It’s been an interesting week in TMD HQ this week, I’ve been here, there and everywhere from meeting new people; ones that have been on the Telly! More on that in a bit. To meeting people who have followed The Main Deal for some time and are meeting me for the first time; I think they’re quite disappointed when they see that my complexion isn’t glowing and my eyebrows aren’t neat as in my cartoon picture! Hence why I use a cartoon picture….
Anyway, Another town was asking my advice on how to get their traders together and how they could come up with something that would potentially give their town a sustainable future! Baby steps and communication is the first key, you’ll be amazed how many traders don’t know each other, it was the same for me when I first started looking in to the businesses of Garforth, some knew each other, but not necessarily what was in their shop, some went out for a beer and had opinions about the other traders and some had no clue at all and it’s very difficult to bring a team, and I do mean a team of people, as they need to all work together at the end of the day, they all want the same thing!
On the Telly person…
ShopAppy initiative
I had a great meeting this week with Jackie from ShopAppy; as seen on The One Show! A lovely lady who has created this superb model to hopefully go across the nation. But certainly a model I will be looking at for Garforth as it allows you to shop local, online! There is more information to follow on this….. so please keep following for more information as to how we look at it working in Garforth. In the meantime, you can actually register and have a look yourself.
https://shopappy.com/ – if you can look and give me some feedback this would be great; let me know what you think. Even if you send me an email
Earlier in the year I mentioned I was looking into a possible Garforth App but this proved not be wanted nor workable, this however, I think may work if the shops jump on board and use it in order you the consumer use it too.
Just think………….
When you shop local, it allows our shops to create jobs, give money to local causes and support local projects, spend money locally too and cross market with other businesses, which in itself creates a cog, a cog that turns things in such a fabulous way. So next time when you spend your next £10, think where it’s going and how it’s working in circulation around the local businesses, as last weeks video proved, £10 can really stretch and make a difference.
We have 20,000 people in Garforth (thereabouts) if 10,000 spent £10.00 a week locally, that would be ;
£100,000 per week
That’s £5,200,000 a YEAR back into our local economy
Just a thought!
#WOTS
I see movement at the new ladies gym above The GreenGrocers called Gymophobics It seems they have been moving things in and out and getting the place ready for their new gym to open, Due to open in March. Follow their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GymophobicsGarforth/
There are lots of events going on locally, so please don’t miss out, I have added more on this week.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/themaindeal/events/?ref=page_internal (copy and paste)
I see Streetlife has gone in with Neighbourhood Networks! Streetbour? Neighworks? No, joking, it’s called Nextdoor! it’s helped a few trade people, do it does have it’s place. But personally, I only go on when I need to, there are far too many people hiding behind tablets and saying what ever comes into their heads for me. BE NICE
PLANNING
Here is the following reasons why our local Councillors are objected against the RedRow proposals for building 238 homes, as mentioned a little last week – this may help you, should you wish to object.
OBJECTIONS CLOSE ON 24th FEBRUARY
These are our key areas of concern:
Drainage and Water Dispersal
The land in question is the former Stocks Blocks site, which had been occupied by the company since 1965 before the development of the surrounding estates.
We make that point because the drainage infrastructure was designed and cultivated to serve the estates developed from the mid 1960s through to the early 1970s and no more. Quite simply, the drainage for both fresh and foul water could not cope with a further 238 dwellings.
238 houses equates to 4000 litres of water, fresh and foul, being dispersed daily. We understand and accept that the rainwater run off would possibly be improved by removing the acres of concrete rafts on which the current site stands. We also understand each unit will have new and separate fresh and foul water drainage. But once off the new estate it will run into a maze of old and antiquated drainage which does not even cope at present.
Ninelands Lane and the surrounding area already flood significantly. On many occasions in recent years the road has been inaccessible, often for several houses, at the height of storms. Most recently raw sewage has been pushed from the original drainage systems onto the streets and houses of the Grange Estate and the Wimpy Estate, which both border the site in question.
We offer a stark warning to Planning: adding 4000 daily litres of water, including sewage, to an area that is already dangerous in the height of a storm would not just be folly, but a complete dereliction of duty. It will lead not only to increased flooding, but also sewage in the streets and in residents’ homes. As always, you will be presented with ‘expert’ opinion to the contrary. Please let common sense and local knowledge win out. The evidence is clear and unequivocal. This WILL cause an environmental catastrophe to our community.
Transport
238 houses will, at a very conservative estimate, equate to a further 500 pieces of traffic movement per day on a minor arterial route, Ninelands Lane, which is already operating at capacity.
Leaving the proposed estate, these commuters will have two options: left towards the busy A63 at a junction which barely copes at peak times, and onto the A63 running at 100,000 pieces of traffic movement a day. Or right, past a busy primary school, over a single lane bridge to another junction operating at capacity on Bar Lane, and onto the busy A642.
Simply put, this will not work. The highways’ infrastructure is completely insufficient to cope with it.
Again, you will be presented with a traffic survey that will mitigate all our concerns. Frankly, it is nonsense. This will gridlock Garforth. Heaven forbid an accident at a key location were to happen, and it has happened before. Ninelands Lane becomes a cut through and gridlocks. To add substantially more houses into that scenario would be utterly irresponsible.
Schools
Our five local primaries have many year groups at capacity, as has, with the exception of Sixth Form, Garforth Academy. Again, using conservative estimates, let’s say 500 children require schooling. Where would that be? The demand would be intolerable and unachievable.
This is no way to create sustainable communities. The one saving grace around the Core Strategy would be the provision, through CIL, of new school provision and adequate infrastructure. But this development would offer such a small sum towards education it would not even cover the cost of an extension to an existing school. And assuming no local provision is available, it is a reasonable assumption that children will be driven to school outside Garforth. This would add even more peak time traffic pressures. Either way it simply doesn’t work.
This scheme comes with no thought and no plan to address these issues. With regard to school provision, the developer told Cllr Dobson that “these are issues for the council”. We vehemently contend that. It is simply passing responsibility to an authority already struggling to provide fair and adequate provision. Yet again rampant development for developers’ profit would squeeze existing communities to breaking point and crisis.
Conclusion
Apart from it being a brownfield site, this development has nothing in its favour. In fact it will significantly worsen three already major areas of concern for our community. We both support the concept of brownfield first, but not at any price and not where completely unsustainable.
We wish to formally object and request that Cllr M Dobson speaks at any hearing.
Cllr S Field
Cllr M Dobson
Here is the link, to copy and paste. With only 17 objections in thus far, I think more is needed as with 24 and a visit to panel, Dominoes still got in!
https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=OJWWT6JBL7400
MORE IN PLANNING
An unusual change of use! – Change of use of domestic swimming pool to form canine hydrotherapy use (sui generis) Different but could be interesting
With it being half term; not that I have mentioned it at all, that means time away from the office at least for a week, and the fact that my little dude will also be 7 next Friday. I will be predominately jumping on trampolines and not typing anything! So the blog will return on Friday 24th February; then we’re nearly in March… hopefully some better weather on the way
Shop local this Valentines, we have so much on offer to buy;
Dumouchel – Chocolate heaven
Chris’ Fruit and Veg – great bouquets of Flowers
Vouchers for treatments from all our lovely hair and beauty shops
www.funkymuppet.co.uk are doing ace valentine balloons
Flowers By Chloe are creating some wonderful flowers displays
Or choose one of our fabulous eatries to go out for dinner, I hear Station House bistro is about to release a menu
Until next time…………..
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