New dementia-friendly music therapy sessions which help improve the quality of life through sound and song are to be held at venues in Gedling and Mapperley.
The Heron Music Cafe is holding sessions at The Willowbrook on Main Street in Gedling and also The Bread and Bitter on Woodthorpe Drive in Mapperley.
The sessions, which are run by local music practitioners, are designed to be fun, uplifting and accessible to all.
Entry is free and refreshments are on offer at the sessions, which take place between 10.30am until 12pm.
Helen Tooth is one of the sessions organisers and said the sessions can prove beneficial to those with health conditions – like dementia.
She said: “We are using the therapeutic power of music to help improve general wellbeing and quality of life.
“Engagement in music has been shown to restore memories and stimulate cognition, stimulate physical activity, enhance communication, provide an emotional outlet along with many other benefits.
“At our sessions we have noticed positive changes in regular attendees and carers have told us of the improvements it has made to their lives. With music we are able to focus on what people with dementia CAN do, in order to promote quality of life.
“This positive approach helps to maintain identity, build self-esteem, provide meaningful active participation and promote dignity. “
She added” So if you’re feeling lonely, isolated have health conditions, or even a carer, we’d love to see you for a coffee chat and a sing.”
The Heron Music Cafe sessions will take place on the following dates:
The Willowbrook Pub: January 22, February 5, 19 and March 4 and 18.
Bread & Bitter Pub: January 15, 29; February 12, 26 and March 11 and 25th.
The Gedling Access Road only offers a short-term solution to our traffic problems, says Philip Oddie from Willow Farm Action Group…
The residents of Gedling have waited for their bypass for many years and, at last, the construction of the Gedling Access Road (GAR) has started however, should we be celebrating the fact that this long awaited road is due to be opened in 2021 and will it actually deliver the reduction in traffic within Gedling Village that we have been promised and desperately need?
The GAR planning application in 2014, identified that 12,000 vehicles per day used Arnold Lane / Main Road / Shearing Hill in Gedling however, since then the numbers have risen to over 15,000 per day, making this route one of the most heavily used roads in the region, with the section between Lambley Lane and Main Road operating over capacity.
Whilst, historically, the need to reduce the traffic levels within Gedling has been the driving force behind the plans to build this new road, the sheer scale of Gedling Borough Council’s plans to develop the area has forced a change to the primary purpose of the road, from providing a bypass to a road which unlocks land at the edge of Gedling for new housing.
PICTURED: Construction begins on new Gedling Access Road on Lambley Lane
These plans will result in 1050 new homes being built on Chase Farm and 110 on Willow Farm, with both developments having direct access to Arnold Lane / Main Road. Despite this change, Nottinghamshire County Council , as the Highways Authority, and Gedling Borough Council have continued to assure us that the GAR will provide a bypass link to the east of Gedling that will deliver a reduction in traffic through Gedling Village.
Put simply, the Borough Council’s plan for new housing is based upon a premise that the opening of the GAR will reduce the volume of traffic using the route through Gedling Village and that this will then free up the capacity to cope with the additional traffic generated by the new housing developments.
“The statements made that there will be a reduction in the traffic levels through Gedling Village, appear to be based upon half-truths which focus on the short term ‘benefits’ and ignore the longer term impact of their housing plans on our local roads.”
– Philip Oddie
Throughout the planning process, Gedling Borough Council has continued to claim that Gedling will benefit from a reduction in the level of traffic on the Arnold Lane / Main Road / Shearing Hill route.
Nottinghamshire County Council published a report last year which confirmed that, with the opening of the GAR, there will be an initial reduction in the volume of traffic through Gedling Village however, the longer term projection, which takes account of the additional traffic generated by the new housing developments, is that the level of traffic will, in fact, rise to 18350 vehicles per day by 2034, which is an increase of over 2000 above the current levels.
The amount of traffic will, of course, increase as the new homes are completed and occupied and by 2026, 506 new homes are expected to have been completed on Chase Farm and 110 on Willow Farm, with the result that the volume of traffic on the route through Gedling Village is highly likely to exceed current levels within 5 years of the opening of the GAR.
The statements made by the Borough Council that there will
be a reduction in the traffic levels through Gedling Village, appear to be
based upon half-truths which focus on the short term ‘benefits’ of the GAR to
local residents and ignore the longer term impact of their housing plans on our
local roads.
Certainly, I feel mislead and I am sorry to say that, in my opinion, the GAR offers no benefits at all for existing residents, other than a short term respite from the current traffic levels. To be clear, the responsibility for delivering the GAR rests with Nottinghamshire County Council however, the responsibility for the scale of housing developments within Gedling and the access arrangements for those developments rests with Gedling Borough Council.
It is the Borough Council’s plans that will lead directly to local residents, in the near future, suffering the misery of a level of traffic through Gedling Village which is well beyond the current level which the Highways Authority has already assessed as providing ‘neither a safe nor a pleasant environment for both local residents and drivers’.
I have detailed the concerns outlined within this article to
both Nottinghamshire County Council and Gedling Borough Council and I am
currently waiting for a response.
The bus, which is expected to arrive in the spring, was a former training vehicle and will now be transformed into a classroom.
The transport firm donated the bus following a twitter appeal from the school’s deputy head teacher Donna Quarless.
PICTURED: How the inside of the bus looks currently (IMAGE:NCT)
An NCT team visited the school before Christmas to confirm the location of the bus and engineers are now preparing the vehicle for its arrival.
NCT marketing manager Anthony Carver-Smith said: “Following a record breaking year of investment, with 77 brand new buses entering service with Nottingham City Transport in 2019, we had a small number of buses to donate to the local communities we serve.
“After one of our bendy buses was transformed in to a school library in Chilwell a couple of years ago, donating one to Coppice Farm Primary School for another exciting school project was an obvious choice, particularly as the bus was used to teach bus drivers how to drive and will now have a new life teaching young people in Arnold.”
Land will be set aside to create a new tram line to Gedling borough if a scheme to redevelop Nottingham’s historic Cattle Market gets the go ahead.
Plans revealed today show new offices, an entertainment venue, flats and even a hotel could take the place of the market in the future.
The proposed regeneration of the site is part of a wider development to the area immediately north of the River Trent – known as the Waterside.
The plans also showed that land would be set aside for a new tram line, either to the south or north of Meadow Lane, which would then head east towards Gedling borough.
But those who work in the Cattle Market have expressed their sadness, and fear it could lead to a loss of identity for the area.
The latest plans for the Cattle Market come just over a year since a devastating fire destroyed four premises and damaged a further nine.
Businesses have had to uproot where they are based, moving temporarily or permanently, with several owners saying footfall in the area has still not recovered following the fire.
The proposed future of the site is included in the council’s masterplan for the city over the next eight years, known as the Local Plan.
It’s a lengthy legal document which allocates potential uses for different areas.
It doesn’t guarantee what will be built, or that developers will get planning permission. But it means when someone does apply for permission, they are more likely to get it if their proposed building is within the category allocated.
No firm proposals have been put forward, but the city council’s move does make development more likely.
Before the Local Plan, developers could still theoretically have received planning permission to build on the Cattle Market. But the plan now makes clear what categories of building the council wants to see in future.
PICTURED: Plans for a new tram route as part of the Waterside redevelopment (IMAGE: NCC)
The Local Plan is expected to be approved by councillors on Monday, January 13.
It makes clear that any development on the site would need to be sensitive to the area and carried out with minimum disruption.
It also says: “Development proposals will be expected to have regard to the need to relocate existing businesses.”
Once the Local Plan is passed, it is likely a new Cattle Market masterplan would be put together, with views of business owners included.
On the other side of the road from the Cattle Market – on land between Meadow Lane and the river – work is already underway on the Waterside development, with new homes being built.
Dawn Lear, 42, is the company PA at Anchor Supplies, a treasure trove of military surplus, outdoor supplies and hardware in the Cattle Market.
She said: “It would be really sad. After the fire we spent a lot of time and money rebuilding, encouraging customers to come back.
“The customers have given us amazing feedback, but relocating does have a big, dramatic effect on your business.
“It would be a real shame. There are some lovely old buildings there and I’m sure they would be protected but you’re taking away the spirit of the place.
“We’ve been there for 30 years and we would like to be there for another 30 years. I’m sure a lot of our customers would like us to be there as well, not everyone wants to demolish everything and put new buildings everywhere.
“We’ve got to keep places that have character, and not many places have character like the Cattle Market.”
A new tram route to Gedling is being proposed
Susan Willcox, 64, works at the Silly Sausage, a cafe on the site.
She said: “People do like the place, it’s been here years so it would be a shame to see it go, but they’re trying to revamp the whole area, there’s a lot planned.”
“The fire has affected trade big time, because a lot of business and individuals lost their livelihood and it’s never really got right again.”
Michael Edwards is a Labour councillor for the area, and chairman of the planning committee.
He said: “The Local Plan is giving people the potential to do something. It’s about giving people options.
“Development is needed (in the Waterside area) and the kind of development proposed compared to what we used to have there with all that industry at the Waterside, it’s a reflection of how the city and the economy has changed. We want the area to be vibrant.”
“I went down on the night of the fire and it was horrible to see, and there was dismay at what had happened.”
Councillor Linda Woodings is the portfolio holder for planning and housing, and represents the Basford ward for Labour.
She said: “The Local Plan sets out the vision for what we would like to see developed and helps to guide any future planning process, but it’s important to recognise that there are no firm plans for development of the Cattle Market area.
“All councils have a statutory duty to plan ahead and allocate preferred uses for different parts of their area, taking all sorts of issues into consideration like housing needs, existing and potential transport links, environmental and economic issues and emerging developments, and the Local Plan will be considered at our full council meeting next week.
“If adopted, it would allow for the development of the Cattle Market site in due course if a developer came forward with a suitable proposal.
“Prior to any development on the site, a more-detailed master plan would be prepared, and that would be open to consultation and comment.
“Nottingham is growing and changing and plans are underway or in the pipeline which will transform areas to the east of the city and close to the river.
“It’s right that we consider what could complement those schemes, how land might be used differently to meet emerging needs and what transport links could be needed to connect new developments with the rest of the city.”
Work is now underway on constructing the Gedling Access Road (GAR) – a £40m relief route being created to ease congestion in Gedling Village.
And although the benefits to motorists are obvious, concerns have been raised over the impact the new road will have on the local landscape and also the environment, with anti-GAR campaigners saying wildlife and ecology will suffer once construction begins.
But VIA East Midlands and Nottinghamshire County Council, who are responsible for the new relief road, have stated that this isn’t the case and recently shared more details on how the scheme could benefit wildlife and the environment.
Landscape
Nottinghamshire County Council has said that to construct the GAR, 4.16 hectares of woodland needs to be removed, however the landscape design includes for the planting of 5.84 hectrates of new woodland. This represents a 40% increase in woodland area.
They said: “The aim of the landscape scheme for the GAR is to integrate the new road into the surrounding countryside and reduce the visual impact for local residents, users of public rights of way and the paths within Gedling Country Park. The landscape treatments also aim to mitigate ecological impacts and maintain biodiversity.
“The majority of the proposed planting is native species, in keeping with the Mid Nottinghamshire Farmlands local landscape character and includes tree planting, woodland, wet woodland, woodland edge planting and hedgerow planting. Grass seeding includes species rich mixes and a wetland grass mix to the balancing ponds.
They added: “Native aquatic/marginal planting will also be carried out to the balancing ponds to help improve biodiversity.”
A JCB begins work clearing land for the Gedling Access Road next to Lambley Lane (PICTURE: Gedling Eye)
Ecology
The council has stated that the Gedling Access Road scheme includes ‘a substantial programme of ecology mitigation measures and habitat enhancement’.
Badgers
The council said that ‘the design includes badger fencing to prevent encroachment onto the new road’.
They also plan to construct badger tunnels along the route, which have been designed on the alignment of known badger commuting / foraging routes.
The council said they hope ‘complimentary landscaping’ will encourage the use of the tunnels and that the system of road lighting ‘has been designed to prevent the entrance to the tunnels being in areas of higher light intensity’.
Tunnels will be built for badgers
Bats
The council said: “Swarming sites at the tunnel entrance and the pepperpots have been retained and protected by the design, which will involve the construction of a 7m high retaining wall around the pepperpot.
They also revealed that a new bat house featuring loose waney edge timber cladding, mortar gaps, wall slots, bat access bricks, cavity wall boxes, and gaps in the mortar ridge, has been constructed at Glebe Farm ‘to mitigate for the loss of a maternity roost in the demolished farm buildings’.
They added: “‘Bat hop overs’ will be planted to minimise disruption to commuting and foraging routes. This will be achieved by planting taller and denser trees up to the road verge. The ‘hop overs’ will be planted between the road lighting columns, to take advantage of the lower light intensity.”
Amphibians
The council has revealed that the Gedling Access Road design includes amphibian tunnels to allow amphibians to safely commute beneath the four arms of the roundabout between the two settling lagoons located within the proposed Gedling Country Park and to the south of GAR from the new waterbody east of the new lagoons.
The also claim landscape proposals include ‘increased scrub planting to the south of the Gedling Country Park lagoons for frogs and toads to overwinter’.
They also said that amphibian and reptile refugia such as log piles and chipping piles will also be included in the landscape scheme design.
Butterflies
The council has said that 100mm of soil which includes seeds that form Birds Foot Trefoil (an important Butterfly larval food plant) will be scraped off during construction and translocated to three receptor sites within the Country Park.
In addition to this, an area of Open Mosaic Habitat will be created adjacent the 4-arm roundabout and seeded with a flowering lawn seed mixture containing Birds Foot Trefoil.
Inspector Chris Pearson heads up the Local Neighbourhood Policing Team which covers Gedling borough. Here he provides an update on policing activities that took place during December…
New recruits…
A number of new officers have joined our Response teams and the Neighbourhood Policing team which has been made possible by recruitment across the force. I am really looking forward to welcoming more officers and staff to Gedling as we move into 2020. I’m also looking forward to the start of a new proactive team in the Gedling area. An additional team will be set up early in the New Year with a view to supporting the Neighbourhood Policing team in tackling our priorities. This is a fantastic opportunity for the area and I’ll share more details as I get them.
Focus on priorities continues…
The team has continued to focus on our priorities of burglary, autocrime and anti-social behaviour.
Positively officers responded to a report of a commercial burglary on Victoria Road, Netherfield on December 22. Two males have since been arrested for this offence and charged. Michael WILSON (44 years) and John WILSON (36 years) have both appeared at Court in relation to the offence and this will be dealt with at Crown Court next year.
Officers also responded to a report of a burglary at Tesco Express on Carlton Hill on Christmas day. Following some excellent work by officers from across the area a male was arrested in connection with this burglary. A builders sack, crow bar and sledge hammer were recovered after a van was stopped by officers. A 56-year-old male was arrested and the investigation is very much ongoing.
In terms of residential burglaries, officers from our Response and Neighbourhood teams have continued to patrol hotspot areas supported by officers from headquarters. Hotspot locations in Gedling North are Bestwood Village, Linby, Ravenshead and Calverton with offenders damaging doors locks or forcing doors to gain entry to properties during the daytime. The County burglary team are investigating these offences and two arrests have been made in what is a wider Burglary investigation. The good news is that a 16 year old male and an 18 year old man have been charged with a number of burglaries.
Burglary hotspots are being targeted by local police teams
Carlton and Netherfield are hotspot locations in Gedling South with 3 x offences having taken place with offenders gaining entry by forcing doors or windows.
In other positive news Garry HASTINGS (22 years) has been charged with a distraction burglary on Castleton Avenue in Arnold back in November last year. HASTINGS will appear at Nottingham Crown Court next year. This was a really good investigation with PC James Hague from the Gedling neighbourhood team supporting the victim through what was a very distressing incident. Officers from the burglary team lead the investigation resulting in HASTINGS arrest. This is another excellent bit of work and clearly shows our commitment to tackling burglary across Gedling.
Over the next month officers will be visiting hotspot areas to speak with residents and offer further crime prevention advice. We are working closely with our partners to tackle burglary and this will remain a top priority for us moving into 2020.
Autocrime this year continues to be positive with 113 less victims and throughout December ASB numbers have remained fairly static on numbers reported this time last year.
Our policing priorities will be refreshed in early January 2020 in our next priority setting meeting taking place. This process enables priorities to be set based on a number of sources of data such as crime data, survey feedback and feedback from local councillors.
Drugs warrants…
VIDEO: Police execute drugs warrant in Netherfield
Officers executed a drugs warrant on Baker Avenue, Arnold on 6th December 6, 2019. This resulted in four males being arrested for drugs supply offences with suspected class A drugs, phones and scales recovered. The investigation is still ongoing but I wanted to be clear that we are listening to community concerns and will wherever possible act on these concerns.
This work was then followed by a further drugs warrant carried out in Netherfield with a cannabis grow seized. A male was interviewed by officers in relation to the matter and positive action is now being taken together with housing partners.
Community visits…
I also had the pleasure of visiting the Syrian Community in Arnold on December 10. I had chance to meet and talk to the some of the local Syrian Community and PCSO Olivia Charlton-King spoke with visitors about policing in Arnold. This was an excellent event organised by colleagues from Gedling Borough Council and Syrian Community Leaders.
In the last couple of months I’ve also met with Calverton, Woodborough and Lambley parish councils to give updates on policing across Gedling. I will be visiting other Parish councils across the Gedling area in the New Year.
Early next year we intend to publish our engagement calendar for the next quarter. All of these events will be advertised through our social media and details will be shared through other channels such as the Parish Councils.
Road safety
Our work around road safety has continued with PCSO Trev Parkinson and PCSO Behram Antia conducting more Community Road Safety events. Work has continued in the Lambley area following community feedback with volunteers working together with the police in order to deter speeding offences through the village. We are continuing to expand this scheme and activity is planned for other areas such as Ravenshead in the New Year.
A team from popular TV paranormal show Help! My House is Haunted (HMHIH) recently paid a visit to the borough to investigate some ghostly goings-on and producers have now announced when viewers can see what they captured on camera.
The series, which is shown on Really TV, features British ghost hunter and paranormal consultant Barri Ghai, American medium and paranormal expert Chris Fleming and paranormal researcher Jayne Harris.
The team recently visited locations in Gedling and Calverton after receiving reports of ghostly activity at properties in the villages.
Both editions of the show will now air on the Really tv channel during January.
A spokesman for Back2Back productions, who make the show, said: “In episode 10, two Gedling residents, Lizzie and Geoff, who moved into their house last year, could not believe their luck finding such a spacious home.
“Immediately strange things started happening: three pairs of glasses smashed on a carpeted floor, objects fell out of cupboards at night, a young relative said she saw a monster, and footsteps are heard when the rest of the house is empty.
The Help! My House is Haunted team recently visited Calverton to investigate ghostly goings-on
“Daughter Stephanie did a bit of online research about the property and discovered that Victorian cricketing legend Arthur Shrewsbury shot himself in the guest bedroom while visiting his sister. Is Arthur there hoping to cross over? The team investigate.
They added: “Being the most haunted county in the country, the investigative trio also visit Calverton in the series finale. The village is alive with paranormal activity, from the half body ghost seen by drivers on St George’s Lane, to the apparitions in Witches’ Wood, to the many spirits in the local pub.
“The team attempt a HMHIH first as they carry out a multiple location investigation both indoors and out, to provide evidence of Calverton’s ghostly residents and to offer them and the current village dwellers some peace.”
The shows will be broadcast on the following dates and times:
Episode 10: Gedling – Thursday, January 16 at 10 pm
Episode 12: Calverton – Thursday, January 30 at 10 pm.
The green light to begin construction work was given after the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership approved its share of funding for the project.
D2N2 will contribute £10.8m from its Local Growth Fund allocation towards the construction of the new road. D2N2 is funding the project in line with its remit to support economic growth across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to create a more productive, sustainable, and inclusive region.
The partnership said the investment in the new access road will result in unlocking significant new jobs and homes for the area whilst creating a more sustainable and reliable transport infrastructure for Gedling borough and the surrounding area.
PICTURED: A visualisation of the new Gedling Access Road
The £10.8m contribution from D2N2 is part of an overall package of funding which includes £17m from Keepmoat Homes, £5.4m from Nottinghamshire County Council, and £7.1m from the Home & Community Agency totalling over £40m.
D2N2 Chair Elizabeth Fagan said: “The construction of the Gedling Access Road is a huge opportunity for unlocking new housing and employment for Gedling.”
“High quality and reliable infrastructure is critical to giving businesses the confidence to invest in our area and therefore create further opportunities for the whole region to enjoy.”
Minister for Local Growth Rt Hon Jake Berry MP said: “We are committed to boosting economic growth across the Midlands Engine and levelling up every place in the country.”
“Thanks to £10.8 million of Government investment from our Local Growth Fund, people across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire will benefit from a modern, sustainable transport network with faster, less congested roads and increased accessibility with improved cycleways and footpaths. Our ambition is to build on these investments and unleash the economic potential of the region by supporting job creation, building new homes, and boosting clean growth.”
Councillor John Cottee, Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Communities and Place Committee, said: “We are delighted to mark the start of a new decade with the Gedling Access Road construction.”
“This is just one of our commitments to new highways projects and we will continue to work closely with our partner agencies throughout the construction period to ensure that the project delivers benefits to the local community and the county as a whole.”
Two former teachers will be swapping the classroom for cake-baking when they open their new vintage tea room in Burton Joyce tomorrow (Tuesday, 7).
Sue Price and Karen Chetwin have teamed up with friend Helen Grainger to open the Willow Tree Tea Room on Main Street and are now hoping to make the grade with their food and drink offering.
Karen, Sue and Helen have already given the premises, which used to house the Bluebird Cafe, the full vintage makeover despite only moving into the property a week ago.
They are now hoping their new venture takes off after taking the risky decision to leave the teaching profession and follow their dream.
Karen said: “We’d had enough of teaching as we’d been doing it for some time. We knew Sue was a really good cook and talked for quite a while about doing something different together, so when this place came on the market we thought it would be ideal for what we wanted to do.”
As well as serving the traditional tea and coffee, the Willow Tree also has an extensive menu catering for all tastes, including vegans and those looking for gluten-free foods.
PICTURED: Inside the Willow Tree tea room in Burton Joyce (IMAGE: Gedling Eye)PICTURED: The exterior of the new tea rooms (IMAGE: Gedling Eye)
Karen said: “Sue’s a committed vegan, so we decided to put vegan food on the menu and offer something different. There are a few cafes around here, but we really feel we are now offering something at the Willow Tree that no-one else is doing.”
The business also aims to be eco-friendly, and the owners are putting measures in place to ensure the venue has a healthy carbon footprint.
Karen said: “As well as teachers, Sue and I were also biologists, so we are really keen to remain green.
“The tea rooms will avoid using single-use plastics and recycle as much as possible. We’ll also only use local produce in a bid to reduce food miles.
“Our eggs are free range and all meat is sourced from local suppliers that ensure higher welfare. We also grow all the vegetables we use ourselves.”
An open day was held over the weekend to give the local community a chance to sample what will be on offer when the tea room opens this week.
“Karen said: “The open day went really well. We had 12 staff on during the event and had customers queuing out of the door. There was a lovely feel to the place and we are really delighted that so many people came out from around the community to support us.
The Willow Tree tea shop opens it’s doors from tomorrow and will then be open Tuesday-Saturday between 9am and 5pm.
These items were stolen on December 20, 2019 between 7.40-8.30pm.
PICTURED: A necklace stole from the property (IMAGE: Notts Police)PICTURED: A ring stolen from the property in Mapperley (IMAGE: Notts Police)PICTURED: Jewellery stolen from the property (IMAGE: Notts Police)PICTURED: A necklace stolen from the property (IMAGE: Notts Police)
The items include two diamond line bracelets commonly known as tennis bracelets, one diamond bangle, a Chanel pearl necklace and matching bracelet, a diamond tear drop shape necklace and a matching ring, double row diamond ring containing 10 diamonds, further diamond eternity ring, silver links of London bubble bracelet.
Officers are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen a black Vauxhall 4×4 vehicle, with a registration plate containing the number ’17’, which we believe may have been used in the incident as a getaway car.
A police spokesman said: “If you recognise any of the stolen items, if you have been offered any of them for sale or if you have any information that would help with our investigation, please call us.”
You can contact Nottinghamshire Police by calling 1010, quoting incident number 908 of 20 December 2019.
