Clancy Docwra back in Woodland next week

29th May 2014

CLANCY DOCWRA BACK IN WOODLAND NEXT WEEK

The Trust Chairman met a representative of Clancy Docwra today on site in Speckled Wood to discuss how a further problem which had been identified by the camera work in  their sewage pipework was to be resolved.

The Trust has already made it clear it was unhappy with vehicles using the pathways in the area which some had been created by the silt being removed from the Ore Stream. The Progress of the vehicles was eroding the ground and creating problems which the Trust then had to handle.

The Chairman has reached agreement with them that they will not bring vehicles back into the woodland and the site will be dug by hand. The representative said that they wanted to work with us and would try to do this job with as little impact as they can.  The site will be opened up on the metal sewage pipe where it joins the clay coupling . The specialist team hope to be on site for two days. We have been assured that we will not know it has been done.

The Trust were out today clearing back the pathways

29th May 2014
THE TRUST WERE OUT THIS MORNING CLEARING BACK PATHWAYS

With the rain finally abating the Trust members have been out clearing back the wet pathways in Speckled Wood . In the next few days the pathways will be worked on making access better. The Trust is committed to saving Speckled Wood at all cost.

The brush-cutter is one of the tools that the Trust has bought with  the donations. The Trust are very pleased with it and thank everyone for the donations which have made this possible.  Pathways have been improved right across some of the woodland already.

Clancy Docwra finish of sewage work in Speckled Wood

21 May 2014

CLANCY DOCWRA FINISH OF SEWAGE WORK IN SPECKLED WOOD.
This evening a specialist team finished of the work in Speckled wood  capping of the sewage leak which had been leaking into the stream for over a month. The Pollution had been fouling the stream over this period. The team that was sent in arrived and worked hard to solve this as they told us that EA was quite upset that the work had been taking so long. This now brings an end to the sewage work  . The Trust is very pleased this work is finished. South East Water have been told that the entrance in Frederick Road is  not suitable for vehicular use after vehicles had got stuck in the mud.We shot a video of the van getting stuck here

The Trust recieve a second donation from the Community Shop

21 May 2014

THE TRUST RECEIVE A SECOND DONATION FROM THE COMMUNITY SHOP.

The Trust was very pleased to receive a fabulous donation from the Ore Community shop. This donation was gratefully accepted by a Trust Member who presented some cakes to the staff in the shop. 

The Trust has used the last donation it received from the Community Shop  to benefit Speckled Wood, which it maintains repairing bridges, and putting up security fencing, and paying towards the costs of the Consultations it has run alongside the Councils Development Management Plan Consultation.

The donation from the Community Shop will allow us to continue to do this for the next year.

The Trust chairman said "This is fabulous news as it will allow the Trust to do much more in the coming year".

Are BVI Holbery Holdings Limited directors hiding amongst us!

17th May 2014.

ARE BVI HOLLYBERY LIMITED DIRECTORS HIDING AMONGST US.
The Trust has been gathering information with regard to land in Speckled Wood , in an attempt to have contacts that could be approached if and when funding is available to buy Speckled Wood for the community.

Talks with members of BIG LOCAL and Capacity.org are all aware of the need for this area to have funding.

The Trust is hitting a brick wall contacting the BVI Hollybery Holdings Limited(incorporated in the  Virgin Islands) the contact for the company is care of Gower & Co of New Crane Wharf. The contact here has been most unhelpful stating "They do not whish to continue with the call" .

The Trust ask are the directors hiding amongst us?
Someone must know. Please spill the beans.

Update on Speckled Wood Consultation

16 May 2014
UPDATE ON SPECKLED WOOD CONSULTATION.

The Trust received a letter last night from Chief Legal in reference to the Speckled Wood Consultations the Trust has run during 2012 and 2014.  The Letter states:

"The representations received via the Speckled Wood Consultation website and in paper form will be treated as individual representations and not as a Petition.". 

This is welcome news as it means each individual response will be counted separately.

The letter also states that the Cabinet/Full Council will have to meet with the intention to approve the Development Management Plan. The Trust has spoken with their contact at the Planning Inspectorate and they have been told that the Council is expected to return the DMP to them in June 2014.  Talks are on-going.

Trust Ask The Community To Help to Create a Portfolio of Activities

3rd May 2014
THE TRUST ASK THE COMMUNITY TO HELP CREATE A PORTFOLIO OF ACTIVES
The Trust have been talking to The Community Rights service in regard Speckled Wood and their request to the Forward Planning Department. This request was for Speckled Wood to become a Community Asset. The Enquiry Handler was very knowledgeable and outlined what the Council Officers would require.

Part of this information discussed was a portfolio of activities which have happened in Speckled Wood. The Trust has again decided to ask for the communities help with this especially the senior citizens who are key to this portfolios success. A new form and online survey was created by the Trust to facilitate this . The paper version the Trust hope will be in the usual venues next week.

To fill the survey in online please go here https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HLMV225

Sewage Work Continues in Speckled wood

02nd May 2014
SEWAGE WORK CONTINUES IN SPECKLED WOOD.

Sewage Work continues today with Clancy Docwra phoning the Trust and arriving on site with a camera to re-evaluate the sewer issue.

This comes after Southern Water sent in a £20,000 vehicle to try to cut the tree roots from the sewer last week.

The Clancy Docwra Specialist team were very thorough and said that as there had been three known visits to faults on this sewage line it was likely a man hole would be fitted to allow future repairs.  The team partially removed root from the sewer with rods allowing water to abate. The team visited the other sewage pipe and suggested a liner could be fitted which would cause less disruption. They said they will be back when they have lift equipment to see if this was a possibility with their roving camera.

The Trust recieves a Community Reference Number for the Right to Buy

01st May 2014
THE TRUST RECEIVES A COMMUNITY REFERENCE NUMBER FOR THE RIGHT TO BUY
The Trust received a reference number in respect their inquiry for the Community Asset Registration and Right to Buy scheme today. Locality  Contacted the Trust after their telephone call prompted by Capacity.org. The Chairman of the Trust mentioned that this was available at the Ore Together Meeting last night. The Community Right to buy is offered to communities who want to buy a local asset used by the community. Up to £500,000 is currently available which can me matched funded.

Talks continue with the Hastings Borough Council Forward Planning Development team. In respect to this. The Trust has also received forms which are quite complex.

Sewage issues set to possibly destroy the woodland

29th April 2014
SEWAGE ISSUES SET TO POSSIBLY DESTROY THE WOODLAND
We visited the Woodland today to found yet another service vehicle in Speckled Wood trying to resolve the drainage issues. 

A Specialized track vehicle costing
£20,000 had been sent in to clear the pipework of roots only to fail as the cutter was to large to fit the access hole. As the vehicle left it was spewing waste into the stream from its pipes that had been in the sewer. These were being dragged through the stream and the tracks of the vehicle were destroying the footpaths This visit today we learned cost around £1500.00. The Stream had been cleared out by the heavy rainfall several days ago and the Trust had been told that the job had been signed off. This clearly is not the case.

The contractor on site told us that the other sewage pipe which is faulty from School Rd had been discussed in a meeting with Clancy Docwra where the discussed solution was a ten ton JCB coming in to rip out the sewage pipe from the bottom of the Woodland. Previously the sewage had failed polluting the stream and the sewer had been rodded to let the sewage dissipate. Southern Water are looking into this and could not comment.

The sewer drainage in this area has been known to be in a condemned state for some years as the Victorian pipework was never intended to  meet the housing demands put in by the Planning Department. The Trust calls for the two sewage pipes to be condemned before more damage to this Woodland Ghyll is caused.

3555 Responses Take Notice

23rd April 2014
3555 RESPONSES TAKE NOTICE.

Pictured left is approximately half the responses gained on the two Consultation in 2012 and 2014.1231 in 2012 and 1236 in 2014. The additional responses from the Victoria Avenue Planning fiasco is 666 and the 422 Pledges to save Speckled Wood makes a grand total of 3555 objections to-date.

The Trust has asked the Hastings Borough Council to allow them to bring the Speckled Wood  matter to the next Hastings Cabinet Meeting. There has been no response. The Fiasco of the Outline Planning has seriously undermined the General  Public faith in the Planning Department Officers.

A Recent land slide at Ecclesbourne Glen due to improper process is another indication that our Boroughs Planners are making bad decisions that have a serious consequence. what will be next!

The Trust Ask "Can They Take Their Consultation To The Hastings Cabinet?"

10th April 2014
THE TRUST ASK "CAN THEY TAKE THEIR CONSULTATION TO HASTINGS CABINET?"
Today a formal request was made to the Chief Legal Department of the Hastings Council asking to take the Trusts 2014 Consultation into Cabinet. The Trust is waiting to here if the Hastings Borough Council is not diplomatic and  will refuse this request.

The Trust has been very busy obtaining this response which the wording has been seen by the Council Councillor and Officers prior to the start of the Consultancy in an attempt to use it to its best effect.

The Trust has been writing to the Council Solicitor for a month now in relation to complaints of non-democratic process. The Localism Act gives the communities the opportunity to overturn Policy. The Trust is hoping this matter will be heard.

Clancy Docwra Sewage Specialists were in the woodland today

 16th April 2014

CLANCY DOCWRA SEWAGE SPECIALIST WERE IN THE WOODLAND TODAY

Today the Woodland was busy with yellow coated men from a specialist team dealing with the sewer issues in Speckled Wood.

 

They told our Chairman that they had used a camera with a fibre optic pipe to see what was in the sewer . They identified a large root bundle that they have been trying to remove. 

 

We are told a large water cutting lorry may arrive on site either today or tomorrow to try to cut the root ball out of the way if attempts with hand tools failed.

 

 

You still have time to Vote up until 22nd April 2014 4:30pm

YOU CAN VOTE ON LINE HERE WE WILL DELIVER THIS TO THE FORWARD PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR YOU:
http://www.friendsofspeckledwood.org.uk/consultation/

PLEASE DOWNLOAD PAPER VERSIONS HERE:

2014 Two Sided - STOP HOUSES IN SPECKLED WOOD.pdf

2014 Two Sided - STOP HOUSES IN SPECKLED WOOD.docx

The Hastings Enviromental Officer visits Speckled Wood

14th April 2014

Today this afternoon the Hastings Borough Council Environmental Officer visited Speckled Wood. He reported back to the Council that there was another sewer which was faulty .

This is the second Sewer failure in two days in Speckled Wood . The Trust Chairman stated that "this explains the failure of  the tadpoles that where laid in the stream to hatch. The PH of the water from the sewers was thought to be the reason for this failure. This thankfully only effects the lower section of the water course . "

This comes after the Trust warns of pollution from prospective new housing in Speckled Wood reaching the waterways of Alexandra Park. It is clear that the failing of these sewers make it difficult for anyone to see any viability of new houses using these Victoria  aged sewers.

The Chairman asked everyone not forget the Consultation to save Speckled Wood. Thrust have received 645 votes to remove Speckled Wood from the DMP to date. Please keep voting there is less than 8 days left. We will be in Priory Meadow on Saturday please come down and sign.

YOU CAN VOTE ON LINE HERE WE WILL DELIVER THIS TO THE FORWARD PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR YOU:
http://www.friendsofspeckledwood.org.uk/consultation/

PLEASE DOWNLOAD PAPER VERSIONS HERE:

2014 Two Sided - STOP HOUSES IN SPECKLED WOOD.pdf

2014 Two Sided - STOP HOUSES IN SPECKLED WOOD.docx