Transition Town Berkhamsted Riser Meeting 10/11/11
Thanks very much to all of those who joined us for our regular green drinks on Thursday at the Riser.
Here are the summary minutes:
Launch of Bruce Nixon's book
Called ‘A Better World is Possible’ Bruce Nixon's latest book provides practical guidance on how
citizens can work to push systemic change in how society addresses critical social and environmental
issues including failing democracy and climate change. Bruce will be signing his book at Waterstones
on the high street from 10am-2pm on the 19th November with a discussion on the 24th from 78.30pm. Please contact Waterstone's for tickets.
Climate Week 12th-18th March
Climate week is national campaign supported by a wide range of celebrities and public figures. In
2011 the week attracted support from 50000 people. We discussed whether we should be involved
and there was strong support for a Berkhamsted initiative. We agreed to go away and think of things
that we might focus on during the week and submit ideas to Seb (beloe@live.co.uk) in advance of
next month's meeting in the Riser.
Car Free weekend
Building on the success of this year's car free weekend, it was suggested that we should consider
rescheduling car free weekend in 2012 to the Spring. The timing would make more sense being at
the beginning of (relatively) good weather so that people can continue to avoid using their cars
through the spring and summer. It was also pointed out that this could be timed to coincide with
Climate Week.
Which?
The magazine 'Which?' is organising a series of public events across the country to help people pay
less for their energy bills. We briefly discussed whether we wanted to be involved and agreed that we
should find out more about what precisely was involved. Seb will get in touch and report back.
FiT Consultation
Finally we also spent some time discussing the government's proposed cuts to the FiT for PV systems
and agreed that we should provide a submission as a group but that individuals should also write and
make their views known. It was felt that the best approach is to contribute to the consultation
directly (www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/fits_comps_rev1/fits_comps_rev1.aspx) and
/or write to David Gauke(david@davidgauke.com).
POST MEETING NOTE: An online petition has been set up to protest against the cuts. This may be
the easiest way to make your feelings felt (although all 3 channels would be ideal!) Here is the link:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20912
Support for planning application in Tring
We heard a passionate plea from Ben Taylor for support for his planning applications to turn his
home into a model and self-sufficient farmhouse. Ben’s summary:
The project is to be located at our house - The Farmhouse, Marshcroft Lane, Tring, HP23 5QN. We
are located on a no through road between the Canal and the Railway. The farmhouse was built in
1890 as the Principal Tenant Farmer's accomodation for Pendley Manor. As a Model Farm of its time
it was of course self-sufficient in water supply and drainage and I guess there was no electricity or
phone! In the 1970's it was acquired by Farmers Weekly magazine as part of their domonstartion
unit and there are many articles in the magazine archives on innovations at Marshcroft including the
extensive irrigation system. After Farmers Weekly sold up the farmhouse gradually became derelict
until I bought it in 1993 and repaired it sufficiently to live in.
In 2004 (over the Christmas holiday) whilst listening to our oil boiler struggling to heat the place,
smarting under the recent oil price hike that had taken our annual cost up to around £6000 per year
and having just read of National plans to replace our struggling North Sea gas supplies with shipped
supplies from the Middle East, I decided the time had come to act! At first on the back of an
envelope and subsequently with the assistance of a series of 'expert consultants' (sic) we have
developed a comprehensive plan that refurbishes the building envelope, installs a 'building integrated'
solar thermal collection system and medium temperature heat-store, a ventilation Heat Recovery Unit
and an electrical generation unit (Wind Turbine and PV). The aspiration is that we can be fully self
sufficient in energy (and water) and have some left over to export to the local grid. Two applications
have been made with application numbers 4/01106/09/FHA and 4/01634/11/FUL.
After several iterations, the application was allocated to delegated decision by the Planning Officer
Yvonne Edwards. We are of course not certain but the tone of emails from her suggest that she is
minded to refuse the application. We only just discovered that if she thinks this and the Town
Council object (which they did) then the application can be blocked from discussion at the Planning
Committee and we have only recourse to formal appeal. We are upset about this particulary as Tring
Town Council discussed it at a General Meeting rather than a Planning one and did not advertise the
Agenda on the website. We are feeling a bit like we have been stitched up! I have discussed the
case with Cllr Ian Reay who visited the site on 9th November. I believe he sits on the Chilterns AONB
committee and is vice Chair of Dacorum planning. He advised us that the process to bring the
application away from the Planning Officer and to committe could be initiated by the Chairman of the
Planning Committee OR our local Ward Councillor, Penny Hearn. Unfortunately Penny Hearn has
been one of the most vociferous objectors to the scheme! When I spoke to her yesterday she was
very reticent about representing our request to the Planning Officer, and I await her response. I
have also spoken to Cllr Nick Hollinghurst (Dacorum for Tring East).
We would value all the suggestions we can get from the group.
E-mails of support for the concept and opinion on visual impact directly to Yvonne
Edwards Yvonne.Edwards@dacorum.gov.uk would be invaluable. Her manager is Alex Chruscaik
and latest news is that she is referring to him.
Thanks for reading to the end, and thanks to Seb for doing the minutes.. Do keep us posted of news
relating to sustainability (or unsustainability!) issues, and hope to see you at our next monthly
meeting - the Rising Sun pub, George Street, Berkhamsted. It will be on Thursday 8th December,
8pm in the back room (so it is easy to find us).
Any comments to danny_bonnett@yahoo.co.uk