Street Wise?

This Blog has moved

2005-06-15T11:36:00.000+01:00

I have moved this StreetWise? blog to http://streetwise.blogware.com/blog. You will be able to read all the posts from this site, plus new ones, at the new address.

The chief advantage of the new site is that articles and pictures are grouped under topics, so making it easier to read all the articles on, say, Music and the Arts, or Picturesque Street, or Planning Issues.

This site will remain for the time being.

Please note that the only comments to this post are spam. Ignore them!

The local paper comments on the shootings

2005-06-03T07:36:00.000+01:00

See the Editorial in the Central Somerset Gazette.

A very small picture of the front page is here.

The main news item is here.

The print edition contains a lot more.

2005-06-02T23:10:00.000+01:00

You paint my face and I'll paint yours. Children's Fest fun - though it looks quite a serious business.

2005-06-02T23:09:00.000+01:00

Children's Fest - Wednesday. Today the theme was Sudan.

2005-06-02T20:48:00.000+01:00

Is this a layer of blue lias? It is the site of a new house being built in Somerton Road.

Any Andrews out there who can help a US cousin?

2005-06-01T09:36:00.000+01:00

e-mail received today at the Street Society:

My name is Robert Joseph Andrews, Jr. and I live in Westerville, Ohio, USA.

My Great-great-grandfather was Samuel Andrews 1808 - 1875.

Samuel was a foreman at the Clark Shoe Company and his wife was Sarah Moll.

The house where they lived was known as \"Stone Hill\".

One of their sons, Joseph, was my Great-grandfather.

He also worked at Clark Shoe. His wife was Emma Leah Grover.

They emigrated to America in 1875.

My Grandfather, Albert was five years old at the time and settled in Bellevue, Ohio.

I am trying to complete my family tree. Is there still members of the Andrews family in Street? Is it possible access an online family tree?

Thank you,

Robert

2005-06-01T00:19:00.000+01:00

The Grange looks good through the trees.

2005-06-01T00:18:00.000+01:00

The new walls being built in Clarks Village are using local lias.

2005-06-01T00:17:00.001+01:00

Street gardens - multum in parvo (much in a little space)

2005-06-01T00:17:00.000+01:00

Street gardens - minimalist style

Police latest

2005-05-31T23:18:00.000+01:00

updateUpdate - Tuesday, 31 May 2005 13:50

A 20-year-old man from Coxley near Wells was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but has now been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Enquiries into the incident are now ongoing.

Police would like to thank the local community for their co-operation throughout the early stages of this incident.

A 20-year-old man from the Street area has now been released from hospital while another man, also believed to be aged 20 from the Street area, remains at the Bristol Royal Infirmary recovering from his injuries.

Western Daily Press on the shooting

2005-05-30T17:07:00.000+01:00

Today's Western Daily Press has a rather different slant on the dead man, Gary Stone. As opposed to The Sun, the WDP says that he was "a previously hard-working, well-behaved young man who was consumed and altered by a passion for alcohol and violence."

The fullest account, including a statement from the Stone family, is here.

The BBC TV local news says that Daniel Barker has now been allowed home from hospital.

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: flying a kite

2005-05-30T16:30:00.000+01:00

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: flying the kite she has made.

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: kites 2

2005-05-30T16:29:00.001+01:00

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: making kites stage 2

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: kites 1

2005-05-30T16:29:00.000+01:00

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: making kites, stage 1

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: Children's gathering

2005-05-30T16:28:00.001+01:00

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: Gathering to hear about the next activity.

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: Staff uniform

2005-05-30T16:28:00.000+01:00

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: Staff uniform. Helpers this year are wearing easily recognisable teashirts.

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: origami birds

2005-05-30T16:27:00.000+01:00

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: origami birds

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: fish

2005-05-30T16:26:00.000+01:00

ChildrensFest Japanese Day: fish.

A three-day children's event in Street Parish Church began today, as the climax to TrinityFest 2005 or TF2. Eighty children pre-registered for the festival, which is 'visiting' three different countries on the three mornings.

From The Scotsman

2005-05-30T09:18:00.000+01:00

This account inspires more confidence than The Sun's. It also gives reactions of eyewitnesses.

3:51pm (UK)
Gunman Named by Villagers

By David Hughes, PA

A gunman who shot two people before turning the gun on himself was today named by residents of the village where he carried out the attack.

The man, named locally as 20-year-old Gary Stone, brought terror to Street, Somerset, with the shotgun attack.

His victims, Luke Simmonds, 21 and builder Daniel Barker, 20, were shot on the village High Street at 10.30pm on Friday night.

Mr Barker staggered into the nearby Street Inn pub, where drinkers gave him first aid.

Mr Simmonds, who was hit in the chest, collapsed in the street outside.

An hour later Stone's body was found several miles away at Croscombe together with a shotgun. Police said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with his death.

Nobody would talk about the shootings at Stone's family home in Launcherley, near Wells.

A woman who answered the door said: "The family has got no comment to make."

A 20-year-old man arrested in connection with the shootings in Street has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

The two injured men are being treated for gunshot wounds at Yeovil District Hospital.

Mr Barker's father Kevin said: "He is in a lot of pain but he was a bit fortunate because he was turning away and the shotgun blast hit him in the side. He is now in a stable condition.

"He works as a builder and is a fit young lad. A lot of his friends have been to the hospital to see him."

He said both his son and Mr Simmonds were over the worst of their injuries.

Eye-witness Luke Peters, 20, said he believed the shootings on Street High Street were a "random attack".

He said he recognised Stone as the man with the shotgun.

Mr Peters was walking down the High Street and saw Mr Barker talking to a friend and Mr Simmonds talking to a man in a car.

Landscape gardener Mr Peters said: "I think we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I was in a daze, I was thinking he was firing blanks. You don’t expect someone to have a gun in Street."

When the shooting started, Mr Peters said he hid in a hedge until he heard a car wheel-spin away from the scene.

Superintendent Peter Kelk from Avon and Somerset Police said officers were trying to establish the relationship between the injured men, the dead man and the man they had arrested, who are all local.

He said police believed this was an isolated incident and they were examining a "complex series of events" that led up to the shootings.

He said: "We would like to reassure residents and emphasise how peaceful an area this is. This is very unusual for rural Somerset."

The double shooting happened at about the time pubs were beginning to shut.

Mr Kelk said: "It was quite busy that time of night on the High Street, it was potentially a very dangerous situation."

Kevin Strange, 54, whose son runs the Street Inn, said: "It was all a bit of a shock. One man who was shot in the shoulder came into the pub and was helped by an off-duty nurse. We locked all the doors to keep the gunman out.

"It’s such a quiet little village you don't expect anything like this to happen at all. It was very lucky the nurse was in the pub."

The Sun on the shootings

2005-05-30T09:07:00.000+01:00

Contrasting with the police site's restraint, The Sun has all the details of Friday night's shootings, with photos of the dead man and one of the wounded.

By JOHN COLES

MANIAC Gary Stone, who shot two men in a quiet village, walked down the street bare-chested brandishing his double-barrelled shotgun and screaming: "Who wants to be f***ing next?"

Farm hand Stone, 20, opened fire at Daniel Barker and Luke Simmonds in front of scores of stunned drinkers outside a busy pub.

He was found dead a few miles away after turning his weapon on himself.

Stone, described as a "troublemaker who loved his gun," was drinking heavily before his Friday night rampage.

It is believed he had appeared in court on an assault charge earlier in the day and was looking for the men he was accused of attacking.

Stone confronted Luke, 21, and Daniel, 20, in the village of Street, Somerset.

He blasted removals man Luke in the chest before shooting builder Daniel in the shoulder.

Daniel staggered into the pub where drinkers gave him first aid.

Chip shop owner Mary Ryan, said: "I saw a young, bare-chested lad walking down the road swinging a 12-bore shotgun around and shouting, 'who wants to be f***ing next?'"

Luke was last night in a serious but stable condition in Yeovil District Hospital where Daniel was said to be stable.

Luke's mum Susan last night said her son was "in the wrong place at the wrong time".

She said: "All he can remember is looking round and seeing the gunman point a gun. It all seemed random.

"He didn't know him and he doesn't know why he was shot."

Daniel's dad Kevin said: "He was a bit fortunate because he was turning away and the shotgun blast hit him in the side."

Stone's body was found an hour after the shootings on the A371 at Croscombe. His shotgun was by his side.

A woman who yesterday answered the door at his family home in Launcherley, near Wells, said she had no comment.

Police update on the shootings

2005-05-29T23:27:00.000+01:00

This is from the police web site:

Update - Sunday, 29 May 2005 8:36

The man arrested during the firearms incident in Street, on the 27th May was released on Police bail, late last night, pending further enquiries.

Gossip and speculation add the suggestion that the wounded men had given evidence against the person who shot them and then, allegedly, killed himself. We really shall have to await a fuller report in local and regional papers.

Feeding the Multitude

2005-05-29T20:55:00.000+01:00

Feeding (some of) the multitude. Most of them were busy at the buffet indoors.

Expert chefs

2005-05-29T20:54:00.000+01:00

Some of the expert group of barbecue chefs outside the Rectory.

The target

2005-05-29T20:53:00.000+01:00

It's an inner - just!

Teaching by example

2005-05-29T20:52:00.000+01:00

David Collins pulls an imaginary full-size bow as he teaches a young archer at the barbecue.

The Big Fish

2005-05-29T20:50:00.000+01:00

A beautifully barbecued salmon is unwrapped and put on the dish to feed the hungry crowd. Adrian and Sarah MacConnaughie are chief fish chefs.

Bowmen of England

2005-05-29T20:49:00.000+01:00

Bowmen of England: After the TrinityFest Songs of Praise and Barbecue some younger church members tried their hand at archery under the expert eye of David Collins.

I remember when this was green fields ... (5)

2005-05-29T16:54:00.002+01:00

When the Houndwood development has taken place, and four million houses (or however many it is) are built on the site, it may be interesting to look back at the time before building began.

2005-05-29T16:54:00.001+01:00

I remember when this was green fields ... (4)

2005-05-29T16:54:00.000+01:00

I remember when this was green fields ... (3)

2005-05-29T16:53:00.001+01:00

I remember when this was green fields ... (2)

2005-05-29T16:53:00.000+01:00

I remember when this was green fields ... (1)

2005-05-29T16:52:00.000+01:00

Fish and chips and honeysuckle

This sort of thing does not happen in Street

2005-05-28T12:11:00.000+01:00

Newspapers as far away as Australia have been reporting the shootings in our village. It is numbing news. I choose to reproduce the official police announcements.

Firearms incident (Street)

Update to incident

updateUpdate - Saturday, 28 May 2005 11:41
We can confirm a 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and is currently being questioned at Yeovil Police Station. This is in connection with the incident in Street in which two men were shot.

One of the men is currently in a serious but stable condition, the other is in a stable condition at Yeovil District Hospital.

In connection with the death on the A371, a firearm was recovered at the scene and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.

Police would like to reassure the public that this is believed to be an isolated incident and they are not looking for anyone else with this enquiry.

Anyone who has any information is asked to contact the incident room on 0845 4567000.

Man arrested

updateUpdate - Saturday, 28 May 2005 2:23
Officers have arrested a man in connection with this incident he is currently at Yeovil Police Station.

Two men are currently at Yeovil District Hospital with serious injuries.

Police are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.

Firearms incident (Street)

addedAdded - Saturday, 28 May 2005 1:31
Police were called to reports of a number of shots being fired in Street High Street at about 10.40pm on May 27.

Officers attended and found two people injured, these people have been taken to Yeovil District Hospital but details of their injuries is not yet known.

A number of roads in Street have been closed off while enquiries continue.

At 11.45pm police were notified by the ambulance service that there was a deceased male on the A371 with gun shot wounds. This is currently being linked to the incident in Street and this area is also closed off.

This is very early stages of this enquiry and it may take some time to establish exactly what has happened.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact Yeovil CID on 0845 4567000.

Anyone who can help should contact us through our secure Crimestoppers contact form >

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
You do not have to give your name and you could receive a reward.

Was that the blue lias layer?

2005-05-28T09:33:00.000+01:00

I kick myself that, having taken a few photos of the excavations for the new house in Somerton Road, I cannot find my camera. Now the foundations are going in, and the chance is lost.

The point is this: there was a layer of darker material in the soil, about 6 feet below the previous surface and just above the level of Somerton Road. Can someone tell me - was that a layer of Street's famous blue lias? It was not thick. I can think only in feet and inches, really, and I'd say it was about 9 inches thick.

'Haystack'

2005-05-26T23:48:00.002+01:00

Singers and musicians from Crispin School, under the name 'Haystack', entertained the audience at the Inauguration.

Avalon and Brookside pupils

2005-05-26T23:48:00.001+01:00

Avalon and Brookside pupils spoke, signed and sang at the Council Chairman's Inauguration.

David Pipes hands over to Nina Fry

2005-05-26T23:48:00.000+01:00

This evening I turned up to the Inauguration of the new Parish Council Chairman, Nina Fry. It was held in Strode Theatre, and well attended, with a number of chains of office to be seen around the necks of mayors and chairmen of other towns and cities. Respresentatives of various organisations were there, some uniformed; and Ann Webb was there as Chairman of the Street Society.

David Tichener was compere, and, with his experience in pantomime, certainly gave the proceedings a light-hearted feel. He introduced and commented on a Power Point show of photos of Street. The commentary was notable for many gibes against Clarks, which caused a little uneasiness. I guess the members of the Clark family who were present are used to this sort of thing.

Schools provided the entertainment, or should I say 'infotainment'. Children from Avalon and Brookside Schools gave us some of the presentation the whole schools gave in a marquee set up between the two schools in March. The children spoke up very well - I could hear it all clearly - as they told of the growing friendships between the Special School and the lowest forms of the Mainstream School. We were told that an application has gone in to the government for £6 1/2 million to amalgamate the schools. The children sang a song written for them by Charlie from Children's World, the organisation which has been working very closely with the schools on preparing for the amalgamation. The photo is poor, taken from a distance in the dark with many heads in the way, but it is better 'n nowt.

Then it was Crispin's turn. I was thrilled to recognise some of the musicians, Fran the Head Girl, Peter on violin, and others. It was interesting, having heard Fran sing Purcell songs and Peter play a Vivaldi concerto, to hear them among their peers, singing and playing a very different sort of music - with equal expertise. The high point for me was the choir, all girls, singing Gospel music. It was wonderful to hear these words of faith coming from the lively group. I have put a photo of them, and of the group that calls itself Haystack, on this blog.

David Tichener read out the names of all the Council Chairmen since its beginning in 1970, and most of them, in person or through representatives, were presented with a medal. David Pipes briefly reviewed his year in office, picking out for special mention a new relationship between the Council and the Chamber of Commerce, and the Council web site, and ending with the suggestion that Street let go its historic designation of 'village' and allow itself to be a town alongside Frome, Shepton, Glastonbury and Wells.

Then came the formal handing over of the chain of office to Nina Fry, who made what she said was her first ever public speech. You would not have known it. She mentioned things to be done, including a skateboard park and a Heritage Trail.

Revd Ian Shadwick, Baptist Pastor, led in prayer for all in authority, including the Council and Nina its Chairman.

Nina (I think it was) said she had been to the Wells Mayor-making ceremony, which went without a hitch; but they had, she pointed out, had 600 years' practice. What improvements can be made next year in Street? There certainly should be a repeat ceremony next year - now that it has begun, it seems amazing that it didn't happen before.

Perhaps visiting mayors and chairmen could be welcomed by name and given a round of applause. The slide show: it was fine that the first one should be very general, but subsequent shows, films or whatever should be more focussed on some current topic, like changes in the look of Street over the past 12 months. I do wonder whether the opening should be a bit formal - the jokes and light-heartedness would be even more effective by contrast. Everyone who speaks must remember that there are outsiders present, and use people's full names. They would not have known the new Chairman's surname if it had not been printed on the programme. And in-jokes and local references should be explained. Should someone write a form of words to be used at the handing over of the chain of office? The US President takes some sort of oath; would something very different but with the same intent be appropriate here? It was great that one of the ministers was asked to pray for the coming year. Keep that bit!

Anyway, it was a good evening. Goodnight!

Girls from Crispin Choir

2005-05-26T23:45:00.000+01:00

Crispin choir members at the Inauguration, singing Gospel songs with feeling, and with gusto. By the end we were clapping along.

Is it farewell to the Baptist Church?

2005-05-26T12:29:00.000+01:00

The following planning application came my way this week:

Applicant: Mr I Shaddick, 38 Glaston Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 0AN Agent:

Location: Baptist Church and land at rear Glaston Road, Street

Proposal: Demolition of existing church and construction of new church, parking and 8 houses

Ian Shaddick is the Baptist Pastor, and it seems that the plans are to have a better and more suitable church building. The church hall has always struck me as less than beautiful, so I rather hope that that will be redesigned. The church itself is good to look at from the outside, rather old-fashioned and small once you enter. It will be interesting to see the plans.

A friend in the Street Society has commented that:

The only disadvantages seem to be extra traffic from the new dwellings onto a busy road, and reduced parking for churchgoers.

The present church will have stood for nearly two centuries. James Clark wrote his childhood recollections in 1893, looking back to his earliest memories in 1815 when he was only three:

"My father and mother were away from home, and a dear old woman named Nellie Palmer, who lived in a mud cottage with its pointing end to the road, close by where the Baptist Chapel now stands, was keeping house for them. ... One afternoon Nellie Palmer said she would take me for a walk to see how the new Baptist Chapel, then building, was getting on. We walked down Hindhayes Lane, which was not then stoned, and as we reached the point where Wilfred Road now joins it, the mud was so soft and deep we had to leave it and get over a stile into the field on the right, a path through which brought us into the Somerton Road. There at the corner of the lane was an old saw pit where boards were cut out to press cheeses. We found the Baptist Chapel just roofed in, and the carpenters were at work putting up the pews, and the dwelling house at the end of the chapel was being made ready for the Minister, Thomas Burnett, who afterwards had a school there for farmers' sons. When about eight years old I was sent to this school for a week or two. The chief supporters of the Baptist cause at that time were old farmer Gould and his sons, John, Thomas and Joseph; and John Crees and his family, who lived in Silver Lane."

Recycling, common-sense and weak government

2005-05-26T11:30:00.000+01:00

Mendip District Council's circular about how they are going to collect our rubbish arrived today.

Some progress, then. Ordinary dust-bin collections once a fortnight rather than weekly, because we won't have so much to put in them once we've separated out the paper, the glass and the tins. And these, the paper, glass and tins, are going to collected weekly.

That suits our household down to the ground. We only put out our wheelie bin once in about 3 weeks anyway. And the black plastic box isn't big enough for the recycling stuff, now that my son has trained us to put everything in the right places.

What I think could be improved is the sanctions on those who don't comply. Let me quote:

What if I don't want to sort out my household waste?

From now on the Household Waste collection services offered by Mendip Dostrict Council will focus on recycling and waste minimisation. The government requires us to do this, we need you to help. .... If you do not want to sort out your household waste you may find that you will not have enough room for your waste in your wheeled bin, as extra waste will not be collected you will have to take it to your HWRC for disposal.

That's an invitation to those who don't care about the environment to sort just the minimum, enough to ensure that their dustbin doesn't overflow. I remember Alistair Cooke in one of his Radio 4 'Letters from America' telling how they sorted their waste, because otherwise they would be fined. That was about 10 years ago, in the Great Polluting Nation. If it's important to save our countryside from being taken over and poisoned by buried rubbish, why ever not make sorting compulsary?

It's the same weak government (I'm not talking party politics - they're all the same) that allows gas-guzzling 4by4s, with their child-killing bull-bars, to clog cities, that is lax in enforcing speed limits, and that bends over backwards to let the rich kill our villages with second or third homes. On a phone-in this week a gentleman from one of the Scottish islands, I think, proposed to a government minister that those who owned a second home should pay double Council Tax on each home, and those who owned three should pay triple tax on all three. The concern was the way houses in the country are being snatched from village people and all housing there made unaffordable for workers. The minister would not even contemplate this financial disincentive to the rich.

Weak, weak, weak. My fear is that the nation will sink to such a state that a dictator will take over. It is not unthinkable. Mussolini was accepted by a very ancient and cultured nation, and made the trains run on time. Far better that our elected politicians show some backbone before it is too late.

A lecture I gave

2005-05-24T19:55:00.000+01:00

What happened was this: Some time ago I had been asked to rewrite the small History of Street Parish Church. I kept getting phone calls asking when the history would be ready. In the end I volunteered to give a lecture at which the book would be launched, and give the lecture during TrinityFest. (See here for TrinityFest)

About 30 people came to the lecture, and seemed to find it engrossing, so I have put it on the web here.

Copies of the 64 page book were distributed to the audience. They were not bound, and were in black and white. It may take about two months for the completed book to be on sale, all in colour and costing about £3.

This evening was mind-blowing

2005-05-23T23:12:00.000+01:00

I haven't been home long, having sat enthralled, transfixed, by four superb Russian voices who gave a programme of Russian Church music and folk songs.

Just saying that gives no idea of the power of the voices and the skill of the singers, including their high tenor-cum-conductor Vladimir. My friend whispered after the first piece: "It's like listening to an orchestra!" The four voices filled every cranny of Street Parish Church with gorgeous sound.

It was a strange new world to me, and, I suspect, to almost all of those who filled the church. When someone is playing a Mozart Sonata my attention can wander, because I know what's coming. Listening to this Russian vocal music I never found my attention distracted even for a second. Even if I'd known the pieces, the sheer force of vocal interpretation would have compelled me to concentrate entirely on the music. The words meant nothing to me, apart from the occasional 'Alleluia!', but that hardly mattered.

The folk songs in the second half were going to be a relaxation, I thought. And indeed some of them were; but even here there was human pathos, as well as humour. The arrangements, some witty, some tragic, gave the singers many chances to show their skills. In 'kalinka', the only Russian folk song most of us know, we clapped along with the accelerandos and were caught out by sudden changes of tempo, and it was all exhilarating and wondrous.

If you want to see the programme details, you can find them by going here, and following the link to Hermitage.

I am confused

2005-05-23T23:00:00.000+01:00

Having posted my last, about the Holmcroft demolition application having slipped through the net, I then read in the FosseWay Magazine that:

Plans to demolish one of Street's most valued buildings and build 45 homes next to a notoriously dangerous stretch of road have been thrown out by Mendip councillors.

Next, an e-mail dropped into my in box saying that what had been thrown out was just the application to take over the car park next to the site, and that the developer would revert to the previous, slightly smaller, plans.

However that may be, a very welcome message came through today. The Street Society had written to voice its opposition to plans for Overleigh House. I quote:

I have received a letter today from Mendip Planning Dept to say that the application to develop Overleigh House into flats and building plots has been refused.

Perhaps something of what makes Street attractive may remain.

A bad mistake over Holmcroft? And Tower House?

2005-05-23T00:21:00.000+01:00

The Central Somerset Gazette has run a story that the developers of the Holmcroft site were given permission to demolish the handsome building by an oversight.

If that is so, it is cause for sorrow. Street has few enough buildings of merit, and a preserved facade would be better than nothing. I put some drawings from the planning application on this blog. They showed the facade.

Why do developers as a class seem to have no regard for anything except profit? Apparently an application is coming to demolish the landmark Tower House near Overleigh. If that, too, is granted, I shall be tempted to wash my hands of the whole of Street and of the local authorities responsible for it, and become an anarchist. A large number of houses have been built in Street of recent years, and many more are in the pipeline - infills and of course the Houndwood development. We have endured the building of the total number of new houses demanded by the government, surely? Isn't it time to call a pause at least?

Here is the opening of the Gazette news item:

18:00 - 19 May 2005
Civic leaders could be left with egg on their faces after giving their blessing to the demolition of one of Street's historic buildings. Councillors on Mendip's planning board have inadvertently given permission for developers to pull down the former Millfield School house, Holmcroft, in Somerton Road.

It has been revealed that no councillors or members of the public asked to speak at a June planning meeting when an application by Reynolds and Haywards Developments to demolish the building and build 31 apartments was up for discussion.

Instead, the application, which is within a conservation area, was not raised for debate and it was passed "on the nod" in line with the planning officer's recommendation to approve it.

Councillors are now blaming their oversight on the transition of planning applications from the district's area boards to the new planning board.

Opposition to Strode College Proposed Sporting Facilities

2005-05-11T15:03:00.000+01:00

Mr Michele Cinicola e-mailed via the Street Society web site to ask if the Society was aware of opposition to the Strode College proposed sporting facilities. I offered to air his arguments on the StreetWise? Blog, and this is the result:

Opposition:

80 local residents have signed against the proposal.
This proposal is born out of funding greed and not need.
The supposed 'community need' does not exist.
The site is overdeveloped with intense activity day and night:
- School
- College
- Theatre
- Swimming Pool
- Youth Centre
- Gym
- Sports Hall
- Evening Classes
The capability of the surrounding infrastructure has been surpassed. Highway safety is being compromised on a daily basis.
Parking capability of the area has been surpassed.
The design of the proposed sporting facility and landscaping measures are inappropriate/ineffective.
Detrimental Impact on resident's amenity.
Encroachment into the very landscape that makes this part of Somerset known throughout the world.
The site is species rich and such a development will cause harm.
This proposal will threaten the existence of the various leisure centers in Mid Somerset.

Please do not think we have stated just one line arguments here. Each point has been researched, kept site focused and relevant and backed by architectural/engineering/environmental best practice, the Mendip Local Plan and The Human Rights Act.

Of course if you would like detailed reasoning, individuals can be made available to attend a meeting with your society or we could post another email.

Many thanks once again.

Overleigh

2005-05-07T01:01:00.000+01:00

Overleigh still looks inviting, despite all the development recently. But there will come a time when the character has gone.

Peter Rabbit keep out!

2005-05-07T00:59:00.000+01:00

The result of much hard work - well-tended allotments in Overleigh.

Conversion in Overleigh

2005-05-07T00:57:00.000+01:00

Another view of the new outhouse conversion.

Once farm buildings, now dwelling

2005-05-07T00:53:00.000+01:00

Changes in Overleigh.

The seat is repaired and comfortable

2005-05-07T00:50:00.000+01:00

This well-loved seat was in a sorry state last year, but is now repaired and nicely painted. It makes a comfortable and pleasant stopping place on a sunny day like today.

Free range hens near Overleigh

2005-05-07T00:18:00.000+01:00

The Farm Shop sells chickens and eggs from these henhouses. They cost more than the supermarket ones, but feel the virtue in buying local!

2005-04-04T19:20:00.001+01:00

West elevation

2005-04-04T19:20:00.000+01:00

Coach house

2005-04-04T19:06:00.001+01:00

Street Cross South elevation

2005-04-04T19:06:00.000+01:00

Street Cross entrance

2005-04-04T19:05:00.001+01:00

Street Cross North elevation

2005-04-04T19:05:00.000+01:00

Street Cross site plan

Someone is not happy with Houndwood

2005-04-04T17:50:00.000+01:00

This message came through the Street Society Contact page, and is worth passing on:

I am horrified to see multi storey flats being proposed. I live in the flats at First House, Southleaze Orchard which were completed by Mendip Housing two years ago, they are dreadful as your local Councillor David Pipes, and Jim Mochnacz will know. The sound transmission problems are horrendous and they are still not completed properly, MDC Planning are now involved. Anyone who wants to build more multi storey flats has never had to live in one!

Will the Houndwood houses be noise-polluted?

2005-03-23T17:49:00.000Z

This thought was posted on the Street Society web site, and I pass it on here:

Has anybody thought about the noise from the Westway complex when their Generators are running or the Sprinkler & Hydrant pumps are being tested.??? The pump house & one of the generator sheds are on the edge of the Housing development.

One of Street's 'grand houses' to be developed?

2005-03-16T13:10:00.000Z

Overleigh House - the proposal is to divide the house into six flats and build five more dwellings in the grounds.

The Street Society committee discussed this outline planning application on Wednesday 16th March and unanimously opposed it. Points made included:

The house was built in 1829 and so is before the 1840 watershed in the criteria for Listed status. It should be listed.
The proposed development is quite out of keeping with the character of Overleigh.
An increase in the number of residents might bring 50 cars to the area, and would put an unreasonable strain on the quiet lanes.

Holmcroft plus.

2005-03-14T17:45:00.000Z

General view of the Holmcroft proposals. The original house will be only a very small part of a big, big development.

The Street Society Committee supports this development, while noting that there is very limited car parking space.

Holmcroft in its proposed new context

2005-03-14T17:37:00.000Z

Elevation from the planning application, including the existing facade of Holmcroft.

Are you following Arabella's progress?

2005-03-11T18:01:00.000Z

Arabella Churchill of Children's World is at present in Sri Lanka preparing the way for a tour by Children's World International in the autumn. She is sending back pictures and her journal whenever she can get internet access, and the results may be seen and read here.

After she gave a talk to the Street Society I was moved to offer help with the charity's web site, so I am busy updating it whenever a new picture or bit of news comes in. Do have a look.

So that's all right, then - as Private Eye says

2005-03-11T17:57:00.000Z

Official information:

"Planning permission is not needed to knock down the front walls and drop kerbs etc. in Merriman Road as this is not a classified road."

White on white - winter on spring.

2005-03-02T09:23:00.000Z

Large snowflakes falling on cherry plum blossom, 2nd March 2005.

Shops to let (1)

2005-02-22T18:19:00.000Z

Our little shopping mall has a vacancy. It's good to see the veg shop next door holding its own against the supermarkets.

Shops to let (2)

2005-02-22T18:16:00.000Z

Megasave has closed after several months of clearance. I guess it lost custom to the Pound Shop on the opposite side of the road.

Shops to let (3)

2005-02-22T18:14:00.000Z

A long time a-dying, this former shoe shop. I wonder who will be able to make a business thrive here. It will need to be something that is not found in the central section of the High Street.

Long delays promised in Vestry Road

2005-02-22T18:12:00.000Z

The gas pipeline continues on its way, down Vestry Road. The evening sunlight and the dark sky together bring out the friendly colours of the houses. And this on a day when it snowed twice, morning and evening. Nothing serious, only a few flakes.

Goodbye, another blue lias wall

2005-02-22T18:10:00.000Z

More destruction in Merriman Road.

The motor car rules. OK? Or not OK?

2005-02-22T18:09:00.000Z

Yet another wall in Merriman Road bites the dust. Members of the Street Society in a private capacity have been monitoring this process, and have raised the matter of lowered kerbs with the authorities. These members object to the width of lowered kerb outside some houses. The lowered section sometimes even encroaches on the neighbouring property's frontage. I find it difficult to visualise what Merriman Road will look like when there are few or none of the original walls left, just tarmac and parked cars. Residents have said that they are partly motivated by the desire to prevent visiting motorists taken all the parking space and leaving them nowhere to park. It is now too late for my favoured solution, a ban on parking on one side of the road, and residents' permits for spaces on the other side. Ah well!

The Houndwood development - next step

2005-02-19T21:20:00.000Z

The Street Society has been involved for some time with the consultations about the giant new housing development at Houndwood. So it was interesting to read the following in the FosseWay Magazine:

Street residents will have an opportunity to find out more about plans to build around 400 homes in the town at a meeting next week.

Shoe giant Clarks has outline permission for a huge development scheme on the 12-hectare site of their former distribution centre at Houndwood, and Mendip District Council's planning board approved a draft design brief for the scheme at their meeting last week.

Design consultants RPS Planning Transport and Environment will give a presentation on the brief at the district council's Glastonbury and Street area board meeting next week.

The event marks the beginning of a public consultation period before the document goes back to the planning board for adoption in June.

Residents with questions or comments about the scheme are invited to register to speak at the meeting.

Area board chairman Les Bennett said:

"This is an enormous issue in Street, and I want members of the public to ask the developers questions rather than just sitting and listening to us debating it"

The meeting will be taking place in Crispin School Hall at 6.30pm on Wednesday night (23rd February).

Other agenda items include a presentation by Mendip YMCA, anti-social behaviour in Glastonbury, street trading, Glastonbury market, skateboarding at Moorlands and regional crime statistics.

Anyone wishing to speak on any of the agenda items should contact Claire Dicken at Mendip District Council on 01749 343399.

Rutland Boughton's plaque

2005-02-17T23:34:00.000Z

As a footnote to all the posts about 'Bethlehem', here is a scan of the Gazette picture of Rutland Boughton's plaque on the Assembly Rooms. It had just been unveiled by Rutland Boughton's grandson Ian, and the Mayor of Glastonbury Nick Cottle is in the picture too.

And what, you may ask, has this ceremony across the Brue got to do with Street? Rutland Boughton himself did not recognise the Great Divide, and the first performance of Bethlehem took place in Street, in the Crispin Hall, with singers about equally from Street and Glastonbury.

Spring is not so far away, surely.

2005-02-16T17:34:00.000Z

Blossom now holds promise of cherry plums later.

Another building for our young people

2005-02-16T17:29:00.000Z

The new building by Strode car park.

Towering over the tower

2005-02-16T17:28:00.000Z

Towering over the tower - the giant crane over the new Strode building.

Two letters after my own heart

2005-02-11T23:38:00.000Z

This week's Central Somerset Gazette carries one letter about last Sunday's concert at the Parish Church, and another about the exhibition of paintings by Norman Parker.

They echo my feelings exactly.

Exceptional night out

I would like to congratulate all those involved with the very excellent musical evening at Street Trinity Parish Church this Sunday evening (February 6). It was one of the most delightful musical evenings I have ever enjoyed in Somerset. The parish church was warm and welcoming with truly spectacular acoustics. It was a tranquil joy that I did not expect to find so close to home.

The Kokoro (Japanese for heart) contemporary music ensemble of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with COSMiC (the Strode theatre-based Centre Of Somerset Music Club) provided a musical night to remember for us all. Local parents and young people were learning and playing music with one of the best in the country.

We all enjoyed and will remember the surreal experience of the soprano, Bernadette Lord, singing with three ringing glasses of water. The Street Trinity Parish church was described tonight as the "Fastest growing music venue in the South West".

I cannot do it justice in words and would strongly recommend you visit for yourself. Put Saturday, April 23, in your diary for the St George's Day musical event. You will not be disappointed. You will very likely be enchanted.

Jim Mochnacz
Park Road
Street

Don't miss this show

Re: 43 Views of the Tor — Exhibition of paintings by Norman Parker.

Norman Parker's work has my greatest admiration.

Having painted the Tor myself for a number of years, I have never seen anything to equal his paintings for artistry, imagination and often humour.

My advice to all readers of this newspaper is to go along to the Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury, well before the exhibition ends on March 5.

Even if art exhibitions aren't your normal thing, you will enjoy the experience immensely.

The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am until 5pm, and admission is free.

John Morland
Dod Lane
Glastonbury.

This willow is under threat

2005-02-09T19:18:00.000Z

This willow is under threat. Here is the application:

Application No: 111137/008PG29
Received: 26 Jan 2005
Development Type: Trees - PG29
Full Grid Reference: ST48259,36360
Registered: 28 Jan 2005
Ward: Street South
Application Type: TPO Felling
Case Officer: Yvonne Jarrold
Valid: 26 Jan 2005
Parish: Street
Applicant: Mr P J Barker,
6 Merriman Road,
Street,
Somerset, BA16 0JA
Location: 6 Merriman Road
Street
Somerset BA16 0JA
Proposal: Felling of Willow tree covered by TPO M1107 (DEL)

Combe Hill Wood

2005-02-09T17:20:00.000Z

I thought that the leaflet about Combe Hill Wood ought to be widely available, so here it is:

Combe Hill Wood

is owned by The Ninesquare Trust and is managed by fountains plc U.K. forestry services. Tel: 01295 750000.

NOW FULLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Combe Hill Wood is situated about 3 miles south-east of Street, Somerset, above and between the nearby villages of Gompton Dundon & Butteigh. It is easily accessible via the ridge road known as Reynold's Way which links the B3151 and the B3153, and it has a spacious car park. Its map grid reference is ST 503 331.

The woodland extends to 25 hectares (62 acres) with a diverse range of habitats. Research has indicated that Combe Hill has been a mixed site of woodland, wood pasture, grazed calcareous grassland and scrub for several hundred years. It has trees of all ages and very many species. One area of semi-natural oak woodland has been there since 1822 and has developed a rich variety of lichen, ferns and invertebrates in the deadwood. Extensive planting of conifers and broadleaves took place in the 1960s with Pine, Spruce, Western Red Cedar and Larch being inter-planted with Elm, Beech and Alder, among which there is much Ash regeneration of all ages. The remaining veteran Oak, Beech, Sycamore and Field Maple are often found with an under-storey of Hazel and Hawthorn. The woodland is silviculturaily managed to retain and favour veteran trees, coppicing Hazel in a regular rotation. Remaining areas are thinned to encourage the development of native broadleaves of all ages, and to allow the good quality conifers to mature. The paths and newly created open spaces are managed to encourage a diversity of flora and fauna: wild flowers and invertebrates in particular should increase in these areas.

There is an extensive path system throughout the wood for all abilities, including disabled and wheelchair users, leading to viewpoints with stunning scenery below: views over this lovely part of Somerset and the levels or "moors" as they are known locally. These viewpoints are pleasant places for gazing in quiet contemplation, or for a picnic, or scanning around with binoculars, maybe watching the wildlife. Many interesting song-birds, woodland birds and birds of prey may be seen: among them goldcrests, bullfinches, jays, pheasants, woodcock, buzzards, kestrels and sparrow hawks. Roe deer, foxes, badgers, hares or rabbits may be seen if it is fairly quiet, especially early in the morning or towards evening.

The wood also contains a section of the "New Ditch" which is an enigmatic 3000-year-old Iron Age earthwork.

The Ninesquare Trust was established in 1995. Its aims are to benefit the people of Street, in Somerset, and the surrounding area, with a commitment to supporting projects with a particular focus on. education and the environment. The Trustees have welcomed this rare opportunity to combine managing this wood to a high standard whilst retaining its diversity and encouraging the fullest possible public access. Following wide consultation and substantial financial support and advice from the Forestry Commission in support of these objectives, Fountain Forestry have been responsible for the major programme of work undertaken at Combe Hill Wood. This has involved thinning and clearing as well as the construction of paths, fencing, signage and other improvements for good public access.

* Please enjoy and respect the wood *

Who's in charge of parking policy?

2005-02-09T11:22:00.000Z

'Joined-up government' is a vogue phrase at the moment, and you can see what people mean by it. When the gas people dig up your road one week and carefully make good (we hope), and the water people come a couple of weeks later and dig it all up again, you yearn for some co-ordination.

We came across an example regarding Overleigh, when we were negotiating with Mendip about conservation issues, and then, without warning or by-your-leave, Somerset Country Council sent someone to decide whether to knock down a venerable and attractive wall and widen the country lane so that cars sould rush by, knocking the children, other pedestrians and motorised wheelchair users flying.

Thank God they didn't go forward with the hare-brained scheme. All they did was leave a stud hammered into the tarmac and a number of worried residents. But apparently the Highways Department, belonging to Somerset CC, can do what it likes, without consulting Mendip. Or that's what I gather. I may be wrong.

And then the police seem to have a hand in things to do with parking, too. And the really local people, Street Parish Council, who know what's what in the immediate area, seem to have no effective say at all.

Parking. That's the issue worrying some of us. Pavements in Merriman Road are being lowered and white lines are appearing in the road. Who lowered the pavement? Who painted the white lines? Whose responsibility is it to give permission? And who has an overall view of the needs of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in Street? If there is anyone with such an overview, do they have the authority to get things done?

There was a time when our town signs - sorry, village signs - proudly announced Free Parking. Then some authority stepped in and compelled us to make the car parks pay. Parked cars appeared overnight along all the roads near the High Street, and my barber lost a lot of customers who could no longer park outside his shop. Now the car parks are filled again and still the roads are clogged with parked cars.

My son in London has over the years done a lot of unpaid work gathering information about traffic flow, bicycle use and safety, effect on local residents and so on, in his part of North London, and his local council has taken notice and changed some one-way systems back into two-way, to general satisfaction, and even bankrolled schemes for cycle storage to encourage fewer car journeys and more healthy cycling.

Perhaps it takes private initiative to get the facts, present them to all the local authorities, and then knock the heads of officials together until they come up with some joined-up government regarding cars in Street and what to do with them.

Meanwhile, Merriman Road is continuing its chaotic changes.

2005-02-07T00:46:00.001Z

Hywel helps another young violinist with tuning.

2005-02-07T00:46:00.000Z

A young violinist asks Hywel Jenkins for help in tuning.

2005-02-07T00:44:00.000Z

The first violins from the Cosmic/Kokoro string ensemble.

2005-02-07T00:43:00.000Z

Yet more string players from Cosmic. They made a splendid sound.

2005-02-07T00:42:00.000Z

More string players playing Peter Maxwell Davies.

2005-02-07T00:41:00.000Z

Part of the string group playing Maxwell Davies.

2005-02-07T00:40:00.001Z

More Cosmic singers and recorder players.

2005-02-07T00:40:00.000Z

Cosmic singers and recorder players.

2005-02-07T00:39:00.000Z

The Cosmic choir in performance.

2005-02-07T00:38:00.000Z

Mark Forkgen, conductor of Kokoro.

2005-02-07T00:37:00.000Z

Alistair Marshallsay, percussionist of Kokoro.

2005-02-07T00:36:00.000Z

The Cosmic choir practises, led by Mark Forkgen.

2005-02-07T00:35:00.000Z

Members of Cosmic in rehearsal.

2005-02-07T00:34:00.000Z

Bernadette Lord, soprano, thinking about things.

2005-02-07T00:33:00.000Z

Judith Brice, viola, and Roberto Sorrentino, cello.

2005-02-07T00:32:00.000Z

Kokoro musicians catch up with their reading while others rehearse.

2005-02-07T00:31:00.000Z

Mark Forkgen rehearses Cosmic

2005-02-07T00:30:00.000Z

Paul Searle-Barnes (harpsichord) of Kokoro.