To gather together posts from this year
Village Green Status Granted
On Tuesday the 5th July 2016 at a meeting of the MKBC Regulatory Committee held in the Civic Offices, Village Green Status was granted to 2 parcels of open space land in the parish of Old Woughton, south of Passmore and between Foxton and Castle Rose in Woughton Park. The applications had been made within the guidelines of the 2006 Act of Parliament. No objections were made by members of the public or the landowner (MKBC).
MKBC had been advised by their officers not to grant this status, having obtained legal advice on a disputed point in law, upon which they were unable to give evidential proof. Objections to this decision were put forward by councillors Judith Howson and Mike Blomley from Passmore and Stuart Bennett, retired councillor from Woughton Park.
Water Borehole
A water borehole project is being investigated. The local water table as evidenced by a local well is quite high, and the Patch’s daily water requirement is well within the permitted daily amount of water one is allowed to extract.
If the decision is taken to proceed it is anticipated there will be a saving of a minimum of £700 per annum on the annual water bill. The capital cost of the project is estimated to be around £15,000 but grants are available and it is hoped that the net cost to the Parish will be between £2,500 and £5,000. It is possible that the pump power could be provided by solar panels, wind turbines may not be effective because of the surrounding trees.
May 2016 Update
A geological survey was carried out of the Patch allotments land. Based on the results of this survey the advice received, from the various drilling companies contacted for quotations, was that there would be insufficient water to meet the needs of the Patch Allotments.
This project has therefore been suspended, unless any new information comes to light.
Plot re-staking
All the plots are to be re-staked with four corner posts. Over the years many of the markers have broken or rotted resulting in some unclear boundaries. As plots are re-staked we are also re-measuring to confirm the many different plot sizes.
The project has commenced, but the timing of inserting the stakes is very weather dependant and it is anticipated that the project will last at least three years.
Update 31st May 2018
Almost half the plots have now been re-staked.
Update 22nd March 2020
On the home straight, only 33 of 210 plots requiring staking, to go!
Update March 2022
Finally all the plots have been re-staked!! The pandemic caused a final haitus, but all useable plots have now been completed. In the intervening six years, one or two of the original “new” plot markers have either rotted or been damaged. It seems the initial three year estimate proved optimistic for this volunteer activity. Replacing plot markers has now moved from a project to a maintenance activity.
Allotment Shop
Two used shipping containers arrived on-site in October 2014.
One was provided to be used as a shop by the Patch Allotment Association (PAA). Previously an old wooden hut on-site had acted as the PAA meeting room, tea-room and shop. The shop can now hold more goods more securely, and the hut has more space for meetings and socialisation.
The second container was provided to the Patch Allotment Association to securely hold an increasing amount of allotment machinery, spares and workshop space.
This picture shows the interior of the shop after renovation by the PAA.
Drainage Works
The following drainage works have now been completed in Woughton on the Green
- The Green
- Newport road between the church and Baskerfield Grove
- Baskerfield Grove along Newport Road past Goodman Gardens
The only remaining work is now to clean up the ditch the orchard.