The last of the wood chip is dropped up the top of Speckled Wood

22nd December 2014
THE LAST OF THE WOOD CHIP IS DROPPED UP THE TOP OF SPECKLED WOOD.

The last load of Wood chip has been dropped up the top of the Woodland this week. The supplier has been asked to move location. 

The Wood chip was intended to be put down by the Trust & Charity in the upper part of the Woodland.

Recent events has meant another group has this area in their sights and have received  at least two  large local payment to keep this area maintained.

The Trust has not been maintaining this area for a week now as it is expected that other group will be doing this.

The Registered Charity has also been informed in writing that the other organization has no recognized charity status despite according to their publicity having said they have received over £3,000 in the last month alone.

The Trust clear one of the Upper pathways

11th December 2014
THE TRUST CLEAR ONE OF THE UPPER PATHWAYS.


This morning the Trust were out in the sunshine clearing back a fallen tree from one of the upper pathways. The pathway is now open again.

Our Google page gets more than 177,000 views in a year

06th December 2014
OUR GOOGLE PAGE GETS MORE THAN 177,000 VIEWS IN ONE YEAR.

News today from Google shows we have reached 177,060 page views on our Google pages in under a year. This is a staggering amount of interest and the Trust and Charity is very excited that you all love our pages so much . Thank you so much for this interest. we hope to keep bringing you this content about Speckled Wood .

Planning on prospective Children's Classroom site

06 December 2014
PLANNING ON PROSPECTIVE CHILDREN'S CLASSROOM SITE.

http://www.friendsofspeckledwoodmanagementtrust.org.uk/consultation/

The Trust was informed by letter that there has been and extension to the Outline  Planning Application on the site in Speckled Wood which the Trust and other local groups want to be a Classroom site to enable the schools to access the site. The Trust took this Local Plan to the HCA Pilot Meeting  3rd Nov 2012 , HCA have ignored this wanting just five houses which will benefit just 15 families , where the school room will benefit many hundred. The Outline Application must be stopped for this to have any chance of succeeding . This is the only site attached to a village green which has road access. Please help us click the link above and register your objection.

More tipped rubbish removed

1st December 2014
MORE TIPPED RUBBISH REMOVED
The Trust was busy this morning removing the tipped rusty metal tins which had been selfishly tipped and toppled down the bank earlier in the week. We managed to get stuck as the weight of the metal was much more than we anticipated. Both items have now been removed and are awaiting collection. The Trust want to thank the helpers that all came to help get the heavy lump onto the tractor & trailer so it could be removed.

The Trust has arranged more woodchip to be delivered

THE TRUST HAS ARRANGED MORE WOOD CHIP TO BE DELIVERED
30th November 2014
The Trust has arranged for more wood chip to arrive for the Speckled Wood Footpaths. The Wood chip was delivered yesterday thank you Simon for your help with this we wish to thank you for your help and assistance.

The Trusts post box was stolen last night

THE TRUSTS POSTS BOX WAS STOLEN LAST NIGHT.
28 November 2014.

The Trust had its Post box stolen from Frederick Road last night.  There was an incident involving this last night . The Police are aware .

Current Process is disadvantaging the Trust in favor of the Council

CURRENT PROCESS IS DISADVANTAGING THE TRUST IN FAVOR OF THE COUNCIL
27th November 2014
The Chairman has written Recorded Letter to Chief Legal this morning in regard  the unfair treatment they are receiving in regard to the Hearings of the Revised Development Management Plan ( Local Plan). The Chairman Has been attending Matters 1 - 5 on behalf of the Trust and Charity. The Program Officer for this Public Examination has informed the Chairman this morning that they cannot have a Display Table at the Hearing 34rd December 2014 despite the Council having this option to display their own information in Hearing. This comes after several other serious issues have been overlooked . The Letter outlines all problems to to date and asks for Formal Reply . The Ombudsman has also been notified.

General Principals Meeting of the Coucils Plan

GENERAL PRINCIPALS MEETING OF THE COUNCILS PLAN
18th November 2014
The Trust Chairman attended the 1st meeting in regard the Councils Plan for Speckled Wood. The Inspector was seen to be writing a lot down during the hearing today which started at 10:00am. The Chairman gave the responses from 2014 to the Inspector  which they had collected as part of the Consultation process. This was an interesting day with much conversation.  We are hoping for a bigger turn out on the 3rd December 2014 when Speckled Wood comes up . Please not the public can attend . Please come and support us!

The Trust were out clearing pathways

THE TRUST WERE OUT CLEARING PATHWAYS
17th November 2014

The Trust members including the Chairman were out clearing one of the lower paths-ways which had a tree fallen across it . The  Pathway is now accessible but the tree will take some time to clear. The rain poured on the Trust members who where in good spirits.  The tree was cut out by hand as the Trusts Chainsaw is not running and needs repair.

News on BVI Hollyberry Holdings Limited

NEWS ON BVI HOLLYBERRY HOLDINGS LIMITED
13th November 2014.

Today the Trust received an email from an Investigative journalist   in respect the British Virgin  Islands Company  that allegedly owns part of Speckled Wood, Hastings.  The document that has been returned has no directors listed on it and was registered by another organization Overseas Management co. Trust(BVI) Ltd.  This is highly irregular as the directors seem to be buried in a further organization. The date for this organization creation is detailed as 26th October 2008.

Seven Statements Served on Councils 2014 Plan

SEVEN STATEMENTS SERVED ON COUNCILS 2014 PLAN
12 November 2014
Seven Statements have been served to-date on the Council and Inspectors office in relations to the Unlawful Revised Submission Development Plan . Six of these statements have not currently been accepted by the Program Officer and Council with them finding a multitude of reasons not to accept them. The Statements all  are with the format specified in the Guidance Notes  Paragraph 7 . The Public Examination process has not accepted this and a further statement has been served "Statement seven".

Statement Seven;This statement includes all correspondence with the Program Officer up until 8th November 2014 when conversation broke down.

The Statement wording paragraph 7, "We appear to have lost our opportunity to submit the supplementary statements and present our case to the Inspector. Local Plans are a forum where local residents can present their views on the future of their town. The above situation indicates that we have been denied this due process and this is does not represent the ethos of these consultations. It is my contention that the Local Plan is unsound and flawed. We have been denied our legal right to make comment on this Local Plan."

Discussions break down with Planning Officer

DISCUSSIONS BREAK DOWN WITH PLANNING OFFICE
10th Nov 2014
Discussions have broken down again between the Program Officer and the Trust and Registered Charity. The Trust wrote to the Program Officer this morning by email and by Registered Post following what seems to be denial of their Statements being provided to the Inspectorate  on very questionable basis. These Local Plans are to enable residents to speak up and put thier point of view forward for the towns where they live . The deadlines for submissions have been very slim and the Chairman spoke to the Program Officer today to tell her that they had been working to try to redact their submission evidence in PDF over the Weekend. The conversation broke down when conversations turned to the Councils website and its submission of the plan containing links to personal information and  addition that the Planning Site carried personal signatures of applicants. The Chairman went on to say the public where disenfranchised by the process the conversation broke down with the Program officer telling the Chairman he was a very stupid man.

The Chairman has discussed the situation with the committee members and it was suggested to write to Program Officer to ask if there is someone else they can talk to as the three three letters have been unanswered and communications are at breaking point.

Discussions with the Program Officer Continue

DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PROGRAM OFFICER CONTINUE
8th November 2014
The situation with the Trusts and Charity's statements which have been sent to Mrs Lynnette Duncan the Program Officer, has been discussed at length this week. The Trust has tried to work with the Program Officer to enable their statements to be seen by the Inspector the problem hinges around Important material not being in the Guidance Notes ID1 which would allow the Trust members to submit a statement that was acceptable. The Trust is writing to the Program Officer and other officials on Monday to make their position clear. The Trust hopes this will make things clear.

100 Trees

100 TREES
04th November 2014
The Woodland Trust delivered one hundred trees to the Trust today . These are currently recovering in a green house so that they will come through the cold snap we are having at present . The Trust is offering these trees to the Community to plant in Speckled Wood having been successful in a bid to obtain them from the Woodland Trust. The Trust want to thank the Woodland Trust for this generous gift and will be updating them on this progress. If you have a group or organization and you would like to help and enable children of our community to plant these trees please get involved. Some of the trees will be fully grown when the children are grown up and this is a lovely gift to have in your life.

Justice is Dead

JUSTICE IS DEAD
04th November 2014


FLAWED REVISED SUBMISSION DEVELOPMENT PLAN (LOCAL PLAN) IGNORED.
We have served legal documents on the Inspector and the Council and Program Officer today by email . In regard the flawed Revised Submission Development Management Plan (Local Plan). These we told during the PH that we needed to inform the Inspector of the situation.

We was told yesterday that the statement would have to be redacted as the Council wanted to put them on their own Council website. We was told by the Program Officer that we had to do this redaction .

This is ridiculous as they have the documents and they are the people wanting them redacted. We were told today our response has been rejected. We served this Response as Praecipe which is a legal document that has to be answered.  This will be served on the Council in writing in the next few days. 

We were told this afternoon by the Program Officer that she had deleted the Response ! 

We wrote advising the Program Officer that This was a legal document and she should be very careful as by deleting this document and not replying she automatically accepted it unchallenged. This means the statement stands and the Revised Submission Development Plan is Flawed and unsafe. This is the rubbish which we are dealing with!

An email has been sent out asking the Planning Officer to show us were in the Guidance notes it shows that responses or statements which is used freely should be sent in redacted as it doesn't state this.

Opening Statements served

31 October 2014
OPENING STATEMENTS  SERVED

This afternoon Opening Statements were served on the Program Officer in relation to the Public Examination Process of the Local Plan Revised Submission Development Management Plan 2014.

The electronic documents have also been emailed out this afternoon before 5:00pm.

The Trust Chairman has learnt that no documentation can be entered to the hearings unless it has been seen by all parties in a statement.

There are two more deadlines for submissions left.

The Trust Chairman prepares statements to be dispatched to the Program Officer

23rd October 2014
THE TRUST CHAIRMAN PREPARES STATEMENTS TO BE DISPATCHED TO THE PROGRAM OFFICER.

The Trust has been busy over the last month spending over 150 hours preparing statements for the Public Examination by the Inspector. These statements are set to be sent out next week .

The Trust and Charity Award the author of the Revised Development Plan a D-

12th October 2014
THE TRUST AND CHARITY AWARD THE AUTHOR OF THE REVISED DEVELOPMENT PLAN A FAIL D-

PLEASE TRY HARDER!

The members have been working hard in an attempt to wade through these document and associated documents trying hard to see if the document could in any way be seen as sound. They have not been able to do this and have asked Mrs Lynette Duncan Head Planner to place their documents into the Council document base. Her response was:

"I have passed your request for the additional documents to be added to the Core Documents List on to the Council . I shall let you know if there is any problem with these requests.  If there is then you will have to add the document to your own submissions where applicable and appropriate." 

We understood the Inspector wanted our input and help to understand the situation, why would there be a problem with these documents which have been in the public domain on our sites?

A man professing to be the Land Agent Threatened verbally Criminal Damage

8th October 2014
A MAN PROFESSING TO BE THE LAND AGENT THREATENED VERBALLY CRIMINAL DAMAGE

A trust member reported to the Trust that a man one of two doing Criminal Damage to the Public Pathway in Speckled Wood said that he was the Land Agent. He also said his intention was to damage property not owned by him . According to the Trust member the Police were called.

There has also been some concern raised over the tub with toxic label on it. The matter has been reported as a breach in planning regulations.

Serious Concerns of Revised Development Plan Soundness have been sent to the Inspectors Department

6th October 2014
SERIOUS CONCERNS OVER THE REVISED DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN SOUNDNESS HAVE BEEN AIRED WITH THE INSPECTORS DEPARTMENT.

Today a large email was shared with the Planning Inspectors Department , The MP and the Press regarding the Soundness of the Development Management Plan Document which is currently with the Inspectors Office.

The Trust has been given 3 hours tomorrow to detail problems with the way the Development Management Plan has been procedurally undertook. The Trust has written to everyone to say that this is not possible as there is to much material  and that the Inspectors Department has already enough material to decide it is not sound. The Trust has been told that the Public and other organizations have until the end of this month to put a statement into the Inspectors office this needs to be copped electronically and in triplicate one which must be an open leaf copy. This puts this process out of reach of the Public and  not democratic.

More Rubbish has been removed from Speckled Wood

3rd October 2014

MORE RUBBISH HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SPECKLED WOOD.

Some more of the rubbish was recycled from Speckled Wood yesterday. The Trust want to thank the local companies that helped with this. You are brilliant :). There is still more rubbish to come out of Speckled Wood and this is brilliant news that these companies are all helping. Thank you so much. The Trust and Charity have been working with the Police to remove potential areas from the Woodland under their guidance. This has improved parts of the Woodland already.

Has the Trusts hard work been plagiarised?

26th September 2014.
HAS THE TRUSTS HARD WORK BEEN PLAGIARIZED?
The Trust has been examining the online documents submitted to the Public Inspectors office on the 31st July 2014.

These documents seem to have no mention of our Trust or Charity in the Council Forward Planning Departments  documents that they provided to the Public Inspector Mr Hollux.

We are very concerned by these actions to portray historic events as something quite different. We  have worked very hard in 2012 and 2014 to canvass the opinion of the public.

It is noted that the only group recognized in this paperwork submitted to the Inspector is Ore Community Land Trust as all of their responses have their name on them.

The Scouts have a scavenger hunt in Speckled Wood

19th September 2014
THE SCOUTS HAVE A SCAVENGER HUNT IN SPECKLED WOOD.

The 4th Hastings Scout Group had a wonderful scavenger hunt in Speckled Wood this evening the scouts all with torches had to find items left by their leader and a few unusual items too. The Woodland was brimming with animal life moths badgers and foxes. The 4th Scout leader said Speckled Wood was wonderful and they were all thoroughly enjoying themselves. Pictured is Stuart in the wood laying down items for some of the scouts to find. We hope this will be a regular activity in the woodland. The Trust wish to thank scouts for putting this on. We hope all the scouts enjoyed this activity.

Has the Council been Courting The Park Lane Group.

18th September 2014.
 HAS THE COUNCIL BEEN COURTING THE PARK LANE GROUP.

The Trust learned to today  from invitation that have been sent out that  Park Lane Group has been invited to the Public Inquiry surrounding the Revised Development Plan.

This is the first time the Council has shown its hand .

Dates for Hearings now set by Program Officer

16th September 2014
DATES FOR HEARINGS NOW SET BY PROGRAM OFFICER.

Dates for the hearings concerning the Revised Development Management Plan have been given today. The Preliminary Hearing is to be heard on the 7th October 2014 2:00pm and generally concerns the Soundness of the Revised Development Plan. The Trust has been refused to deliver its Consultation at this despite evidence being presented to the Program Officers that this Revised Development Management Plan is unsound. Eight points of concern have been given and all have been ignored to-date.


Robert Tressel would be ashamed.

This area Speckled Wood was given to the public in 1930 do not let them take it away from you  for their own greed. This is a Public Space. Nothing to date has took this away . This Development Management Plan will do this.

The full hearing is scheduled 18th November 2014.

The Trust is very unhappy with this process and is publicly disclaiming it as a sham . Their hard work in 2012 and 2014 has been ignored by the Council and their entourage.  Country File and the News have been contacted but nothing seems to be being done. This is disgusting we strongly ask you to "RISE UP" and fight this debacle before it is to late.

The Council has a 18 year plan to build on just about every Green Space in Hastings you have been warned.

The Trust organise more wood chip

15th September 2014
THE TRUST ORGANIZE MORE WOOD CHIP
The Trust want to thank Simon for his help dropping off Wood chip to Speckled Wood for the Paths . The Trust needs as much chip as it can get to put on the paths of Speckled Wood. The first delivery was delivered today.

This morning the Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust was busy clearing back the top pathways in the Woodland of debris which  had been fly tipped in the Woodland . The Pathways are looking much better.

The Trust clean up the Village Green.

12 September 2014
THE TRUST CLEAN UP THE VILLAGE GREEN.
Today the Trust was asked by residents to cut the Village Green in Clifton Road. The residents where very pleased that the Trust was doing this and all came out to thank them members working there.

The Grass was long and unkempt and was desperately neglected .

The Trust and the local residents all use the Village Green regularly . This is now the second time the Trust has to maintain this land  in less than a month.  The Green looks like a Village Green again now and the Seagulls have taken up occupancy.

The local resident said " Its lovely to see someone cutting it who doesnt want to build on it "

The Trust learn Speckled Wood is to be added to the Police route

10th September 2014
THE TRUST LEARN SPECKLED WOOD IS TO BE ADDED TO THE POLICE ROUTE.

The Trust Chairman was informed this morning that the Police  have commited personel to the Speckled Wood area . This news is Welcomed by the Trust and hope will be beneficial to the area and thank the Police for thier help.

The Trust cut grass in Speckled Wood and around the unadopted roads

6th September 2014.
THE TRUST CUT GRASS IN SPECKLED WOOD AND AROUND THE UNADOPTED ROADS

The Trust was busy cutting back the pathaways in and around speckled Wood this Weekend. This was done to make the pathways more accessable to the Public. The Trust has been managing these areas for some time now and the areas are starting to look much better . The Trust have asked the Local Tree Surgeons for chip to put on the paths-ways in Speckled Wood and Church Street.

Green Dye in Ore Stream

GREEN DYE IN ORE STREAM
3rd September 2014

Reports have been made regarding the green dye that has turned the Ore Streem totally Green this morning. The Trust has been investigating this and the sources seems to be from an Enviromental Investigation being conducted by a contractor on behalf of Enviromental Services. The Contractor stated that they are tring to clean up all of the waterways in Hastings and are part of a team working on this to improve bathing water standards. This is now all on its way down to Alexandra Park.

The Trust sent eight points of concern to the Inspector

THE TRUST SEND EIGHT POINTS OF CONCERN TO THE INSPECTOR.
30th July 2014

The Trust has been in communication with the Inspectors Office this week in an attempt to discuss the problems they believe exists with the Revised Development Plan. The Trust believes the problems all affect the Soundness of the Revised Development Plan. This week The Inspectors Office has acted as a go between to discuss the situation with the Council. The Council office has supplied a response to the concerns the Trust raised with missing records, however this information provided did not answer all of the points. The Trust has now refocused its efforts in an attempt to encourage the Council to resolve these issues.

The Trust maintain footpaths

THE TRUST MAINTAIN FOOTPATHS
29th August 2014

The Trust was out today with the Chairmans tractor moving Woodchip from the top part of the Woodland where it had been stock pilled to the entrance in Speckled Wood. The Trust had been trying to dry up an area of footpath which has turned to a bog under the recent rain .

The cutting deck is in for repair and has been removed as it requires new blades.

The Trust open Communication with the Inspector

THE TRUST OPEN COMUNICATION WITH THE INSPECTOR
26th August 2014
The Trust open communication with the Inspectors, Programmer Mrs J Duncan  after the Council informed them that they can do nothing to change the situation with the problems with the Revised Development Management Plan.  The Trust had pointed out to the Council they believed the Revised Development Plan was not sound as the representations where missing from thier online data resource at jdi-consult.

The Revised Development Plan contains three areas of Speckled wood zoning them for housing. The steep sides of the gyhll in Speckled wood would bring debris/pollution from this building work would contaminate the rest of the Woodland . The Trust is very concerned by this as they cleared a large quantity of rubbish out of the area in 2013 making it safer for the public and the wildife that thrives there. Talks are ongoing.

Trust Members Visit the Keep

14th August 2014
TRUST MEMBERS VISIT THE KEEP
The Keep in Brighton was visited by two researchers for the Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust today. They had contacted the Keep after trying to locate a missing Council Document. The researchers had a wonderful time at the Keep and said it was an amazing place. The document was digitized. The Trust want to thank the Keep for its help and kindness. the Trust would recommend anyone to go and visit.

July news letter published

5th August 2014
JULY NEWS LETTER PUBLISHED
The June News letter is now published today and will be distributed in due course. Thanks to everyone who helped in its production you are all brilliant.

http://www.friendsofspeckledwoodmanagementtrust.org.uk/gb/news/2014-08-05%20-%20%20July%20newsletter.pdf

The Trust learn that Development Managment Plan has been sent to Inspector

5th August 2014
THE TRUST LEARN THAT THE DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN HAS BEEN SENT TO THE INSPECTOR.

Today the Trust leaned that the  unchanged Development Management Plan was put before the Public Inspector on the 31st July 2014.  The Trust has also learned that an independent Program Officer Appointment has been made . A Mrs Lynnett Duncan has been appointed . The Trust has also learned that the Public Inspector is to be Mr Richard Hollux. There is no information currently on the Hastings Borough Council Website with this information or any contact information. The Trust Chairman Mr Newbold rang the Contact Centre this morning and was not given any contact details.

The Trust Clear back Paths

29th July 2014
THE TRUST CLEAR BACK PATHS
The Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust have been busy out working in the Woodland yesterday . Pathways were cleared back ans some areas were cut back to the stream.

It was lovely to see the dragon flies once more in Speckled Wood. The Trust wish to encourage them further.

Come and Play in the Woodland

25th July 2014.
COME AND PLAY IN THE WOODLAND
The Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust with the help of Ore Church Mice and In2Play held their third come play in the Woodland. The activities where run  by Ore Church Mice Pre school and In2play kept the children happily playing with their parent in the Woodland . A mix range of activities where available as well as face painting and refreshments and cakes from Mrs Kelly Pelaou.

The Trust want to thank everyone who came and joined this event and everyone who made it possible.

Some of the dream catchers where left in the trees so that visitors could see that something had occur ed in the Woodland.

Updated on Species List

24th July 2014
UPDATE ON SPECIES LIST.
The  Friends of Speckled Wood have been working with the Speckled Wood site to add more taxon and species to its database on iRecord. The iRecord site is run as part of the Sussex Wildlife Trust and feeds information direct into their own data resources. The Species now on this database now stand at 185 and the Trust is due to break 200 soon. The Trust  Chairman has said that this is a major accomplishment for a small group of Volunteers. The Trust want the people to Rise up and demand their woodland is not turned into another useless housing project.  The Public has been aware of the Rocklands Caravan site and have been asked why Speckled Wood. The fact is that the Speckled Wood site is just as important sharing much of the same wildlife and potential.

June News Letter now Published

11th July 2014
JUNE NEWSLETTER NOW PUBLISHED
The June News letter is now published today and will be distributed in due course.

http://www.friendsofspeckledwoodmanagementtrust.org.uk/gb/news/2014%20-06-12%20FOSWMT%20newsletter.pdf

Update on Village Green

6th July 2014
UPDATE ON VILLAGE GREEN

The Friends of Speckled Wood Trust Chairman has been working with a leading historian to obtain the correct providence of the Village Green in Ore.

Pictured left Thomas Alderman and his wife Mary (Minnie)

On the 6 July 1923 Hastings Council considered an “Offer of Land at Old London Road as an Open Space”. The offer was made through Thorpe Meadows and Pearson, Havelock Road Hastings.  It said that the owner of the piece of land on the north side of Old London Road adjoining the building formerly known as the Princess Cinema (Now the Salvation Army) was prepared to offer the land as a free gift. It was conditional on paying a fair and reasonable proportion for making up and maintaining the 10ft roadway; to leave a passage or space not less than 3 feet wide as a means of communication of adjacent properties and the council was required to ‘preserve the land for ever as an open space’ and not do, or suffer to be done, anything thereon which might become a nuisance or annoyance to the neighbourhood. The best thanks of the Council was tendered to the owner for his gift.

The following year the Committee, at their meeting held on the 7^th March 1924 considered a second offer again made through Thorpe Meadows and Pearson who intimated that their client, who gave the piece of land at Old London Road Ore to be used as an open space, is prepared to offer a further portion of land at the rear of the before mentioned piece, also to be used as an open space for the benefit of the inhabitants of the District, and otherwise similar terms which appertained to the previous gift.

The Town Clerk accidentally revealed his name in a later report to the council that the benefactor was Thomas Mason. Both he and later his daughter gave similar gifts anonymously to other towns in the southeast. He was born 13 Jan 1859 in Southwark as Thomas Alexander Bear and inherited Bear and Sons an international tobacco company, which later became part of the British American Tobacco Co. He was an extremely wealthy and generous man and it is not clear what his connection with Ore was, or indeed why he changed his name when he was 29. Thomas died in 1949, not that far away, at The Finches, Wittersham, Kent were he spent his last years with his son Eric.

Brian Lawes July 2014