had not been issued and the Polling Station (3 in total) were only open from 1600 hr to
2100 hr.

Anyway here are the results that I logged at the time>

Boston Road Poll Results: 17 November 2005

The full poll results were: The votes have been counted in the Sleaford Parish Poll, which was held on Thursday 17 November 2005.

Q1. Are you in favour of a road being constructed across Boston Road Recreation Ground now or at any time in the future?

YES = 1,438

NO = 1,351

Q2. Are you in favour of retaining Boston road recreation ground as a recreation ground, now and in the future?

YES = 2,250

NO = 386

Station Gate Poll: May 19th 2011

The Poll, asking residents if they approved or disapproved of the proposal to close the Station Gates, was as follows:

YES (approve): 200 (8.1%); NO (disapprove): 2,274 (91.9%).

Note: There were queues at the Jolly Scotchman and the 2 other Polling Stations.  Some were turned away as they had come to the wrong polling station.  

The 3 Polling Stations were open from 1600 hr to 2100 hr. (Polling Cards had not been issued).

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Will we need to return to these findings and perhaps try again. U cannot believe the issue has gone away forever.

Sleaford: One Poll Down & One to go! Where are the voters?

Post note: Lots of comparisons are coming up about the December by-election. Some are on Facebook and it looks as though some Candidates will be standing this time. 

Guardian Video about Sleaford: Lincs Independent Interview 2016 (not yet confirmed for June 8th). Also poll Count December 8/9 2016

I went to the Jolly Scotchman yesterday afternoon to cast my vote. There were quite a few election posters on the Lincoln  Road.

 They couldn't be seen from the Jolly Scotchman entrance so I think that is OK - as the rules stand. However I did point it out at the Polling Station!

The results are on the LCC web-site and were covered in the Local and National media as well as Twitter and Facebook. Sleaford turnout was, once again in my view, disappointing (28%) on a fine day.

LCC Results. BBC Result

There are many issues in Sleaford (and Holdingham) that have been mentioned in my Blog posts. Traffic congestion will get worse - especially at school arriving and going home times. Places like the Cemetery entrance gets blocked for a while as cars park there.  The photo below is how it ought to be - but sadly at times not so.

The next step is to see if the same pattern is repeated on June 8th. Hopefully our turnout at Sleaford will be much higher.