The
buildings, Hall, Church Green, the two woods and the Walk is now
unfortunately, going to be a conservation area. This was
decided
at a MSDC meeting on 29 October '98. I use the word 'unfortunate' as
despite the fact that I care intensely about what happens to the area I
do not consider this step is the right one as what is to be 'conserved'
is rather vague. Is it to be conserved 'as is' or to be gradually
returned to its original form or some hotch potch in the middle.
Whatever happens it will be the owners, present or future, who will
have to foot the bill.
What is
upsetting about all this is that the owners were NOT considered in this
at all, you could almost say that everything is done so that the owners
are not consulted, told, asked or in any considered in this matter
whatsoever and as such literally do not exist, we just have to accept
it. I assume that somebody will eventually tell us what it means, but
in view of our treatment to date it is more than likely that we will
find that out after we have done something that is not allowed.
Most of
the farm building are listed so have their own protection. The two
woods are 'ancient woods' (consisting mainly of Ash with some Hazel),
so should also have their own protection, in the context of
conservation the woods desperately need to be cut down to coppice
before they do in fact die. The process of doing that would create a
lot of complaints but must be done else it will die or get blown over
by the high winds that we get from time to time. If that happens it
will then need to be replanted. Coppicing is the best option but there
is the possibility that if this is done the stools may themselves then
die, but assuming that they survive then the regeneration could be such
that in five to 10 years it could be 15-20ft high or better.
The part
of the Walk nearest the road, just over four acres, has been allowed to
become overgrown over the last 50yrs or so and is now part of the
conservation area so what they need to 'conserve ' there is a complete
mystery.
The so
called Ancient Monument, in the form of a Chantry, which was possibly
on the site now occupied by the large barn (listed) but there is little
evidence to prove this but it has resulted in the adjoining meadow
having restrictions placed on it by English Heritage which are not
really justified and is making the whole site sound important. The
Chantry evidence is only justified by the fact that Edmund Alcock left
some money in his will for a Chantry to be built, but there is little
evidence that it was ever actually built.
I am led
to believe that when the Hall and the adjoining grassland (26 acres),
which makes up the bulk of the conservation area, was sold that there
is a clause in the sale contract to preserve the grassed area between
the church and the driveway for parking and access to the church.
I did
attend the committee meeting, as a member of the public (and not
allowed to speak), where the platform explained all their reasons etc.
for making it a conservation area and making it clear that the
objections were unfounded, and the prospective purchaser (we assume
this to be a person who had made an offer, but which was still being
considered but did not in fact materialise) was in favour and that no
further discussion was needed and they all dutifully passed the
proposal. This means that the objectors, mostly the owners, went mainly
unheard as some of their comments were not available to the committee
members until they arrived at the meeting and did not seem to have time
to read them. From the way that this has come about it is clear that
this Conservation Area was to be setup as quickly as is possible and
with as little consultation as possible, even the Badley Parish Council
were not informed!
A preservation order on the hedges that form
the Avenue was all that is needed to protect the area.
Original Dated 30th October '98
updated July 2006
e-mail address - - - maurice at badley.org.uk
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