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Speak-up, Belt-up, Calm down ! Confused ? Well these are just some of the things you said to us when we asked you about the future of Hunsdon earlier this year. Your thoughts, and there were many, have now been put together as a Draft Plan for the Parish. We are now asking for your further comments on the Plan as a whole before the Parish Council adopts it as the best way forward. So what did you say ? Speak-up ! Your reaction to the Government’s plan to build 25,000 houses north of Harlow has been wonderful. No other communities in the whole region have objected so loudly, so clearly and in such numbers to this ill-conceived idea which would destroy all that they value. But it won’t end there because village communities and the countryside get very low priority in official thinking. Think of the threats to rural post offices and schools, think how difficult it is to get our traffic problems dealt with or a police presence in the Village, ask yourself why we are at the end of the queue when recycling facilities are being planned………………..and so it goes on. The Parish Plan will set up a system to ensure we are fully aware of what is going on and have a real voice in decisions that could affect our lives. Local democracy is under threat! Belt-up ! The major threat to our Village and countryside is the Government’s unnecessary and unsustainable plan to take away the Green Belt north of Harlow. Our Plan will continue to oppose that and fight for the Green Belt to be extended from Harlow all the way to the Village boundary. To reinforce that we’ll support the ‘STOP Harlow North’ proposals for Gilston Great Park which will see landscape improvements and the creation of new woodlands and rural leisure facilities. Without exception people want to protect our environment’ and our very individual character. It is clear however that hard information about what is of value is scattered and incomplete. The Plan suggests that we create our own Domeday Book recording all those things about our wildlife, history, landscape, and buildings that we need to preserve. A Village Museum may be one result of this idea. The most important use of this record will be to protect and, where necessary enhance, those things we value when any changes are planned. Take care ! Hunsdon wants to be a caring community. The Plan will deal with local housing by researching needs and negotiating with the District Council to achieve what is needed. the 'Good Neighbour' scheme needs revitalising. Positive action to increase recycling and the use solar and wind energy will be taken. Calm down ! That’s what most people want to do to the traffic which races through the Village. This is a problem shared by the Hadhams and Widford so the Plan proposes joining forces with them and campaigning for measures to make our villages safer. This will present a conflict for some people since street lighting may be essential in some schemes. The Plan will ensure a referendum if this situation arises. Safety is also threatened by the poor state of many footpaths so the Plan will seek action and budgets to deal with maintenance and to create a new path to the Church. Many see bus services needing to be improved or provided at better times. The Plan will set up a process to review and publicise services.
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The Draft Plan deals with the issues you raised in some detail and you can see the full report at the Post Office or ask for a copy from Nigel Clark. We would welcome your comments on these proposals by 18 December. Again we will give a £50 cash prize to one person to be ‘drawn from the hat’ from responses received by that date. Comments, please:
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Summary of proposals in the Draft Plan:
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