Minutes of the Meeting of THE FRIENDS OF NUTSFORD VALE
1/11/2017 at the Blue Bell InN

ATTENDEES:
Rita Edge, Barrie Edge, Danny Heathcote, Mavis Holt, Stephen Cree, Bernie Cree, Cllr. B. Stone, Finola McGrath, Alan Gibson, Gloria Gaffney, Donald Lee, Mark Lucas, Ally Fogg, John Prunty, Christine Prunty, Maureen Riding, Pauline Sergeant, Laura Collier.

APOLOGIES:
Cllr. Peter Cookson, Marie     , Claire James, Bruce James

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION:

MATTERS ARISING FROM LAST MEETING:
None

MAIN MEETING:

1.  Rita asked Cllr. Stone if there was any feedback from the meeting we had at the Town Hall on Monday 23rd October, 2017 with Cllr. Rahman. There had been no response to the questions we had put to him and he was supposed to be answering at least the first three by November 1st so he is being his usual non-cooperative self.  Cllr. Rahman at the Scruitiny meeting reckoned he had replied to every one of our emails but as of yet none of us has received them.
2.  Ally still has not had the Consultation Forms as a result of his Freedom of Information.  Amanda Corcoran had said she would chase up the Freedom of Information at the Scruitiny Meeting and we were promised the Forms at the meeting on the 23rd.  Ally said he did not think anyone was conspiring against us but that they could just not be bothered to do their jobs.  Ally said we needed them by next week so we could analyise them and add the feedback into the planning objection.
3.  The Halloween Event which we held on Saturday, 28th October 2017 was a great success.  Everyone who attended had a really good time although the weather was attrocious and did put some people off coming.  We later retired to the Blue Bell Inn where everyone got drunk and Mark Dunne dressed as a Zombie!!
4.  Ally has organized 5000 leaflets to be delivered door to door, to shops, libraries, Inspire, doctors etc.  They were printed by an online next day delivery company and cost £54.  He has collected donations from everyone, although Danny did offer to pay for them, to off set the price.  Everyone has agreed to deliver some leaflets in their areas and Steve has coordinated this.  Ally stressess that they need to be delivered as soon as possible as after next week the planning period will end and they will be of no use to us. We just need to get the word out to write a letter of objection to planning to everyone in the area. The deadline for Planning Objections is 13th November, 2017.  Get writing today!!
5.  When Rita and Barrie met Rosa Battle and Amanda Corcoran some time ago they were assured that for every tree they removed on the Vale three more would be planted.  We would have to have about 10500 replanted and there is not enough room for this.  Continental Landscapes were on the Vale on Tuesday afternoon and they have mowed a path through Red Rose Forest that is large enough for a van to drive through.  The path was always kept deliberately narrow because there is a pond with frogs that has to be protected.  Cllr. Stone said he would look into this and have a look on Thursday.  Barrie had contacted the Council about this but had had no reply.  A large path has also been made behind the trees on Matthews Lane and there did not seem any reason for this but access.
6.  On the Planning Application the air quality figures do not match anything near what Friends of the Earth produced in July.  The Council and Environmental Agency use averages over the entire year and they would probably throw out the F.O.E. figures as it was just a two week snapshot.  Alan asked if it was worth F.O.E do another reading.  Barrie said the report says that the air quality is likely to below the levels but what will it be when thousands of mature trees are destroyed!!
7.  Another strange thing that happened this week was that all of the information about Friends of Nutsford Vale's stance regarding the build had been removed from the lecturn at Bickerdike Avenue.  The only information left was the information about fly tipping.  The lecturn was still locked and the Halloween Poster had been laid across the front.  Only Rita, Barrie and Danny have keys.  In all the years the lecturn has existed nobody has touched it, someone must have a key.
8.  Mark commented on the notification notice that has been tied to a tree with string on the Vale.  It is on an unlaminated A4 sheet.  Cllr. Stone said by law they had to advertise it on site, in newspapers and by letter.  It was debated when people had received the letter and it went from ten days ago to Wednesday morning.
9. Gloria had contacted the Ramblers association.  She said it was important to use COUNTRY PARK in the objection letter.  The Vale was designated as a COUNTRY PARK.  The Ramblers were going to object and she said to contact Andrew Bennett, an ex MP, who was once Minister of the Environment and was president of the Ramblers Association's Central Office.  He worked with Sir Gerald Kaufman.  Gloria said to get in touch with Lucy Powell MP but she did not think we would get anywhere with her but Steve had already been in touch with her but she is not our MP so cannot help.  We should all write to Afzal Khan MP.
The new president of the Ramblers Association is Stewart McConny.  He is very high profile and always on the radio, has written dozens of books and is a fantastic speaker.  He is aware of our situation and well worth contacting.
Gloria asked about our councillors and we said our three plus Cllr. Suzanne Richards are all supporters and will each be putting in an objection to the build.  She said our councillors can lobby other councillors.  Nutsford Vale will remain in Gorton South Ward until May and then it will come under Longsight Ward.  Rita asked Cllr. Stone if he could lobby Cllr. Rahman but he has been doing this for the past nine months!!
Gloria belongs to the Greater Manchester Pedestrians and the route will become a danger.  There are to be two car parks with inward and outward access.  Heavy vehicles and vans will be going in and out of the school delivering products and taking away refuse.  This is a danger that has never been here before and will prove hazardous to pedestrians apart from the fumes from idling buses offloading pupils.
We are to lose 4-5 lengths of footpaths.  Gloria has spoken to the Peak and Northern footpath society.  They are only interested after it has gone through planning and they are contacted to say these footpaths will be lost but she says that this is too late when they are then trying to salvage something.
10. It was mentioned about the land that is privately owned which will now have housing built on ie Mellands Playing Field.  Ally said if housing developers can find private land for houses why can't the Council find private land for a school.  Alan said that there were no neighbourhood plans for Gorton and that the Council seemed to do what they liked.  It was suggested that part of Mellands could be used as the playing field for the school but it was pointed out that when Cedar Mount was sited at the top of Matthews Lane the Council would not let them cross Mount Road to go to the field as it was too dangerous and a bridge would be too expensive.  Alan said there were walking buses in Cheshire.
11. Pauline wanted to ask Bernard who owned the property opposite Dean Trust School on Stockport Road.  It was privately owned  and there is going to be a development there.  
12. Gloria mentioned the National Guidance and National Planning Framework which are government policies for England and how they are expected to be applied.  They want social interaction and to create healthy communities.  They recognise the importance of green infrastructure.
The local development plan recognises the safeguarding of open spaces and recreation.  It wants biodiversity and positive neighbourhood contributions. 
Manchester has a ten year plan 2015-2025.  Investment  in green infrastructure ceates a successful city.  The vision of high quality and well maintained green and blue spaces by 2025 will be an integral part of all neighbourhoods.  The cities communities will be living healthy fullfilled lives enjoying access to parks and safe green spaces for walking, cycling and exercise.  The blue part of this project is water.
13.  Cllr. Stone advised that when writing your letter to planning make it personal and about what the loss of amenity means to you directly.  Write about the traffic, the air quality and the loss of the green space.  He mentions the green corridor.  The school build will tower above the Vale and also tower above the houses on Hemmonds Road etc.  Get all your family and friends to write a letter however small.  Some were uncertain whether their email letter had reached Planning but as long as they email back your objection has been made.  We can write as individuals and Ally is organizing one from the Friends of group who have a very large objection and this will be sent either from the Chair or Secretary.  They are not particulary interested in toxic waste.  Use your own language and circumstance.  Don't do a bog standard letter for people to sign they dont read these.  If there is a problem with a loophole in planning they just change it.  Mavis said it was the loss of trees that concerned her and that it was happening in Sheffield and seemed like a National habit for Councils to do this.  This is also a loss of amenity, a health issue especially with how trees combat traffic fumes.
14. It was felt that we needed a meeting next Wednesday, 8th November, 2017 as after 13th November, 2017 nothing else could be acheived.
15.  Barrie had objected to two documents on the Planning Application being put through the committee wrongly stating Nov and Dec 2017.  Barrie thought they would invalid the document but they just added an extra one.

A.O.B.
Shopping bags see Claire
T Shirts see Bernie

 Next Scheduled Meeting:                           8th November, 2017 @
                                                                          The Blue Bell in @ 6.30p.m.